Jay Clayton Wilson
Gender Social Team Tennis is the name adopted for an exciting tennis format. It simply means that men’s doubles teams will compete against each other while women’s doubles teams compete against each other in an exciting format. There is not a mixed doubles component and, distressingly, women are not allowed to play on men’s teams. While the format is not extraordinary, the STC has instituted an innovation that revolutionized the program.
Following each match all players, women and men, meet on the lovely STC patio for snacks and beverages that are provided by the then current Home Team. Much loud bragging and chest beating has been noted on the part of the winning teams. Of course, no small amounts of excuses find their way into the party-like conversations that are enjoyed by spectators and everyone who participates. That’s because Social Team Tennis is a grand success at STC and the fun doesn’t stop simply because the final point has been won.
The 2016 season just came to a nail-biting conclusion. The season winners could not be determined until the last moments of play. The famous one season old Longhorns were in the lead. But Bob Stock’s Rattlers had to tie or win their match against Dave Lamb’s Scorpions before the Longhorns could begin to celebrate. What happened was known as soon as the Rattlers and Scorpions finished their match, not only because of the score, but because the winning Longhorns began consuming and sharing champagne and shouting wild west slogans like, Go Longhorns and Hook ‘em Horns. Well, that last one was mostly a Texas thing.
On the other STC court the ladies’ teams found themselves in a similarly close match. It was not until the final point was played that Sue Baysinger’s Scorpions could claim victory over Carolyn Badger’s Killer Bees and Kay Sullivan’s Tarantulas. That moment marked a race to the STC patio for refreshing snacks and a multitude of good things to drink. The party was on.
Everyone is congratulating the 2016 Gender Social Team Tennis champions. So here’s to the reigning ladies’ Scorpions and the men’s Longhorns. Competition and fun abounded while STC members met and became friends with many other members whom they hardly knew before the event.
There is a proposal before the STC Board of Directors to extend the 2017 season to eight weeks instead of the current six weeks. Ginger Riffel and Joe Schullik, the coordinators, are urging the longer season because of the popularity of the program. It is becoming the premier STC tennis and fun event.
Everyone should be looking forward to joining the 2017 STC Social Team Tennis program as soon as email and newsletter notifications are sent, probably in December of this year. It’s fun; it’s social and it’s competitive. Be there for the friendship, competition, patio parties and the celebration.
Remember to check out the STC Facebook page at www.facebook.com/saddlebrooketennisclub.