TR #10: No Nets!
Okay, so that picture is a sweet tennis court somewhere. But there is one problem. No one can play because there is no net.
And we have that problem all the time in northern Indiana. Because the snow gets on the courts, and the wind is cold and harsh, and the freezing and thawing ruins the nets; for all of these reasons and more, most courts take their nets down for the winter.
While I understand this, it drives me nuts at the same time. For example, we played tennis on Tuesday and it was only 30 degrees outside. While it wasn't the most pleasant experience ever, it wasn't really all that bad once we got moving. And most of us weren't even wearing gloves. So if it had gotten down to temperatures of 25 degrees, we probably could have still hit.
But all winter in Indiana, that option is pretty much closed off to tennis players. This forces us indoors where only those who are willing and able to pay money or get up early in the morning to use the gymnasium are able to play.
I want to see the nets stay up. Or put not as nice nets up. Or whatever. But allow us to play even when it is freezing cold. Why? Because then tennis becomes about dedication. Then it's about who will persevere. Completely.
And I think that the team that is willing to sacrifice the most should get that opportunity, and not be denied because there are no nets.