Martini Mania: A New Type of Mixed Doubles Introduced by SunBird Tennis Club

Sharlene Jerome

One of the goals for 2024, set by SunBird Tennis Club president, was to make the club more social in nature. So, the First Lady and wife of John Jerome, Sharlene, decided that they should host the first (hopefully annual) Martini Mania where club members and affiliate members could come and get to know one another on a slightly more personal level. The invitation and the turnout were equally well received. So, why martinis? you might ask. The answer is twofold: (a) it is John’s drink of choice, and (2) some of the members experienced our martini-making skills, or at least heard about them. We had received several requests from these members of when they were going to be able to enjoy this cocktail du jour. So, the Jeromes were in charge of buying the liquor (not just vodka) and bartending while the other members graciously brought tons of appetizers and snacks to enjoy. Sharlene and John were happy to host our season-ending festivities.

On that note, our tournament season officially ended on March 16 when we teamed up with Springfield and hosted Palm Creek. It is now that time of the year where lots of snowbirds return to their respective states and Canadian destinations. We continued to have daily drop-in mixed drills at 9 a.m. Monday through Friday for the month of April, and at 8 a.m. for the month of May. Rowland’s last club-sponsored drill was on April 11; however, he is still available for individual or small group drills if requested. Please be sure to sign up on TeamReach so that we can ensure that play will continue seamlessly over the coming summer months.

“The most powerful weapon a tennis player can have is confidence.” WTA Professional tennis player Danielle Collins demonstrated this in the past few weeks. She claimed her most impressive title at the Miami Open, directly followed by the Charleston Open Title.

Remember, at the end of the day, it is all about Getting Into the Game!