The New Era of SunBird Tennis

Sharlene Jerome

2024 is off to a great start. As the Tennis Club continues to evolve and our membership continues to grow, we had the opportunity to implement a few new offerings. Thanks to one of our newest members and former teaching pro, Rowland Tegio has begun teaching free drills on Thursday afternoons from 4 to 5 p.m. through the end of April. Afterward, we head to the Horizon Room for food and drink, celebrating the social aspect that tennis provides for us all. No specific skill level is required, and all members and prospective members are encouraged to come out and join the fun! You can easily sign up for these sessions, as well as our daily drop-ins, on Team Reach.

Tennis footwork is an important aspect in improving your tennis game. So many players want to improve and only focus on the swing, when footwork is a major part of hitting the ball. Rowland is all about getting us moving, providing these insights, and taking our senior tennis to the next level!

At our monthly Tennis Club meetings, which are held on the first Tuesday of the month in the Lakeview Room at 5 p.m., we have started a 50/50 raffle. Thanks to club member and consummate Tennis Club supporter Jack Barber for the recommendation. For $5 you can buy a raffle ticket. Fifty percent goes to the winner, and the other 50% goes into our account to help pay for miscellaneous items like Rowland’s club-sponsored drills. Our first drawing was on Feb. 6, and the winner was Dianna Wreford. Congrats, Dianna!

The club is definitely in full swing, as we have already played multiple tournaments. On Jan. 13 we hosted MountainBrook. Shelly Pearce, their chief operating officer, had the following to say: “What a great day today! So much fun, great tennis, and really fantastic food! Please send our sincere thanks to your entire club. We could not have felt more welcomed. Your facilities are fantastic, and your folks were the best. The tournament went smoothly and was well organized, thanks to your efforts.” Although we didn’t win the tourney, we definitely won over their members!

On Jan. 27 SunBird teamed with Springfield, and they hosted Trilogy. We are pleased to announce that it was a tightly contested battle; however, we were victorious 26-22! Woo Hoo!

Stay tuned for additional new ways that SunBird is reinventing and investing in our club, as well as more results from upcoming tournaments, both interclub as well as in-house social ones. Let’s get into the game!

Drop-In Schedule (All Mixed Doubles):

Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from 10 a.m. to noon

Thursday and Friday from 9 to 11 a.m.

Sunday from 10 a.m. to noon

Please sign up on the SunBird Tennis Club Team Reach app. If you are interested in learning more, please contact John Jerome at 425-785-4900 or [email protected].