Support Comes In On-Court Daycare

4.0 WOMEN FIND WAYS TO HELP TEAMMATES

By Amanda Tobin/USTA Southern

This Women’s 4.0 team from South Carolina has a love for tennis that comes in at a close second behind family. They are an amazing group of 36- to 60-year old women who share a passion for the game and have been playing together for more than 10 years.

Consisting of a lawyer, doctor, nurse, photographer, accountant, teachers and an Indian chief, it is a wonder that this team has time to practice. They have devised a system known as “Courtside Daycare,” where one or two team members who are not playing in the match watch the kids while the others compete. As the children have gotten older, they do not need as much supervision and are rewarded for their good behavior with on-court time themselves when their mothers are done practicing and/or playing.

There are times when a member might have taken time off due to an injury, a circumstance where life got in the way or a pregnancy, but in the eyes of their teammates she is never truly off the team. These women did not play tennis as juniors or in college. According to team Captain Sally Harvey, “Most picked the game up later in life, for fun and exercise and as a social outlet.”  

There have been births, deaths, a near fatal car accident, heart surgery, difficult procedures in the OR and “kids just trying to grow up” that these women have seen each other through. Harvey stated, “We have always been there for each other. Our team has a lot of depth, on and off the court.” These ladies are looking forward to Birmingham where hopefully they will make some new memories and enjoy the competition.