Published: Saturday, November 7, 2009 By Greg Fry Latham Life
LATHAM—For some, it’s the dream to be playing on Monday night. The bright lights, the fierce competition, and the adrenaline all push you to be the best player during your short time in the spotlight.
No, this story has nothing to do with that highly-publicized, nationally-televised football game every Monday.
Instead, it is a league of men’s tennis players that consistently meet each Monday night at the Tri-City Fitness Center on Route 9 in Latham. There are no bone-crushing hits to be heard at the facility near Exit 7 off the Northway. When you enter on a Monday night, it’s simply a competitive atmosphere, and some dedicated participants playing in a men’s doubles league.
“We started in late 2003 with a few courts,” says league organizer Herb Sweet. “Since then, we’ve grown from two or three courts worth of people, to seven or eight courts, consistent through the summer. We have people that play outdoors who come as well.”
Tri-City is home to twelve courts in all, along with a state-of-the-art fitness facility. A check of the facility’s schedule will point out tournaments for teens, and even a parent/child tournament. From the early morning hours to late at night, men, women, and children of all ages will file in to work on their backhands and lobs. However, it is the men’s doubles league on Monday night that keeps bringing people through the doors with great success.
“The time really isn’t a good time,” says Sweet, “but people still come.”
The set-up of the league is a pretty simple one. Sweet matches players up by their familiarity with each other, along with their skill levels. Although the numbers change each week, and there is no commitment to play every Monday night, the men’s night always has some constants.
“A lot of people bring people, and then recommend it to friends,” says Sweet. “It’s not a closed shop. I might have eight, nine or ten of the regulars that will come every week. There are definitely people that will come and play every other week, or sporadically, too.”
And just who shows up?
“I have a father and son combination that comes regularly. There are people in their seventies. We have doctors, mechanics, dentists, and state workers. It’s a good microcosm of almost everybody you could imagine,” says Sweet.
It is Sweet’s job to organize those players, get them set on the right court, and start at the right time. It’s a job the tennis lover handles with ease, and it’s just one of the reasons Sweet’s name is well-known by those who play tennis in the Capital Region, and throughout much of eastern New York.
“It’s easy to set levels of men up, but it’s hard to set up personalities,” says Bill Ciejka, the General Manager and Head Tennis Professional at Tri-City Fitness. “Herb foresees things really well. He understands personalities and relationships as a dynamic, so everybody that goes out there is not only having a good match, but they’re having a really good time as they play.” That good experience, camaraderie, and competition keeps people coming back, too.
“Business is going really well right now,” says Ciejka. “Other than Monday night, we have four days of men’s leagues, and the men’s programs are doing really well because of Herb.”
Sweet is also known for his “tennis ladder” throughout the Capital Region. It’s a system of matches where competitors play at their own convenience, and as often as they want. Whatever the competition, skill level, or type of match, Sweet says it’s about giving the people what they want.
“I think the product has to be there, because otherwise, it probably wouldn’t have as much success.” Sweet says Tri-City also makes it easy for players to get excited about hitting the courts. “The hours for tennis are great. You can play as early as 6:30 in the morning until about ten or eleven at night.”
As for the bright lights and big hits every Monday night on ESPN, Ciejka says he’s not surprised at the amount of guys that come out to play instead of staying home and watching football.
“I think that’s the option,” Ciejka says with a smile. “Some of these guys don’t like football, so instead of sitting there doing nothing on the couch; they’re out here getting good exercise, so it’s definitely a more positive thing.”
If you’d like to join the Monday night Men’s Doubles league at Tri-City Fitness, you can call Herb Sweet at 785-4311, extension 17, or e-mail him at herbsweet10s@juno.com. Matches are played from 8:30 to 10:30 every Monday Night. Tri-City Fitness is located at 944 New Loudon Road in Latham. They are on the web at www.tricitytennis.com.
Latham's 'Tennis' is Champ
Published: Saturday, June 20, 2009
By Diana Denner Latham Life
LATHAM—If
what Billie Jean King said is true, “a champion is afraid of losing.
Everybody else is afraid of winning,” then Joe Clemente is champ at
keeping more than 1,500 members on the tennis court at Tri-City Fitness.
“Almost
every year we send teams to national competitions where they usually
finish among the top teams in the country,” said Clemente, the owner of
the largest indoor tennis facility in the country.
The
Albany-based women’s 3.5 team ‘Life is Good’ team recently rose to
national champions in the United States Tennis Association (USTA) in
Tuscan, AZ after defeating tough teams from Northern, Southern
California and the Pacific Northwest.
“We also boast one of the
largest World Team Tennis franchises in the country with over 100 teams
at all levels,” Clemente said. “WWT is owned by Billie Jean King. WWT
is a great format consisting of teams made up of both men and women. It
is great competition and a great social outing.”
Tri-City
Fitness was the first indoor tennis facility in the area that opened
four indoor courts in 1969. “I approached the local owners of Tri City
and Capitaland Racquet clubs and purchased both facilities,” he said.
“We eventually realized that there were not enough tennis players to
support two clubs so in 2003 we merged both clubs into our Latham
facility.”
Clemente like many others fell in love with tennis
during the Jimmy Connors era and wanted to get more involved with the
sport. With 24 million players—4.75 million of them frequent—the sport
is not quite where it was at its peak in the 1970s, according to USTA,
when it had as many as 32 million players. However, it’s close to golf
and growing despite many more athletic and recreational choices for
people these days.
The most prestigious event in tennis, The
French Open, finished last week with surprising Swede Robin Soderling
besting Ferando Gonzalez in the men’s semi-finals. As far as comparing
the level of play, there is a big difference Clemente said in the
modern game. “Today, the players are faster and stronger and they play
a game loaded with complexities and strategies, which were not around
40 years ago,” he said. “Also their equipment allows them to make shots
that they we unable to make with wooden racquets.”
An ever
evolving sport, tennis once belonged to the privileged classes Clemente
said that learned how to play at country clubs. Today, the playing
field has been leveled. Thanks to the variety of grassroots programs
that allow anyone interested the chance to play.
“The results
have been players like the Williams’ sisters and Rafael Nadal who is
from a small island off the Spanish coast,” he said. “We have seen
tremendous growth in the last few years especially in the junior
markets. Parents realize that tennis is a sport for life for their
children. Tennis has so many advantages for children and adolescents.
It provides a great way to stay in shape while teaching respect and
self confidence.”
With group and private lessons, fitness
clinics, tournaments, junior league and summer camp, there are many
opportunities for members to improve their game. Players in clinics
meet with a professional on staff to work on the fundamentals.
“We
have hundreds of kids in our Junior Program,” Clemente said. “Each kid
is hopefully trying to make it into our ‘junior elite program.’ The
elite program consists of junior players that are striving to play at a
tournament level and eventually play at the college level.”
Anybody
can be a good tennis player if they are willing to practice. Clemente
said that it is a game of strokes and like golf the better your strokes
the better you play. There are so many different levels of players that
Clemente believes that virtually anybody can walk on a court and
compete the first day.
“We have senior leagues in which we have
people in their 80’s show up who have never held a racquet before and
within a few weeks they are hooked, playing three times a week,” he
said. “All it takes to play is the desire to learn. Anybody can become
a great player.”
Tri-City Fitness isn’t just about tennis; the
gym is open to people who want to be in good shape. The new fitness
centers have a weight room with Nautilus second stage circuits and
cardiovascular theaters and equipment that include treadmills,
Stairmasters, Precor Elipitical Trainers and the Arc Trainer.
The
tennis camp runs from June 22 until August 28. Between the ages of five
to 17, beginners as well as skilled players are encouraged to join.
More information about Tri-City Fitness, located at 944 New Loudon Road in Latham, visit www.tricitytennis.com or call 785-4311.
