Tennis, Everyone? Rosemary Beach Racquet Club Serving All Ages
By Chris Manson May 5, 2005 Issue

It’s late in the afternoon, and the kids are gathering on the courts. About a dozen, ages seven through 12, have come to Rosemary Beach Racquet Club for an after-school tennis lesson. Parents and younger siblings rest in the shade, helping with gear and getting things organized for the start of the lesson. Suzzanne Kramer, the club’s head tennis pro, counts heads and answers questions.

A red-faced boy is trying to explain where he last saw his equipment bag. A girl dances around on the court, showing off her stylish red tennis ensemble. Smoothing the gritty clay surface on an adjoining court is Mike Clark, the club’s tennis director. Clark has been at Rosemary Beach Racquet Club for about four years. Tennis comes naturally to him.

Clark is one of a family of tennis players in Louisiana. He has played and coached collegiate tennis, and taught the sport for 20 years. Clark is standing on one of eight clay courts at the club. Six of the courts are lighted, enabling evening play. The club is open all year, and is preparing for the busy season.

“We started with 12 members,” he says. “We now have 100.” All of the club’s courts are clay surfaced. Clay requires the most upkeep, but is easier on players’ bodies than grass or hard court surfaces. Maintaining the courts is only one of Clark’s many duties as tennis director. His great love, however, is playing and teaching.

“We have students ranging in age from four to 80, at all levels of skill.” Clark is confident that just about anyone can learn to be a competent tennis player in six months. Karen McGee, staff member at the club, vouches for this. Her husband learned to play in a matter of months, and is looking to play competitively.

He won’t have to wait long for his chance. Rosemary Beach Racquet Club is hosting its first open tennis tournament, the 2005 Open, running May 13 through 15, at the club. The event is co-sponsored by several local businesses. Clark and McGee emphasize that it is a “fun” tournament. Even so, the 2005 Open will feature five United States Tennis Association-sanctioned singles and doubles events for men, women, and mixed teams. The club is offering $4,000 in prize money in the USTA-sanctioned open divisions, to be allocated according to the number of entries in each event.

The entry fees are $30 for singles, $20 per person for doubles. The fee entitles the entrant the use of the clubhouse facilities, lunch and dinner on Saturday the 14th, and a tournament T-shirt. Persons who prefer their tennis from the sidelines will be able to view the action from viewing areas set up around the courts. Admission for spectators will be free.

To kick off the summer season, Rosemary Beach Racquet Club will also hold a Memorial Day round robin tournament, offering food and prizes to players. That event will take place on May 29 and will also be at the club. On a smaller scale, says McGee, there are ladies’ matches two days a week.

An avid tennis player herself, McGee spends the rest of her time in the club’s pro shop, helping customers with equipment and clothes, and working on the telephone. “We get people from all over the South,” she says, “and visitors from clubs in other states.” Rosemary Beach Racquet Club offers memberships to locals and non-residents, group and private lessons, clinics, and round robin club tournaments. Weekend packages are also available. Club hours and rates vary seasonally.

Back out on the court, Clark and Kramer are putting their young pupils through drills. The children run up to the net, serving and hitting balls. Occasionally, overly enthusiastic players take a spill, but all leap up and get back into the game. On a break, several girls pose for a photo and talk excitedly about their game. Asked who is the best player, someone shouts, “It’s Coach Mike!” Young Leah Smartt ponders, then says “We’re all pretty good.” Says another, “We’d like to be pros.” There are nods of agreement all around.

To catch these rising stars, or to put your own tennis ambitions into action, contact Rosemary Beach Racquet Club, 278-2061, or e-mail them at tennis@rosemarybeach.com.