Organized team sports are not practical for us because we do a lot of traveling. We want to make sure the boys are staying active while we traveled, so they are learning tennis.
Tennis is a sport that can be played all over the United States and in many other countries. Michael and I grew up playing tennis. Michael played in high school and competitively in tournaments. I played on my high school tennis team. We are excited to get Lucas and Henry involved.
Aside from being fun and challenging, tennis is a sport that you can play even when you get older. Lucas and I go with my dad to play with his tennis group two days a week. There are people in their 60’s, 70’s, 80’s and even 90’s out there playing every week. It is a highlight of Lucas’ week to play with them.
We also found tennis clinics for the boys and they have been going several times a week. Lucas loves to get out and hit. Henry loves to get out and socialize. Henry does not stop talking from the moment he steps on the court. His coach once asked him if he wanted to be a tennis player or a sports announcer.
After the Winston -Salem Open tournament, Michael talked to the kids about the hard work, dedication, and mental toughness that it takes to be a great tennis player. In order to get a small taste of that dedication, Michael challenged them to hit 500 tennis balls a day for 30 days. For the last few weeks the boys have been playing tennis every day and often two times a day.
Lucas played in his first tennis tournament in Charlotte, N.C. He was nervous. He did well for his first tournament. He played in his second tournament in Marietta, GA and came in second place, winning three out of four matches. Henry also played in the tournament in Marietta. He was excited to get to play tennis instead of just watching Lucas.
They also had a fan club. Grandma came to watch and Aunt Emily, Uncle Jonathan and cousin Milo.
We will continue to play tennis this fall. We do not know how much tennis we will be able to play tennis on the next international leg of our journey. There are plenty of things we can do while we are there to stay fit and tennis ready for when we get back.
