Season Recap and Back on the Road

I'm not quite sure what happened to the last 8-10 weeks since I last posted.  The time that has passed has been nothing but a blur of working long, hard hours and getting through the most successful season we've had in Naples.  Mind you, we've only been here for two seasons!  Last year was great, but  because it was our freshman year, we were still navigating around and learning the ways of the membership.  With more than a year under our belt, and feeling more comfortable and confident in the direction we needed to go, we were able to provide all the services and special events that fit our members to a tee. Somehow, someway, we seemed to make everyone happy and they are leaving looking forward to next year!

My only disappointment was that my wrist just never got better, and now the time has come for me to take care of me.  I purposely put my own tennis on the back burner during the past four months. I could teach and hit somewhat easy balls without too much pain, but hitting hard almost made the racquet come out of my hand!  I'm scheduled for surgery on April 16th to have an impinged nerve in the top of my wrist released.  The recovery is fairly short, maybe four weeks.  I'm ready to be back on the playing court!  My fitness needs work as well, but I'll have lots of free time to get back in shape both on and off the court.  I'm not targeting a certain date or tournament.  I'll know when I'm ready.

Now on to the good stuff...Phil is on plane, as I write, to Palm Springs to play his National Hard Courts at Mission Hills.  He will be playing both singles and doubles.  In spite of the fact that we were so busy this winter, he was able to find some time in the afternoons and weekends to practice. There is always a steady stream of top players in the country that vacation or at least pass through the Naples area.  Word travels fast and they all seem to find Phil.  He's had quality practice with all of them and he feels like he is playing really well.  He wishes his fitness level was better, but there was just not enough leftover time or energy to do all that it takes to be in great shape and put in the practice time, and put in a full day of work.  This work thing is way overrated!!

Phil has a great attitude going into this event, and I feel like he will do just fine.  He and Geoff Cykman make a strong doubles team, and Phil should hold his own in the singles.  There's nobody in the draw that he can't beat, and as the old cliche goes...he'll take one match at a time!  His first matches are on Tuesday, so he'll have a few days to get acclimated to the desert conditions and playing on the hard courts.  I'll post again after he plays Tuesday.