For summer 2009 the club will be offering a variety of programs for men, women and children. We will also offer private instruction and tournaments.
Tennis is a sport for ages four through 84. No other sport garners the same social, competitive, exciting edge that tennis offers. The advantages are endless. Tennis is a “thinking man’s” sport that you can start playing at any age. Summer is the best time for you and/or your kids to get involved. And, what better way than to learn from the pros in a centrally located club!
Check our schedule, see what suits you best, then stop by and see our new look. We are here to serve! We’re looking forward to a wonderful summer with you.
A Few Words From Deal Tennis Club Director Colon Nunez
I’ve been around tennis for over 38 years, since I was a 13-year-old kid running around the courts of the Guayaquil Tennis Club in Guayaquil, Ecuador. I started playing at the junior level learning how to win the hard way—by losing!
It is now, after having the experience of switching from a player to a coach, that I fully understand what is necessary to become successful in today’s tennis world.
As I see it, today’s success is strongly related to the mental part of the game. You have to be mentally tough. I would say that the mental aspect can represent as high as 90% of today’s game. Mental toughness can be translated into being a self-confident and positive player.
Personality is another factor. You can find a common personality among the top 20 male and female players. Being humble is without a doubt a key characteristic in these players. One needs to be able to accept reality as it is, and adjust to an existing situation. Making mistakes is totally normal. The secret is to focus on correcting your mistakes. Great tennis players have problem solving attitudes.
My top priority for you, as a player, is to perform at your best every time you go on the court— whether you are playing a match or practicing. If you always give 100%, you have a great chance of achieving a winning record.
I have heard many players say, “I played well but I lost.” This is a very comfortable attitude; this is not the trademark of a tough competitor. If a player loses, there is always a reason and it must be a priority to find this reason and dedicate time and effort to correct it. It may be a physical, mental, tactical or technical problem. In any of these cases, there is always, always a solution.
Finally, I want to say that in order to be successful in anything you do, you must enjoy it. The day you feel that you are not having fun in practice and competition is the day to hang up your racquet and move on. This applies to any level of player. There is nothing any coach can do when a player loses the love for the sport.
See you at Deal Tennis Club this summer!
Testimonials from Top Tennis Pros
Andres Gomez
“Colon’s great physical conditioning prepares you for tough matches, and he teaches excellent mental preparation.”
Fred Stolle
“Colon E. Nunez is one of the most dedicated and enthusiastic coaches around. He really enjoys helping kids and adults learn and love the game of tennis. Over three decades, he has produced many top players like Gomez and Yzaga and continues his success with players like Lapentti and Delgado. This proves to me he is an excellent coach.”
Jaime Yzaga
“Colon made me see the other side of the tunnel when I was ready to give it up. He is a great coach!”
Michael Chang
“Colon is a coach who knows how to encourage and motivate players. His discipline, knowlege and friendship help make tennis fun and exciting!”
Pancho Segura
“I am very proud to see that a coach from my own country, Ecuador, is so successful. I recommend that players listen to what he has to say.”
Get In The Game This Summer!
According to data just released by the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association:
• Tennis is the fastest growing sport in America, with an increase in participation of 43% from 2000 to 2008.
• Tennis was one of only six sports to experience participation growth exceeding 40% during that time. Baseball, ice hockey, gymnastics and football all suffered a decline in participation.
• In the last year alone, tennis experienced a 9.6% growth in participation.
What a Racquet! The History of Tennis
Some people believe that that the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans played different versions of tennis. Drawings and descriptions of tennis-like games have not been discovered, but a few Arabic words dating from ancient Egyptian times are cited as evidence. The theory goes that the name tennis derives from the Egyptian town of Tinnis alongside the Nile and the word racquet evolved from the Arabic word for palm of the hand, rahat.
Most historians credit the origins of the game to 11th or 12th century French monks, who began playing a crude form of handball against their monastery walls or over a rope strung across a courtyard. The game took on the name jeu de paume, which means “game of the hand.” Many who dispute more ancient origins argue that tennis derived from the French tenez, which meant something to the effect of “take this,” said as one player would serve to the other.
By the year 1500, a wooden frame racquet strung with sheep gut was in common use, as was a cork-cored ball weighing around three ounces. The early tennis courts were quite different from the modern “lawn tennis” court most of us are used to. The early game matured into what is now called “real tennis,” and England’s Hampton Court, built in 1625, is still used today.
In 1874, Major Walter C. Wingfield patented in London the equipment and rules for a game very similar to modern tennis. In the same year, the first tennis courts appeared in the United States. By the following year, equipment sets had been sold for use in Russia, India, Canada and China.
In 1877, the All England Club held the first Wimbledon tournament, and its tournament committee came up with a rectangular court and a set of rules that are essentially the game we know today.
The 2009 US Open will be held from Monday, August 31 through Sunday, September 13 at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing, NY.
Deal Tennis Club
Ocean Ave. (Corner of Ocean Ave. & Philips Ave.)
Deal, NJ O7723
Hold Your Spot Today!
Call: (718) 414-3774 or (347) 394-5044
Email: dealtennisclub@gmail.com
Visit: www.campallsport.com
Applications are available at camp-allsport.com/Deal Tennis Club.
