Have you tried tennis in SLO County? It’s never too late to start playing the game

In my youth I never played any competitive sports and wasn’t on any teams.

I certainly missed out from the fellowship and character building aspects of organized athletics. Many of you may have also missed out. But it’s never too late!

Here’s one reason I missed out. My high school had some of the most successful track-and-field athletes around, and I hadn’t matured enough to be very good at anything involving throwing or catching a ball. But I followed sports on TV and in the newspapers.

My dad introduced me to tennis at some point, and I played occasionally with him. The Great Depression interrupted his efforts to get really good at the game.

But it wasn’t until I was in my 50s, having returned to California, that I started “dropping in” to a tennis gathering in Santa Maria consisting of many middle-aged and older players — some of whom clearly had been coached or schooled in the finer aspects of the game.

In comparison, I had had only a one-day formal tennis lesson some years before.

Playing with some of those more experienced athletes was a bit of a rude awakening.

The older tennis players may not have been able to hit the ball really hard but they had drop shots, spin shots and pretty good serves.

Over time I progressed. At 67, I was a member of a doubles team that won a tournament in Cambria open to even high school students.

There are abundant opportunities to learn and practice the game of tennis in San Luis Obispo County.

The Cambria Tennis Club in Cambria is a nonprofit organization that plays on the Coast Union High School courts — with a Saturday drop-in that’s open to all, including out-of-towners.

Everyone is welcome. For more information, go to the club’s website at cambriatennisclub.org.

San Luis Obispo has its San Luis Obispo Tennis Society. Check out the group’s Facebook page at facebook.com/San-Luis-Obispo-Tennis-Society-134744096541129 for details.

You can begin to learn tennis in several places within the county.

The San Luis Obispo Country Club has tennis leagues and clinics for every skill level. People play often on the Sinsheimer Park courts in San Luis Obispo.

In the North County, the newer Templeton Tennis Ranch offers weekly clinics. The Templeton ranch once had a tournament for professional players that was fun to watch.

We used to attend the Indian Wells Masters tennis tournament every year but it has been canceled the last two years due to COVID-19.

Still more tennis opportunities exist via the Avila Bay Athletic Club in Avila Beach and Paso Robles Sports Club. (They have a $10 guest pass.) Cayucos has tennis courts at Hardie Park.

If you are just getting started in the game, I certainly recommend some lessons.

Fortunately, tennis is a really inexpensive sport to play.

We have picked up good slightly used racquets at area thrift stores, and balls are relatively cheap.

Any good sport shoe, including those for running, can be used for tennis. For more specific footwear, go to Tennis Warehouse in San Luis Obispo.

Shorts are recommended.

Tennis does require the ability to run quickly and move around a pretty spacious court.

If you can’t do that, pickleball may be for you.

A racquet does take some practice to get used to. But even though I’ve had only one tennis lesson, it has almost become an extension of my arm.