Presidential Inaugeration

America had elected a new president – an African-American president and a new political party was going to be in charge of re-directing our country. Finally most Americans seemed to have gotten the message; times are difficult and they are not going to change next week and times are going to affect you, your family and you way of life.

As the swearing in of our new president was to occur on a Tuesday morning, millions of people wanted to be there to be apart of this historic moment. Millions more were tuned in by what ever means possible to listen or see the event.

That morning my wife had risen early to see the inauguration on television. She had gotten our 8 year old son up early to see this historic event, hoping he would recall it for the rest of his life. I had gotten up to string tennis racquets for some club members and which the event myself.

As with most special events, the actual moment is preceded by lots of ceremonies. The actual event would occur closer to 9 am. My son would be in school, my wife at work at the tax office and I would be on the court teaching my Tuesday morning tennis lesson to Ashton and then to Misha.

My 8 am lesson with Ashton was ¾ complete on court 4 when Misha arrived early for his 9 am lesson. As Ashton and I worked on her serve, I could hear a tv voice coming from a device next to Misha. When Ashton’s lesson was complete Misha came onto the court carrying his iPhone and listening to the presidential ceremony. Misha explained he was listening to the ceremony and the volume was such that I could hear it as well from a good distance.

I often have a student who has just finished a lesson hit with the student who is starting their lesson. This begins a networking process that encourages members to meet each other and possibly set up times to hit with one another outside their lesson times.

Today, Ashton would hit ground strokes to Misha who would be at the net and direct a volley away from her. As she practiced her ground strokes Misha would practice volleys from a realistic situation instead of me feeding balls to him at the net. Ashton would practice her strokes with the pressure of a player at the net like in a real match and Misha would get an unpredictable ball to react upon at the net.

As I fed balls to Ashton on the baseline, she would direct them toward Misha at the net. We continued this for some time. Misha at the net continued to hold his I phone in his non-dominate hand as he would direct balls from Ashton toward the open court.

What was particularly interesting was how well he has able to volley with the I phone in his hand. Successfully defending off balls to both his forehand and backhand, paying attention softly to what was going on around him and still aware of the broadcast of the ceremonies going on at the same time.

Soon Ashton left for her class at Santa Clara University. Misha went to the baseline and began to rally both forehand and backhand ground strokes. Today he contacted the ball well with balance and precision.

I smiled as he played tennis with one hand, directed the ball to targets on the court and listened to the swearing in of our country’s new president. From past experiences I new the position of the his non-dominate hand as he held his I phone gave a position of balance to his body and allowed for a smooth swing of his racquet. His “soft” focus on the ball allowed him to be relaxed and in the moment at the same time. Misha was aware of the ball and his surroundings at the same time just like the pros or an expert in martial arts would be.

Mr. Obama was now President of the United States. Misha had been a part of the ceremony in Washington DC while taking his tennis lesson in San Jose, California and I had given a lesson, learned a lesson and been apart of this historic moment.

Misha left at 10 am but I was aware of how important this moment in history had been to him. Indian by birth and citizen by choice, he was sharing a moment of hope with all of us. Hope that we could all come together in a challenging time in our country, hope that our new leader could unite us, provide new direction, comfort us with possibilities and challenge us to be a part of the solution.

I stayed on the court for about 8 hours that day but I was ever mindful of seeing Misha hitting tennis balls with his I phone in hand, Ashton the young college girl listening to his phone as she shard the tennis court and my own experience of this moment in history I shared that morning on court # 4 at the San Jose Swim & Racquet Club in San Jose, California on that Tuesday morning.

We all shared a moment of hope for our families, ourselves and our country. I hope you had your own “moment of hope” in your life as well.

Photo Credits: jurvetson

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Getting in Shape

So when I planned to play in the USPTA Nationals on Marco Island, Florida this September I had a plan in my head to “get in shape” and take this tournament serious. That meant I would play against some of the club members – not too much better than me so I could still experience the “thrill of victory” without too much “agony of defeat”.

Thanks to Reno, NT, Ted, John, James and a few of my lessons that I got to hit with during the week. I was ready, ha ha. Surprisingly, I was playing pretty well and with the help of Dr. Omara and the guys at the score clinic, I was able to rid my body of knee, hip and a few other pains. I was suddenly experiencing the ability to move decently on the court and get to balls again.

To be honest, I was playing the best I had played in about the last 3-4 years on a consistent basis – until Tuesday morning when I felt especially fast and decided to go get a shot that I would have in the past not been able to even think about running after. After the 5th step at a speed that was blinding – for me at this time in my life, I felt it – the right hamstring. I hit the ball, grabbed the hamstring and kept running into the next court – only because I couldn’t stop.

Oh well, the best laid plans of mice and Ken. Off to the score clinic to see what kind of damage I had done. It actually felt more like a big time cramp in a specific area than a tear. I had torn the left hamstring earlier in 2009, so I had a reference point.

Poor Dr “O”, he knows when I come in he is in for another – guess what I have. Like most of my members at the San Jose Swim & Racquet Club I wait until I have a big problem to seek help. I get more for my money that way??? And I usually like to wait until I have several aches so I can get them all treated at the same time. Only problem, the doctor doesn’t have all day to treat just me. Why not, am I not important? I mean after all I think I am – it’s broke can’t you fix it – NOW?

In his best doctor voice he says, “Ken, what did you do now?” I tell him my sob story and tell him how well I have been playing, I leave in 3 days to go play, can you fix me, now and sorry I haven’t been in to see you in months. First it is E-Stim, another treatment, some investigative research on the area, some Graston Technique treatment, some stretching and ice. Good news, it is a strain and not a complete tear.

Ice – ice baby is the recommendation, no rapid acceleration or deceleration and how many times can you get in to see me before you leave on Thursday? I have a day and a half to work that in plus: get out the newsletter, string 8 racquets, get my presentation ready to speak on Hilton Head, pack my suitcase, answer 47 emails, do the draw for the Ace Cancer Tournament and teach 12 hour Tuesday and Wednesday.

Whey, got most of it done, saw the Dr. 2 times and got to the airport a by 6:30 Thursday morning – thanks to my wife, Karen. The leg feels good, even after 9 hours going from San Jose to Atlanta. I am waiting in the Atlanta airport for my last leg of the flight – Atlanta to Hilton Head. I should arrive about 10 pm, get a rental car, find my condo I am staying at and get ready to attend workshops all day Friday and Saturday with a 3 hour presentation I will make on “59 Best Drills and 25 Corrective Techniques”. I hope to practice on Sunday and have the hamstring feel great, fly to Ft Meyers, Florida, drive an hour to Marco Island, get to the hotel at 1 am, I get some sleep and be ready to play my match sometime on Monday as well as attend an 8 hour High Performance Training Course and meet Kameron and Karen who will be arriving from Disney World around noon.

Ah… the life of a tennis pro! Wouldn’t trade if for any other job in the world.

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