THE US TENNIS CONGRESS BY CRAIG CIGNARELLI

Written by: Staff on 28th October 2014

THE US TENNIS CONGRESS BY CRAIG CIGNARELLI |

Dawn’s light crawls up the Santa Catalina’s mountains’ pale red rocks. A lone crow caws into the morning’s chill. As the Sonoran desert heats up, hundreds of amateur athletes lace up their sneaks and descend onto the newly-paved courts. This is the second annual US TENNIS CONGRESS, now taking place at El Conquistador Resort in Tucson, Arizona.

In 2013, USTC creator, PJ Simmons had an idea – to bring high-level coaches together for an intensive weekend of instruction for NTRP 3.0-4.5 adult tennis players. Now in year two, the USTC has formed itself into America’s best tennis event.

Simmons is a wiry, forty-something who took up the game six years ago. After a childhood that included no hand-eye coordination training, and with thousands of dollars spent on lessons that left him at the 3.5 level, he believed he was underachieving. “I knew if I could find a high performance coach to work with me, I could improve faster. And I knew a lot of others who started tennis late but who wanted to maximize their potential.”

These tennis enthusiasts – no, that mischaracterizes these folks – several hundred of the most passionate, dedicated, ambitious athletes – no, that’s not it either – several hundred freakishly fanatical players willing to endure extreme desert temps while elite level coaches hone their games for nine daily hours, and then rise at six a.m. to do it again the next day, and again the next, all with the sort of tail-wagging, kid-in-a-candy-shop eagerness that only the joyfully addicted can truly know.

A month before the event begins, Simmons asks participants to fill out a detailed profile of their tennis desires. Whether it’s “singles strategy using the forehand as a weapon”, the “first volley in doubles,” or “learning the kick serve,” Simmons creates rigidly-detailed classes specific to the individual need. Then, with 60 high-performance coaches – including Tim Mayotte, Emilio Sanchez, and multiple slam winner Fred Stolle – players divide into groups of four to develop their skills.

With each athlete taking seven 70-minute classes per day, the amount of tennis is staggering, and yet, the next morning, there they are again, meeting at seven a.m. for an intense dynamic warm-up with the sort of unbridled enthusiasm men feel when there’s a fly-target in the urinal.

On court, coaches offer specific and intense technical and tactical instruction. Through sweat-soaked clothing, players adjust their footwork, their shot selection, and then cheer each other on as strokes turn into strategy. At any given moment, ten players are on chairs, scratching take-home notes into their Congress-provided notebooks. When asked why, one participant explains, “there is no way to remember a tenth of what I’ve learned out here, so what’s in this notebook will give me enough to last the next twelve months.” That is exactly what Simmons wants. “Hopefully, these players will get enough information to carry them throughout the year, and then we’ll do it again in 2015. “

Each evening, Simmons hosts a poolside, open-bar cocktail party, followed by a buffet dinner. With participants coming from all over the country – one couple flew in from Nice, France – the event’s social aspect is almost as prominent as the instruction. Even with the early call times, a few participants are still hanging with some of the event’s sponsors at the pool after midnight and, if you tell them you are writing an article on the event, they offer you a pretty stiff martini. Five sky, Clif Bar, Tennis Express, and Head/Penn are just some of the major names already attached to the USTC.

The courts are empty now and the Congress is in recess. After four days of intense learning, the athletes meet up for an early breakfast before heading to the airport. In the lobby, there are hugs and several rapidly exchanged cell phone numbers. Simmons is there too, joyful tears running down his cheeks as he realizes the success of his vision. “That we are providing a place for people to reach their potential…it just makes me so happy.” That is a perfect summation of the US Tennis Congress – aspiration, and happiness.

For more information, check out http://www.tenniscongress.com/

Topics: Craig Cignarelli, Tennis News, US tennis congress