Davis Cup High Performance Camp--Day Three

Davis Cup High Performance Camp--Day Three ~~~
©Colette Lewis 2006
San Diego CA

High Performance coach Martin Van Daalen asked me today if I was enjoying myself, and I could only respond, honestly, that there was no place I'd rather be. The weather was ideal--a world away from the cold and snow of Michigan-- and I was watching six of the best fourteen and fifteen-year-olds in the country play tennis. When I turned the question on Martin, he agreed, saying, "it's not hard to have fun when you're coaching guys like this."

I also had the pleasure of spending most of the day with Peter Dopkin, the editor of my column at SMASH Magazine's website. (For the latest column, click here.) Down from LA to cover the Davis Cup, he was more than agreeable to seeing the Barnes Tennis Center, meeting Steve Bickham and his coaches, and also getting his first glimpse of the High Performance camp and personnel. When the boys broke for lunch, Peter and I found our way to funky Ocean Beach, where we had a great lunch, with the pier and the Pacific as the backdrop. It occurred to me that in the space of a month, I'd seen the Pacific Ocean from two continents' coasts--quite amazing really.

The High Performance afternoon session got serious--the six boys were split into two teams a la Davis Cup, and three singles matches were begun, although only one finished during the two hours allotted for them. The boys were berating themselves, line calls were disputed, and the competition, which will continue over the weekend, was paramount. All matches couldn't finish today because the High Performance "stars" as they were referred to in the poster for the event, were to attend a clinic at Balboa Tennis Club, where the ubiquitous Wayne Bryan was entertaining another set of budding San Diego tennis players. Rodney Harmon, the USTA's Director of Men's Tennis, was also on hand, and Wayne praised and roasted Harmon in equal measure during the festivities.

I've heard Wayne's shtick more than several times now, but with his panache it just doesn't get old. I still laugh at his jokes and admire his energy and his communication skills, not to mention his love of the game. And the "Circle of Fear" was just as compelling for the six junior "stars" as it was for the less accomplished participants. The Davis Cup Cares Clinic was certainly not drudgery for anyone, and Wayne Bryan can take a lot of the credit for that.