Mel

April 10, 2026

On each early morning trip to the river near Deckers, I drive around a bend and there he is. Tall, dark, and handsome, he pays little attention to the strange machines zooming by. Mel is always alone, never hurried, and content as an infant with a bottle as he munches on the plentiful grass at […]

The Pattern

April 10, 2026

Coach Randy Ross obviously read Bill Talbert’s classic book The Game of Singles in Tennis written 75 years ago. Randy teaches players that playing cross court in singles is the percentage play. He stresses that the net is lower, the court is longer (4.5 ft.), and the ideal recovery position (center of possible returns) is […]

Elvis Rocks

April 8, 2026

A husband and wife team were in drills this week. Both players have plus forehands, improving net games and backhands, and are junk yard dogs. (hustle like there’s no tomorrow) When we began playing points, the missing link was immediately apparent. Both possessed anemic serves which, on a 1-10 scale, were a 2. One player […]