Look at All that Room Above the Net: Wit and Wisdom from a Lifetime in Tennis

by Tracy Townsend, Robert Davis (Foreword)

As a kid learning to play on an asphalt court with a chain link fence for a net, Tracy Townsend never imagined he'd run a wildly successful resort tennis program in the world's first New Urbanist town.

The Tennis Director in Seaside, Florida, for over 20 years, Tracy has coached thousands of players who return time after time because they love the tennis community he has created with his magnetic personality, entertaining delivery, and famous Tracyisms.

As a tennis instructor, Tracy believes tennis should always be FUN! This philosophy has driven his 35-year teaching career, and now it's on paper for all tennis players.

This isn't your ordinary tennis tips book on doubles tennis strategy, the backhand stroke, or tennis serve tips (although all of those are covered). This book is entertaining, offering fun and funny advice, served up with sarcastic wit in a way that only Tracy can.

Tracy's style and personality jump off the pages. Reading the book is like being on the courts with him in Seaside, FL. In between solid tennis pointers for volley technique and forehand tips, you're reminded that you play because you love tennis. You're supposed to be having fun on the courts. And as Tracy says, "Winning is more fun than losing!"

Fans of the sport and retired players will enjoy Tracy's stories and analysis. Tracy also shares his tennis drills so other tennis pros can use this book as a framework for their own lessons.

This book is a great gift for tennis players. It is the perfect tennis gift for everyone on your league tennis team, your doubles partner, your pro, family members, and anyone who loves tennis.

225 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 15, 2021

About the author

Tracy Townsend is the author of The Nine and The Fall (books 1 and 2 in the Thieves of Fate series), a monthly columnist for the feminist sf magazine Luna Station Quarterly, and an essayist for Uncanny Magazine. She holds a master's degree in writing and rhetoric from DePaul University and a bachelor's degree in creative writing from DePauw University, a source of regular consternation when proofreading her credentials. She is the former chair of the English department at the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, an elite public boarding school, where she teaches creative writing and science fiction and fantasy literature. She has been a martial arts instructor, a stage combat and accent coach, and a short-order cook for houses full of tired gamers. Now she lives in Bolingbrook, Illinois with two bumptious hounds, two remarkable children, and one very patient husband.

Reviews

[Walker Mills · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun and witty read with tennis tips for both beginning and advanced players! A must read for anyone who loves the game of tennis!