Conversation with Eldon
1/23/09  Friday  11:00 am.
Chico Racquet Club
 
Eldon and I sat down in the clubhouse restaurant to talk about my progress.  I only had the chance to play two matches since the last time I had had a strategy session with Eldon.  Today was a rainy day and thus Eldon had some time to talk.  [...]

Match with Jeremy Watson
1/21/09 Wed. 1:30pm.
Chico Racquet Club, Court 8
Lost 1-6, 3-6
 
I didn’t expect to play Jeremy today, a club member who is young, buff, fast and in his early 30’s.  I was out on court 8 hitting on the ball machine when Jeremy showed up all of a sudden.  We immediately agreed to [...]

2nd Match with Matt Dorsey
1/14/09 Wednesday—-3:00pm
Chico State University courts
Score:  2-6, 2-6
 
Matt and I took about 30 minutes to have a complete warm-up before we began our match.  We started up close to the net lightly stroking the ball back and forth.  We gradually moved back to hit full ground strokes and then moved back up [...]

Match with Marty Kooper
1/10/09  Saturday 1:00pm.
Lost 0-6, 4-6
 
 
This was the forth or fifth time that I have played Marty Kooper.  He is a fairly strong 3.5 level player.  He is very good defensively.  He gets a lot of balls back.  His first serve is fair.  His second serve is weak; one can step up on [...]

5th Match with Sydney Riggle
1/9/09  Friday  1:00 pm.
Chico Racquet Club
Lost 2-6, 6-7 (3)
 
 
Today Sydney and I went out to play in the wind.  Twenty-five mph wind gusts.  Definitely a large factor!  The wind was blowing from the north, but also somewhat towards the east.  So in other words it was blowing diagonally across the court [...]

Match with Matt Dorsey
1/7/09 Wednesday 3:00pm.
Chico State courts
 
 
Today I played with Matt Dorsey.  I would say Matt is a 4.0 level player, although Eldon has mentioned to me that at one time Matt was probably played at a 4.5 NTRP rating.  He has 1st and 2nd serves that have considerable pace and movement.  His forehand [...]