Dave Teaches Tennis

Hi!

I’m Dave and I’ve been playing tennis for 35 years, competing in leagues for 20 years and teaching for 8 years. In 2021, USTA Northern — the parent organization for our region — gave me an “Adult Development” award for my teaching. This doesn’t mean I’m a particularly good teacher, it just means I’ll work very hard to provide a positive experience 🙂I specialize in Adult Minneapolis Parks & Rec. Your vibe is great — it’s nothing like classes in the ‘burbs or private clubs.My goal is for you to have fun while learning. Simple as that. My priority is to provide an inclusive, comfortable space to allow for that.If you’re feeling like you’re not “getting it” and are being left behind, that’s a problem with MY teaching, not YOUR skill. Let me know.If you miss a lesson, THAT’S OK. Out of hundreds of students, I have NEVER had one with perfect attendance. It’s Summer in Minneapolis — something is going to come up.

Q&A

What are your favorite local, public places to play outside?

  • Lake Hiawatha Courts at 4400 27th Ave S. There’s 5 of them so there’s a decent chance of finding an open one.

  • Powderhorn Courts at 3414 10th Ave S. Five courts there too.

  • Lynnhurst Courts near 1401 W Minnehaha Pkwy. Four courts.

  • 50th and Bloomington Courts at 5000 16th Ave S. Two courts. These are a bit of a hidden gem and don’t get too busy despite a good court surface. If it’s a windy day, it can be difficult due to a lack of trees and wind screens.

Tips for playing on public courts:

  • If you have to go across a court to get to yours, please be mindful. Typically, people walk by the edge and they wait for a tennis point to stop before racing across.

  • If you’re meeting someone at 2PM, consider changing it to 1:45PM. You’ll snag a court before all the folks who planned to meet at 2PM.

  • Your tennis balls are going to roll over to a neighboring court, and their balls are going to roll over to yours. This happens at every skill level. (In fact, high-level players hit such extreme angles that it happens more often.) Apologize and move on; no one is gonna get angry. If your point gets interrupted by a ball, say “LET” and re-start the point from the First Serve.

I need a new racket.

  • Unless it’s broken, you probably don’t. Racket choice doesn’t matter as much as you think. If you’re gonna get one, spend at least $120 — don’t get another $30 or $60 racket. Tennis shops and clubs have “demo” programs that let you play around with options before purchase.

Where do I get tennis clothes?

  • Ask the best-dressed person in your class. They’ll know better than me 🙂

Where can I play once it gets cold?

  • We’re fortunate to have TWO indoor tennis facilities in South Minneapolis: Inner City Tennis and Fred Wells Tennis.

  • Indoor tennis is expensive. There’s no way around it in our climate. You’ll have to pay for the right to reserve courts, then will be paying per hour for those reservations.