Right now as the days become noticeably shorter and winter looms large, I’m warming up my forehand, hitting a couple hundred serves, and practicing my volleys at the net – it’s almost tennis time, you know?
Montana’s spring, summer, and fall seasons never seem to last long enough, leaving many tennis buffs conflicted on those rare, still and sunny days; should I go hiking, biking, floating, flying, fishing, hunting, or play a few sets today?
I find it’s difficult to confine myself to a court when the weather is warm and wild places are calling.
Almost two years ago, I took up tennis after taking a break from the full-time sport of dog mushing. I went from owning 60 sled dogs to just two pets, and as a result found myself with a little extra spare time, especially during the winter months. A friend of mine talked me into hitting a few balls on the indoor courts at the Last Chance Tennis Center in Helena; there’s something about whacking that fuzzy yellow ball back and forth, back and forth, over and over again that’s oddly satisfying.
I’m not a very good tennis player, but I do have a few things going for me – I’m almost 6 feet tall and in pretty good shape. I try to make up for lack of skill with size and speed. There’s nothing elegant or refined about my game. I tend to kiss the concrete every few matches; my friends have suggested that I purchase a set of kneepads, a helmet, and a mouth-guard, as if I play professional hockey not 3.0 level tennis.
After a few years hitting indoors, I’ve become spoiled. I never have to worry about rain, sleet, or snow. Our average 12.5 mph wind speed (with gusts up to 60 mph), the blinding sun, and 100-plus degree temperatures on the outdoor courts during the summer months are major distractions to my already lousy game. Thanks to the Last Chance Tennis Center, a poor soul like me can actually afford the country club luxury of enclosed and heated courts.
But there are still some diehards out there. Gordon Matson, 77, of Great Falls is a legend among local tennis fanatics.
“Tennis is a sport you can do in one hour,” Gordon explains. “There are no high fees like golf. And you don’t have to go looking around for the ball - it usually comes back to you.”
Gordon is devoted to his sport. He owns a squeegee to dry the outdoor courts after a rain storm, a big broom for brushing away light snow and leaves, and a large shovel for the heavy snow removal jobs. During cold weather, Gordon actually fills a cooler with bottles full of hot water to keep his cans of tennis balls warm; every other game, they replace the cold balls with the warm ones.
Gordon’s group plays on Thursday and Saturday mornings. He has a list of area tennis players he calls the night before.
“I always tell everyone, if the wind is below 20 mph and the temperature is above 20 degrees, we’ll play,” Gordon says. “We’ve played as low as 16 degrees but I don’t think I want to do that again.”
It’s not that Gordon prefers to play tennis in a stocking cap, down coat, and gloves, but locally his options are limited.
“It can be frustrating here because they don’t keep the (outdoor city) courts up and we don’t have any indoor courts - unless you’re well-heeled and go to the country club,” Gordon says. “I use to live in Beulah, ND and it was a tiny town but we had 5 good courts. And they’d let us go into the civic center and set up a net and play when the weather was bad. I’ve been trying to find an indoor facility or gymnasium like that here in Great Falls.”
Until then whenever the weather is foul, Gordon will continue to layer his long johns and bundle up, and I’ll continue to wimp out. When it’s warm and sunny, I’ll be hiking with my dogs. But when the winds blow and the snow flies, I’ll be in the Last Chance Tennis Center, working on my blasted backhand.
For more information on Montana tennis – indoors or outdoors – contact M.C. Beeby at the United States Tennis Association, Montana District at 406-431-3152 or e-mail her at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
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