Beth Dworak’s friend and fellow teacher at Rainwater Elementary had been asking her to come play with her tennis group for years. It took almost a decade for her to say yes.

“I kept saying I would play with her after I had a little practice, because I hadn't picked up a racquet in years. I thought I had lost my skill and my competitive edge,” Beth said. "So I just kept putting her off.”

Her friend, Anne Marceau, teaches Kindergarten across the hall in the same school. Beth, a special education teacher, had been a competitive junior player years ago at Canyon Creek, but hadn’t been on the court for over a decade.

“I knew once she got back on the courts, she’d get her game back, plus meet some terrific people and have fun,” Anne said. “So I didn’t give up.” Anne had been divorced for several years, and wanted Beth, also divorced, to come on out and meet some nice people.

Two years ago Anne invited Beth to a happy hour sponsored by Positive Strokes Tennis Club at the Social House in Addison, and Beth came with a friend in tow. “I was still nervous about getting back on the tennis courts. I thought I had lost my edge since high school, you know, wasn’t as thin or competitive as I used to be out there when I was competing as a teenager.” Little did Beth know, her hesitation is shared by many – both male and female – in the club.

But the happy hour helped her. She said, “I had such a good time, everyone was so nice, I began to realize that maybe I could get back on the courts and just have fun.” Eventually Anne’s invitation to play had Beth feeling good enough to try tennis again. It was then that she realized how much she had missed her childhood sport.

Now Beth is one of two social directors of the club, and last month she hosted a very successful wine tasting party for members at her home. “It was a blast!” she says. She planned for 12 and was thrilled when over 30 members RSVP’ed.

At another recent birthday party of a PSRC club member, Beth admitted she was crazy to wait so long to get back on the courts. “Fear shouldn’t stop us women from getting out there and having fun,” she says now, “We need to give ourselves a break. Exercise and friendship is good for everybody. There’s no reason to isolate ourselves because we’re not as athletic as we used to be. We’re not 12 or 15 anymore. I wish I hadn't hesitated for so long. I’m so glad to be back into tennis and wish I had joined Positive Strokes sooner.”

The two co-workers now often play mixed doubles – with male tennis partners - against each-other, and couldn’t be happier about the competition.  Divorced with grown children, each is free to play on Tuesday nights at Greenhill tennis center or on the monthly “Second Friday” tournaments at Brookhaven.

Beth’s advice? “Don’t wait! There’s no reason to sit at home alone when you can be out on the courts playing with some great people, and socializing afterwards with a group of new friends.”

Positive Strokes Racquet Club (PSRC) was established in 1983 and is for single adult tennis players who can play at the 3.0 – 5.0 level. Weekly tennis, monthly tournaments and frequent socials are planned throughout the year. Cost is minimal: $3 for first-time guests, $25 for tournaments, which includes three hours of tennis and a party with food and drink to midnight.

For more information about Tuesday Night Tennis at Greenhill or this week’s Friday night tournament a Brookhaven, see: the site or the Positive Strokes Facebook page, or you can contact Tuesday Night Play director Jeff jones at: jeffreyjones007@yahoo.com

Or Friday’s Tournament Director Doug Chaney at: DJ_Chaney@SBCGlobal.net

Information provided by Judy Porter.