Lucille Barnard and her friends just want a chance to play.
Members of the Robinswood Tennis Club Super Senior team, the group recently captured the United States Tennis Association sectional championship in Sunriver, Ore. to earn a spot at the national competition in April, 2013.
But after that, the path for Barnard and other Super Seniors comes to an end, at least where a National Championship is concerned.
The USTA recently announced changes for its adult leagues that will include abandoning the title “Super Seniors” and shifting the minimum age for the Senior category from 60 to 55. While local leagues and sections may still offer Super Senior league championships, the USTA said no National Championship is currently scheduled beyond 2013 for players 60 and over.
“These women are very competitive,” Barnard said. “We’re there to play hard and win.”
Barnard hasn’t always been a dedicated player, picking up the game after college and getting her start with a $3 wooden racket. But it didn’t take long for her natural inclination for the game to arise. It only increased after she relocated to the West Coast and said Robinswood has finally provided an outlet that incorporates friendship and tennis.
“The competitiveness is so much fun and the physical aspect is great,” she said. “It keeps me healthy and it doesn’t get any better than that.”
Barnard added that the team will make sure its voice is heard by the USTA, and is planning to craft letters to make their feelings on the changes known.
But for now, the team is focused solely on 2013 and a chance to enjoy another trip to Nationals, even if it may be their last.
“We’ve all become friends,” Barnard said. “The plane rides, sharing the camaraderie, we make it about more than just tennis.”
Members of the Robinswood Super Senior women’s tennis team: Lucy Zapf (Sammamish), Joan Zintak (Sammamish), Lucille Barnard (Sammamish), Linda Mate (Bellevue), Susie Pochop (Bellevue), Suzanne Dodd (Bellevue), Marcia Skewis (Bellevue), Geri Aslin and Lois Mustonen.
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