A good friend of mine, Dave Bruk, passed away recently. At 64 years of age, he was still playing tennis. He operated an early learning center for 4, 5 and 6 year olds. He was a great teacher who loved his work and it showed. He was a kind and gentle man. He had taken lessons from me for over 22 years, seldom missing his weekly group lesson. Dave spent much time working on his form and control (he even bought a ball machine). In recent years, Dave overcame many nagging problems with his hip and had trouble getting to the ball to play. Even with this ailment, Dave continued playing tennis 3 to 5 times weekly (tournaments, league play and social tennis). He used to tell me that with the lack of mobility, he had to play much smarter and do more with the balls that he could get to. That is where all the years of form and stroke production paid off. This is a good tip for all players, regardless of age or physical problems.

Dave seldom took a vacation, but one time I convinced Dave to go on a tennis vacation. He went with a group to the U. S. Open. When he returned I asked him if he had a good time. He said, "It was OK, but I would rather have stayed home and played tennis." Dave told me that he thought his life was a vacation. What a great way to live life.

The community will miss Dave and the positive influence he had on everyone. Remember that it really is not about the winning or losing, but the playing instead. Dave loved the game. Make adaptations to your game. You are never too good to take lessons and good form can take care of many weaknesses. Dave played with a group of men his age once a week. He referred to them as the "Hit and Giggle" group. What you mainly heard when they played was laughter. How refreshing!

Good luck on the courts!