Doing It All at Middleburg Tennis Club

Anthony Pinkard at the Middleburg Tennis Club

Photo by Leonard Shapiro

Doing It All at Middleburg Tennis Club

By Leonard Shapiro

Anthony Pinkard, the do-it-all, multitalented operations manager at the Middleburg Tennis Club (MTC), knows plenty about Walter Payton, the late Chicago Bears Hall of Fame running back, including his favorite meal.

“Tortellini,” he said, something he learned first hand when Pinkard worked as a manager at Payton’s Windy City restaurant in the 1990s.

Pinkard’s journey to the Midwest and back to his roots in hometown Warrenton has taken all manner of intriguing twists and turns. He’s a Fauquier High graduate, played football and track there, lived for ten years in Chicago and has raised three adult girls—Elizabeth, Amanda and Jennah.

These days, he said, the 20-minute commute from Warrenton to the tennis club on Zulla Road offers a pure joy ride to a job he clearly loves.

He originally joined the MTC staff five years ago as a part-time server to supplement his work at the Longhorn in Warrenton. Over the years, he’s helped start up several local restaurants, trained the Longhorn staff and stayed on as a manager of the popular steakhouse.

At MTC he was named restaurant manager about a year after he started, then last year moved up to operations manager. He has multiple responsibilities—overseeing food and beverage, the outdoor pool and the maintenance of the entire facility, including tennis courts indoors and out.

He works in close coordination with General Manager and head tennis professional Kevin Brundle and “anything on the tennis club property, I’m responsible for,” Pinkard said. “But I don’t do tennis lessons.”

Still, said one admiring member, “The man does just about everything that needs to be done around here. He knows every member’s name, and their kids names, too. He’s just a terrific guy who has everyone’s respect. He really makes the place work.”

Dining facilities in the main clubhouse have been spread out for social distancing during the pandemic. The kitchen, the indoor and outside patio dining areas, locker rooms and gym are constantly scrubbed and sanitized.

The pandemic also has had an impact on the number of club events: from limiting how many for lunch or dinner and also to watch the popular winter tennis tournament. To make up for less than full houses in the dining areas, the club also offers a popular take-out service.

While a number of businesses have been forced to lay off workers to survive, Pinkard is particularly pleased and proud that MTC so far has managed to keep its entire 22-person staff intact.

And more good news for the club: membership is up because people are moving away from D.C. and its dense suburban areas and out to the wide open spaces of the countryside. Many of them play tennis.

Soon, they’ll also be able to play paddle tennis on outdoor courts the club is planning to build. Brundle and assistant pro Kyla Walgren have become certified teachers of the ever-growing sport of pickle ball. There also are plans to expand the gym, renovate the main locker rooms and re-furbish the deck and its outdoor dining area.

“It’s a challenge here every day, something different every day,” Pinkard said. “That’s what makes it enjoyable. For me, it’s also the members. There’s just a great atmosphere around here. You couldn’t ask for anything better.”

Not even serving Walter Payton his tortellini.

Whatever it takes.

Photo by Vicky Moon