Celebrating FITNESS + TENNIS According to an article in The New York Times, playing tennis might add years to your life. Specifically, the social aspects of tennis may “amplify the benefits of exercise.” With that in mind, and in honor of May being National Physical Fitness and Sports Month, USTA League players shared their stories about how being a part of a local USTA League has kept them fit and active.
BEN SEITZ: TOPEKA, KANSAS
By Kendra Wicks
Topeka native Ben Seitz can be found in the gym every morning before work. He lifts, runs sprints and has lost over 70 pounds in the past year throughout an incredible fitness journey that all began on a tennis court. Seitz had never considered playing tennis before the spring of 2016 when he and his wife decided to try something new. “We were really just looking for something that we could do together,” Seitz said. “We didn’t really know what we were getting into.” For Seitz, tennis proved to be the outlet he needed to shape up his health and fitness. “For a while, I wasn’t doing anything, until I started getting into tennis. As I started losing weight and getting more fit, then I began adding more things,” Seitz said. “As soon as I started losing weight I was like, ‘You know, this could really be something if I would eat better.’” Seitz created a diet plan through a local health clinic that jumpstarted the lifestyle he leads today. He plays almost daily, on top of training in the gym and continuing to follow a well-structured diet.
4
Despite finding his love for the game, Seitz admits that he never imagined he’d end up playing tennis. “Now that I’ve learned it and discovered it, I feel like there’s a lot more to it than I ever thought,” Seitz said. “Now we play pretty much every league we can get into.” Looking back, Seitz encourages anyone looking to get into tennis to not be afraid of learning something new.
Hitting the courts has become a staple part of his daily routine. Seitz and his wife quickly moved from beginner classes to group drills before being invited onto local USTA league teams. They eventually became captains on their respective teams and have competed in men’s and women’s leagues, mixed doubles and trilevel tournaments. They enjoy having the opportunity to compete at an older age.
“Take lessons. We went six months just playing each other and not knowing how to hold a racquet,” Seitz said. “I’d say, if you want to get the most out of it, take some general lessons just to get the technical side down.”
“The competition side of it keeps bringing us back, and the fact that you’re always learning. There’s always room for improvement,” Seitz said.
“The people we’ve met here are just really good people, and I definitely wouldn’t be where I am today without tennis,” Seitz said. “All of this has come from eating better and playing a ton of tennis.”
Seitz’s journey throughout the past three years has led him to a healthy new lifestyle and a welcoming community.
SUMMER SERVE 2019
