Photo by Wanda Jackson. County native Shelby Jones shows students how to keep a firm grip and hold their form for the follow through in tennis.

Published on: Thursday, July 14, 2011

By Wanda Jackson

Few kids come to Washington Kastles World Team Tennis Pro league clinics and walk away unchanged by the event. The Washington Kastles make sure of that.

Before every home match at Kastles Stadium in soutwest D.C., professional tennis instructors like Shelby Jones, a native of Prince George’s County, teach 50-100 students from various youth organizations in the Washington metro area the ABCs of backhands, serves and volleys.

On the court, Jones dishes out praise and discipline in calm measures while trying to instill his love for tennis that he hopes will take kids to college and beyond.

A former Motion Picture Association executive, Jones now is a teaching pro at the East Potomac Tennis Center at Hains Point, one of the largest indoor public tennis facilities in the Washington metro area. In 1999, he was a Legg Mason/Mercedes Benz ProAm player with Todd Martin, Justin Gimelstob and Ellis Ferreira.

Photo by Wanda Jackson. Serena Williams teaches kids how to perfect their slice backhands.

“It is a lot different than playing on a basketball, football or baseball team, where someone might call you to practice and you’re responsible to your teammates,” Jones said. “With tennis, you have to have that individual drive, and I think that’s what helps a lot of kids.

“If you look at Serena and Venus, that’s years and years of grinding practice to become the best in the world. You have to be driven, focused and disciplined. It’s not a sport that someone can play once-a-week and try to compete.”

Jones is not concerned if his students continue to play tennis through college or later in life. He simply wants them to have fun playing and develop positive tennis and life skills. That is what World Team Tennis offers, he said.

“It’s the one part of our sport that is a little different than the regular sport. It’s an opportunity for people who may not understand the regular game that well to come and see it and enjoy tennis on another level. And, our lineup is phenomenal.”

At the free clinics, students get once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to meet world-class athletes. At Thursday, July 7’s event, students were thrilled by the appearance of Serena Williams, arguably the best female tennis player in the world. Williams entertained questions from students and worked with them on tennis techniques.

“It’s really cool. You come out and help the kids and watch them play,” said Williams, flashing her infectious smile. “You never know what one kid or two kids or however many kids you can ultimately influence.”

Students sat front row to watch the match in which the Washington Kastles defeated the Boston Lobsters 25-10 before a sold-out crowd of 3,000 that included First Lady Michelle Obama and daughters Sasha and Malia.

After the match, students were invited onto the court for autograph sessions with all the players.

As it is in tennis, it is in life, according to Washington Kastles WTT owner Mark Ein. Opportunities in life come much the same way and require discernment of whether to approach it with vigor or with tentative caution. Approached in the wrong way, the opportunity might go bust.

“Sports can teach you life lessons that you can’t learn anywhere else,” Ein said. “It teaches you self-reliance, self-improvement and discipline. It’s fun, so kids like it. They’re learning (life) lessons without thinking they’re learning lessons. So, to me it’s really the most effective way to shape lives at an early age.

“That’s really the core of why we do this,” Ein said.