Second Serve Tennis

Can early exposure and self-accountability shape a young athlete's future? We were thrilled to speak with Mark Dillon! Mark Dillon is in the North Carolina Tennis Hall of Fame and was the President of USTA NC. We are replaying a few of our most popular episodes and this was one of them! Mark played college tennis at NC State where he won two ACC singles championships, an ACC doubles champions...

Can mastering your mental game truly transform your tennis performance? Karen Rembert thinks so, and she's back for part two of our tiebreakers series to show you how. Get ready for an episode packed with actionable tips from Karen on how to stay mentally sharp during those high-pressure moments. Learn the art of self-talk, and discover how to maintain your composure. In addition, Karen gives...

Ever wondered how to master those nerve-wracking tiebreakers in tennis? Join us as we welcome Karen Rembert, a teaching pro with over 30 years of coaching experience. Karen was a National USTA Finalist in 45 Doubles, a two-time NC State 25 Doubles Champion, and ranked #11 nationally in NAIA Doubles. Karen is a USTA High-Performance Coach, USPTA Elite Professional, and a USPTA Certified Pickleball...

Has anyone ever said anything to you that was awkward or memorable during or after a match?  Did you think it was a strategy? In this episode, Wendy joins us to  discuss awkward things opponents and teammates have said during adult recreational tennis matches. Let us know if anyone has said anything awkward or funny to you! We would greatly appreciate a 5 star rating wherever you listen to podcast...

Come check out the Cary Tennis Classic on August 10-17! Kei Nishikori, David Goffin, Chris Eubanks, Lulu Sun and others have all entered to play! We were thrilled to talk with the Co-Tournament Director Ted Reese. Ted is the current Executive VP of Southern Board of Directors, current chair of USTA National Local Play & Competition Committee (2 terms), current Vice President of NC Tennis Found...

Can cutting down on unforced errors really transform your tennis game? Discover the strategies and mental tactics used by the pros, as Bill Oakes enlightens us on how even a slight shift in focus can elevate your recreational play.  Bill is a sports marketing, sponsorship, communications and event production professional. He has worked at Wake Forest University, the Winston-Salem Open, the USTA So...

What can adult recreational players learn from the pros?   Join us for a compelling conversation with Bill Oakes, a veteran in sports marketing with over three decades of experience. Discover how concentrating on minimizing unforced errors and focusing on strategy rather than hitting winners can revolutionize your performance, whether you're a 2.5 or 3.5 USTA player. We are replaying a few of...

Can a tissue spark chaos on a tennis court? You bet it can! In this episode we hear about Carolynn and Amy's craziest and most memorable moments on the courts in Michigan. You can visit CourtMerch to check out their t-shirts and gift ideas. We would greatly appreciate a 5 star rating wherever you listen to podcasts! Please contact us -  Website: secondservepodcast.com Instagram: secondservepo...

Do you know a Drop Shot Demon or Queen of the Lob? Amy and Carolynn have launched a tennis business producing t-shirts and gift items for tennis players called CourtMerch . In this episode, Amy shares her journey of falling back in love with tennis after a long hiatus, leading her to captain a USTA team, while Carolynn opens up about how a sabbatical in Australia helped her overcome her initial re...

Ever wondered what it truly takes to manage an adult recreational tennis league? Join us as we chat with an anonymous Local League Coordinator who pulls back the curtain on the unique challenges and triumphs of this role. From the tricky business of rescheduling matches due to unpredictable weather to the strategic maneuvering by team captains, our guest offers a wealth of insights. We are replayi...

We have an anonymous guest! What crazy stories or silly situations does a local league coordinator have to deal with because of a few of the passionate adult rec tennis players? What is the pettiest grievance a local league coordinator has ever received? We discuss this and more! We are replaying a few of our most popular episodes and this was one of them! Use our referral link to get a FREE Swing...

Have you ever been on the court and didn't know the rule? We have 10 rules we wished we would have known when we started playing USTA matches. In this episode we go through situations that happened on the tennis court to us where no one knew what to do or we were surprised by the rule. You can Download Our Rules Card   and please reach out if you have other rules we should include in the futu...

Have you tried to change your stroke as an adult? Were you able to do it? Mike is back to discuss this and more! We are replaying a few of our most popular episodes and this was one of them! You can listen to other episodes with Mike at the following links: To Grunt or Not To Grunt https://secondservepodcast.com/2022/02/08/to-grunt-or-not-to-grunt/ Does Your Racquet Matter? https://secondservepodc...

What do you do if your opponents are only hitting to the lower rated player? What are some tactics for playing against higher level players? Francie Barragan is here to give advice for playing combo or across different levels! We are replaying a few of our most popular episodes and this was one of them! Francie played college tennis for NC State and was the Assistant Coach for NC State after gradu...

Do you ever have trouble playing people that hit with less pace? Why is it so difficult to play against lower rated players? Francie Barragan is here to give advice for playing combo or across different levels! We are replaying a few of our most popular episodes and this was one of them! Francie played college tennis for NC State and was the Assistant Coach for NC State after graduating. She was t...

Can you learn to play tennis watching YouTube? We are replaying a few of our most popular episodes and this was one of them! We were thrilled to have Trey join us to discuss this and more. Trey is an NTRP rated 4.5 player and is self taught! Come join the excitement at the 4th Annual Cy King Tournament! The tournament for adults takes place from May 31st to June 2nd, while the juniors' tourna...

Have you ever tried out for an adult rec tennis team? Did you know it was a tryout? Have you ever been cut from a team after a tryout? In this episode we discuss trying out for teams and how ridiculous it is. If you aren't sure whether it is a tryout or not Erin has a question you could ask (other than is this a tryout) =) Use our referral link to get a FREE Swing Stick ($100 value) with your...

What can you do to encourage your doubles' partner? Tara is back to give us more tips on how to be a good teammate and tells us about her experience at a USTA State Tournament and the USTA Southern Sectionals. We are replaying a few of our most popular episodes and this was one of them! Tara captained the team that won the 55 plus 6.5 State Championship and finished second at Sectionals. Use...

How can you be a good teammate? Have you ever showed up late to a match? Are you supportive of your doubles partner? We are replaying a few of our most popular episodes and this was one of them! We really enjoyed hearing Tara's advice on how to be a good teammate. Tara captained the team that won the 55 plus 6.5 State Championship and finished second at Sectionals. Use our referral link to ge...

What is it like going from winning a lot to losing? Do you need to win in order to have fun? We are replaying a few of our most popular episodes and this was one of them! Carolyn and Erin discuss what it is like getting bumped and losing. Erin just wants to play good tennis (win or lose) and Carolyn is hoping to have Erin's mentality one day... Use our referral link to get a FREE Swing Stick...

Aileen is here to tell us about her 4.0 18+ National Championship experience (and the less than ideal situation that happened in her first game in her first match)! Also, Aileen discusses the research she did on players who got bumped after making it to the National Championship. Aileen took up tennis as an adult (starting at 2.5) and fell in love with the sport. She has played on over 100 USTA te...

Aileen is here to tell us about her 4.0 18+ National Championship experience! Aileen took up tennis as an adult (starting at 2.5) and fell in love with the sport. She has played on over 100 USTA teams but this was her first experience at the National Championships. In this episode Aileen discusses how the team made it to the 4.0 National Championship. If you live near the Raleigh, NC area please c...

Kana is back to tell us about crazy adult recreational tennis stories in New Jersey! Playing indoors with a time limit can make everything a little more difficult because one team may want to slow down while the other team may want to speed up. It can lead to a few frustrating or funny situations! We are replaying a few of our most popular episodes and this was one of them! If you live near the Ra...

Is adult tennis the same in different parts of the country?  Do you have to try out as an adult? Are you required to buy the uniform? Can you flip courts? Is a win on court 1 worth more than other courts? We are replaying a few of our most popular episodes and this was one of them! We really appreciate Kana joining us to discuss playing tennis in a league in New Jersey. It seems like playing tenni...

Do you have a Gold Ball? Do you even know what a Gold Ball is? We really enjoyed talking with Brenda Carter about tournaments!  Brenda's story is a masterclass in longevity and love for the sport. Brenda's journey gives us all hope that one day we can win a Gold Ball or at least try! Please let us know if you love tournaments and which ones are your favorite! You can find tournaments on...