Superior locals attack the courts
Nick Ianniello/Mineral Independent Leroy Godin works on his backhand during a tennis match Wednesday evening. Goding helps organize a weekly summer doubles tournament that has grown to a less competitive opportunity for friends to get together and play tennis.
The summer heat hasn’t kept local tennis players from hitting the courts.
“We’ve always had a strong core of tennis players in this town,” Jim Goss said.
Goss and around a dozen other tennis players from Superior have been playing every Tuesday and Wednesday all summer long to compete in their home-grown doubles tournament.
Event organizer and Superior Head Tennis Coach Rick Berreth said that the event is a “real” mixed doubles event because teams can consist of men and women of any age while most tennis tournaments have age restrictions.
Berreth helped get the event on its feet and still helps organize the weekly matches but said that, as the summer has dragged on fewer and fewer people have been able to make it to matches.
The original format consisted of five teams of six people. Two teams would play each other Tuesday and two others would play each other Wednesday and the fifth team would sit out.
Goss said that, by now, many people have had to stop playing and the games have changed from a tournament style to a more informal group of friends that get together and play tennis.
“It’s just really great when the community gets involved together,” Goss said.
Goss said that one of the great things about their weekly tennis matches is that it provides an opportunity for people of all ages and from all walks of life to get together and enjoy the game. He said that he has played alongside both high school students and older people from the community.
“It’s been a great inter-generational thing,” Goss said.
The weekly matches have also provided people who have never played tennis before an opportunity to learn the game.
“It’s sort of generating interest from some people in the community who haven’t been out to play tennis in the past,” Goss said.
While the original format allowed for less experienced players to compete against each other, Goss explained that there are still enough people coming out to play with different skill levels that there is healthy competition for just about anyone. He added that some of their loyal spectators have picked up tennis rackets and joined in on the fun.
“It’s an opportunity for those that are trying to keep with their skills up or just something for people to do and come out and hit the balls,” Goss said.
Jonathan Grahm, a Montana State Trooper who moved to Superior in January, said that the games have provided him with a great opportunity to meet people.
“It’s a nice setting just to have some fun and meet some people that have the same interests,” Grahm said.
He added that since he’s started playing it has been a great way for him to keep up with his tennis game.
“I look forward to it every week,” Grahm said.
Goss said that anyone that wants to come out and play is welcome and they can usually find a match for them. The group meets every Tuesday and Wednesday from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. There is no charge to use the courts and they use old tennis balls from previous high school tennis tournaments. The only equipment needed is a racket.
“Anyone that wants to play can just show up. We’re always looking for more people to play and anyone’s welcome,” Goss said.