As National Tennis Month concludes, I would be remiss not to acknowledge how great the sport of tennis is and what it has meant to me.
I am Darian Banks. Many also know me as “Coach D.” I am a native of St. Louis, Missouri, and come from a fairly large family, the oldest among siblings of all girls. I began training and developing my skills as a junior with Just-Us Tennis Foundation. I then played tennis competitively in high school and at Webster University.
Over the years, I’ve discovered how this traditionally exclusive sport offers health and fitness benefits and can transform lives and communities.
Alvin ‘Al’ Penelton, one among a handful of African American umpires on an international scale, served a role within the sport. Al played on the Fairground Park tennis courts in St. Louis in high school, unknowingly inspiring me to develop as a player. A world-class human being, Al contributed significantly to developing my passion for the sport along with coaches Joe Clark Sr. and Joe Clark Jr. of Just-Us Tennis Foundation.
Courtesy USTA
In addition to playing for fun, they made me aware of the health/fitness benefits of playing the game.
According to the United States Tennis Association (USTA), playing tennis three hours a week can reduce cardiovascular disease risk. One long-term study reported that tennis players add 9.7 years to their life over sedentary individuals.
Beyond those health benefits, tennis promotes teamwork, social skills and sportsmanship, strategic thinking and problem-solving skills development, and self-confidence.
Early on, I was also introduced to career opportunities available in the tennis industry. After a stint as director of tennis programming with the East St. Louis Community Tennis Association, I participated in the inaugural USTA Coaching and Leadership Fellowship. I now serve as a USTA Community Outreach Manager at the organization’s national campus in Orlando, Florida.
As May winds down (a month singled out to celebrate tennis), I reflect on my journey in the sport and relish what it has meant. I am proud to have made a positive impact through tennis, and I am also honored to be affiliated with the USTA, the sport’s U.S. governing body. You will not encounter a more grateful and humbled person than me.
I will continue to celebrate and promote tennis throughout the year, and I encourage you to join a friend or two to play the game at your neighborhood tennis court. Have fun and get some good exercise, too.
Who knows, you may be inspired to play regularly or, perhaps, pursue of career in the sport like me!
Outstanding stuff Coach D!!!