Technology in sports on campus: Tennis

Technology over the past 100 years has changed everything from how we crossed an ocean to how we look at the stars, but technology has also had a massive impact on the almost 200 year old sport of tennis.

Tennis has evolved from the early days of two people hitting a ball of rubber over a court, to hitting a hollow ball of rubber covered in Nylon. Over the years the game of tennis has had fundamental changes, and that can be seen prominently in how high schoolers play today.

“Coaches can tell you how to hit your shots, but like if you actually see what your doing and stuff you can see stuff like, ok Im not hitting the ball in the center I need to do that better I need to work on that” said Davin Lundwig Varsity Junior player, when talking about his Head tennis sensor. The Head sensor helping Lundwig by having the capacity to track where on the racket he hits the ball, how hard he hits the ball, and the spin he puts on the ball, to an 80% accuracy. By having this information given right to his phone, Ludwig is able to use this technology in order to improve himself, fine tuning his game.

“I just want to give them an opportunity and give them the experience and show them what it takes to get there. Cause I want them to learn the right way.” said John Waltz perry high boys tennis coach on the use of technology within the sport and how they use it. Waltz being a veteran of the sport for over 40 years.

“There playing with each other by sometimes you want to do drills when your on one side of the court” said Grant Williams Senior Varsity player, when talking about the Lobster tennis ball launcher. A piece of technology used in order to lob balls at different speeds, angles, and heights towards tennis players. In order to consistently practice shots that they may be less adept at.

“Coach will sometimes video us so that we can sometimes more visualize our mistakes. Instead of him just telling us what were doing wrong we can see what we’re doing wrong” said Grant Brigham tennis player on how he uses technology in private coaching. Using the same methodology of the Head sensor in allowing a player to see themselves what mistakes or blunders there making, but in this way granting a situation in which form may be fine tuned.

Technology within tennis has been changing the game for years, and has been affected significantly especially by the high school level, in which hey grow up surrounded by this fine tuning information.