Monday’s training after the win against Thisted was a chance to gather the team for a fun and slightly different training. Here, the boys had been invited to play in the ‘Björn Borg Open’ tournament in the hall at Skodviget, and the day was a good reminder that tennis can really be a good and fun activation.
Fun, smiles and ball games
Head coach David Roufpanah, Strength & Conditioning coach Patryk Przybylski and tennis coach Bjarne, had planned a series of tennis activities that would make even the most inexperienced players feel safe on the court. The rules were simple – Tennis is not a contact sport. Each player referees in his own half of the court, and if the ball hits the line, it is in. There is no doubt that tennis can be a challenging sport, but Bjarne wanted to show that it can also be incredibly fun and easy.
Competitive spirit
Even though we emphasized fun, it didn’t mean that the competitive spirit was forgotten. We saw countless funny situations on the courts, where the ball went back and forth over the net more than 20 times! The players made fun of each other and the atmosphere was relaxed and good. It was clear that soccer players, with their athletic skills and fighter mentality, had an advantage, but they stayed true to the rules and the game’s code of conduct.
Some Cases of “Outright Theft”
Even though everyone followed the rules, there were still some cases of “outright theft.” Tim Freriks judged a ball “Out” several times even though it was clearly inside the line. This led to important points that brought him and his doubles partner to the winning court, also known as “Center Court.” Even in the most relaxed atmosphere, the competitive instinct can take over, and that’s part of the fun of tennis.
The head coach’s loophole in the draw
Head coach Roufpanah clearly had a strategy in mind when he was in charge of the draw. The two greatest tennis talents, Søren Ilsøe and Adrien Koudelka, drew each other as partners and managed to win the entire tournament.
Final Thoughts
Today’s event was filled with fun, smiles and games. It showed that tennis does not have to be a complicated sport for the few, but rather something that everyone can participate in and have fun with. It also helped to show that tennis can be accessible to everyone and that the most important thing is to have fun.
