Hello
DAVID MITCHELL
Owner
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PE Teacher at Lake Myrtle Elementary
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Tennis instructor since 2014
Welcome to Advantage Tennis! I founded this program to teach children the fundamentals of tennis in an enjoyable, rewarding, and competitive environment. In doing so, I hope to help your child develop a life-long love for the sport of tennis.
My Story
If I were to get a do-over, I would have focused more on tennis as a kid rather than basketball. Unfortunately, I grew up in the 80's and 90's when Michael Jordan was the biggest sports icon on the planet, and I wanted to "Be Like Mike". I would spend countless hours at the park trying to imitate things Jordan would do in a game. Basketball was my life! I have to admit, I think I squeezed out every bit of potential I had when it came to basketball. Unlike Michael Jordan, I was pretty short for a basketball player, about 5' 10 1/2", 155 pounds, not particularly fast, and I couldn't dunk. Despite the odds, I was able to walk-on to the Saint Leo College (now University) men's basketball team because of hard work and determination. But no matter how hard I tried, I never got more than garbage time at the end of blowouts.
Tennis is a different beast. Generally speaking, basketball rewards the player that is more athletic, while tennis rewards the player with the higher skill set. No child in elementary school had a chance of beating Michael Jordan 1-on-1 in his prime, but if you put MJ on a tennis court, there are lots of school age kids that could beat Jordan at tennis. Your God-given physical abilities can't overcome a lack of skill in tennis like they can in basketball. Of course, to be the best, you have to possess speed, quickness, timing, etc., but with tennis you're not penalized for being short, or not having a 48-inch vertical leap.
It's funny, I spent my entire childhood playing basketball, but now that I'm an adult, all I want to do is play tennis. Maybe if Roger Federer played when I was a kid, I would've wanted to "Be Like Roger" rather than Mike. I have found a love in playing tennis that I want to share with the next generation. Some kids that join the program may go on to play for their high school. Some may go on to play in college and even get a scholarship. Some may just play for fun and one day teach their children. Everyone is a winner when they fall in love with tennis.
Contact
Please get in touch if you have any questions.
I look forward to hearing from you!
(813) 453-9623