Mount Pleasant Magazine March/April 2016

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With up to eight
courts in use at a
time and six
people per court,
the tournament
needs a big crew
from which to
draw.
lives easier so they can concentrate on the game,” as Sophie
put it. To make that happen, the crew goes through tryouts
before embarking on a rigorous training program for six
Saturdays prior to the tournament, two hours per day. They
work on skills such as rolling tennis balls up and down the
court, tossing the balls to the players during a match and
even things like how to properly hold an umbrella to shade
a player when it’s hot. The crew also gets to actively practice
their skills during actual matches, either between veteran
ball crew members or for the College of Charleston.
When the tournament begins, volunteers are placed
where they’re needed on the court and are rotated in and
out frequently, especially when the temperature rises. With
up to eight courts in use at a time and six people per court,
they need a big crew from which to draw.
On the ball crew, there’s one place you really want to
be, and that’s on the net, said Sophie, who has held that
position for the past couple years.
“If you’re the net person, you’re really responsible,”
said Felicia. “You have to get the balls from one end of
the court to the other person, rolling them during the tie
breaker. The net people need to have a ball in their hand,
and the balls are switched every two points.”
Being on the ball crew is a prestigious position, she
said, and a lot of kids will make it their goal to get there.
Being close to the action is what it’s all about. Unsurpris-
ingly, many ball crew members play tennis themselves, and
all of them love the sport. That can mean they get a little