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Photo Michael Iacuessa
Tennis pro Sophie Amiach |
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Tennis pro brings love of game to others
By Michael Iacuessa
BANNER CORRESPONDENT
EASTHAM — Teaching tiny toddlers to hit oversized foam balls with little rackets, Sophie Amiach seems a long way from playing in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open. But at age 41, the former tennis star-turned-tennis instructor at Willy's Gym appears quite content with the role she has now in life — serving as an ambassador for the sport.
Having learned the game herself at age five, and having had Billy Jean King as a coach, Amiach has plenty to teach. In just a year and a half at Willy's, she has already earned accolades from high school tennis coaches seeing improvements in their players as well as created a buzz among other adults.
"The goal I really have is to get more and more people playing tennis," she said, explaining having fun is a key element.
"A lot of people think if they play well they are going to have fun, but it's actually the opposite. If you have fun, you are going to play well," she said, reciting advice she learned from King.
The French-born Amiach was once ranked in the top 50 in the world. She lost in that 1984 Australian Open to Chris Evert; once had the misfortune of drawing Martina Navratilova in the first round at Wimbledon; and took Pam Shriver to three sets in 1995, her final year on the circuit.
However, her career demonstrates a love of the game as much as a love to play it. In 1992, she formed a company, 40 Love, to assist players on the tour in finding housing. The company still offers the service for the U.S. Open and sells travel packages to the French Open.
"When on tour it gets lonely," she said, not to mention expensive since players have to pay their own way. "You get tired of hotels."
Amiach spent 16 years in Texas before teaching two summers at New Seabury. She was looking for a year-round situation on the Cape and found that at Willy's. Now she is creating a local college scholarship program for graduating high school players. In the meantime, assisted by Art Jerome, an instructor for 20 years on the Cape, she is offering a variety of programs and individual lessons at the gym.
"The lessons start at four years old and up to 89, 90 or over if they are willing," she said.
In addition to teaching backhands and forehands, she teaches a history of the game as well.
"Kids don't really know about the game. They get a little bit of geography," she explained.
She immediately slips into trivia mode, explaining the term “love” originated from the French word “l'oeuf” meaning “egg,” a sports term for zero. The English, upon hearing the term, repeated it as love.
At Willy's, the programs are divided into three age levels. The youngest, 4 to 6, she starts with the big foam balls, not exactly an accurate method but not much different from lowering the nets to teach basketball.
"The real balls bounce above their head so they don't get a level stroke," she said. "These give them success and it's fun to hit the ball."
With intermediate players, ages 7 to 9, she introduces a ball that doesn't bounce as high as a standard tennis ball.
"They are having rallies and they feel like they are playing tennis, which is what they should be doing," she added.
Ball machines, she believes, may have their place but do not really teach how it is to play against a real person.
"People teach you by giving you the tools but not explaining them," she said, differentiating herself. "With ball machines, hitting a ball 150 times means you just repeated the wrong stroke 150 times."
The great thing about tennis that keeps it interesting, she added, is that one never sees the same ball or the same spin. Every shot is different.
With older players, she often finds they are less interested in learning though theoretically more capable because they usually have more experience. She said people like to play matches and just have fun but unless they drill and work on their game, they just reinforce the same habits.
"But the great thing about tennis is that you can play as long as you like. You don't need 12 players on the court," she said.
In having King as a mentor, Amiach said the legend's enthusiasm for the game and her discipline affected her the most. Just last month, the two volleyed on Willy's outdoor green clay courts.
"Sixty percent of what I teach, Billy taught me. The other 40 percent is what I am still learning," she said.
As for her own past, which includes a junior doubles title at the French Open and 304 singles and doubles victories on the WTA tour, Navratilova was maybe the best player she faced but Evert was tough as well, she said.
"She was a metronome that one," Amiach recalled. "She was never a power player, but the most amazing thing about her is that she would always put the ball in the wrong place for you to hit it."
She said the thrills were not something she realized until she was older.
"I had a good time playing for 15 years. Now what tennis has given me is the chance to give back and teach," she said.
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PHS Sports
Nauset Sports |
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Jun 16th, 2005