Page 24 - SD Woman Glace Ziperovich Issue

the tennis pro at Singing Hills Country I don't teach the same way to everybody.
Club, which today is Sycuan. There's not a universal way to teach tennis.
“I worked for my brother for two I gear my lessons to what I think is going
years and when he left, I became the head to work best for you. The biggest tip I can
pro there and at the time I was the young- provide is to keep your contact point con-
est female head pro at the age of 22.” sistent and make sure that you are watch-
After Singing Hills Laura went on to ing the ball the entire time it is coming
the World Junior Tennis Academy, which towards you. Don’t look up when you’re
was where the young players went year- hitting it.” It is obvious what a fabulous
round. “That was a fun experience for me. teacher she is having been awarded Pro of
The students did their schooling there and the year from the USTA San Diego District
played five or six hours of tennis every Association in 2015.
day. It was quite an experience. Sadly, that Well. I have noted this and I will
business failed after about three years.” remember it when I get on the court this
Laura then moved to Orange County weekend. I am proud to say that I have
where she worked as a pro at Emerald recently participated in a tennis tour-
Bay. “ Emerald Bay was fabulous; it was so nament. Albeit I was at the lowest level,
much fun working there.” After her time but guess what? I came in as runner-up.
there she moved back down to the San I won’t tell if you don’t that there were
Diego area and worked at the Vista Tennis only two teams in the tournament. Oh,
Club where she remained until she had how I love the California way of pre-
her first child. “I was a stay-at-home mom senting everyone with a trophy even if
for a bit until the bug called me back. I it is just for going out there and looking
needed to be back on the court.” like a fool….and to think I used to laugh
Laura’s brother was a pro at El Cami- at participation trophies, but mine is
no Country Club for 14 years. “Sadly, he proudly displayed on a shelf over my
unexpectedly passed away from a brain
desk.
Photos Courtesy of Laura Condon-Eyler his shoes. At the time I still wanted to be Photo courtesy of Karen Williams Graham
tumor and they asked if I would take over
for him, as it would be very hard to fill
at home, since I had recently had another
child, but the General Manager at the
time asked me if I would consider it. And
so, I said, I'll consider it. And now I've
been here for 14 years.”
So of course, the question was
asked…what do you love about working
here? “I love the entire club atmosphere.
I grew up in clubs. It was so much fun as
family. I started playing at the age of eight a child being able to hang out all day at
and it was something that my parents the tennis courts. You have your own little
picked up right after they got married, community here and I love it.”
because they wanted to be able to do Of course, it isn’t often that I get a
something together that could span their chance to sit with a tennis pro, and now
entire lives together” Laura would con- that I have this newfound interest in ten-
tinue to play into high school where she nis, I figured I could pick her brain a bit.
won CIF as a sophomore in High School. Everyone who takes lessons from Laura Karen Williams Graham with son Alfred
In addition, Laura held a top ten National raves about how incredible she is, and how
ranking while still in her teens. much their game improves after some one- Having spoken to the great staff at
“After high school, I went on to play on-one time with her. I asked her how she El Camino Country Club as well as the
two years in college, and then I decided manages to work with so many different tennis pro I felt it was only fair that I get
to try myself out on the tour. It wasn’t an people who are at such different levels of a second opinion from another member.
easy life. The tour was grueling and back play. “ Well, my approach to teaching is I had the pleasure of spending some time
when I played there weren’t any spon- that I believe everybody has their certain with Karen Williams Graham a wonder-
sorships, so, it was extremely expensive ways of doing things and they each have ful woman who I had not met before we
to be on the tennis circuit.” When Laura certain capabilities and their individual spoke. What struck me at first is I recalled
returned from the tour her brother was strengths and weaknesses. So therefore, seeing her every time I was at the club

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