When it comes to Mines, sports are not the first thing that comes to mind. When a discussion comes to sports, you usually hear something along the lines of football, basketball, or other national favorites. One sport, however, remains under the radar for many people – tennis. And among the extensive extracurricular activities offered on campus, there is a club that is devoted to tennis.
Sean Gueck, current president of tennis club, explains what tennis club is all about, stating, “Tennis club encourages students to exercise and compete in tennis. We try to organize practices and events. The ultimate goal is to allow students to compete with other schools.” Many students are afraid to join due to lack of experience, which Sean clears up, “The only requirement is a desire to play and [that] all skill levels are accepted whether you are a beginner or the next Andy Roddick.” The club has competed in years past against schools such as CSU, DU, and UNC. Last spring, a few Mines players attended a tournament in Casper, Wyoming, taking second place behind DU in a tie-breaker. Now you might be wondering, why tennis club as opposed to Club Tennis? Sean broke it down, explaining why the club is not a club sport, “We are only a club right now and not a club sport because of participation. If we have enough participation we can become club tennis… hint, hint.” Sean encourages all tennis enthusiasts to come play with the rest of the club. Meetings and play times have yet to be determined, but according to Sean they will be determined post Celebration of Mines.
Ryan Zanini, another member and the secretary of the club, explains his take on why tennis is fun. According to him, “Tennis is enjoyable for both the casual and competitive player. Its flexibility makes it easy to email the club and find someone to play with if there is only an hour or two available a week. If someone wants to work hard at becoming better they can play almost any time and they wouldn’t be restricted by the hassles of getting an entire team together for a full game.” Ryan continues to explain that he is able to play at his own pace and schedule his own play time. He jokingly adds, “It also helps loosen up those muscles after an exam has its way with you.” It becomes very difficult to have a reason not to play.
Whether you are just starting out or looking to win Wimbledon, tennis club is where you ought to be. Both Sean and Ryan agree that it’s a great way to exercise while having fun. If you are interested in joining and playing, feel free to contact Sean at sgueck@mines.edu or fellow member, Jared Albers at jalbers@mines.edu. Just remember, win or lose, you’ll just end up coming back to a Love-Love situation. Now who can say no to that?
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