BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — Rob Balge has been the tennis instructor for Bowling Green Parks & Rec since 2015. The tennis program has steadily become one of BGPR’s most popular programs with nearly 80 students per session. Rob oversees the program along with Pete Samios, Athletic Supervisor for BGPR. Before coming to the Parks & Rec program, Rob was a volunteer coach for high school football, Little League baseball, and youth ice hockey, while enjoying an advertising career in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Rob’s inspiration to play tennis came from several people, but the one who inspired him most was his high school football coach, Forrest McQuitty. Rob watched this “out of shape coach in his 50s beat a fellow teenaged, in shape football/tennis player.” He says Coach McQuitty “schooled” the teen with shots of precision and that match stayed in the back of his mind for tennis being a lifelong sport. Rob began playing tennis competitively at 28 and continued to play into his 50s.

While in college, Rob played baseball. Once he’d graduated and started his career in radio advertising, he needed a “business sport” to play with clients. He thought golf took too much time, so his mind went back to tennis. It seemed perfect to play over lunch, while still being able to take care of business. His client tennis games turned into a daily activity and also led him to play in USTA leagues and weekend tournaments.

While playing tennis with his work clients, Rob quickly realized all movements in baseball are easily transferrable to tennis. He stresses that you should never have your body facing the net when hitting a tennis ball. You should turn (like a baseball batter) with your lead shoulder facing the net, plant your back foot, and take a small step forward toward the net when the ball bounces.

When instructing students in tennis, Rob knows everyone responds in different ways to encouragement and criticism. He tries to really get to know each person and uses that knowledge to determine a style of teaching and learning suitable to their personality.

Some of Rob’s proudest moments come when he sees the surprise and excitement on a person’s face when they’ve hit the ball over the net for the first time. It gets even better when the person realizes what he’s been telling them as an instructor actually works. He’s also quite proud when a child says, “Hey, Coach! I made Varsity,” or a parent says, “Hey Coach! My kid made the tennis team.” To hear that an adult student won a USTA State League match is certainly something to be proud of as a coach as well.

Rob believes tennis can teach many life lessons:

• If you’re not doing well, you need to figure out why, then change your strategy.
• Because tennis play is under the honor system, it teaches people to be honest and “a good sport.”
• Never give up because one shot can change the momentum of the game, set, or match.

Rob’s hope for his legacy is that he teaches the fundamentals for students to have fun with a lifelong sport. With that in mind, he also hopes kids, as well as adults, are inspired to refine their skills by practicing so they can play competitively if that is a goal.

As a result of Covid closings in 2020, many BGPR Athletic program were not offered. The tennis program became of of the first that the department offered with social distancing guidelines. With the tennis program success, what was once a two month summer program is now going to be available through November for kids and adults.

Rob wants everyone to know that you’re never too young or too old to try tennis. So do it! Contact BGPR Athletics to get started. No experience is required.

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