Sports

Tennis Served Organically in Rose Park

An informal gathering place for people who love the court.

The Rose Park Tennis league does not have a website. You cannot become a member by filling out an application. You cannot even guarantee you will be able to play at a set time. But that is what makes it so unique.

On public courts in a D.C. park, a group of dedicated tennis players, follow largely unwritten rules and play the game they love, every day. Players adhere to the rule of one hour of play and switch out so the next pair or group of doubles can get on the court.

Andy Kohut is a "member" and plays games a few times a week. "It's a unique proposition, a giant pick up game of dozens and dozens  of players who have come to know each other. You show up either with a partner or without and find a way of pulling together a game." Kohut has been playing at Rose Park since he moved to Georgetown in 2003; a friend told him about the league.

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David Dunning, the president of Rose Park, has been playing on the park's courts since 1974. Players put their names on a sign-up sheet at the park and wait their turn to join a game. "We do all of our own maintenance, picking up plastic bottles, litter, leaves etc. It's just a public court, but we have high level of play," explained Dunning. Kohut said, "we keep it orderly without specific rules or leadership."

Clarence Lyons, a veteran member, emphasized, "It's very, very informal. We've had people who will come by and stand around the fence and they basically see ... the same people here every day and every week and they assume that it is some kind of club or some type of league and it's not. It's just wide open." Rose Park follows the D.C. park rules, added Lyons, "all can come, all can play."

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Despite or perhaps because of the organic nature of the league, the Rose Park club has a reputation in the area. Players come from the nearby embassies, the Hill and even Reston to get in a good, competitive game.

When he was in town for the Legg Mason Tournament, Andre Agassi dropped by with his wife to say hello. Carlos Santana uses the courts when he stays in Georgetown at the Four Seasons. Last summer, while in town filming a movie, Luke Wilson played on the courts almost every other day, Lyons said.

Before today's celebrities, tennis greats like Althea Gibson, the first black woman to win Wimbledon, played at Rose Park. Sisters Margaret and Roumania Peters lived on R Street near the park, learned to play there and eventually became tennis champions during their time at the Tuskegee Institute.

Though there are no defined leadership roles, several members have naturally filled the role, keeping the order. Dunning said when someone new is on the court, practicing on a wall, other players will go up to help them and evaluate their level of play, then "between me and Clarence (Lyons) and Andy (Kohut) we'll roll them into a doubles game, pair them up with someone their level."

Dunning organizes the annual doubles tournament. Usually a group of 30 to 40 people sign up. This year's tournament is Sept. 26, the draft card to sign up is at the park. The court is covered in international flags, boasting the diverse group of tennis enthusiasts that make up the informal club. Lyons said many players are from nearby embassies.

The diversity has led to strong personal relationships. Lyons said he has met many people he "wouldn't have had an opportunity to meet unless it wasn't for Rose Park. It's that type of place, it's a gathering place of people who love to play tennis." People from embassies come for a few years and play, but return to visit or  play again even after they have been reassigned.

For some it's the draw of competitive play, for others it's the community. Kohut said he used to arrange his games to get to play, but with Rose Park, he can "just find a game so close, it's so convenient," and they are always open to new players.

"Becoming a part of the group is just a matter of coming on a regular basis and playing," Lyons said. It's that simple.

"We love it and it's our little playground in the middle of the city, we have a great time here," he said. Even when people move out of town or out of the area, they keep coming back. "Once you know Rose Park, you always know Rose Park."


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