Pet Store Gives Used Tennis Balls a Second Life

Not much goes to waste at Rohnert Park Tennis Club - and that includes tennis balls.

It’s no secret that with every hit from a racquet, balls become a little bit less effective and lose a little bit more bounce. Rohnert Park runs numerous leagues at three different levels and they were generating a high volume of balls without the ability to reuse them.

League Coordinator Rich Hutchison went to a local pet store, 49er Pet, and asked if they’d be interested in buying the used balls. He got a reluctant response so Hutchison went back with 200 balls and simply said ‘let me know what happens.’

“Within 30 days, she was calling me saying I need more balls,” Hutchison said.

The club sells the balls for 25 cents and 49er Pet resells them for 50 cents. Dogs gravitate to them because they have the scent of other people on them, and the used tennis balls get a second life. Since then, other pet stores have gotten in on the deal and even farm and ranch stores in the area.

After a night of Adult Leagues matches, it's routine for Hutchison to go around and collect every used ball, sort them into bags of 100 and make calls to see who needs more. It doesn't take long for these used balls to be recirculated back into the community.

The club even built sheds on the courts and cut holes in the doors with signs asking members to drop their used balls inside. Because of the small sales of tennis balls, the club is able to upkeep and improve the courts they run for the city of Rohnert Park.