National Physical Fitness and Sports Month Redfield Finds Fitness in Tennis

In honor of May being National Physical Fitness and Sports Month, USTA League players will be sharing stories as to how being a part of a local USTA League has kept them fit and active.

Omaha native Amy Redfield uses tennis to work out in a fashion that doesn’t feel like going to the gym. Throughout the year she also does yoga to increase her flexibility and help to reach those difficult shots.

She played tennis casually growing up and in USTA Leagues for the last 10 years. The mixed 8.0 doubles league is one of her favorites, but she has also been part of women’s 4.0, women's 4.5 and tri-level teams. This summer she will be stepping up a level to a mixed 9.0 team and is up for the challenge!

Amy was a captain for the 2018 USTA League Mixed 18 & Over 8.0 National Championship team that represented USTA Nebraska last November in Mobile, Alabama.

“It was just such a different part of the country…being in the south, we were able to stop for fried seafood. We even got to stay in a condo right by the ocean,” Amy said. The people there were very good, one guy we played had all kinds of big shots spin, power all that. He was fast too, which made it hard to hit a ball by him.”  

The higher competition level there helped push them to play even better as they didn’t drop a match in either the semis or finals.    

Amy tries to play more singles during the start of the season to get her into shape so by the time of nationals she is physically ready. She explained how important joining USTA Leagues has been to keeping physically fit.

“The league has been a huge help for me because I don’t have to worry about staying in shape. It just happens naturally by playing several times a week. A big thing has been the strength - there was a while before I started playing leagues when I just worked an office job and didn’t have any ways to exercise.”

She believes her energy level would be lower without tennis and loves the social aspect of the team. It has created lifelong friendships through the amount of time they have spent on the road traveling together.

Other stories:

• Bill Towler, USTA Oklahoma President

• Ben Seitz, USTA Kansas League Player