America’s love affair with sports seems to only be getting hotter as the years go by. Between the professional games we watch on television and the local games we attend in person, there’s a niche out there for everyone.
Despite its recent rise in popularity around the world, one “niche” sport that seems to stay under the radar in the United States is tennis. Though the sport has been mocked by some as “ping pong without the table,” tennis offers a tremendous physical and mental workout to its players. In a country full of 24-hour gyms, calorie counters, and weight loss programs, it’s a bit surprising we’ve been immune to the sport’s rise in popularity.
As it happens, the Central Coast is an
ideal area to play tennis for two reasons: one is the excellent weather, allowing players to play year round. The other is the quality of local programs.
The man behind many of those programs is Davide Mascia, an accomplished tennis coach with more than 25 years of experience. He’s a member of the Professional Tennis Registry, with a Pro 1 certification. That’s the highest teaching certification they give out. Over the past 10 years, Mascia has taught a wide array of Central Coast tennis students, from serious players with college or pro aspirations, to recreational players who pursue the game for fun or cardio. Introducing people to the wonderful game of tennis remains a top priority for Mascia, whose DM International Tennis Academy welcomes players of all ages and levels. Every student, he said, is given the personal attention appropriate for his or her goals.
“The fun part and the serious part, they’re all together. They are all embraced in the same academy,” Mascia said. “Come to enjoy tennis. We have a place for everybody. We want everybody playing, because it’s an amazing game.”
Mascia runs his programs through the city of Santa Maria’s Recreation and Parks Department, with several more locations along the Central Coast in Nipomo, Pismo Beach, and San Luis Obispo. He runs the DM Academy at multiple locations to accommodate as many Central Coast residents as possible.
Those looking to pick up a sport to improve their health can’t do much better than tennis. The sport is synonymous with fun and fitness, and has a reputation for working out nearly every muscle in your body.
According to a comprehensive 2007 study by the British Journal of Sports Medicine, tennis is one of the best sports someone can play, from a health standpoint. Those who play tennis regularly see significant health benefits, including improved aerobic fitness, lower body fat, reduced risk of developing cardiovascular disease, a more favorable lipid profile, and improved bone health.
There’s also an “international flavor” to tennis unmatched by most sports. It’s not dominated by a single country professionally, because it’s played by the entire world. Domestically, there are many foreign student athletes on university tennis squads. The DM International Tennis Academy isn’t any different (hence its name), with many international players and alumni in its program.
Mascia, who was born and raised in Italy, sees the diversity in players as one of his sport’s biggest benefits. He’s made cultural diversity a key component in his program. Having the opportunity to interact with people from other cultures on a weekly basis is a rarity and one of the program’s biggest perks, he said.
“On the court, you see everyone speaking different languages,” Mascia said. “This is what tennis is.”
Mascia is known throughout the tennis world, which is why he regularly sees foreign-born players in his program.
Over the past 10 years, all of Mascia’s young Central Coast students have gone on to play at the varsity level for their respective high schools as freshmen. Whether they need help on the court or in conditioning, nutrition, or motivation, Mascia and his coaching staff are fully committed to getting players to the next level. According to Mascia, tennis players—more so than athletes in other sports—can overcome a lack of physical talent with a superior work ethic.
“We are dedicated for the people, not for us. We want to be a service to them,” Mascia said. “As long as they’re healthy, they have a chance to compete.”
The end game for many of Mascia’s students is a college scholarship, something the tennis coach takes great pride in helping his students achieve.
“We want to give a chance to everybody,” Mascia said. “I want to see many people get a scholarship. Many people, not just one player every three years.”
In case you were wondering, tuition at California universities rose 32 percent this year.
Tennis, anyone?
Intern Jacob Lopez likes to say “love.” Contact him at intern@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Jan 27 – Feb 3, 2011.
