COLUMBUS, Ohio — On most days, Edwin Amos can be found on a tennis court.
Amos played tennis competitively in his youth, but transitioned to coaching when he saw a need for development on the junior level. He has served as a director with the Wolfe Park Tennis Association and developed tennis skills for thousands of kids.
What You Need To Know
- Serena Williams announced she will be taking a step back from tennis after the U.S. Open
- Edwin Amos has helped develop kids’ tennis skills for decades with the Wolfe Park Tennis Association
- Williams has won six U.S. Open titles
- The WPTA has clinics for children and adults
“One of the things that we have to teach a lot of the kids to do first is to be an athlete,” said Amos. “How to move, how to not get discouraged if you miss a ball.”
Working in the world of tennis, Amos said it’s impossible to coach the game without mentioning the impact of Serena Williams.
He’s watched her career from the beginning and seen her reach ultimate success. Amos said that everything from her backhand to the way she uses the court influences his teaching.
“She comes through the ball and actually elbows are high when she finishes,” said Amos. “She finishes high. That gives that lift to the ball. Don’t pull off, keep hitting your shots. It’ll go in, it’ll go in, if you got the right technique, it’ll go in.”
While Amos is coaching and teaching the players of the future, Serena’s impact also sticks with past players.
Ivana Mostofi played tennis competitively in middle and high school, but put her racket down when she entered college. She still stops by the courts from time to time and said that Serena’s career has inspired her to always keep going.
“It’s the fact that she was able to go up against so many odds and make a name for herself through the sport of tennis, so she definitely inspired me,” said Amos.
Serena Williams announced she would transition away from tennis after the U.S. Open. Winning dozens of Grand Slam awards, Amos is even more excited to see what she does off the court.
“When you talk about Serena and her contribution, I think her main contribution to the game is yet to come,” he said. “It’s yet come.”
The Wolfe Park Tennis Association has junior and adult programs. Their indoor tennis clinics start in October.
