My son started playing USTA tournaments when he was 11; some Summers he would play 4 or 5 tournaments a month. As a collegiate player, he still takes part in USTA matches in the offseason. But one thing I noticed watching USTA matches was that the players show up for their matches in a mercenary grab for points, to improve their place in the standings. The Snohomish Summer Smash is different. First, there is the music. This is not your father’s “Quiet, please, quiet” tennis. The music makes it a festive atmosphere. There is cornhole and ping-pong that the players entertain themselves with in-between matches. There are no points involved; the players come back year after year because of the competition, and because it’s fun. The players in the picture above are not all from the same high school; but over the past four years, not only have they been competitors, but have also become friends. And besides developing them as players, that’s what the Snohomish Summer Smash is all about.
