WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (WFMY) – Winston-Salem Open season is upon us and that means lots of Triad youngsters and adults will try out to be ball persons for the tournament.
Ball persons have to be a little more skilled and game-savvy than you may think, and that’s what makes them essential to the tournament coming together.
“This is a really vital part of the tournament that I don’t think people completely understand,” said Tournament Director, Bill Oakes.
According to the Winston-Salem Open website, those interested in trying out must be at least 12 years old by August 1, 2018, be able move quickly to retrieve balls when out of play, endure long periods of time on court, work well with others on a team, possess good citizenship, have excellent hand-eye coordination, understand the game of tennis (how to keep score, when to change ends), and be able to attend at least three training sessions.
Oakes says although it may not be hard for some, there are some “intricacies” to the task.
“You don’t need to be a super tennis player to do this, you just need to pay attention, be able to run and pick up a ball and roll it,” he said. “But we want people who have some basic skills.”
Though tryouts for the Winston-Salem Open are now closed, we visited the first training session to show you how much work those selected put in for the tournament.
Abby Williams, a senior at Mount Tabor High School and member of the tennis team, has been a ball person for the past five years.
She recommends that those interested in becoming a ball person “know the game a little bit” in order to understand the role.
But Williams also recommends enjoying the game.
“Just have fun with it, I think is the most important thing because if you’re not having fun doing it then I feel like I wouldn’t be coming back every year,” she said.
The perks?
“You may be on TV, you’re getting free gear, you’re getting food, you’re getting drink,” said Oakes.
For Mount Tabor freshman and also tennis player Ella Rose, it’s about getting to see the stars in action and learning from them.
“I’m hoping to get tips from players and see how they move around the court,” Rose shared. “I’m just really excited to be right there to help the players and just to watch the whole game.”
Tryouts are held for most big tournaments like the US Open (which actually requires candidates to be at least 14 years old, while others like the French Open are actually a year-long ordeal.
In 2016, CNN Money named being a ball person at the U.S. Open the “coolest minimum wage job.”
The 2018 Winston-Salem Open will be held Saturday, August 18 through Saturday, August 25 at the Wake Forest Tennis Complex, you guessed it, in Winston-Salem.
The organization is a 501c3 non-profit that supports athletics programs in the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County School district.
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