Holiday gives tennis to Moses Lake youth

Coach passes on gift he received in high school

MOSES LAKE — As a junior attending Esparto High School in northern California ,Tony Holiday received one of the most cherished gifts of his life, a tennis stroke. Passing on this stroke is how Holiday has given back to the youth of the Moses Lake community.

There were prisoners on work release working at the high school.

"I was out there at practice and there is this guy just watching us," Holiday said. "He did not speak English. I give this guy a break. I handed him the racquet. This guy was great. I never knew his name. He hit and hit. I watched him and started to use his strokes and use the same strokes today."

Holiday had the talent and became the No. 1 tennis player at his high school. He would practice all day every day. He could be found at the tennis courts from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

When he started out, the year was 1968 and Arthur Ashe was just rising to stardom.

"That was the time of the afros, bell bottoms and platform shoes," Holiday said.

He is the same age as Jimmy Connors and Holiday said on a bad day for Connors that Holiday could beat him. But he was taught that whatever you do, you be number one.

With that in mind he decided not to try to turn pro. If someone had told him he just needed to be in the top 100 players in the world and could get the endorsements and travel the world he would have done it.

Instead he attended college at the University of California. A friend of his mothers got him involved in the carpet business while he attended college.

"I am working in a hot dog shack," Holiday said, "and he calls up saying I need your help. Just move the hatch out and I will lay the carpet. I was not one to just stand around and I started asking him how it all worked. It was 1970 I got the full-time job."

That is how Holiday paid for college.

He also taught private tennis lessons for two years but stopped when he got the job working with carpet.

He started coaching again eight years ago.

"That is when we kicked off the USTA program," Holiday said. "I could grab the youth and teach them. I am taking pride in Moses Lake. As long as we have a team I want to win."

In the past most freshmen have never had a racquet in their hand until high school.

"Kids I have taught are now freshmen on the varsity squad," Holiday said.

Holiday feels people can play tennis for their entire lives.

"I have had kids as young as five that I have taught," Holiday said.

Holiday prefers teaching kids. It is more gratifying, he says.

Now Holiday passes what was passed on to him to the youth at Moses Lake. He is giving back.

Holiday ended his pursuit of a professional tennis career in 1973.

"I was blessed," Holiday said. "I had the hand eye coordination, the speed and just kind of absorbed it."

"I go to every coaching clinic and camp," Holiday said.

He is pro tennis registry certified.

"I am known as extremely competitive and I have tried to analyze that," Holiday said. "I read an article on Margaret Court and she hit the nail on the head. It is not the will to win, it is the fear of losing that drives her."

"You have to be afraid to lose to help motivate you. I tell my players if you want to improve practice more," Holiday said.

I coach tennis but I really coach a winning attitude," Holiday continues.

"In a match you have to understand the object of the game is to earn points," Holiday said. "You earn points when they can't hit back."

He moved here in 1991. His first winter in Moses Lake there was a record snow fall. Everyone kept telling him that it is unusual and Holiday's thoughts were that snow is snow whether you have a few inches or a foot.

He still has his first, second and third racquets he used. His first two are made of wood.

"It is like swinging a log," Holiday said. "I have caused a bit of pain with it (second racquet)."

He is sponsored by Head but is a Wilson player.

"I love this game," Holiday said. "I want the youth to have the option. If you are not great you can still play this the rest of your life."