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Keith will be honored Saturday night at a dinner and roast in celebration of his 30 years as tennis pro and director of tennis at Spring Lake Racquet Club in Hilton Head Plantation.
Bill Carlson will be the emcee at the sold-out dinner at Bear Creek Golf Club, hosted by the Spring Lake social committee. Peter Kristian, general manager of Hilton Head Plantation; Werner Sicvol, president of Hilton Head Plantation Property Owners Association; and Denny Bianco, director of tennis at Port Royal Racquet Club, will do the roasting.
The Spring Lake tennis facility is available for residents to use on an hourly or membership basis. It consists of a pro shop and 12 Har-Tru courts. Activities include informal tennis mixers, socials, round-robins, clinics and tennis lessons. The club has approximately 180 to 200 members.
Mary Ellen Arboe writes:
Keith came to Spring Lake Racquet Club in June 1980 as an assistant tennis pro.
The tennis facility consisted of eight clay courts and a small tennis shed that was built in the 1970s. The old pro shop, "The Shed" located next to Court No. 3, had a window air conditioner and space heater, and it took most of the day to cool or heat the area.
Keith remembers occasional visits by his slithery friend, Mr. Copperhead. They would call the landscaper who would bring his pitch fork, capture and dispose of Mr. Copperhead.
On his first day on the job, Keith was coaching a group of top-ranked juniors for about four hours. It was 98 degrees with a heat index in the 100s. Moving here from his beloved Michigan, Keith's body was not acclimated to our climate and at the end of the session, the juniors had to help him off the courts and into the pro shop with heat exhaustion.
Keith and Joan Murray, former pro shop manager, have hosted the Wimbledon Tournament since 1981. It began with an individual competition and evolved into a team tennis concept with an awards party featuring champagne and strawberries with cream. It has been one of the most successful social events at Spring Lake.
Construction of a new backboard in 1982 was a welcomed addition. It was beautifully constructed with cement and cinder block.
One day, Keith was coming off the court with a group of juniorsbecause of an incoming afternoon thunderstorm. They were in the pro shop laughing and having fun when one of the kids said, "Hey coach, the backboard just fell over."
Keith wasn't about to fall for that, but eventually decided to look. The backboard was flat on the ground. The cement hadn't had time to set and dry, and the strong gusts of wind blew it over. It was rebuilt the next day and has been standing ever since.
Keith is one of the finest tennis instructors in the Lowcountry and is highly sought after to coach U.S. Tennis Association teams.
He has coached numerous Spring Lake teams to state and national titles. He also has organized many programs for junior and adult players through the years. We are fortunate to have such a well-respected and dedicated professional heading our tennis program.
He is an enthusiastic teacher, encouraging young and old not only how to play the game of tennis but also to love the game.
Who better serves the mission of Hilton Head Plantation than Keith Ferda, director of tennis at Spring Lake Racquet Club?
Andy Reed writes:
When I was a twerp back in the early- to mid-1980s, Keith would put on tennis clinics and tournaments for the kids at Spring Lake. Keith made it lots of fun to learn and play tennis and helped me learn the game, which I so much enjoy to this day.
I remember going from my wooden racquet to a black Prince Pro at about that time. One good thing about the old metal Prince Pro, it didn't break like graphite when you smashed it against the clay. However, over time the racquet head on my Prince Pro morphed into what looked like Gumby's head.
Also, we didn't have a backboard back then and so we would hit on the wooden wall back where the trucks would unload at the Spring Lake Pavilion. I loved that "backboard." It was big so you could get away with some bad shots.
I remember the old pro shop. It was about the size of the men's room. I am surprised Keith got a racquet-stringer machine in there.
I am still playing tennis and still love it like I did back then. I thank Keith very much for making it so fun, competitive and enjoyable when I was a kid. Those early years and the great memories make this great game that much better.
But what I really think of when I think of Keith is this: Keith Ferda always seems to have a smile on his face. He is full of life and energy, and I sure like hanging around people like that. Thank you, Keith. Here's to you.
Also, I am trying to teach my kids tennis, but I would be better off trying to sell white gloves at a rib cookoff. Keith, do you have any youth tennis clinics starting soon?
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