Ruby Griffin, aged 5, is the most skilled tennis player in her family. After taking lessons for much of her life, she confidently demonstrates proper forehand form to her mother, Castro, at the Burbank Tennis Center. The coach encourages players to stand like surfers for balance. ‘She’s the tennis lead,’ says 42-year-old Castro from Toluca Lake. ‘I’m learning from her.’
The Mommy and Me tennis class offers more than ordinary lessons. Caretakers join their children, revisiting their own athletic identities. Castro, once a dancer and cheerleader, embraced motherhood upon Ruby’s birth. Rediscovering herself took time. ‘Here I am,’ Castro reflects. ‘Baby steps.’
Tennis fashion for youngsters includes Hello Kitty shirts and Dodgers caps. Players as young as 3 often need help to see over the net. Coach Chessa Mehlman might see a child planting themselves on the racket instead of swinging it. Wimbledon shares unexpected parallels with this class. Six mothers, including Serena Williams, competed in this year’s Wimbledon women’s singles draw.
Williams wrote about being motivated by motherhood. ‘If I returned, it would be about sharing moments with my kids,’ she expressed. Her daughters Olympia and Adira watched as she played at Wimbledon before an injury halted her return. Williams hinted at possibly attempting another comeback.
Kimberly Foon resumed tennis after years away, balancing family life in Pasadena. She and her son, Ian, enjoy the game, even using water balloons as playful practice. Mothers and children alike enjoy these lighter tennis sessions.
In Los Angeles, while parent-child classes are numerous, Mehlman’s tennis class emphasizes inclusion for mothers who want to participate. A former Ithaca College athlete, Mehlman knows the comeback journey firsthand. She aims to make these classes regular and easily accessible. Instagram RSVPs enable participation.
High-fives and hairstyling tips circulate during class. Tales of dancing and dining venues are shared. For some, like Foon, tennis is a long-awaited return. Others discover joy in swinging a racket for the first time. This engaging class addresses a genuine need.
Sports historian Victoria L. Jackson notes the powerful shift from traditional expectations on women. Historically, motherhood seemed to restrict athletic pursuits. Such restrictions have been evident in sports history.
At the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics, women competed in track and field events. Misunderstandings of their performance led to the exclusion of the women’s 800-meter race until 1960, when Wilma Rudolph, a mother, triumphed with three gold medals.
Jackson emphasizes that initiatives like Mommy and Me classes pave the way for broader changes, beginning locally. Gradual shifts foster expansive possibilities.
Alysia Montaño, an accomplished athlete, challenges long-standing beliefs about a woman’s worth in sports post-motherhood. Montaño, racing while pregnant, defied expectations.
In 2019, Montaño countered assumptions that devalued motherhood in sports. Today, her nonprofit For All Mothers+ assists mothers with resources like childcare grants. This year, grant recipients will receive $2,000 for childcare and additional support. Seventy-five mothers have already benefited.
Research shows the weight of childcare on women, impacting their ability to engage in athletic activities.
The ‘motherhood penalty’, where ambitions appear dampened by motherhood, affects the workforce and athletics. Societal pressures mount when women strive for more.
Stephanie Johannesmeyer juggles her roles as a mother, professional, runner, and chronic illness manager. A For All Mothers+ grant aided her participation in the Disney World Marathon.
Despite criticism over her priorities, Johannesmeyer maintains that preserving her identity enhances her motherhood. Her illness challenges her, yet her achievements inspire her daughter Athena.
Many moms at the tennis class echo a similar sentiment, where tennis participation benefits their parenting. Nicole LeVine questions her future in sports alongside her son Roman’s tennis interest.
LeVine shares her newfound recognition as an athlete, despite her theatrical past, embracing the label with humor.
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