Dan Waintrup: Speaker, Author, former Tennis Pro

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Dan on the Court

Dan Waintrup fell in love with the game of tennis as a young boy and has been flourishing on the court ever since. From his days as a nationally ranked player in college to his time coaching premier players, Dan's career on the court is unlike any other.

Tennis Career
I started playing the game almost by accident. My best friend, who had been playing for years and was a ranked player, asked me if I would hit a few balls with him and warm him up before his next tournament. We ended up playing a set, and I beat him easily. I remember thinking to myself, "maybe this is a game I should spend a little more time with."

I fell in love with tennis almost immediately. Maybe it was because I realized that the game brought out my athletic strengths: quickness, hand/eye coordination, and reaction skills. I was also attracted to the game by the fact that, unlike basketball or football, you didn't have to be the biggest guy in the world, or the strongest kid on the block, to excel at it.

After my competitive years were over, my love of tennis only continues to grow. There are so many reasons to love the game, so many positive things that I get out of it. It's wonderfully aerobic exercise, and for me, so much less boring than being on a treadmill!

It's also a fantastically social game. There's nothing better than playing singles or doubles with people who are at your level whom you enjoy being with, who can give you a good workout, and have a few laughs with. It's an amazingly easy game to learn based on logical principles that anyone can master and understand. And last, but not least, tennis is an incredibly forgiving game. It's a game that gives you a second chance if you screw up — something I do a lot of!

One of my favorite memories of the game was my first big tournament victory. I had only been playing for a couple years, but my friends convinced me to enter the men's singles championships down at the local tennis club. I made the finals and beat the number-one seed in a close three set match. Winning that match and receiving the winner's trophy with my parents and friends watching is a memory I'll always cherish and be proud of.

Another of my cherished tennis memories is playing for the Temple University's championship teams in the 70's. It was an insane group of guys who could party all night and still find their way to the court the following day and give any opponent a helluva match. While there are many who look at tennis as primarily an individual game, the highs and lows of winning and losing are a lot more meaningful when you can share them with a group of guys who have the same goals, aspirations, and dreams.

Tennis Career Highlights

Member of Temple University's East Coast Conference Tennis Championship Teams, 1974-1976; 1977-1978

#1 player on Hebrew University Tennis Team, Jerusalem, Israel; 1976-1977

Ranked New England Men's Singles player in 80's and 90's

Men's Singles Champion, Palm Beach Country Club, Palm Beach, FL., 2005

Men's Singles Champion, Wightman Tennis Center, Weston, MA. 2005

Certified Tennis Teaching Professional; has taught and coached thousands of players of all levels of ability, from beginner to nationally ranked.

Tennis Commentary
Each month in his Rules of Winning Newsletter, Dan shares his humorous opinions and expert insight into the world of tennis, business, and current events. Click here to read a sample commentary… Enjoy!

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