Two Forehands

About the Book

This book is about my growing up and coming to love the game of tennis. Tennis is truly a game that I enjoy playing on a competitive level and teaching others to play.

An Arthur Ashe I am not. A John McEnroe- not even close. I am a self-taught tennis player who has disputed the words "I CAN'T!" or any of the negatives I once associated with learning to play this wonderful game.

I have been asked, why the title- TWO FOREHANDS? Because as I have traveled over the years playing tennis tournaments in and out of Texas, meeting a lot of interesting people and players- many times they do not remember my name, but they do remember that I play with either hand and often I have heard them reply- "There's that guy with TWO FOREHANDS." With that in mind, I thought what a fitting title for my book. I hope that you enjoy reading it.

--RONNIE W. BLAKE

About the Author

Ronnie W. Blake grew up in Lufkin, Texas. He excelled in football and basketball in high school. He played on the 1979 Lufkin Panthers State Championship basketball team, where he won honors as a First Team All-state, Outstanding player of East Texas, and several other awards in basketball. He attended Baylor University on a basketball scholarship and in 1983 earned his B.S. Degree in Education. After serving four years in the United States Marines Corps as an enlisted Marine, he was awarded a Good Conduct Medal and an Honorable Discharge. Ronnie later attended Stephen F. Austin State University and received his teacher's certification in Physical Education. He is currently teaching elementary physical education and coaching high school tennis. Ronnie is an avid ambidextrous tennis player with many years of experience coaching and teaching. He is an active member in the United States Tennis and Texas Tennis Coaches Associations. He is a lover of books and spends most of his summer's teaching tennis and traveling playing tennis tournaments. TWO FOREHANDS is his first book. He has completed a book of poems entitled SURRENDER TO LOVE and is currently working on a third book entitled "THE CARDIAC PACK": A season remembered. The story of the 1979 Lufkin Panthers state champion basketball team.