Sports/Asst. Editor

Battle Creek’s Cindy Ander-son has been a standout on tennis courts for several years.

And recently, the 61-year-old Shopper News Sales Represen-tative displayed her net prowess at the state level – which earned her a spot in the National Tennis Rating Program’s May 10-23, 2022 National Championships in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Competing in the ages 50-over Michigan Senior Olympics on the weekend of Aug. 13-15 at Oakland University, Anderson earned a first-place gold medal in the 60-64 age division mixed doubles event with playing partner Paul Garber of Brighton, and also a second-place silver medal in 60-64 women’s singles.

Those high finishes have Anderson heading to Florida to play in the NTRP Nationals next year – with the NTRP being the senior-level version of the United States Tennis Assoc-iation (USTA), she said.

Anderson also previously participated in the NTRP Nat-ionals in 2019 in Surprise, Ariz., where she made it to the quarterfinal round in singles in her age division and rating-system level (the NTRP rating system goes from beginner 1.5 to touring professional 7.0).

At Minges Creek Athletic Club in Battle Creek, where Anderson has played and helped others learn and improve on their games for many years, she currently owns a 3.0 rating.

And at the Senior Olympics, Anderson lost to a 4.0 player in singles by a 6-1, 7-5 score.

Anderson said that while she’s happy that she fared so well at the recent MSO event, her enthusiasm about the game of tennis and being able to help others get involved or get better is what it’s all about for her.

“I always like to say that tennis is a game for life, and I’m still saying that after what I accomplished at the Senior Olympics,” Anderson said.

“When I started playing tennis about 25 years ago, I did so as a New Year’s resolution. And watching classics like Bjorn Borg vs. John McEnroe and Tracy Austin vs. Chris Evert stirred an interest in the game for me. And that interest has stayed with me ever since.”

Anderson noted that in her 30s and 40s, “technique of strokes and muscle memory were vital to improving, even playing in three USTA State Championships,” she said.

“Yes, those were my glory years, even playing one year at the 4.0 level. They were years full of competition, lessons and a lot of hard work.

“But that was then,” continued Anderson. “Now, my passion is just as strong sharing the game I love so much with other players. Although I remain always strongly competitive, now my goals have matured – like myself – to include as many players as possible to enjoy the game. The passion remains in my heart, but my mature knees have begun to limit my play after four knee surgeries.”

As a result of her heart-felt love for the game, Anderson said, for the past 10 to 15 years, she has volunteered to bring many new players into tennis.

“The Sunday Mixed group at Minges is more than players. We’re family,” she said.

“And everyone deserves a chance to play tennis. I now volunteer as a USTA Tennis Am-bassador, and my duties are to promote the game, and I love it – which I guess is a perfect fit for a Marketing degree person.”

Anderson, a 1978 graduate of Battle Creek Central High who attained her college degree at Davenport University, went on to mention that for her, simply playing the game with friends and guiding new players into the sport are her favorite things to do as a now-senior-aged athlete.

“Tennis has reaped so many benefits for me, so many awards. But most importantly, being a role model to so many that play tennis is a wonderful thing in my life,” she said.

“And becoming Facebook friends with my ‘opponents’ after a match I think speaks highly of my positive attitude on the courts. That is the most meaningful reward, meeting players form all over the country at the senior level of tennis. And since senior tennis requires more adrenaline to soothe the aches and pains of aging, like I said before, tennis is a game for life.

“So enjoy every minute.”

Which led Anderson to additionally comment about how she hopes to soon persuade a lady who is some 30 years her elder to give the Senior Olympics one more try.

“Ginny Ouellette is an 89-year-old friend of mine who still plays great tennis at her age at Minges and who has played in the Senior Olympics before, but not for a while now,” Anderson said.

“With that in mind, I’m trying to get her to participate next year at the Michigan Senior Olympics. Hence the ‘a game for life’ catch-phrase. Because the way I look at it,” Anderson said with a smile, “with as good as Ginny can still play, I have no doubt she’ll do well in the 90-over age division.

“She’ll take that division by storm.”