US Open Ballperson Tryouts
The sign of a good ballperson is that you don’t notice him/her. Think of all the times you’ve watched a pro tennis match at the U.S. Open and don’t remember seeing the ballpeople scurrying around the court. That means they’ve done a great job!
A couple months ago, the tryouts were held for new ballpeople for the 2009 U.S. Open. You need to be at least fourteen years old to become a ballperson, but there were also some people trying out a few decades older! The allure of becoming a ballperson at the U.S. Open attracts a diverse crowd of junior tennis players, as well as a few older folk as well! Over 400 people attended the “open call” at the USTA Billie Jean National Tennis Center and went through a variety of drills to test their athleticism, speed, agility, quickness, etc. Potential ballpeople also need to understand tennis and throw the ball well.
The two positions for ballpeople are at the net or the baseline and all applicants must state their preferences during the tryouts. Unlike most other tournaments, the U.S. Open still has the baseline ballpeople throw the ball from end to end most of the time. Ballpeople at net tend to be shorter while those at the baseline need to be able to throw the ball accurately the length of the tennis court. Baseline ballpeople also have more interaction with the pros since they feed them their balls to serve and collect the sweaty towels that players seem to use constantly between points these days. There are 250-275 ballpeople at the U.S. Open and the number of new positions is determined once the “veterans” confirm whether they will be returning this year. The ballpeople work in teams of six and rotate in shifts on and off the courts. The ballpeople at the U.S. Open are paid and the standard of performance is very high.
Many top pros spent time as ball kids when they were juniors and it’s an excellent opportunity to watch the pros up close. Very few will have the chance to become a ballperson at the U.S. Open, but there are pro tournaments all over the world and each of them requires ballpeople as well. So what are you waiting for?!
The two positions for ballpeople are at the net or the baseline and all applicants must state their preferences during the tryouts. Unlike most other tournaments, the U.S. Open still has the baseline ballpeople throw the ball from end to end most of the time. Ballpeople at net tend to be shorter while those at the baseline need to be able to throw the ball accurately the length of the tennis court. Baseline ballpeople also have more interaction with the pros since they feed them their balls to serve and collect the sweaty towels that players seem to use constantly between points these days. There are 250-275 ballpeople at the U.S. Open and the number of new positions is determined once the “veterans” confirm whether they will be returning this year. The ballpeople work in teams of six and rotate in shifts on and off the courts. The ballpeople at the U.S. Open are paid and the standard of performance is very high.
Many top pros spent time as ball kids when they were juniors and it’s an excellent opportunity to watch the pros up close. Very few will have the chance to become a ballperson at the U.S. Open, but there are pro tournaments all over the world and each of them requires ballpeople as well. So what are you waiting for?!
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