Evergreen Racquet & Fitness: A Positive Presence in the Community for 36 Years

Since 1975, the Vuletic Family has proudly served the community at . Although back in the 70’s it was known by a slightly different name, The Evergreen Bath & Tennis Club.  Barbara Vuletic is the current owner and her son, Robert, manages the facility.

Patch talked with Robert and got to know a little bit more about this 36-year-old thriving business.

Vuletic said the original inspiration for the business came from his grandfather's love of tennis.  “My grandfather built and opened this business because he loved to play tennis and he knew how big tennis was, at that time. As time has gone on and things have changed, we also have had to change with the times. Not only being a tennis and racquetball club but now a more well-rounded sports complex.”

Keeping true to the original intentions of his grandfather, the facility still puts great emphasis on its tennis programs. Kids as young as 4 years of age participate in lessons and begin to hone their skills for the sport. “A traveling team tennis program is offered for those who want to keep their competitive edge” said Vuletic. 

Baseball, basketball and volleyball are also very popular activities at the fitness center and are offered by In The Paint basketball program and Michio Volleyball Club. Irish dancing is taught by Tooromeen Inc. at the facility and Aerobics classes are taught by Sue McGovern.  Racquetball and wallyball are played in the facility’s five racquetball courts.  Members can reserve court time on an hourly basis and reservations can be held up to a week in advance.

There is no membership required to play wallyball at Evergreen Racquet & Fitness.  Five dollars per person for two hours is all it takes to get some court time. Call ahead for availability at 708-425-7200.

Evergreen Racquet & Fitness offers activities for little ones such as soccer for children as young as 18 months old. Baseball for kids age 2 to 6 years is also offered through a program called Lil Sluggers. An outdoor, heated pool is another child-friendly feature and pool memberships are available to individuals and families wishing to utilize it.

Childcare is available for those who wish to utilize it while taking lessons, a class or working out in the fitness center with cardio and Cybex weight machines. Vuletic hopes visitors will take time to enjoy the relaxing locker room area and said “each of our locker rooms includes a whirlpool and a dry heat sauna for relaxing after a workout in our fitness center.”

A professional massage therapist is on staff to provide relief to those sore muscles after a tough workout.

Personal trainers are available to help members attain their fitness goals more efficiently. Athletic personal training is provided by Athletic Edge Sports Performance Company. According to Vuletic, “this is a great way for athletes of all ages to excel at their chosen sport.”

Vuletic said the company has managed to remain successful in the face of a tough economy because of the personal attention and family feel of their business. 

“At Evergreen you are, for example, John or Mary or whatever your name might be, not member number 1234. We pride ourselves on personal attention and attention to detail. You see the same faces when you walk in the door and they say hello and address you by name.  Not just scan your card with a dismissive please and thank you,” said Vuletic. 

He continued, “we are, and always have been, family owned and operated since 1975 and people today appreciate the attention they get by belonging to a facility such as ours. You may pay a little bit more than some larger chains, but the feeling of being at home while you work out or socializing with friends after a game of tennis in our lobby is worth it to our members.”

Giving back to the community and families is a given for the Vuletic family.  Barbara Vuletic organizes and runs an annual bake sale to benefit St. Jude’s and Juvenile diabetes.  Evergreen Racquet & Fitness also sponsors and donates to several local baseball and softball teams as well as supporting fundraisers throughout the community.

The Vuletic family invites you to come by and check out Evergreen Racquet & Fitness. According to Vuletic, it is “your one stop shop for just about everything you could want for fitness and family fun. We have been here for 36 years serving the community around us and we hope to be here for another 36. If you come to Evergreen you will be amazed at the diversity of programs that are available to you all under one roof.”

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