Western Springs Women's Tennis League Going Strong After 44 Years

WESTERN SPRINGS, IL - About 44 years ago, a group of women gathered at Spring Rock Park in Western Springs and played tennis. The women who had children would bring them to the park, and the older children would look after them, allowing women of all ages to enjoy a match. That group of women eventually evolved into a Doubles League that still exists today.

"It started so informally, and it's lasted through all these years," Beth Zika, one of the original members of the group that began in the 1970s said.

Zika believes she is the only one from the early group that is still playing, but credits Jeanne Frenz with organizing the group of women and creating an actual league.

The group of women meet up every week during the summer, and vary in age from 18 to 80.

Zika said at first the league was all Western Springs women, but they soon began to grow after a group of women from Riverside came to play.

"We kind of grew from there," Zika said. Originally, she added, there were 20 or 30 players.

While an exact year is tough to nail down as the group has expanded over the years, one member of the group, Lynne Woulfe, has found documents from the library that confirm the league's existence in 1973.

The league has met twice weekly on Tuesday and Thursday from Memorial Day to Labor Day for at least four decades.

"The league has grown to as many as 125 players," Woulfe, who has been a member for 20 years, said. "Usually about 80 or 90 women play every summer."

Players from nearby communities like La Grange and Elmhurst participate in the league, as well as players from farther communities like Naperville and Chicago.

"I found out about playing tennis in the neighborhood, and heard about the league," Woulfe said. "It's amazing that the league has grown so much, just by word of mouth."

Any woman over the age of 18 can join the league and all skill levels are invited. Anyone interested in playing in the group can contact Laura DeSantis at 57ldesantis@gmail.com.

Photos provided by Lynne Woulfe.