RALEIGH, N.C. — They say tennis is a sport you can play for a lifetime — never too old, never too young. On a Raleigh tennis court, the kids have rackets bigger than them, but their coach has a heart that dwarfs them all.
The oldest person on the court for the Ebony Racquet Club works with the very youngest.
Harold Johnson, or “Mr. J” as he’s affectionately known by his students, started playing tennis when he got out of high school — over 70 years ago.
He’s been coaching the 8-and-under team for decades, giving them a love of the sport he’s enjoyed for a lifetime. Practice drills may look a little differently for his beginners, but he’s created several young champions over the years.
“Kids that are in college and out, and they come back and say hi, and then they move away and come back,” Mr. J said. “And here's Mr. J, still with the kids there. And as the years go by, there, I’ll be leaving, and I can pass it on to them.”
They held a celebration for him after practice in honor of his 90th birthday and continued devotion to the youth of the community. He starts his days at 6 in the morning on the courts, getting everything ready for his students.
“The little ones there, they write me little notes there, little happy birthday, there, put the heart color the hearts in. One give me a whole plate of cookies there,” Mr. J said.
Mr. J never thought he would live to see 90 years, but he says they’ve been the best years of his life. He may not be able to move as fast as his students anymore, but he says they keep him young.
“I watch my diet and, you know, I do walking. I walk in the evening,” Mr. J said. “I don’t do no running, I don't want nobody picking me up out here.”
He has no plans to stop coaching anytime soon either, saying he’d love to do it for another five years at least. At 90, every day is precious, and he said it means a lot to be celebrated.
“It means a lot to me, believe me,” Mr. J said. “We came through a lot with the kids. I hope they keep on going even if I’m not here. Just keep on going. I really enjoyed this. This is some of my best years of my life here.”