My Life on Court

Summary

Lester Sack, 87 years old and currently ranked #1 in the country in the 85-and-over division, joins Lisa Stone to share seven decades of competitive tennis. A walk-on at Tulane University with virtually no junior tennis experience, Lester credits legendary coach Emmett Pare (who toured with Bill Tilden in the 1930s) with building the foundation that has sustained his game for a lifetime. The conversation is a living testament to tennis as a lifelong sport — Lester is still working to improve his serve, recently changed rackets for more power, and is preparing to represent the US at the World Super Seniors Championships in Spain.

Guest Background

Lester Sack grew up in Clarksdale, Mississippi, with minimal tennis exposure. He walked onto the Tulane University team at 18, where coach Emmett Pare transformed his game. After college, he served in the military, farmed in Mississippi, worked as a teaching pro at the Racket Club of Memphis for 15 years, then did real estate in New Orleans before retiring to Laguna Woods, California. He has been inducted into six halls of fame, including the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame and the USTA Southern Division Hall of Fame.

Key Topics

• Emmett Pare’s coaching framework: Pare could (1) coach the game (in-match tactical adjustments), (2) teach the game (stroke mechanics), and (3) play the game (he beat most of his team into his 50s). Lester draws a clear distinction between coaching (strategy/tactics) and teaching (technique).
• Foundation over talent: Lester describes himself as “just a fair athlete” who listened and gave 100%. In September of his freshman year he couldn’t take a game from the #1 Southern junior; by May he was beating him. The foundation Pare built has allowed continuous improvement for 65+ years.
• Still improving at 87: Currently working on his serve and recently switched rackets for more power (prompted by hitting with his son Klein, who plays 50s doubles for the US team). “I don’t want to ever stop. I love it.”
• Keep a second game: One of Lester’s key tactical lessons — always have an alternative game plan. He tells the story of a big hitter in Memphis who dominated until he faced someone who hit harder. “You change a losing game, not a winning game.”
• Adding shots late in life: Lester did not develop a slice backhand or drop shot until well into his senior career, considering slice “a sign of weakness” for decades. Both are now core weapons. “The older your opponent gets, the more susceptible they are to a drop shot.”
• Physical longevity: At 5’6” and 135 lbs, Lester has avoided the hip and knee replacements common among his peers. He attributes this to weight management, consistent gym work, sprint training, and exercising potentially weak areas proactively.
• Sportsmanship and emotional control: Lester never threw a racket (“I didn’t have many rackets”). He advocates analyzing why you missed a shot rather than getting emotional. “Cursing and slumping your shoulders — it doesn’t help your game.”
• World Championships: Preparing to represent the US on the 85-and-over team at the World Super Seniors Championships in Spain, with individual singles competition to follow.

Actionable Advice for Families

1. Build a strong technical foundation early — it enables lifelong improvement.
2. Always develop a “second game” or alternative tactical approach for when your primary game is neutralized.
3. Analyze errors constructively: ask “why did I miss that shot?” rather than reacting emotionally.
4. Manage body weight and exercise weak areas proactively to extend playing longevity.
5. Don’t dismiss shots as “signs of weakness” — the slice backhand and drop shot are essential tools at every level.
6. Catch temper issues early. Emotional outbursts on court are habits that compound if not addressed young.

INTENNSE Relevance

• Lifelong tennis narrative: Lester embodies the “sport for a lifetime” message that resonates with tennis families. This story supports INTENNSE’s broader positioning around tennis as a vehicle for lifelong health, community, and growth.
• Coaching taxonomy: Pare’s three-part framework (coach the game, teach the game, play the game) is a clean mental model for evaluating coaching quality — potentially useful in INTENNSE’s academy assessment work.
• Blue Zones connection: Lisa explicitly connects Lester’s story to the Netflix Blue Zones series — physical activity + community = longevity. Tennis uniquely delivers both.

Notable Quotes

“He could coach the game. He could play the game. And he could teach the game.” — on Emmett Pare

“I’m 87, and I still am trying to improve parts of my game.”

“You change a losing game, not a winning game.”