Time to Rally: Solve the Riddle?

May 1, 2020 | By Steven Kaplan
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Photo courtesy of Getty Images

 

I was asked the other day why tennis courts are shut down if you can socially distance while playing?

The answer, of course, is that while playing is fine, the number of people getting on and off the courts potentially creates a social distancing challenge.

So you can play, but you just can’t enter or leave. It’s a great metaphor for why we must shelter at home.

If we have the virus we can’t go out because we might give it to others. If we don’t have the virus we can’t go out because we get it from others…unless we are Schrodinger’s Cat. Then we can do both at the same time as long as we promise not to look.

 


Steven Kaplan

Steven Kaplan is the owner and managing director of Bethpage Park Tennis Center, as well as director emeritus of Lacoste Academy for New York City Parks Foundation and executive director and founder of Serve & Return Inc. Steve has coached more than 1,100 nationally-ranked junior players, 16 New York State high school champions, two NCAA Division 1 Singles Champions, and numerous highly-ranked touring professionals. Many of the students Steve has closely mentored have gone to achieve great success as prominent members of the New York financial community, and in other prestigious professions. In 2017, Steve was awarded the Hy Zausner Lifetime Achievement Award by the USTA. He may be reached by e-mail at StevenJKaplan@aol.com.

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