Practice makes perfect

After hitting a bucket of balls, it's time to evaluate and see how you're doing. Or maybe it's just time for a rest.

Furman Park has four tennis courts that are available, first come first served, to anyone who wants to play.

On weekends, you'll see parents playing with their kids. On weekdays, you often see adult lessons or single players just practicing, like the man above.

The Downey Tennis Club, started in 1966, was responsible for getting the tennis courts built. "This group wanted to provide the people in the community a club where people with a common interest in playing tennis could meet and play. At that time, the only tennis courts available were found at the local high schools. By 1972 (six years later), Sam Dunkin, the president of the DTC, proposed that tennis courts be built at Furman Park. Some members who worked at Rockwell International were able to get some plans for building courts and persuaded the Downey City Council to construct the courts. Eventually four courts were built." (Downey Tennis Club history)