Every Tuesday, this site examines a training or technology concept that shapes how tennis is played. This week’s subject came to me courtesy of USTA League award swag.
From a team performance perspective, this was a banner year for me. In Fort Worth, I was on the roster for the winning 4.5 women’s teams at 18+, 40+, and 55+. One of those championships came with a unique award for the winning team. It was a car seat cover embroidered with the Greater Fort Worth Tennis Coalition and USTA Texas logos.
To be honest, at first I was not particularly excited, but that is the general case for award swag. That reaction had nothing to do with the logos or the accomplishment they represented. The simple fact is that I already owned a matching pair of seat covers for my car, and I didn’t think I needed a third. It seemed destined to join other league prizes of yore, stuffed into a closet until another burst of decluttering enthusiasm breaks out.
Upon further review, I was wrong. The Fort Worth seat cover is considerably better than the ones I already owned. The key factor is the backing. My older covers are basic towel material front and back, and slide around on the seat as I get into and out of the car. They are perpetually bunched up and out of place. The Fort Worth seat cover has a dotted anti-slip surface that grips the upholstery. It stays where I put it.
Getting into a car while sweaty is simply part of playing tennis, particularly during a Texas summer. A seat cover provides a barrier between all of that and the car seat. Since the Fort Worth cover has an absorbent towel-like surface with a waterproof backing, sweat and moisture stay on the cover rather than soaking into the seat underneath.
I put mine through a substantial field test this summer. It lived on my driver’s seat through some brutally hot conditions and survived the season without any apparent degradation. More importantly, the anti-slip backing continued doing its job. After using it for several months, I stopped thinking of it as a trophy and started regarding it as part of my normal tennis equipment.
As it turns out, a possibly identical version of this cover is available from Amazon. According to its product page, it is marketed for workouts, swimming, beach trips, pets, and other activities. Tennis fits comfortably onto that list.
There is nothing high-tech about a car seat cover. There is nothing about it that will make me a better player. Nevertheless, it effectively solves a recurring need that comes with playing tennis.
Over the years, I have accumulated plenty of shirts, towels, bags, bottles, and assorted commemorative items from tennis events. Most eventually disappear into a closet. This one lives permanently in my car.
At this point in my life, it is absolutely the best piece of USTA League award swag I have ever received. That is considerably more enthusiasm than I expected to have for a car seat cover.
Waterproof Towel Car Seat Cover (<- Sponsored Link)
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