Powell
Blankenship
Male
United States of America
1933-04-24
Oceanside, San Diego County, California, United States of America
2005-08-00
Oceanside, San Diego County, California, United States of America
NION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
August 13, 2005
Part psychologist, part philosopher, and every bit an educator, Powell Blankenship viewed a tennis lesson as an adventure in self-empowerment.
His goal, he once said, was first to enhance each student's self-image. Should he succeed in that, he believed he could attain his secondary objective: "To teach them to play tennis as well as they can."
Mr. Blankenship, regarded by many as the thinking man's tennis pro, died Monday at Scripps Green Hospital in La Jolla. He was 72.
The cause of death was cancer, said Doug Bradley, a tennis coach who took his first lessons from Mr. Blankenship.
One of San Diego's most experienced tennis instructors, Mr. Blankenship taught the game for more than 50 years to players of all ages and abilities. With seemingly timeless wisdom and adaptability, he endured changing eras and styles by emphasizing the intangibles – especially mental awareness.
In 1998, Mr. Blankenship, who taught for most of his career at the Pacific Beach Tennis Club, was honored as Male Pro Coach of the Year by the San Diego District of the United States Tennis Association.
"Powell was an intellectual type guy, a deep thinker, who knew all the whys and wherefores," said Bill Bond, who recently retired as head tennis pro at La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club. "He was a terrific teacher, for many years one of the best around. He seemed uncomplicated and laid back but he was very serious. He would do anything and everything he could to get a point across."
With children, that could mean performing magic tricks to hold their attention.
"He was quite talented at magic," said Ben Press, the dean of San Diego tennis pros. "With kids, it's not a question of age but interest span. Powell knew how to entertain them."
Mr. Blankenship, who excelled in tennis as a junior player, began coaching in 1950 as an assistant for the Coronado Recreation Department at Hotel del Coronado.
"There were only about a dozen of us teaching in the early days," Press recalled. "We would meet and discuss different aspects of teaching tennis, and Powell was way head of us with kinesiology (the study of mechanics and anatomy in relation in human movement).
"It has come to the fore now, but he was way ahead of his time."
Fred Kinne, who began teaching youth tennis in San Diego in 1952, said: "Powell taught manners as well as tennis. He was the best sport in tennis I ever saw."
Mr. Blankenship defined his teaching philosophy succinctly: "Thought creates form. Attitude creates efficiency. Imagination creates effectiveness."
To expand his teaching parameters, he once consulted an ancient Asian book, the I Ching, or the book of changes, for inspiration.
His students over the years included Brian Teacher, winner of the 1980 Australian Open and No. 7 in the world in 1981; and former University of San Diego standouts Ian McLaughlin and Peter Herman.
His mission, as he saw it, was not to develop champions so much as to enable people to enjoy the game and reach their potential by engaging both mind and body.
"One thing I learned from him is that there are many ways to teach tennis," said Bradley, whose first tennis lessons were from Mr. Blankenship at Pacific Beach Junior High School. "Some people learn better visually, some by words.
"Powell understood this. He taught me to teach differently to different people."
Mr. Blankenship was born April 24, 1933, in Oceanside and grew up in La Jolla.
"His older brothers didn't think he was good enough to play tennis with them," said Betty Blankenship, his sister-in-law. "But he kept practicing and taking lessons, and then they wouldn't play with him because he was so good."
Mr. Blankenship, a lefthander, sharpened his game under the tutelage of former Wimbledon doubles champion Les Stoefen; Eleanor Tenant, who also taught Bobby Riggs; and former Hotel Del pro Carmack Berryman.
At La Jolla High School, his two loves were music, especially playing the trumpet and trombone, and tennis. He was good enough on the court to earn a scholarship to UCLA.
He turned it down to stay at home and care for his widowed mother. As much as he loved tennis, he didn't feel deprived. He had soured on the competitive aspect of the game, his sister-in-law said.
"Powell didn't like to see the other guy lose," she said. "In a tournament, he would be wiping out his opponent, then he would let down and lose games. He never had the drive to be competitive."
Mr. Blankenship worked various jobs, including one at the Convair Division of General Dynamics, while teaching tennis. Eventually, he earned a secondary teaching credential at San Diego State College.
For 19 years, he taught math at Pacific Beach Junior High, where he offered free tennis lessons to students in the mornings before class.
When he retired from the classroom in 1980, he became devoted to tennis full time at Pacific Beach Tennis Club, where he taught until two weeks before his death.
Mr. Blankenship outlived three older brothers, William, Fran and John.
Survivors include a sister, Margaret Beason of San Diego.
A celebration of life is scheduled for 3 p.m. Aug. 27 at Pacific Beach Tennis Club. Friends are hoping to create a memorial fund to pay for a plaque or bench in his honor at Pacific Beach Tennis Club.
1953 - 1953
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Semifinals
Ben Press 1 *
Powell Blankenship
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