20th Anniversary Spotlight: Dan Swanson
After a month off from our 20th Anniversary interviews, we are back with someone who has greeted you all for the past 18 years. He has probably also elevated your tennis game with some new string, grips, or even a new stick. Maybe you were lucky enough to get on court with him too; yes, he doesn’t just string racquets! He plays too and at a very good level. Dan Swanson is really the jack of all trades. This interview shines a light on Dan’s passion for the sport of tennis, and how it has woven itself into many facets of his life. He is extremely humble, and normally stays clear of the spotlight, but as we celebrate two decades of building a community through the sport of tennis, Dan deserves all of the recognition. Next time you come to the courts, make sure you send some appreciation Dan’s way!
Before we get into questions, I just wanted to let you know you have been a common denominator in all of my interviews thus far. Whether it’s that you worked with them, you were the reason someone came to play here, or you turned their day around by helping them in anything they needed, just like the sport of tennis, you have greatly impacted so, so many people.
DS: It is nice to hear, and I am of course happy to be the reason people play.
Q: So now let’s start from the beginning, how did you get involved in tennis?
Dan: My dad is a tennis coach, so before I could walk, we had tennis balls and racquets all around our house. Then, when I could walk, I had a tennis racquet in my hand and was out on the court. I have two younger brothers who both played. We were born and raised in Northeast Minneapolis and moved to Minnetonka when I was 8 because my dad started working at Minnetonka Tennis Club. I played as much as I could, and after school, my dad would call when he needed someone to come play in clinics.
Q: How did your dad get started in tennis?
DS: He saw tennis on TV and decided to play. I think he started hitting against the backboard until someone invited him to play in. He has coached at Southwest, Coon Rapids, Columbia Heights, and Blaine High School. He was Craig Gordon’s high school coach.
Q: With your dad managing Minnetonka, did you all play as a family?
DS: One of my favorite traditions was Thanksgiving Day. We’d eat, sit on the couch and watch football, and then go play tennis with everyone. Now my cousins, my wife, brother-in-law, and so many other extended family members play, so it has become a bigger family event too.
Q: Is tennis how you met your wife, Jamie?
DS: Yes, I got lucky there too at a tennis camp in Brainerd called Camp Lincoln. I went up there as a kid when my dad coached there, and I went back as a college student to teach. She played at St. Kate’s, and her college coach was running the camp. Another coach dropped out at the last minute, and she filled in. That was 2006. We got married in 2012.
Thanks to this interview we reminded Dan that his 10-year anniversary is coming up!
Q: What is your earliest memory of the Fred Wells Tennis and Education Center?
DS: My introduction here was in February 2004, when I was a senior in High School. Dan Shannon and Marc Stingley asked if I wanted to string racquets for the professional women’s tournament. I got to know Marc and knew Dan when he worked at Minnetonka. Fred Wells also took lessons there. In September 2004, I was going to go to Le Cordon Bleu Culinary School, so during the week I would go there and then worked here on the weekend. Over the years, I’ve taught summer camp, regular junior classes, adult drills, and women’s day league.
Q: What do you remember most in your first few years working here?
DS: It just started getting busier and busier. Every time we added a new coach, we got more people in the door. Viet and Nguyen brought over so many juniors plus Marc building so many strong relationships with current students. Lilydale and Oakdale closing sent over so many players and expanded our leagues and permanent court times. Jim Dixon, Ric Yates, and Greg Hiers brought in so many adults. The Fat Lorenzos guys had a team and those were the best nights. They would have someone drop off tons of pizza and hang out after their matches.
Q: Do you remember the first racquet you ever strung?
DS: When I broke my first string at age 12, my dad said, “Time to learn how to string.” I started working the desk at Minnetonka and stringing racquets there when I was 14. That spring, the other stringer quit, so I was the head stringer. People were always a little surprised when they would come in to drop off a racquet and find out I was stringing it. They would say, “Are you sure you can string this? Can I talk to your boss?” So, I would say, “Sure. Hey dad, can you talk to this person?”
Imagine someone now questioning the Racquet Master, Dan Swanson, on stringing their racquet!
Q: How fast can you string a racquet?
DS: 12-15 minutes.
Q: If you had to guess how many racquets you’ve strung, what would you estimate?
DS: Over 30,000. I’ve taught so many people to string. It is so many. I’d say at least 25.
Q: We are 20 years in and for you, 18 years. What do you envision for the next 20, and what sticks out to you in that time?
DS: A third dome? Or 6 of me would be really nice. It is just amazing to see all of the people that are still here playing throughout those 20 years. I’ve watched so many kids grow up. I have known some juniors for 18 years and are in college playing tennis or graduated but are still playing. (Dan definitely paused here to say jeez I’m getting old.) I get to see people brand new to the sport come and love it. Tennis has an impact on people of all ages.
Dan lives in Plymouth with his wife, Jamie. They enjoy traveling and exploring the outdoors via biking, hiking, kayaking, or fishing. Dan is quite a chef especially when it comes to the grill. He plays on the 4.5 men’s team here and loves to see how fast he can serve. Dan has worked at FWTEC since September 2004, and began full-time as the Front Desk and Racquet Manager in 2011. The estimated 30,000 racquets Dan has strung include numerous iconic tennis names- John McEnroe, James Blake, Andy Roddick, Jill Craybas, and Abigail Spears.