School’s Over, But Tennis With Coach Bostic Is Still In Session

Rackets in hand, Billy Bostic and ​“Big E” volleyed a tennis ball back and forth and back and forth over a net at the Edgewood Park courts Wednesday morning — as Bostic, the Hillhouse girls tennis coach, kept up with his work teaching tennis students, even after the school year has ended.

Bostic and his student ​“Big E,” or Elan Weinstock, were at the Edgewood Park courts, working on forehands and serves.

They were two of several other park-goers at the western edge of the park at around 11 a.m. Wednesday who were using the courts and the park’s exercise equipment, walking the trails, or having a chat on the benches while enjoying the warm weather.

Bostic said he enjoys hanging out with his friends under the park’s ​“Lyin’ Tree”, where he cracks jokes with his friends. He also likes how active the park is. He singled out the farmer’s market on Sundays and yoga as two highlights.

In between practicing with ​“Big E,” Bostic described his journey to becoming a tennis coach: He played football in college before becoming a firefighter, so the coach always had a love of sports. He coached people in tennis in his spare time, before he eventually got his certification to teach and started coaching at Hillhouse High School. He has been teaching tennis for over 15 years now.

“People got to keep moving,” the 70-year-old coach and retired firefighter said. ​“You’re never too old.” 

Meanwhile, Kairon Hooks, 22, and Travis Williams, 24, were sitting on a park bench next to the tennis court enjoying the weather. They said their favorite part of the park is the basketball courts and the workout equipment. Their go-to workout is pull-ups.

Kerry Ellington, one of Bostic’s tennis students, was also nearby, working out on the exercise equipment. She uses the equipment for calisthenics, and also said she enjoys viewing the wildlife, having seen spotted foxes, chipmunks, and eagles before.

Ellington was joined by her girlfriend Jessica Mullings. Mullings said she likes to sit in the grass and read at the park, but wishes there were more benches.

Mullings commented that there have been a few deaths in the park, so having ​“adequate lighting and maybe a security system” would be nice.

“My favorite memory [at Edgewood Park] is when I got my daughter her first bike,” Mullings said. ​“She was super excited and didn’t expect it; she sat here on the basketball court going in circles for 45 minutes.”