Honowitz was the tennis pro at the Sea Pines Racquet Club on Hilton Head Island in 1988 when she was nominated and selected to serve as the ball crew coordinator. While she no longer is a club pro, she continues for the 12th consecutive year to turn 200 ordinary people into lean, unseen ball-chasing machines. Members of the ball crew range in age 9 to 70 and have traveled to The Tennis Centre at Daniel Island from as far away as Virginia and California. And make no mistake about it, being a member of the ball crew is no easy chore. And being a member of the ball crew is more than just picking up balls at the nets or getting an up close view of, say, Anna Kournikova.
Most people think it is just picking up balls.
But you have to know about the change-overs, keep the water stocked, keep track of the score and keep track of where the balls are on the court. She also shoots down the myth that members of the ball crew, especially men, only volunteer to get a close view of the stars. People volunteer to serve on the ball crew because it's the best seat in the house. You're on the court with the players and umpires and the ball goes past you at more than 100 mph. You can't beat it.