Attentive. Athletic. Invisible.
All the traits of a well-prepared Ball Boy or Ball Girl (BBG) at Wimbledon.
“Vital” is the other word that should come to mind as BBGs keep matches moving as they do the hard work of collecting, rolling, and feeding tennis balls to professional players.
Eliza Wastcoat ’19 knows the intense process and grueling work as she served as a BBG for two years and a BBG supervisor for another two on the British grass courts.
Introduction to tennis
My father loves tennis, so it was often on the television, especially around Wimbledon. He and I would play. He took me to lessons. We’d enter the lottery system to get tickets to Wimbledon. If we won seats, we’d go together and watch an early round. I was lucky to win seats to see the Williams sisters in a doubles match on court 1. We also enjoyed watching the unranked players. It is fun seeing them early in their careers and watching them evolve as players on the tour.
Playing tennis
As a young athlete the mental game that comes with an individual sport was a challenge for me. So I gravitated to team sports. I did return to tennis during COVID when a friend’s father took to giving me lessons. I was living on the East Coast and working remotely on the West Coast, so most mornings he had me on the court aiming at cones and working on serves and groundstrokes. The practice really helped me advance my game, and I fell in love with the process of learning the game.
BBG recruit
The process of becoming a BBG is complicated. Wimbledon works with nominated schools to recruit students. My school was not on the list at first, but when the summer Olympics were in London, Wimbledon hosted the Olympic tennis athletes and needed more BBGs. Our school assisted and did well enough that we were welcomed to apply for a BBG spot. Wimbledon receives nearly 2,500 applications for 175 open spots for new BBGs. I and three others from my school were given the opportunity to try out.
BBG training
Training begins six months before the July tournament. Every week for a few hours I was at Wimbledon for physical challenges and online tests. They want BBGs to understand tennis and tennis rules. On court, we had to roll balls across the court into a bucket. Supervisors would stand nearby and count how many we made and missed. We had running drills and throw-in drills. We’d have to stand stone still for several minutes while supervisors checked if our shoes were double-knotted, shirts tucked in properly, and hair in place. One error had you released. While it was nerve-wracking, I enjoyed the mental and physical challenges. When the training was completed, you waited. Two weeks prior to the tournament, you find out if you made the cut. I got good news … twice.
BBG at the tournament
Each BBG works with a set team and has a set position on that team. I was captain of a team my first year. So I always stood to the left of the umpire’s chair at the back. My first match had me on court with Belgian tennis player Kirsten Flipkens. BBGs aren’t paid a huge amount, but we get wonderful meals, fabulously tailored clothes from Ralph Lauren, and a lovely complex to spend our off time. As the tournament goes on and the field of players narrows, the number of BBGs needed also decreases. Early during the second week, a voice came over the loudspeaker to read the numbers of each BBG who would be sent home because they were no longer needed. Some BBGs would cry as their numbers were read. I kept waiting to hear my number, but I was lucky to make it to the finals.
My team was disbanded, so I wasn’t on court at the final, but I was part of the Guard of Honor. That meant I was given a new uniform, visited the Wimbledon hairdresser, and served as an ambassador to welcome the Royal Family to center court. The pageantry is lovely. Wimbledon takes great pride in the tradition of serving as a BBG and ensures we are the best in every aspect of on-court service. BBGs glide around in the background and make certain a match runs smoothly, that everything happens automatically and precisely.
BBG supervisor
At age 18, BBGs can no longer serve, but most of us covet the role of supervisor. It’s a very difficult role to obtain. Supervisors are usually the best on their teams. As BBGs, supervisors walk around with clipboards and assess your every move. Of course, they come in all varieties — some are fun, some are strict, and some just love the power. I applied and was selected. I started as a junior supervisor and then in my second year as a senior supervisor. We are given an all-access pass and headset. I felt very official. My goal was to be a welcoming supervisor for the BBGs and help them feel relaxed in what can be a high-pressure, high-stress situation.
BBG and Lehigh
I was a Gryphon my sophomore year and used some of the skills and training from that work in my approaches as a BBG supervisor. Wimbledon has been progressive in the field, adding girls, mixed gender teams, and diversity. I was able to provide guidance and support to the BBG staff on how best to support BBGs who struggle with their gender identity and sexual orientation in what is a traditionally binary space.
Tennis, Lehigh, and Today
My father and grandfather attended Lehigh. We all were marketing majors, and I like to remind them that I had the best GPA. I had a Venture For America fellowship following graduation. When that concluded, I worked at a creative agency in Los Angeles and am now at a tech media company back East. I also create tennis content — untold stories about players and the fashion industry built around tennis. One story about the Spanish models used as BBGs at the Madrid Masters was picked up by several news sources including Tennis Channel.