Lucie Langenkamp was a phenomenal player who grew up playing tennis in the Czech Republic, one of Europe’s top tennis cultures. Like many of us who join a sport because of a parent’s or sibling’s interest in that sport, Lucie was inspired to try tennis after watching her mother play it for fun. She fell in love with tennis and stuck with it. Over years of training, Lucie developed a grinders game and became known as the “Czech Nadal.” On clay, you had to be willing to run a marathon to have a shot at beating her. Some of her highlights include reaching the top 650 WTA in doubles, winning against a 180-ranked WTA player, and winning an ITF pro circuit tournament. She also played on a full scholarship at an NAIA college team and won the doubles national championship. Working with her college coaches, Lucie evolved her game to adapt to the faster hard court surface — she learned to play more aggressively and to take advantage of the speed and tempo of hard courts.
Lucie’s game always improved regardless of where she trained. Her mentality was to keep an open mind, learn, and work hard. This mindset works anywhere and her understanding of the right training mindset helps students become better players and overcome and the ups and downs of tennis. Lucie’s experience and wisdom are perfect for students at the Fairfield Tennis Club because she can lead students and coaches to a visible path toward success. Tennis is a challenging sport and Lucie is the kind of guide who knows that you can become a great player and enjoy tennis through those challenges. Her mantra is to inspire people to love tennis even after they show signs of frustration. Getting good at tennis “starts with the joy of playing” and her mission has always been to help students find that joy.
Lucie earned her dual-graduate degrees in sports psychology and recreational management while working as an assistant tennis coach for the women’s team at Illinois State. Her advanced education in sports psychology complements her coaching and playing experience. Tennis requires the development of a strong mind and control over emotions when things don’t go your way — her expertise guides players to develop the mindset to succeed in this sport. The knowledge she gives helps students and coaches above and beyond what one could expect at tennis clubs.
Lucie’s vision is unique and her belief in people’s ability to enjoy and learn is a valuable source of strength you won’t find just anywhere. She is driven to make each player better and believes “anybody can make it in the game.” Lucie has many tools and vast knowledge of drills and training strategies. But Lucie does not stop herself there, she continues to evolve her teachings by listening to other coaches and experts who share their knowledge with her.
The Director continues to play for fun and competes in mixed-doubles tournaments with her husband, a former Division I player. They recently reached the finals in The Battle of the Pros. Lucie will always love tennis with a passion: “Tennis is a sport for life.”