Just about everyone sees Tim Hahn before the reach check-in at the Aspen Hill Club. Members are greeted with a smile and a warm welcome. Tim owns the Aspen Hill Sports Shop and has spent time talking with just about every member. But who is he? How does he know so much? This month we are going to take some time getting to know Tim!
Tim’s interest in tennis began when he was in middle school—he was glued to the Borg vs McEnroe 1980 Wimbledon Championship match. After that contest, Tim started playing in the neighborhood. Before he knew it he was a member of the Walter Johnson Varsity Team. Tim continued playing recreationally while attending University of Maryland—where he studied Mathematics.
Tim’s studies lead him to a successful career in his field of study. One day one of Tim’s friends talked to him about becoming a partner in Sports World—a sports shop in nearby Glenmont, Md. This opportunity spoke to Tim, after all—he was passionate about tennis, running, and athletics in general. Tim was excited about this opportunity and jumped at the chance for a MAJOR career change!
As co-owner of Sports World, Tim hit the ground running. He learned as much as he could about tennis equipment. In fact, Tim earned certification as a Master Racket Technician. It is this ability to have a deep understanding about equipment & technology that helps bring Tim a smile as a small business owner now at Aspen Hill Sports Shop. “It brings me joy when one of our members tells me that I helped make a difference in their game. They let me know that I helped them, and I feel really good! I’m helping them be better at what they love doing!” explains Tim. Tim often uses technology to help customers with injuries, “Certain strings can help with tennis elbow. It really can make their pain go away!” Other times Tim helps players achieve more power or control in their tennis game by switching rackets. Tim’s expertise has been relied on by the ATP tennis pros—Tim has been a racket stringer at the Citi Open 13 times!
Not only is Tim “book smart” about tennis, he also has got serious game! Tim is a 5.0 player himself and plays almost every day with tennis buddy Milton White and Aspen Hill Club pros John Parsley, Jeff Klein, and Mark Ortiz. Playing tennis helps Tim feel good, “Tennis to me is about meditation, it’s relaxing. I feel good and I am constantly trying to hit the perfect stroke!”
You may have wondered around the shop and thought to yourself “Geez! Tim sure does have a lot of running shoes for a tennis shop!”—well, there is good reason for that. Before Tim’s life was centered around tennis, he focused his athletic skills in another way—as a marathon runner! Tim has run in 14 marathons, including the Marine Corps Marathon and the Boston Marathon. Tim’s personal record was 2 hours 36 minutes, which had him competing in the US Olympic trials in Korea!!! So if Tim offers you advice on running shoes, you should know with confidence that he knows his stuff.
Aspen Hill Club has been an important part of Tim’s life well before he moved in with the Aspen Hill Sports Shop. As his children, Meghan and Alex, grew up—the family had a home at Aspen Hill Club. They have grown up being fixtures on the courts and became fantastic players—both playing on NCAA Division 1 tennis scholarships. Tim is a student of the game and enjoyed learning as much as possible about tennis—becoming PTR Certified Professional himself.
Tim views Aspen Hill Club as a special place and he’s happy to call it home. “There are so many great pros here at the Club, some focus on mental aspects while others emphasize technical skills. The tennis pros do a fantastic job catering to members. I really enjoy helping my customers get set up to play and then help them find the right pro!” says Tim.
