Tim Downey

Tim Downey was a world class Tennis Professional in the 1980s having reached a career high of #9 nationally in the Men’s 21 and Under in 1980, and #575 on the Men’s ATP Rankings in 1979. Tim competed in the US Open Qualifying in 1978, and competed against legends including John McEnroe, Ivan Lendl, and Jaime Yzaga. Tim was also once known for having the fastest recorded serve in men’s pro tennis at 148 miles per hour, as timed by Tennis Magazine. In the early 1980’s Tim was moving up in the rankings hoping to reach #1 in the world, but a severe bone spur injury to his feet forced him to retire. In the late 1980’s Tim became a schoolteacher and is currently a 26-year veteran physical education teacher for Norwalk Public schools at Brookside Elementary. He has been a tennis instructor and led tennis camps for the Fairfield Parks and Recreation under Fairfield County Tennis for more than 20 years. He has also worked with students from all over the world. He worked 15 consecutive summers as a sports instructor on the Crow Indian reservation in Montana and has worked with war orphan children in Bosnia Herzegovina as well as orphan children in Juarez, Mexico. To this day Tim enjoys working with children of all ages ready to share his tennis knowledge and sports background whenever possible.