For more than 15 years, tennis legend Billie Jean King has come to Point Loma in August to spend a few days with more than 100 teenagers competing in a national tennis tournament. “I love it,” she said during her last visit to the Barnes Tennis Center on Aug. 2. “Being around teenagers forces one to look at life with more of a newness factor and to embrace the energy and vitality which young people convey.” The World Team Tennis (WTT) Junior Nationals is a tournament King created with 16 co-ed teams from around the country, with participants ranging in age from 14-18. For a number of years now, the event has been held at the Barnes Tennis Center in Point Loma. While King is very hands-on in terms of giving lectures, coaching sessions on the court and sharing her rich life and tennis experiences, she has found over the years that some things with teenagers have changed and some have not. “The biggest difference today, compared to teenagers 10 years ago, is social media,” King said. “Teenagers are still communicating about many of the same issues, but now they use different means to do so. The format used has changed more than the issues.” King said that because of the emphasis on social media, parents and other “mature” adults in their lives who may not use that style of communicating are forced to pay even closer attention and listen to teenagers. “I get questions from teenagers wanting to know the differences between falling in love and lusting after someone,” King said. “We are all human beings with similar wants and needs. For me, it is very important not to pass judgment and simply listen.” However, King does not hesitate at offering her advice and opinions. “You have to remember in this day and age teenagers live in a world of short sound bites,” she said. “Yet I still remind them it is important to have eye contact when talking with another person. Every choice, no matter how big or small has a consequence as well.” Regarding one of the communication challenges between parents and teenagers is the rules by which parents restrict the freedoms of teenagers. On this issue, King has a simple viewpoint. “I tell the teenagers their parents are trying to teach responsibility, because with responsibility comes the very freedoms they seek,” King said. The WTT Junior Nationals concluded at Barnes Tennis Center on Aug. 4. Each year, the event is open to the public and free of charge. For more information, visit www.wtt.com.