If you haven't seen the 2021 movie "King Richard," starring Will Smith, it's a dramatized account of Richard Williams, the father and coach of tennis phenoms Serena and Venus Williams. The family lived in Compton, California, at the time, and it's wild to think that if the Williams sisters had been born a few decades later, some bureaucrat would have stopped their father from coaching them into the stars they are today.
Because that's what happened to a dad in San Francisco who did what countless parents do every day: he took his kids to play tennis at a public park. For that, two rangers accosted the dad and accused him of "illegally coaching" without a permit.
For that "crime," he could have to pay a $192 fine.
A San Francisco dad brought his kids to play tennis at a public park. Two rangers showed up and accused him of illegally coaching without a permit.
— The San Francisco Standard (@sfstandard) August 2, 2026
Full story: https://t.co/dTkuzCALMz pic.twitter.com/cPGJfFqN4J
Sam Dogen just wanted to spend an afternoon with his kids. His 6-year-old daughter and 9-year-old son weren’t in summer camp this week, and there was nothing on the calendar, so on Thursday he came up with a plan: They’d play tennis at Golden Gate Heights Park.
Like they’ve done dozens of times, they brought their rackets and a basket of balls to practice for an hour. After that, Dogen planned to take the kids for a bike ride.
“I just wanted to be a good dad,” the 49-year-old said.
In California, you can't be a good dad without a permit, apparently.
They would’ve left him alone if they had been injecting fentanyl while playing.
— Esoteric Card Games (@LukeCanasta) August 3, 2026
Of course not.
What was the Ayn Rand quote: "You can't control honest citizens, you have to turn them into criminals THEN you can." Somthing along those lines. ?
— Social-Identity-Thief (@JM4LISD) August 4, 2026
That's exactly what this is.
SF fined a dad $195 for teaching his kid tennis on a public court without a coaching permit.
— Lee Kuan Yimby (@LeeKuanYimby) August 4, 2026
The same city has illegal markets covering the sidewalks. All of the stuff is stolen. Every single regulation violated. Nothing happens.
Absolute clown world @DanielLurie https://t.co/aRK3VF6fvu pic.twitter.com/51v8pMv6DZ
It's ridiculous. There's a two-tiered justice system.
This is why, if ever playing a game near children, I offer them no criticism and actively insult their abilities. I wouldn't want to accidentally coach https://t.co/h3GQd9A5Mv
— mgpi (@SYNESTHEIZURE) August 4, 2026
Coaching them would be a crime.
This writer remembers when Gavin Newsom said the state of California was free. It is not. And while a Community Note points out that Dogen was not fined and rangers confirmed that he was teaching his kids. But that's not the point. The point is you shouldn't need a permit to coach someone in tennis.
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