> The rangers said he needed a permit to teach tennis. They relented after the kids pointed out that Dogen is their dad, not a coach.
> He could have been fined $192, one of the rangers told him. ...
> A spokesperson for the Recreation and Park Department said rangers are on the lookout for commercial operations in public spaces.
“This was a routine interaction,” Tamara Aparton said by email. “Because paid instruction is not allowed on public courts without a permit, rangers will sometimes ask questions to determine whether someone is providing commercial instruction or simply using the courts for personal recreation or coaching their kids.”
In other words, bilsbie, no, there was no $192 find for teaching tennis to his own children.
Article from when this happened in August.
https://sfstandard.com/2026/08/01/san-francisco-tennis-court...
> The rangers said he needed a permit to teach tennis. They relented after the kids pointed out that Dogen is their dad, not a coach.
> He could have been fined $192, one of the rangers told him. ...
> A spokesperson for the Recreation and Park Department said rangers are on the lookout for commercial operations in public spaces.
“This was a routine interaction,” Tamara Aparton said by email. “Because paid instruction is not allowed on public courts without a permit, rangers will sometimes ask questions to determine whether someone is providing commercial instruction or simply using the courts for personal recreation or coaching their kids.”
In other words, bilsbie, no, there was no $192 find for teaching tennis to his own children.