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USTA MIDDLE STATES
Quarterly • Winter 07-08 • Volume II • Issue 4
PNC INterNatIoNal
in City of Bridges
Exclusive Inside!
More of thesame
Fulfilling Arthur Ashe’s Vision
Fulfilling Arthur Ashe’s Vision
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Departments08 Cover Story Shane Baker and the University
of Delaware Club Tennis team are making opportunities out of opportunities. The team runs “tennis and tutoring” clinics for local children in order to fund their club tennis program, and spread their love of the game.
12 Community Development
The NJTL of Trenton was named USTA’s National NJTL Chapter of the Year for 2007. Learn more about the organization that is setting the bar for NJTL’s all over the United States.
13 Jr. Team Tennis The courts were hot in Tucson, Ariz.,
as the 2007 Jr. Team Tennis National Championships were held in October. Find out how our section stacked up against the rest of the competition.
04 Executive Director’s Message
11 Diversity
18 Professional Tennis
22 Districts
• AMD embraces PNC International
• Tennis community comes together for cause
• Mother/daughter continues tradition
• Maddie Smith closes stellar collegiate career
• What and who is the NJ District
• Ball kid hits the big time
31 Younique Courts
33 Happenings
USTA MIDDLE STATES
Quarterly • Winter 07-08 • Volume II • Issue 4
14 Junior Competition Singles Out! Say goodbye to doubles
rankings. The new combined singles and doubles rankings for juniors are in effect starting Jan. 1, 2008. Get up to speed with the new rules!
16 College Tennis Is your alma mater heading to
Nationals? Collegiate Club Tennis programs from all six districts faced-off at the 2007 Campus Championship – Middle States. For some it was a chance to hit the courts while for others it was a rivalry renewed.
20 Adult Leagues The National Championship season
is finished; some teams hit the mother lode and an expectant mother used USTA League tennis to stay fit.
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Published by USTA Middle StatesVolume II Issue 4 Winter 2007-08
Editorial
Nathaniel Harrison Marge McGann Carrie Rupp
ContributorsTom Benic Costello PhotographyLoretta DeWaltMonique HollowayKaren JenningsDr. Craig Kimmel, M.D.Ann LoPrinziMarlynn OrlandoRichard RauenzahnBen Zislis
USTA Middle States OfficersPresidentMalcolm T. Riley Jr.
Senior Vice PresidentJeff Harrison
SecretaryRuth Roulston
TreasurerPatricia Weger
Print & Design ProductionBentley Graphic Communications, Inc.www.bentleygraphics.com
USTA Middle States1288 Valley Forge RoadSuite 74, PO Box 987Valley Forge, P.A. 19482(610) 935-5000(610) 935-5484 (f )[email protected]
CoverShane Baker at Arthur Ashe Youth Tennis & Education CenterPhoto by: Lida Addison
Bentley Graphic Communications, Inc.
Executive Director – Marlynn Orlando
Forward Thinking
I’m a forward thinker…someone who’s always looking to improve things, and make them bigger and better. I like plotting a course for new horizons and wondering how to get there. But something happened recently which provided me an opportunity for reflection.
I really had no frame of reference heading into the 2007 USTA Middle States Hall of Fame Induction Dinner and Auction. I knew it was our section’s biggest annual event but the details were being skillfully handled by Rose Weinstein and
her committee and supported by Marge McGann and her staff. I anticipated enjoying the dinner and meeting new people, but I was unprepared for the lasting impact it would have on me as a person and as Executive Director of Middle States.
I sat in the Doneckers Ballroom with 250 other attendees and listened intently as one by one, each inductee was introduced. Of course, I was impressed by their achievements in tennis competition but I was truly inspired by their combined contributions to tennis, Middle States, USTA and humanity. These are people who love the game of tennis so much and have given of themselves over and over again, spreading their infectious spirit unto countless others. They have created a legacy, and individually and collectively they have created the USTA Middle States past, present and future.
It’s not easy to stop a forward mover like me in my tracks…getting me to take a breath and think about our history, but the Hall of Fame managed to do it. It has made me appreciate even more, the numerous volunteers who have and continue to support Middle States and make it the strong association it is today. And it has inspired me to remember that working is not about the results you get today, but about the lasting impact you make for years and years to come. I salute all of our past, present and future volunteers for their contributions and I congratulate and thank the 2007 Hall of Fame inductees.
To the entire USTA Middle States family – Happy Holidays to you and yours.
Marlynn Orlando joins USTA MS Board President Malcolm T. Riley Jr. (left) and Senior Vice President Jeff Harrison (center) at the 2007 USTA MS Hall of Fame Induction Dinner & Auction
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Dr. Craig Kimmel, MD
One of the most common sports medicine problems I treat is foot pain. I find it amazing that the same parents who spend $500 per week or more on tennis instruction will choose to save money on their child’s most important piece of tennis equipment – their shoes.
I recently treated a 15-year-old who was having severe pain in her feet. She said the pain started about two weeks after getting a new pair of sneakers. When I asked her how she chose her sneakers, she said her mother told her she could
order them online. She was also instructed to spend no more than $50. She went online and picked a pair of sneakers that matched her team uniform color.
Let me suggest a better way to choose a pair of tennis shoes. Before you buy a pair of shoes do a little bit of preparation. Write down what you like and dislike about your current tennis shoes. Make a list of those things that are most important to you. Some young players who play baseline on hard courts may have durability as their primary concern. Older players, or those playing on clay, may be looking for a lighter or more cushioned shoe.
When you begin shopping try to find a store that carries a large variety of tennis shoes. A tennis specialty store is probably your best bet. Once you find a store you like, make sure the sales staff is knowledgeable about their footwear and also, what is appropriate for you. They should ask you what sneakers have worked well for you in the past, what your style of play is and what court surfaces you use. Don’t forget to bring along your old sneakers so they can evaluate the wear patterns. They should also watch you walk in your old sneakers to evaluate your foot type. A good shoe store will always measure both feet in both length and width. Most people have slightly different foot sizes. Tennis shoes should be purchased to the size of the larger foot.
Once you find a pair of shoes you like remember these key tips:
Always try on shoes in the late afternoon when the feet are the most swollen or after playing •tennis. Feet often swell by 10 percent during competition.
Always try on both shoes and walk and run in them. Try tennis motions such as cutting •and pivoting and being up on your toes to be sure they are comfortable.
Always wear the same socks that you will play tennis in to ensure proper fit.•
All shoes should have the width of your thumb of free space at the end of your shoe. Check •for this when you try them on. This should be done while you are standing not sitting
Always check both shoes inside and out for any rough edges, prominent seams or loose flaps.•
A good tennis shoe should always feel comfortable from the instant you try it on. Your feet are very smart. Listen to them! If they tell you that a shoe is not comfortable don’t buy it. If the shoe salesman tells you that you must “break-in” the sneaker before it feels comfortable or that the most expensive shoe is the best shoe, run; don’t walk out of the store.
If you’re having foot pain, or trouble finding the ideal tennis shoe for you contact your physician. As one of our local pros loves to say, “you can’t go anywhere in tennis without your feet.”
Dr. Kimmel, Primary Care Sports Medicine, practices Family Practice and Sports Medicine in Cherry Hill, Lumberton, Moorestown and Mount Holly, N.J. He has been in practice for 20 years and can be reached at (856) 234-9006.
Allegheny Mountain Contributor
Tom Benic
Central PA Contributor
RichardRauenzahn
Delaware Contributor
MoniqueHolloway
Eastern PAContributor
LorettaDeWalt
New JerseyContributor
Ann LoPrinzi
Philadelphia Contributor
KarenJennings
District Contributors
Finding the right tennis shoe for you
Finding the right tennis shoe for you
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2007 Middle States Hall of Fame
Induction Dinner and Auction
The heavy downpours outside did nothing to dampen the spirits inside Doneckers in Ephrata on October 26 as five remarkable individuals were inducted into the 14th annual Middle States Hall of Fame. Howe Atwater, J. Scott Calkins, Charlotte Atwater Miller, Tom Sweitzer and John McGrath (posthumously) were honored for their achievements in and contributions to the game of tennis.
The dinner and auction, hosted by the Middle States Tennis Patrons’ Foundation is a major fundraising event. Special thanks to the Boyds Collection Ltd. and Snyders of Hanover Snacks who sponsored the dinner. This year, more than $40,000 was raised to help support the development of junior players and junior tennis programs and activities throughout the section. As result of the event being held in the Central Pennsylvania District, programs within this area will especially benefit from the proceeds. Many thanks to John and Doris Costello for photographing the event.
Correction: The Fall issue of NetPlay mistakenly wrote that J. Scott Calkins played at the University of Maryland. J. Scott Calkins actually played for the University of Miami, a team that eventually won the National Championship. We apologize for the error.
Inductees and USTA PresidentsFront Row: Inductees Tom Sweitzer, Charlotte Miller, Howe Atwater and J. Scott Calkins. Back Row: Phil Caplan (past President USTA Middle States and Hall of Fame Founder), John McGrath Jr. and Alice Berringer (son and daughter of inductee John McGrath), Judy Levering (Mistress of Ceremonies and past USTA President), Merv Heller (past USTA President) and Jane Brown Grimes (current USTA President).
Hall of Fame Event Subcommitee (Bottom: L to R) Marge McGann, Rose Weinstein, Stephanie Otto (Back: L to R) Denise Dunn, Mary Ann Kaplan, Chick Hungerford, Pierce Atwater and Nancy Hungerford
Tennis legends descended on Doneckers’ for the MS Hall of Fame including (left to right) Bob Jordan, J. Scott Calkins, Howe Atwater, Bud Landis, Newton Meade and Joel Arnold.
2009-2010 Middle States Board NominationsThe USTA Middles States Nomination Committee is accepting nominations for the 2009-2010 terms for positions on the USTA MS Board of Directors and the Nominating Committee. For more information check out middlestates.usta.com.
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Tennis Shorts
Allegheny MountainThey may not be Roland Garros, but thanks to the efforts of the Frick Park Clay Court Tennis Club the historic courts located in the Pittsburgh suburb of Regent Square aren’t far off. Local recreation players have spent countless hours revitalizing the red clay courts which are some of the only clay courts in AMD open to the public. Spearheaded by the tennis club’s co-founders Jose Mieres and Gulshan Sharma, the facility which has been dormant for a few years hosted the Paul Sullivan Tennis Championship as well as numerous clinics since September. The club, which has grown to more than 100 members, has received tremendous support from Citiparks and local businesses that have provided the necessary tools to maintain the courts. For more check out clayfricktennis.org. Photo courtesy of Andrew Stein.
NEWS fRoM ARouND THE SECTioN
Central PABridget Forster (Lebanon, Pa.) was a recent victor at the prestigious “Little Mo” Nationals at the Austin Tennis Academy in Austin, Tex. Forster who was seeded No. 2, swept through the 16 player girls’ 10 draw without dropping a set to claim her first “Little Mo” National Championship. Widely regarded as one of the top national non-sanctioned events for tennis players under 12 years of age, the event featured an impressive list of past winners including Andy Roddick, Donald Young, Madison Brengle and Ashley Weinhold. The event is named after Maureen Connolly (Little Mo), who at the age of 18 won the Grand Slam of tennis winning all four major championships.
DelawareIt has been a whirlwind few months for Dover Del., native Madison Brengle since turning professional in September. After playing with some of tennis’ biggest names at WTT Smash Hits, the 17-year-old captured her first title as a pro at the 25,000 Comcast Professional Women’s Challenger in Augusta, Ga., teaming-up with Kristy Frilling to capture the doubles crown. Brengle got her first taste of the big time at the 2007 Advanta WTT Smash Hits playing with the likes of Billie Jean King, Elton John, Andy Roddick and Lyndsay Davenport. She had a large contingent of friends and family in the crowd at the event held at Villanova University. Her fans got a firsthand look at her powerful backhand, which has helped her shoot up the rankings.
Eastern PAMartha Blakely, a 17-year-old senior at Wyomissing High School recently captured her third-consecutive PIAA-AA state championship. She cruised through the field dropping just three games in the entire tournament. Blakely used a powerful backhand and pinpoint accuracy on her forehand in joining sister, Grace, 22, as a three-time state champion. She is currently ranked No. 6 in the Middle States girls 18’s standing and No. 43 in the National standings. A veteran of Middle States Zone and National teams, Blakely will take her considerable talents to the next level at Virginia Tech in the fall.
New JerseyJackie Shtemberg became the first female student-athlete from the College of New Jersey (Ewing, N.J.) to win gold at the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) National Small College Championships. The sophomore’s road to the Division III National title was not easy as she knocked off the draw’s top seed in the final. Shtemberg, a 2006 ITA All-American, is now 42-5 on her career in singles play and 37-10 in doubles. The event, administered by the ITA and USTA, dates back to 1986 and determines national champions for NCAA Divisions II and III, NAIA and Junior/Community College men’s and women’s singles and doubles. Photo courtesy of TCNJ Sports Information Department.
PhiladelphiaDr. Richard Cohen waited 54 years of playing competitive tennis to capture his first gold ball at the USTA National Senior Father/Daughter Championship with daughter Julia, 18, in November. One week later, he captured No. 2. This time with son Josh, 22, as they won gold at the USTA Senior National Father/Son Championship. The impressive run placed Cohen in the record book as he became the first to win gold at both the Father/Daughter and Father/Son Nationals in the same year. It certainly isn’t uncommon to see the name Cohen appear in Middle States’ headlines. For years Josh and Julia have been feared singles opponents garnering top section and national rankings.
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Cover Story
When asked what he thought of the state of Arthur Ashe Youth Tennis and Education, the late Arthur Ashe
simply stated, “I’d like to see it expanded...more of the same would be my suggestion.”
“More of the same” of Ashe’s mission is being accomplished every day in large ways, like the opening of the new Arthur Ashe Tennis and Education Center in East Falls, Pa., and in small ways like former AAYTE participant Shane Baker creating a tennis and tutoring program for youngsters in Newark, Del.
“Shane really went through all of the roles at AAYTE,” said Tina Tharp, Executive Director of AAYTE. “He came through the program as a kid, then was a junior instructor, a site manager and now he’s doing the same good deeds at Delaware.”
“He’s a really mature, responsible kid,” Tharp said. “When we hired him to be a site manager after his senior year of high school he fit right in, he handled the position like he’d been there for 50 years.”
The former AAYTE kid is now a senior at the University of Delaware and a member of the school’s club tennis team. As the team’s captain, Baker is not only responsible for the day-to-day activities of the team, such as practice, but he is also responsible for making sure his team is financially able to participate in the Tennis On Campus (TOC) program.
Because it is a club sport, the team is run solely by the students. This also means they must pay for their own equipment, travel expenses and uniforms. There are grants available from numerous organizations, such as the
Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA), National Intramural-Recreation Sports Association (NIRSA) and USTA, which aid the efforts of the students, but there are still outstanding expenses. In order to cover them, club teams usually do fundraising.
“In the past we’d sell credit cards,” Baker said. “But no one ever wanted to do it, and students rarely wanted to sign-up for them, it really wasn’t effective.”
Instead, Baker knew that if his team wanted to raise money this year they’d need to find a different way to fundraise. With his background
as a National Junior Tennis League (NJTL) participant and former site manager at AAYTE, Baker went back to his roots to brainstorm a new idea.
Baker called Scott
Tharp, Tina’s husband, and spoke to him about the team’s dilemma. Together the two developed the idea of the UD club team running clinics for local Delaware children, similar to AAYTE’s AfterSchool Tennis ‘N’ Tutoring Program.
With the support of more than 50 percent of his team, Baker began sending fliers to local elementary schools offering their students an opportunity to learn the sport, receive school tutoring and interact with positive role models. A few responded, and Baker and his teammates set up clinics for the schools, charging a fee of $10 per student. USTA Middle States donated prizes for the children and AAYTE loaned racquets and equipment for the children to use.
“My teammates really stepped up and shared the responsibility of the team and of the clinics,” Baker said. “Working together on a project like this definitely brought the team together.”
Continued on next page
More of thesameUD Club Tennis follows Arthur Ashe’s wishesBy Carrie Rupp
The University of Delaware Club Tennis team poses at the 2007 Campus Championship – Middles States. The team finished fifth at the event.
“Working together on a project like this definitely brought
the team together.”
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Story CountinuedThe clinics, which Baker considered a success, helped his team secure funding to participate in USTA’s first annual Battle of the Sections: a Northeast Region event at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in August as well as November’s Badger Classic at the University of Wisconsin.
“Running these clinics gave us the opportunity to take these trips, and in turn we’re giving these kids the opportunity to play tennis,” Baker said. “We all play club tennis because it is fun and we enjoy the sport, playing with these kids and teaching them is right up our alley.”
Baker said it was tough to schedule more clinics this fall because the team was competing most weekends, but that they plan on continuing their tennis and tutoring program into the spring and even into the summer. And although Baker’s club tennis career will be complete in May he says it’s not the end of his involvement in tennis or in reaching Delaware’s youth.
An electrical engineering major who is enrolled in a five year combined bachelors and masters program, Baker is scheduled to graduate in May 2009 with both degrees. But working in the engineering world is not where Baker sees himself for forever.
“The state of Delaware loves the sport of tennis,” Baker said. “But there aren’t many racquet clubs and tennis facilities. I’d like to one day open a facility similar to AAYTE.”
His desire to open a facility for children similar to the one he grew up in stems from the success AAYTE brought him. Baker joined AAYTE as an
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States represented at 2007Campus Championship –Middle States
eight-year-old. His first stint in the program was a summer program that taught him the sport. As he got older he participated in the Goldstein Junior Leader Program as well as volunteered with the “Munchkins” program. Baker says AAYTE brought him out of his shell. It helped his leadership skills, his ability to public speak and fueled his desire to give back to the community. It also introduced him to his “mentors” Scott and Tina Tharp, who he says he would look to for guidance in his attempt to start a similar program in Delaware.
“Starting these clinics motivated me,” Baker said. “It showed me that there are people out there that want this, that are interested in tennis. It proved
The University of Delaware was just one school that participated in this year’s Campus Championship – Middle States. With 13 unique schools in attendance, the championship saw an extremely diverse group of students compete. Approximately 150 participants representing 20 states and five countries, United States, Canada, Japan, Ireland and Spain, filled the courts at Lehigh University in October. Take a look at the above map to see where this year’s participants hail from. For more information on this year’s Campus Championship please see page 17.
They Came From All Over
China 1Canada 1Spain 1ireland 1united States 142
TOTAL 146
to me that my goals aren’t just ideas, they can really work.”
Baker’s goal of running a similar NJTL is right inline with Ashe’s quote. He doesn’t want to reinvent the wheel or do his own thing, he wants to follow the path that’s already been laid, reach more people and grow the game of tennis. Simply, he wants to do more of the same. •
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Looking for the best way to prevent diabetes and promote good health? Look no further than a tennis ball and tennis racquet.
The Albert Einstein Healthcare Network has launched a new community-based program that uses tennis and fitness to fight diabetes.
“We have an interest in developing community-based programs about diabetes and wellness in communities that we serve,” says Dr. Tina Phipps, Director of Einstein’s Center for Urban Health Policy and Research.
Why tennis? Tennis is one of the top aerobic sports. It’s known to lower blood pressure and fight heart disease. “And I’m a tennis player myself,” Phipps says. “I’ve wanted to find a way to use tennis as a sport in a health promoting way.”
Phipps says the Einstein health project involves a partnership with the Black Women in Sport Foundation, Black Tennis Foundation of Philadelphia, Sisters in Shape, Inc., and Temple University. Together they deliver a three-tiered program to Middle School and High School aged students at the New Media Technology Charter School in Philadelphia. The first two tiers involve fitness testing and nutrition education.
“Then we start doing the tennis portion of the program for the next four to five weeks,” says Tina Green of the Black Women in Sport Foundation.
Green says 20 boys and girls take part in Wednesday afternoon tennis lessons at either Philadelphia Tennis Club or the Althea Gibson Community Tennis Center. “None of them had ever been on a real tennis court before,” says Green.
The response has been positive. “I was very pleased as I watched. Everyone was participating, laughing and having fun. I think it’s important for kids because it gives them another outlet in a sport they might not be exposed to, especially in the city of Philadelphia, where they’re cutting back in sports programs.”
Green says the tennis and fitness program is important for the future health and wellness of the young people too. “I think this has great potential – especially in our community – the
African American community - because diabetes is so prevalent.
Statistics show nearly 21-million Americans have diabetes today. No one knows what causes the disease but experts do know obesity and lack of exercise play a role. The communities hardest hit are African American, Latino, Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.
“In fact, one of the children in our program has type-one diabetes,” says Green. “So what we’re trying to do is provide experiential learning.”
In addition to providing tennis as an outlet for exercise, the Einstein program trains youth in healthier eating habits. Area businesses donate healthy food. Teens learn how to cook and prepare healthy snacks.
Older students in the program will develop promotional materials touting the importance of fitness, healthy diet and exercise.
“Through these types of activities they’ll be able to influence the younger kids,” explains Green. “Because you know how kids are. They influence each other.”
The American Diabetes Association estimates that one in every 10-healthcare dollars spent in the United States goes toward the treatment and prevention of diabetes. That’s more than $130 billion a year.
“I think it will have a great impact on the community,” says Green. “Hopefully, parents will get involved when they pick up their kids and want to play tennis and eat healthier as well.”
“We want to excite a lot of kids about tennis and fitness and healthy eating,” says Dr. Phipps. “And we want to grow the program and expand it to other sports too.” •
Visit middlestates.usta.com for a healthy holiday recipe courtesy of the American
Diabetes Association
A New Media Technology Charter School student gets his first taste of tennis in pilot program to promote fitness and diabetes awareness
Diversity
Prescription for Good HealthBy Karen Jennings, PATD Contributor
By the NumbersTotal Prevalence of Diabetes and Pre-diabetesTotal cases of Diabetes: 20.8 million children
and adultsDiagnosed: 14.6 million peopleUndiagnosed: 6.2 million peopleTotal cases of Pre-diabetes: 54 million people
Breakdown by AgeUnder 20 years of age: 176,500Age 20 years or older: 20.6 millionAge 60 years or older: 10.3 million
Breakdown by GenderMen: 10.9 million or 10.5 percent of all men aged 20 years or older have diabetes although nearly one third of them do not know it.Women: 9.7 million or 8.8 percent of all women aged 20 years or older have diabetes although nearly one third of them do not know it. The prevalence of diabetes is at least two to four times higher among non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic/Latino American, American Indian, and Asian/Pacific Islander women than among non-Hispanic white women.
SOURCE: American Diabetes Association web site: diabetes.org.
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The National Junior Tennis League (NJTL) of Trenton, with its focus on developing productive citizens, healthy lifestyles,
good nutrition and strong academic performance has set the bar high for the rest of the country. Because of its success, it has been named USTA’s National NJTL Chapter of the Year for 2007.
“The USTA national NJTL award is a tribute to our financial supporters, hard-working volunteers, dedicated board members and our passionate staff,” said Dan Faber, Executive Director, NJTL of Trenton, Inc.
The NJTL of Trenton offers unique recreation opportunities for low income, underserved and at risk young people. This program has seen astounding growth and has significantly impacted the lives of thousands of youths and their families over the past decade. This program emphasizes the ideals of its co-founder, Arthur Ashe, by encouraging academic excellence, providing educational opportunities and instilling values of teamwork, self esteem, sportsmanship and leadership.
This program’s primary objective is to provide opportunities to children through tennis, education and nutrition on an annual basis, with the hopes of reaching at least 3,000 children by 2010.
One reason for the success of the program is its outstanding leadership, which is headed by Faber. The NJTL of Trenton also hired qualified coaches and staff members to serve as role models and mentors for the students.
The NJTL of Trenton’s Board of Directors is a very enthusiastic and diverse group of highly reputable individuals. The board includes tennis teaching-pros, parents of participants, community business executives and leaders, such as former NYC Mayor David Dinkins. These individuals
NJTL of Trenton honored nationally help oversee the program and are highly responsible for its continuing successes.
“Our achievements are the direct result of our team effort and we look forward to continued growth and success,” said Faber. “We feel grateful to have our work recognized as we continue to strive to make life better for the children we serve.” Even groups and organizations outside of the organization help to make the NJTL of Trenton top-notch. For example, on Wednesdays, members of the prestigious Princeton
University tennis team work with the students on and of the court, and serve as mentors. In return, the NJTL of Trenton members are invited to the Princeton matches to cheer on their mentors.
Tennis is a sport which emphasizes responsibility, good manners, sportsmanship, and team spirit. A sport in which players see self-improvement based on hard work and motivation. Because of this, the NJTL of Trenton uses tennis as the foundation for its many programs.
Its tennis programs include a summer program, which caters to over 1,200 students at eight sites in the greater Trenton area. In addition, there are fall, winter, and spring programs, adult programs, wheelchair tennis programs and a special Arthur Ashe Program. The Arthur Ashe program is a year round program for talented juniors and students needing extra support both on and off the court.
The many partnerships that the NJTL of Trenton has established have led to improved opportunities for the local youths who may otherwise never have been given the opportunity to succeed. Some of the organizations that collaborate to assist this program include the Trenton, Ewing and Hamilton Departments of Recreation; the CYO; the Boys and Girls Club; daycare centers and the YMCA. The NJTL of Trenton also partners with the Reed School, a school for autistic children in an effort to engage these children in tennis activities.
Another one of the NJTL of Trenton’s unique programs is its Nutritional Tutoring Program. Due to health concerns involving obesity and sedentary lifestyles, this program has become very important to the organization. Within this program, healthy snacks are distributed, and the negative effects of obesity and sedentary lifestyles are discussed. During the summer program, a free nutritional breakfast is offered.
Even though this program has grown exponentially since its inception in 1975, Faber is still focused on moving forward. One way in which he plans to move forward is by attempting to develop middle school tennis teams and provide scholastic matches. He is also helping to further build relationships with community organizations, grant makers and private donors to give this program more funding.
The NJTL of Trenton has had such a favorable impact on the lives of so many youth in the Greater Trenton Area. The results of its impact are clear, and they will continue long into the future. •
For information on Community Tennis Associations in your area, please contact Ben Zislis at [email protected].
NJTL of Trenton participants work on homework with the help of volunteers and tutors.
Two NJTL of Trenton participants pose for the camera.
Community Development
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USTA’s Jr. Team Tennis program held its national championships Oct. 12-14 (14-and-under) and Oct. 25-28 (18-and-under) at the Hilton Conquistador in Tucson, Ariz. USTA Middle States sent four teams to the desert resort including the Spirits (CPD), Deuce (NJD), Los Amigos (NJD) and the Fantastic Fuzz (CPD).
All four teams represented USTA Middle States positively, showing the utmost of skill and sportsmanship. The Spirits were the top finisher for the section, finishing second out of 17 teams in the 14-and-under Intermediate division. The second-place finish was the highest ever for a USTA Middle States team. For more information on the Spirits, see page 22.
Los Amigos (18-and-under Intermediate) finished eighth, Fantastic Fuzz (18-and-under Advanced) finished tenth and Deuce (14-and-under Advanced) finished twelfth.
In addition to the results on the court, the Fantastic Fuzz was honored off the court. The team received the Team Spirit Award and team member Jenna Hessert was honored with the Sportsmanship Award.
For team photos and rosters, please visit middlestates.usta.com.
The Spirits gather around the tournament desk as they collect their second place finish award.
The courts at the Hilton Conquistador in Tucson, Ariz., the site of the 2007 National Championship.
Jenna Hessert poses with her 2007 Sportsmanship Award
The Fantastic Fuzz’s energetic attitude awarded them the 2007 Team Spirit Award.
SeCtIoN’S BeSt ComPete oN NatIoNal Stage
Jr. Tennis Team
Players in need of a home court Jr. Team Tennis (JTT) is spreading like wildfire in Middle States... and with word-of-mouth fueling the fire, more and more kids are coming forward and expressing their desire to join a local league. This overwhelming demand means we have to have more local leagues in place where we can send our “fired-up” kids to play. Our players need a home court.
League Organizers and Team Managers wantedAnyone can help organize a new local league and bring friends together to have fun and play the sport of a lifetime. No experience is necessary — the USTA MS staff will help you get started and will provide continuous support.
•Startsmallwiththeminimumtwoteams,orthinkbigwithmultipleteams. •LettheUSTAJTTsoftwarehelpyouorganizetheleagueandschedulematches. •Looktoparentvolunteersforadditionalhelp •UsePark&Rec/publiccourtsformatchplay
Not only are kids playing tennis in JTT, they are socializing, making new friends and doing other things as a group such as movie nights, pizza parties, etc. Championship opportunities are also available for those league teams who choose to compete beyond the local level. JTT has District, Section and National Championships that qualifying teams can advance to. Don’t leave a player without a home court. Volunteer today to help organize a local league in your area. For more information visit middlestates.usta.com or contact Erica Curtis at [email protected].
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Singles out!
The United States Tennis Association (USTA) will institute a combined
ranking for junior players in 2008. Individual singles and doubles standings and rankings will no longer be published starting on January 1. Rankings will be based on 100 percent of a player’s singles ranking plus 15 percent of a player’s doubles ranking. The USTA is making this change to encourage players to play more doubles and to reward players for their success in doubles. Moreover, the USTA feels playing doubles will help players with their overall development.
“This rule change puts an added emphasis on doubles play, said Michael Kennedy, Middle States Director of Junior Competition. “Doubles can teach players so much from a developmental point of view including net play, volleys as well as communicating with a partner. Since many of our junior players end up playing on a high school and/or college team learning to play doubles earlier will aid their transition to the next level.”
Ed Torres, a doubles champion and Head Men’s and Women’s Coach at Rider University in Lawrenceville, N.J. is certainly a fan of the new rankings system.
“Some of the better singles players have really improved their overall game playing doubles, said Torres. “It (doubles play) improves volleying, overheads and the transition game.”
He anticipates the ranking change will better prepare juniors for collegiate tennis and make them immediate contributors to the team. “Doubles tennis is seldom seen on television and at times it is overlooked. College freshman who have only played singles as juniors are hard to develop into doubles players,” said Torres. “They become in love with the baseline and struggle with working their way into the ball.”
One direct result of the new ranking system could be the addition of junior doubles tournaments.
Besides varsity tennis, recreation-based programs such as USTA Jr. Team Tennis (JTT), Tennis On Campus and USTA League can reap the benefits of the new system. In each of these programs doubles play is critical for success.
In addition, to promoting doubles play in general; a combined ranking may stimulate continuity in doubles partnerships leading to teams playing together in high school, college and perhaps even the pros.
One duo sure to notice the impact of the new combined rankings is Lauren and Lindsay Balsamo of Manasquan, N.J. Both ranked-singles players in the New Jersey District and Middle States, the sisters decided to compete together as a doubles team in USTA tournaments.
Lauren, 16 and Lindsay, 14 eventually worked their way up to No. 15 in the Middle States girls 16’s standings including two appearances in tournament finals.
“It’s fun,” said Lindsay. “It takes the pressure off {of singles} playing together.”
Fun wasn’t the only result the two netted playing together. The sisters credit an improved overall game and relationship to playing doubles. They also developed a new pre-match ritual of listening to music and eating chocolate chip cookies.
“The best part of playing (doubles) is that it is more exciting and team oriented than singles,” said Lauren. “You always have someone to keep you positive on the court and with doubles you are forced to use all the components of your game, not just rally at the baseline.”
“Doubles requires using different shots” said Lindsay. “I really like to attack the net and be aggressive which is something that is tough to do playing singles.”
As they played more and more together they became more comfortable with each other’s approach which led to improved strategy and better communication.
“Lindsay has a great serve that sets me up to poach at the net. She is a steady player and our games compliment each other.” said Lauren. “Playing with your sister, you can say things to her that you couldn’t say to someone else, like giving her constructive criticism.”
“She’s given me such good advice on bending for shots or moving my feet and she always does it in a positive way,” said Lindsay.
They followed their success in USTA tournaments with a fantastic scholastic season at Wall High School (Wall, N.J.), where they picked up the school’s first state championship finishing the season with a scintillating 32-0 record. The pair who each primarily played singles in the past finished their scholastic doubles debut without dropping a set.
Continued on next page
New rankings system puts added emphasis on doubles play. By Nathaniel Harrison
Singles out!Junior Competition
Lauren Balsamo
The Bryan Brothers demonstrate their famous chestbump
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Story continuedIronically enough, they honed their skills playing at the nearby Atlantic Club in Manasquan, N.J., hitting with Coach Torres. The high school state doubles crown was their sixth overall championship together.
“It’s always a gamble putting siblings together, especially if you don’t know what their relationship is like beforehand,” said Wall coach Anthony Nardino. “But they obviously clicked and communicate and support each other so well. They lift one another up.”
Much like the Balsamos another set of siblings, Bob and Mike Bryan began playing doubles together as juniors. The twins, whose father would not let them play against each other in singles growing up, competed in junior events together culminating with the 1996 US Open boys’ doubles championship.
The Bryans then took their game to Stanford University where after sweeping the NCAA Championships turned pro. They have seen their ranking catapult to No.1 since turning pro and have become only the third pair in the history of Open tennis to complete a career Grand Slam of doubles titles.
However, the Bryans don’t just play doubles, they promote it. They are national spokesman for JTT and are big proponents of team tennis for kids. They also have helped bring doubles to the attention of fans – particularly kids – with their play on the U.S. Davis Cup squad. •
How it works at NationalThe new ranking system will include results from singles matches and doubles matches in all tournaments that are now included in the calculations for the National Standing List and the year-end National Ranking. The points earned in singles competition will be combined with the points earned in doubles competition to form one final point total that will be used for the National Standing List and the National Ranking. Players will receive credit for 100 percent of their singles points from their eight (8) best events along with 15 percent of their doubles points from their eight (8) best doubles events.
How it works in Middle StatesThe combined rankings will begin January 1, 2008 and is retroactive to January 1, 2007. A combined ranking table which is unofficial has been published to the internet at this time. Doubles at the national level will be counted with the same one tournament limitation out of four tournaments that is currently in place for singles. The combined rankings is structured so that 100% of the top 4 singles events are counted and 15 percent of the top four doubles events are counted and the point totals are combined.
Player X (a player with better singles results) Best eight (8) singles tournaments = 1500 points Best eight (8) doubles tournaments = 1200 points 15% of 1200 = 180 points 1500 + 180 = 1680 total combined ranking points
Player Y (a player with better doubles results) Best eight (8) singles tournaments = 1200 points Best eight (8) doubles tournaments = 1500 points 15% of 1500 = 225 points 1200 + 225 = 1425 total combined ranking points
Singles Out Chart
Junior Competition
How they stack up: The impact of the change
Lindsay Balsamo
Juniors: Keep an eye for
the Junior Guidebook. Hitting
mailboxes in early 2008
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Every sports lover recognizes the rivalry between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox, The Ohio State University
and Michigan University, and of the significance of Tobacco Road. A rivalry of the same magnitude is beginning to brew in USTA Middle States (USTA MS), but its roots grow deeper than what you may see on the surface.
USTA’s Tennis On Campus (TOC) program has been in existence in USTA MS for four years. Each year the program has grown exponentially, yet in our section the same few teams seem to dominate. Pennsylvania State University (PSU) and Villanova University have been in heated competition the last three section championships.
At the 2006 and 2007 USTA Campus Championships – Middle States, PSU and Villanova met in the semifinals. In both matches, PSU came out on top…barely. The exciting, emotional matches both went to overtime and finished in a super tiebreaker, with PSU winning 24-23 both years. In 2005, Villanova had the last word, defeating PSU in the finals.
With PSU and Villanova finishing No. 1 and No. 2 respectively, at this year’s Campus Championship, both teams received an automatic bid to the 2008 USTA Tennis On Campus National Championship with the chance at claiming ultimate bragging rights – a national title.
While the rivalry is strong between the two teams, there’s an additional rivalry that few may know
about, but this one is a bit friendlier.
“I’m very loyal to ‘Nova, but regardless of the competitiveness between the schools, Lauren and I are still friends, we always will be,” Priya Narahari said.
Narahari, 20, a junior at Villanova, is the No. 1 singles player for Villanova’s TOC team. A native of Johnstown, Pa., she is a friend and rival of PSU’s No. 1 singles player Lauren Subosits, 19, of Peters Township, Pa.
The two girls grew up about an hour apart, playing competitive tennis by the time they were nine.
“We met at one of the first tournaments we played in,” Narahari said. “We kept seeing each other at tournaments and training camps, and we eventually became friends.”
“We were always [matched up] against each other, and instead of hating one another, we became friends,” Subosits said. “I think it was a fun experience for both of us.”
Both girls continued playing USTA sanctioned tournaments, finding themselves at the top of the USTA MS Allegheny Mountain District rankings year after year. They continued their success into high school.
“It’s funny, you know how girls are, friendships aren’t easily formed, especially when you’re continuously competing against each other,” Narahari said. “Lauren and I have competed against each other a lot, but we’ve never seemed to get mean about it, we’ve always stayed friends.”
While both girls affirm that they are friends off of the
court, they do agree on one thing…on the court the atmosphere changes.
“We’re friends before the match, but during the match we just focus on our own games,” Narahari said.”
“As soon as we walk onto the court it’s absolutely business,” Subosits said. “But we are very conservative, friendly players on the court. We are both honest with each other, and we always trust each other’s line calls.”
After successful high school careers and numerous scholarship offers, both chose to focus on their education, opting not to play varsity tennis. Narahari, who is one year older than Subosits, chose to attend Villanova where she is studying chemistry. Subosits chose PSU. She is an elementary education major.
While they chose not to play varsity tennis, both Narahari and Subosits knew they needed something to satisfy their competitive nature. Coincidently, both girls joined their school’s respective TOC teams, and once again, their paths crossed.
Narahari found out about TOC at the beginning of her freshman year. She attended an informative team meeting and was hooked.
“It seemed like it would be a lot of fun, and they stressed that it was competitive but also social,” Narhari said. “I was so used to competitive tennis,
Continued on next page
B E T T E R R I V A L SFriends remain competitive as their teams square-offBy Carrie Rupp
College Tennis
Priya Narahari
Lauren Subosits
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With approximately 450 Tennis On Campus programs nationwide, USTA Middle States held it’s 4th Annual
Campus Championship – Middle States with its largest draw ever. The tournament, held at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa., boasted 20 teams from 13 unique schools. Participating in this year’s tournament were: University of Delaware (UD), Drexel University, Lehigh University, College of New Jersey (TCNJ), Pennsylvania State University (PSU), University of Pennsylvania (UPenn), Rutgers University, Shippensburg University, Temple University, Villanova University and tournament newcomers University of Pittsburgh, Slippery Rock University and West Chester University.
This tournament marked the first time all six USTA Middle States districts were represented at the section tournament. In addition to the 13 school that participated, USTA MS has six other schools on board and is working with numerous other universities and colleges in the section to create more programs.
Tennis On Campus in Middle States growing strong
Story continued:but really it’s been a great balance and a perfect fit.”
While Narahari found out about the program on her own, Subosits was introduced to TOC after her cousin, who also attends PSU, introduced her to a friend that was already on the PSU Club Tennis team.
“I love club tennis,” Subosits said. “It’s exactly the experience I was looking for. It’s the right amount of competition and fun. My teammates and I are very studious, but we still need that outlet, and TOC provides that.”
It didn’t take long for the girls to reunite on the court. At the 2006 Campus Championship the two teams met in the semifinals. Narahari and Subosits dueled in the girls’ No. 1 singles, with Narahari notching the win, a 6-4 decision. But in dramatic fashion the match came down to the last court – the mixed doubles – where Subosits and Narahari squared off again.
“There was so much emotion in the match, and I was just a freshman and new to the whole experience,” Subosits said. “When we won I just cried because I was so happy to not only win the match, but to send my team to the finals. My whole team still jokes about it every time we play ‘Nova.”
While the two were able to battle last season, unfortunately this season the two didn’t get a chance to meet on the court. A few weeks before the Campus Championship, Subosits hurt her ankle. Luckily for her, her team was still able to take home the title. Her ankle will have plenty of time to heal before the national championship, where the girls and their teams may have another chance to compete against each other.
And whatever the outcome, both are just happy to be playing.
“Throughout all of the years, winning or losing against Priya really doesn’t matter, we’re both just out there having fun,” Subosits said. “We really are at the same ability level, and it’s just who is ‘on’ that day. We’re both winners.” •
College Tennis
It was the Nittany Lions coming out on top this year, winning their second consecutive section championship. With the win, PSU earned an automatic bid to the 2008 National Campus Championship at Cary Tennis Park in Cary, N.C., in April.
The winning team included: Captain Jackie Davidson, Lauren Subosits, Allison Altdoerffer, Charlotte Newell, Becky Kovel, Steve Eaglen, Travis Weidman, Diego Rodriguez and Mark Amengual.
PSU fielded a second team, PSU-White, which finished second. But because the National Campus Championship fields a 64 unique team draw, third place Villanova received the second automatic bid. Rounding out the top five were UPenn and UD – Blue respectively.
Joining PSU and Villanova at the National Championship will be UD who punched their ticket by finishing second during the regular season.
For full tournament results and team photos, please visit: middlestates.usta.com.
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Professional Tennis
Ashley Harkleroad of Ringgold, Ga. defeated Olga Pouchkova of Moscow, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, to win the singles title of
the 2007 PNC International Tennis Classic at Club4Life in Monroeville, Pa.
In doubles, Stephanie Dubois of Montreal and Alisa Kleybanova of Moscow successfully defended the title they won in 2006 with a super tiebreaker victory over Raquel Kops-Jones of Fresno, Calif. and Abigail Spears of Valley Center, Calif., 6-4, 4-6, 10-6.
Both singles finalists had difficult roads to the championship match as this USTA Pro Circuit tournament was marked by close, tense three-set matches throughout the championship week.
Harkleroad, 22, now ranked No. 63 in the world, needed nearly three hours to defeat qualifier Jelena Pandzic of Croatia, 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 in the semifinals, while Pouchkova, 20, also was extended in defeating Dubois, 6-2, 5-7, 6-4. Pandzic had won six matches in six days, including a 6-4, 7-6 quarter-final victory over the No. 2 seed and 2005 PNC champion Lilia Osterloh of Columbus, Ohio.
Harkleroad, first played in the PNC in 2002 when she lost to then 15-year-old Maria Sharapova in the semifinals. Pouchkova, 20, and ranked No. 83 in the world was playing in her first PNC final.
Alexandra Mueller, 19, of Abington, Pa. was awarded a wildcard by the USTA into the tournament’s main draw and she defeated Mashona Washington, Houston, Tex., 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, in the first round, but then fell to Jill Craybas, 21, of Huntington Beach, Calif., 7-6, (2), 6-4.
Advantage Pittsburgh
Harkleroad ended 2007 “in style” winning her last two singles events
Alisa Kleybanova and Stephanie DuBois with PNC International ball kids
Harkleroad Wins PNC International Singles Crown By Tom Benic, AMD Contributor
Alison Riske, 17, of McMurray, Pa. was awarded a local wildcard into the main draw and lost in the first round to No. 1 seed Olgo Govortsova, ranked No. 50 in the world, 6-2, 6-2. Govortsova then retired due to injury in her second-round singles match with Dubois.
In doubles, Riske teamed with Brooklyn, N.Y. teen Gail Brodsky and they reached the second round before falling 6-0, 6-3 to Craybas and Sunitha Rao, a New Jersey native whose father is from India.
The tournament included numerous young professionals but also several tour veterans hoping to get once-promising careers back on track. Alexandra Stevenson of San Diego, a Wimbledon semifinalist in 1999 and once ranked No. 18 in the world, won three matches in the Qualifier to reach the tournament’s main draw but lost to Craybas in the first round, 6-4, 6-0.
Pittsburgh tennis fans didn’t have to travel far to see some of the best up-and-coming women tennis players in the world compete for $75,000 in prize money and a chance to earn a wild card for a qualifying tournament to compete in the Australian Open.
The PNC, in its 8th year, is perhaps best known as Maria Sharapova’s breakthrough tournament.
Sharapova was a qualifier in 2002 when she won seven matches in seven days to reach her first professional main draw final, before bowing to Marie Elena Camerin of Italy. Fifteen months later Sharapova won Wimbledon. Samantha Stosur, who won the 2005 U.S. Open doubles title with Lisa Raymond, reached the PNC International doubles final in 2004. Fifteen of the current top 50 players in the world have played Pittsburgh.
A silent auction was held to benefit the Tennis Patrons Foundation of Greater Pittsburgh, which is dedicated to supporting tennis programs for inner city youth. Proceeds for the auction will also benefit the Tim and Tom Gullikson Foundation, supporting brain cancer research.
Primary sponsors for the tournament included PNC, Cronimet, Whit Productions, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, UPMC Sports Medicine, Club4Life, USTA Middle States and USTA MS Allegheny Mountain District and the Pittsburgh tennis web site Tennis in the Burgh
For everything PNC International check out www.amd.usta.com.
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By Nathaniel Harrison
It isn’t uncommon to see a member of the Meyer Family at a tennis event in Middle States. The game of tennis certainly has brought the
family together and apart as they may be scattered across the section any given weekend at various events. However, what you may not know is what they will be doing once they’re there.
For nearly a decade, the men of the Meyer family from Bernville, Pa., have been around USTA MS tennis either as a player or as an official. It all started when Glen Meyer, a self-proclaimed lousy recreational player, took the suggestion of wife, Diane, to become an official in order to stay close to the game and to get out of the house. So Glen, took the courses and completed the training to become a USTA official.
“I really enjoy the game and being around the players and coaches,” said Glen. “Plus it’s the best seat in the house.”
He has worked his way up the ladder from district and section level events to officiating national tournaments at the famed Merion Cricket Club and has called lines at pro events including the Advanta Championships and World TeamTennis’ Philadelphia Freedoms. “I take great pride in maintaining the integrity of the game,” said Glen. “I feel there is a level of respect between the player and myself, when I’m out there.”
Just as Diane got Glen into officiating, she was certainly the driving force in getting their children into the game. Her love of tennis was passed to their children, Katie, 20, Tommy, 18 and Michael, 16, who found their passion for tennis at a young age through the Rallyball program. It soon became evident that the sport was growing on her two boys. As they grew, so did their games. They each worked their way into the top of the USTA MS standings and soon could be found at tournaments nearly every weekend.
Tommy, the two-time defending Berks County singles champion and a nationally-ranked junior teamed-up with brother Michael to win the Berks County doubles championship in 2007. The duo will play No. 1 and 2 singles for Conrad Weiser High School this spring. Katie also starred at Conrad Weiser playing both No. 1 and 2 singles and doubles for the Scouts through her high school years. “The best part for me as a parent has been watching the boys grow into ranked-players,” said Glen. “They both have that ‘want’ to get better.”
A key component to Tommy’s success has been his mother, who has driven him to all his lessons and tournaments for the past nine years and now drives more than 70 miles each way for training at the Arthur Ashe Youth Tennis and Education Center in Philadelphia four days a week (so he can do his homework in the car).
Her dedication has been an impetus in the boys’ development as players, however, what makes them truly unique has been a different role they now play at USTA events. Tommy and Michael have both become certified USTA officials, making them among the youngest nationally.
“I felt comfortable with officiating since my dad was already doing it,” said Michael, who passed the exam in 2006 at the age of 14 and feels as if “he pulled a fast one” for making money for doing something he enjoys. ”I love being on court watching up close when the players are battling it out.”
One year later after a more relaxed tournament playing schedule, Tommy followed his brother’s lead and passed the exam to become an official. “I hope they have the same work-ethic and morality as I do,” said the proud father. “This is something they can do to stay in the game for a long time.” Despite their youth, age has not been a hindrance for the pair except for the fact when Michael started; he wasn’t old enough to drive. Players older and younger alike have shown respect to the pair which is a testament to their abilities as umpires.
“They both have demonstrated a substantial
knowledge of tennis and have become very mature in their decisions,” said Dick Green, Chairman of Middle States Association of Tournament Officials (MSATO). “They are mature beyond their ages when it comes to officiating. They both have a very calm personality and know the rules. The next step for MSATO is to get Diane officiating matches.” Green admits he was a little apprehensive about starting someone so young, but the boys have won him over with their poise, class and proficiency.
However, it hasn’t always been easy for the boys. As a result of playing tournaments all across the section in multiple age divisions, the boys have gotten to know a number of players which may have caused problems for any young official. Not for the Meyers. “At first, they would tease me about how bad they were going to behave. But after you make the first call, they realize that you are there solely for business” said Tommy. “Coming from a player’s perspective, I know how crucial umpires are in tournaments.”
“It doesn’t matter to me who is out there,” said Michael. “My job is to enforce USTA rules and I treat them all the same (with respect).”
Respect is certainly something the Meyers have gained as USTA officials over the years. So be on the lookout for a member of the Meyer family. The odds are good that you will see at least one of them at a USTA event very soon!
The Officials Family of USTA Middle States
Bloodline Call
“I take great pride in maintaining the integrity
of the game”
Left to right: Michael, Glen and Tommy, the “officials family” of USTA Middle States
Tommy Meyer courtesy of Reading Eagle
USTA Officials
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With 2008 right around the corner, Lori Rudy, Dover, Pa., can’t deny she’s sad to see 2007 go. The year has
been one she’ll never forget. A once-in-life-time chance to play at the USTA League presented by Chrysler 3.5 National Championship was a major highlight, but it pales in comparison to another – her pregnancy with her first child.
Rudy, 41, and her husband, Paul, are set to welcome their first child, a son, on December 26.
“I’m hoping to go early, but I’m not sure that’ll happen,” Rudy said. “I don’t think it’s always fair to have to share your birthday with a holiday. But whatever happens, happens, I don’t think I have a lot of control!”
Truly, Rudy and her husband will be content with whatever day their son chooses to make his big arrival; they just feel blessed to be able to bring him into this world. “It’s been difficult; I’ve lost some pregnancies in the past,” Rudy said. “I’m happy to say this pregnancy has been a very easy one.”
One of the factors Rudy attributes to her healthy pregnancy has been her dedication to staying active and fit. Her fitness plan included USTA League tennis, cardio on the elliptical and yoga.
As a youngster, Rudy was introduced to the game of tennis by a neighbor. She and her father
BUNDLE OF LOVEBy Carrie Rupp
often played together when Rudy was in middle school and she continued to play as a teenager at Littlestown High School in Littlestown, Pa. A member of the school’s band, Rudy also practiced with her high school’s tennis team. Although, she stopped playing for almost 15 years, Rudy rekindled her relationship with the sport in 1998 when she joined a country club in York, Pa., and started taking lessons. Soon after she began playing USTA League tennis.
A league participant for nearly 10 years, this season has certainly been the most memorable.Rudy found out she was pregnant just a few weeks before her league season began. Although she was determined to play it was important to her to have the consent of her doctor.
“I was really focused on ‘is this [pregnancy] going to happen this time or not,’” Rudy said. “But once we knew everything was going to be ok, and my doctor gave me the ‘ok’ to play, I really just wanted to play as much as I could.”
Rudy, who was new to the team, didn’t tell all of her teammates right away, although teammate Ruth Roulston, USTA Middle States Board Secretary, said she had a hunch that Rudy was expecting.
“I guess it’s a mother’s intuition,” Roulston said. “She has just been glowing; the whole team is so excited for her.”
“Her attitude and her play didn’t change at all after she announced she was pregnant,” Roulston said. “She’s always been a delight. No one watched over her, no one babied her and she certainly didn’t want to be babied. She’s a competitor”
Rudy played doubles for her team, Hempfield – Fissella, going undefeated during the regular season as well as winning one of two matches with Roulston during the Central Pennsylvania District championship.
“Winning our district and going to Princeton for the Section Championship was a thrill just in itself,” Rudy said. “As we made our way through the Section Championship and we were doing well, for me personally, I didn’t even know if I would be able to go the national championship because of my pregnancy. But I just kept playing. I just wanted to help my team get there.”
Rudy played in four matches over the three day tournament, winning two of them, one with Roulston and one with teammate Cathy Shaak, USTA Middle States Tennis Service Representative.
“The neatest thing about winning the Section Championship was the competition,” Rudy said. “All of the matches were so close. Our success was a total team effort.”
With the section crown, Rudy and her teammates began to prepare for their trip to Sin City, also known as Las Vegas, the host of the 3.5 National Championship.
Rudy says she was feeling good leading up to the championship, hitting the court four to five times a week. She and her husband decided to make the trip to Las Vegas with her team.
Continued on page 32
Lori Rudy poses with her doubles partner Ruth Roulston at the National Championships
Lori Rudy and her husband Paul.
USTA League
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The National Championship season is officially finished and numerous USTA Middle States teams finished at or near
the top of their respective divisions, including a team from Cherry Hill, N.J., and a team from Sea Colony, Del., who took home top honors.
The women from Cherry Hill, Love 50, competed in the women’s 4.0 Senior division. They defeated a team from Sacramento, Calif., 2-1 in the championship match. Earlier in the day, they defeated a team from Flagstaff, Ariz., 2-1 in the semifinals. Love 50 reached the semifinals by placing first in its flight, defeating teams from USTA Midwest, USTA Missouri Valley and USTA Caribbean.
Love 50’s roster includes: Captain Judy Paul, Kennie Smith, Theresa Baxter, Peggy Sears, Sue Minoff, Kathy Thursto, Donna Spielberger, Barbara Rusignuolo, Barbara Jacobs, Kathy Thurston, Mary Lynn Jewett and Jayne Rhynard.
The men from Sea Colony competed at the Open Invitational in Las Vegas in September. Captained by Dave Marshall, the team defeated USTA Midwest 2-1 in the finals. Sea Colony started the tourney with a 3-1 record, tying USTA Southern for the top spot in their respective flight. With only 88 games lost, to USTA Southern’s 106
National Champions!Two USTA Middle States teams bring home titles
games lost, USTA MS secured its place in the finals versus a USTA Mid West team that had finished 4-0 in its flight.
Sea Colony’s roster includes: Captain Dave Marshall, Graydon D. Oliver, Sebastian Faulk, Mike Duquette, Andrew Myer, David McPherson, Bryan Knepper, W. Russell. Ramsey, Matthew Cloer, Davidson Kozlowski, Brint Morrow, Jonas E. Jarvholm, Baskar Anwalt, Alexander Golub, Vijaya K. Kannan, Ellis Ferreira, Ryan Valentime, Gavin P. O’Connell, Craig Rubin, Kris Nonnenmacher, Wayne Odesnik, K.K. Crenshaw, Shannon Buck, Craig Rubin and Peter Taylor.
In addition to Cherry Hill and Sea Colony’s success, USTA MS had eight additional teams finish in the top four. A men’s 5.5 Open Invitational team from Sea Colony reached the semifinals of their tournament as did a men’s 4.5 Adult team from Cherry Hill, who placed third.
The section’s success continued into November at the National Eastern Mixed Doubles Championships where six of the seven competing teams finished in the top four. •
For team rosters and full results, please visit middlestates.usta.com.
If you didn’t think USTA League tennis was enough team tennis for you, then you haven’t tried Tri-Level. The league is
competitive, recreational tennis without all the rules!
How it worksThree levels of players are all on the same team. Same level teams play against one another. A team match consists of three doubles matches played at three different levels. For example, a team with one 3.0 doubles pair, one 3.5 doubles pair and one 4.0 doubles pair = a Tri-level team.
Flexible, Flexible, FlexibleTri-Level League is designed to be adaptive to the individual needs of each facility and city. Playing levels and format can be tailor-made to deliver a quality program for any community. The Tri-Level League also targets smaller cities and facilities specifically, in order to provide the player with an organized, fun and competitive program.
Leagues opportunities are currently available in the Philadelphia Area Tennis District (PATD) as well as the Central Penn District (CPD). Two leagues in PATD have proved to be successful this winter with nearly 100 players participating.
Advancement opportunities can take you to Southern California in March for the Pacific Life Open Tri-Level National Invitational where section champions get the opportunity to play on the same courts as the stars of the ATP at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
So grab five of your tennis friends and join in on the fun. Can’t find a league in your area? Get one started today! Coordinators wanted.
For more information, e-mail Sally Baird at [email protected].
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Prep Stars Shine at StatesIt was nearly a clean sweep for the WPIAL at the PIAA girls’ tennis championships.
The WPIAL won three of the four titles at the Hershey Racquet Club, taking both doubles championships and one singles title. Since the PIAA went to two classifications in 1998, this was only the second time the WPIAL won three titles.
Shady Side Academy senior Lauren Greco won the Class AAA singles championship by defeating Landisville Hempfield Area’s Lauren Hankle, 6-3, 6-4. It was the fifth year in a row a girl from the WPIAL won the title.
For the tournament, Greco lost only one set in four matches.
Shady Side-Academy also won the PIAA Class AAA team title for the first time, shutting out each of itd opponents 5-0, including Hempfield Area in the finals.
In Class AAA doubles, Peters Township sophomore Julie Stroyne and senior Emily Palko won the championship with a 6-3, 6-2 victory against North Allegheny’s Kelly Whelan and Jen Larimore. Stroyne and Palko did not lose a set in the tournament.
In Class AA doubles, sisters Karli Timko, a junior, and Tanya Timko, a freshman, of Chartiers-Houston won the title with a 6-2, 7-5 victory against Mercyhurst Prep’s Rececca Haener and Griffin Currie. The Timkos also didn’t lose a set in the tournament and became the first team from the WPIAL to win a PIAA Class AA doubles crown.
The WPIAL came close to a fourth title, but Quaker Valley senior Cate Stewart lost in the Class AA singles final to Wyomissing’s Martha Blakely, 6-0, 6-1.
For complete draws and more check out www. piaa.org.
Allegheny Mountain District
Juniors Blossoming in Western PA Two-thousand-and-seven was a very good year for the 1,000 junior tennis players in Allegheny Mountain. The district not only saw a record number of its juniors enter USTA-sanctioned tournaments, but also saw its participants excel at both section and national events. Alison Riske of Peters Township earned a No. 1 national ranking in Girls 18’s this fall, while six other AMD players ranked No. 1 in the section standings in Girls 18’s (Lauren
Greco), Girls 14’s (Ronit Yurovsky), Boys 18’s (Casey Watt), Boys 16’s (Chris Mengel), Boys 14’s (Bjorn Fratangelo) and Boys 12’s (A.J. Catanzariti). A remarkable achievement indeed.
Watt, Yurovsky Win USTA National Opens
Casey Watt, 17, of Gibsonia, Pa., and Ronit Yurovsky, 13, of New Kensington, Pa., both won National Open titles in November. Watt captured gold at a USTA National Open in Toledo, Ohio, showcasing the game which made him one the nation’s top college prospects. The Notre Dame University signee was the tournament’s top seed and did not disappoint, winning seven consecutive matches en route to the championship. Watt, who is ranked No. 1 in Middle States and No. 9 nationally bounced the No. 2 seed Drew Courtney of Clifton, Va., 4-6; 7-6; 6-2 in the final.
Ronit Yurovsky won two separate Level 4 Section Championships this year in two different age division’s Girls 14’s and 16’s. Although, she may have saved her best for last, winning the Cincinnati Open, a Level 3 Girls 14’s National Championship. Yurovsky never dropped a set in winning the 32-draw event, including a 6-4, 6-2 win over the No. 1 seed Kasey Gardiner in the finals.
Also, Chris Mengel placed second in the Boys’ 16 National Open in Grand Blanc, Mich. The 15-year-old from Pittsburgh won four matches before losing to top seed Augie Bloom, 7-6 (5); 7-5 in the finals. Mengel also played doubles with Arren Carter advancing to the semifinals before falling to the top-seeded duo which included Bloom, 9-8(8).
Lauren Greco, PIAA singles champ and No. 1-ranked MS junior
PIAA doubles champions: Julie Stroyne and Emily Palko with Tanya and Karli Timko.
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AMD embraces PNC ClassicLocal wildcards do wellThe 2007 PNC International Tennis Classic not only showcased world-class women tennis professionals Nov. 4-11 at Club4Life in Monroeville, Pa. but it also was a stage for top local amateur players and a large number of dedicated volunteers.
The AMD board of directors was fully involved in this year’s $75,000-purse USTA Pro Circuits tournament. The board helped negotiate the new tournament site, served as coordinators for events such as High School Night, publicized the tournament, participated in the Pro-Am event, and contributed financially.
Bob Ruzanic, president of the Tenis Patrons Foundation of Greater Pittsburgh, took on the all-important role of Tournament Promoter. Berry Campagna and Rochelle Seilhamer served as co-Tournament Directors. Bette Salmon, who guided the tournament for its first seven years, served as advisor to the tournament committee. Jim Block was the organizer of High School Night which brought players from six area teams to Club4Life for a first-hand look at some tennis’ rising stars. Participating schools included Gateway, Hampton, Penn Hills, Penn-Trafford, Southmoreland and Woodland Hills.
The district board also hosted during the week Middle States President Malcolm Riley and Executive Director Marlynn Orlando, Pro Circuit Director and Pittsburgh native Brian Earley, and Andrew Baechle, Allegheny County Parks Director.
The tournament drew another strong field of professionals, including Olga Govortsova, 19, of Belarus, ranked No. 50 in the world, and six others ranked in the top 100. After a week of great tennis the singles championship was won by Ashley Harkleroad of Ringgold, Ga., who defeated Olga Pouchkova of Moscow, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 in the final.
Stephanie Dubois of Montreal and Alisa Kleybanova of Moscow successfully defended the doubles title they won in 2006 with a super tiebreaker victory over Raquel Kops-Jones of Fresno, Calif. and Abigail Spears of Valley Center, Calif., 6-4, 4-6, 10-6.
Among the fans attending the tournament were 20 youngsters from the AMD’s Competitive Training Center, who made the tournament a part of their training weekend. They also got to meet with Harkleroad before her semifinal match.
Six local amateurs were awarded wildcard entry into the tournament by the tournament promoter and demonstrated their abilities earlier in the tournament week.
• Alison Riske, 17, of McMurray, who is ranked No. 1 in the nation in Girls’ 18, drew Govortsova for her very first match in the main draw. She played credibly but lost 6-2, 6-2. Then Riske teamed with Gail Brodsky, a teen pro from Brooklyn, N.Y. and they defeated Maret Ani of Estonia and Andreja Klepac of Slovenia in doubles when Ani had to retire with an injury. They then lost to Jill Craybas, Huntington Beach, Calif. and Sunitha Rao of India, 6-0, 6-3.
• Kristy Borza, No. 1 singles player at the University of Pittsburgh, won her first qualifying match over Mami Inoue of Bradenton, Fla., 7-6(2), 4-6, 6-4 then lost to Petra Martic, Croatia 6-0, 6-2. In doubles, Borza teamed up with Russian teen Maria Mokh and took the opening set from the team of Govortsova and Poutchkova, before bowing.
• Jessica Johnson Guyaux of Sewickley and Kellie Schmitt of Bethel Park scored a major upset in doubles by defeating Govortsova and Poutchkova in a super tiebreaker in the main draw, then lost in the quarterfinals to Harkleroad and Christina Fusano of Plymouth, Calif.
• Lauren Greco of Oakmont, who won the Class AAA PIAA high school state championship the day before, played credibly in a Qualifying match with veteran pro Kelly Liggan of Ireland, losing 6-4, 6-3.
• Jackie Hughes of McKeesport, AMD’s top-ranked adult, lost to the Qualifier’s 3rd seed, Anna Tatishvili of the Republic of Georgia, 6-1, 6-0.
Photo 1: Pitt standout Kristy Borza showcased her big time game.
Photo 2: Middle States President Malcolm Riley with TSR Andy Findlay.
Photo 3: Tournament Promoter Bob Ruzanic with Samantha DeStefano, who sang the National Anthem prior to the semifinals.
Photo 4: Jessica Johnson Guyaux and Kellie Schmitt did not disappoint the home crowd.
Photo 5: New Jersey’s own Sunitha Rao (centered) spent some time with area high school tennis players.
Photo 6: AMD Board Member Gina Levine partnered with rising teen star Gail Brodsky in the Pro Am.
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Come Together…Right Now
Tennis players from Altoona, Hollidaysburg, State College, Indiana, Roaring Spring and the Lock Haven area came together in support of a benefit tournament for 15-year-old All ison Schmitt who was recently diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Through the efforts of Eric Hovan, Altoona High School tennis coach, a one-day doubles round robin event was held on October 14.
The event was held at ProCare Health and Fitness, The Summit Tennis and Athletic Club, the Leopold Recreation Center, and the Herb Faris Tennis Courts at Mansion Park. The adult competition was held in the morning, and the juniors played in the afternoon. The tournament included men’s, women’s, mixed and parent-child events as well as several different levels of junior events. Each group played a total of eight games and their scores were calculated at the end to determine a winner.
Prizes were donated by area businesses and included gifts from Sheetz, Olive Garden, Dick’s Sporting Goods and discounts to other area restaurants. A raffle was also held to give away free memberships at the Summit and ProCare, as well as tickets to a Pittsburgh Penguins professional ice hockey game. In all, $7,000 was raised by this one-day event to help Allison, who is currently undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatments at a hospital in Pittsburgh.
Not only did the people in the community come together, but the participating clubs, who often compete against each other for business, worked together. This was a positive example of what can happen when tennis communities unite and players look beyond the boundaries of their own clubs in order to aide a greater cause.
Tennis Silver
The USTA Middle States 14-and-under Intermediate tennis team from
Mechanicsburg, Pa., brought home the silver medal from the 2007 USTA Jr. Team Tennis National Championship held Oct. 12-14 in Tucson, Ariz. The “Spirits,” coached by Jackie Evangelista, consisted of Amelia Capuano, Christine Evangelista, Andrew and Alec Grossman, William Harvey and Jenna Laubach. The team finished second out of 17 teams from across the United States and Puerto Rico.
“Placing second to me was as sweet as winning the event,” Coach Jackie Evangelista said. “By the time of the finals, I was coasting on pure joy. It was a proud moment indeed.”
However, the team’s road to the finals was not without some rough patches. Nine weeks prior to the national event, Alec Grossman tore a tendon in his hip and had to rely on crutches. Everyone counted the weeks of recovery and rehab as dictated by his doctor. Happily, Alec was able to return to the courts just two weeks before the trip.
Christine, Amelia, and Jenna also play on their high school tennis teams, and all advanced to their respective district playoffs. Unfortunately, the playoffs conflicted with the Tucson championship. It was tough decision for players, coaches and parents, but in the end, a once-in-a-lifetime trip to the Jr. Team Tennis National Championship could not be passed up. All three girls vowed they will concentrate on their high school tennis careers next year.
Luckily, coach Evangelista had her lucky penny tucked safely in her shoe, and once in Tucson, her players rolled through their flight and semifinal-round. They won a flight high 223 games including an individual record of 17-3, garnering a winning percentage of 67.17 percent. In the finals, however, against a strong team from Alpharetta, Ga. (USTA Southern), the team came up just short, losing by only seven points. “The team played very well together and did a great job of playing tough,” Evangelista said. “The Southern team just played a bit tougher.”
Still, their second place finish was the highest finish ever for a USTA Middle States team. Evangelista summed it all up saying, “It was a great experience for the kids and parents. The group was a dream to work with, and I received support from all the parents in every aspect of the process. The team was excited and proud to represent USTA Middle States and the Central Pennsylvania (CPD) District.”
Hempfield Area Courts receive USTA funding
The USTA recently announced that the Hempfield Area Courts in Landisville, Pa., a part of the Hempfield Area Recreation Commission (HARC) was awarded a 2007 USTA Public Facility Funding Grant
in conjunction with the Tennis in the Parks Initiative. HARC is one of 21 organizations receiving aid at this time.
The USTA has partnered with the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) for the third consecutive year to award the grants which will be used to support public parks tennis facility enhancements, renovations and new construction projects to provide more and enhanced tennis venues for increased playing opportunities. Thus far more than $900,000 has been awarded through the program.
“We had a stadium court that was unusable and had been for more than 10 years. As a local recreation facility we were committed to upgrading this court,” said Wilson Pipkin, Director of Racquet Sports, HARC. “Upon completion of the project we will have six indoor and 10 outdoor lighted courts.”
With the addition of the courts, Pipkin and HARC hope to increase the participation of their existing programs as well as implement new events.
To see more photos and to read more about HARC and USTA’s Public Facility Funding Grants, please vist: middlestates.usta.com
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Three teams from the Delaware area competed at the World TeamTennis Rec League National Finals at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, in Indian Wells, Calif, on Nov. 2-4. The event was hosted by tennis legend Billie Jean King.
A record 51 teams from 16 states, Canada and Puerto Rico competed in 10 divisions at the event. This was the largest field in the event’s 13-year history. Three of the 51 teams were from the Delaware District.
It was the First State Racquet team’s first visit to the national championship. The team, captained by Alison Moran and Taya Dianna, included Cindy Weick, Jorge Jenkins, Milos Markis and Bert Heilman. The team, which competed in the 3.0 division said competition was fierce, but friendly. It was truly the team effort in every match and practice that enabled the team to finish strong.
“We also want to thank Jim Flesch for instructing us in the weeks before the trip,” said the captains, adding that the team adopted the mantra of “What Would Jim Say?” to keep them motivated and focused.
The team was especially proud of team member Milos Markis who went undefeated at the tournament.
Another Delaware team, captained by Rebecca DePorte, also competed at the 3.0 level. Other members included Moira McGuinness, Tara Andrews, Ian Hunt, Satish Shanmugam and Ramesh Kasina.
Six teams competed in the 3.0 division, with a team from Puerto Rico claiming first place, followed closely by a team from Oklahoma. First State Racquet and Team DePorte battled for third, with Moran and Dianna’s team coming out on top.
The third area team competing at Nationals was Subba Kumpatia’s 3.5 level team – Big Shots. Team members competing at the tournament included Avinash Sreenivasan, Kim Ziegler, Amparo Lyons, Cindy Beach and Bianca Skilling.
All three teams competed in events hosted by Delaware World TeamTennis Recreational League, which is coordinated by Moran and Dianna.
“I think a lot of people are realizing that the WTT league is a great way to continue playing tennis between the end of the USTA summer league and the start of the USTA mixed doubles league,” says Dianna.
Moran added that they receive numerous comments from league participants about the fun yet competitive spirit of World TeamTennis.
For more information about the local WTT Recreational League, go to delawarewtt.com or email [email protected].
Upholding a family tradition
During the week of August 20, Lee and Ashlee Vosters played in the Mother-Daughter Tournament at the Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, R.I. They had a wonderful time at this tournament which Ashlee’s
grandmother Bunny Vosters won for 24 years with her daughters Nina and Gretchen.
Here is the experience in Lee’s own words:We got back late Saturday night after a grueling week in Newport and a very long drive home. We played a match on the Hall of Fame center court, with a band playing, tons of spectators and people having lunch on the veranda of the casino.
It was way too cool, and to top it off we won our match against a team from Oregon. Ashlee played awesome tennis. The mother was a pro and the daughter used to play for University of Southern California.
We lost the semifinals in three sets to the eventual winners. The mother used to be Yana Novatna’s doubles partner. The daughter played national juniors and plays Division I for Boston College. We would like a rematch.
We played the No. 1 seeds for third and fourth place. The daughter is Liz Kobak and was ranked No. 1 nationally in juniors. She won super nationals & has played pro tournaments. The mother is a psychiatrist in N.Y. We pulled it out in three sets as Ash was determined to get the bronze ball. During that last match, Courier, McEnroe, Cash, & Kraijek played on the next court, which made concentration a little hard in the second set.
All in all it was a tremendous experience on many levels. We played Division I athletes in all our matches and the mothers more than held their own. The setting was beautiful and unique; the museum was a wonderful journey through tennis history.
First State Racquets on center court at Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Front L to R: Jorge Jenkins, Captain Alison Moran, Cindy Weick; Back L to R: Assistant David Weick, Milos Markis, Bert Heilman, Captain Taya Dianna
TheVosters,LeeandAshlee,proudlyshowingtheirthirdplaceawards.
Three Delaware teams go to WTT National Finals
For us mothers it is a matter of our minds, bodies and reflexes coordinating as our hearts are often bigger than our ability to facilitate the desire to win. We are keenly aware of what target practice is all about now. My husband noticed several bruises on my torso, which attests to the abuse we sometimes took from these tough opponents but is a testament to our own determination. It was a great opportunity for us to share the courts, competition and energy of our daughters in a sport we hope to play for a lifetime.
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“ Smashing Success”
Northwood Racquet aides the fight against cancer
Northwood Racquet and Fitness Club raised more than $2,000 at its 2nd Annual Smash for Cancer Tennis
Tournament and Fundraiser, August 24-26. The money raised from the sale of luminaries, raffle tickets, individual donations and tournament proceeds was donated to the American Cancer Society’s (ACS) Relay For Life.
A touching highlight of the tournament was a luminary lighting ceremony held at dusk on day one. More than 100 luminary bags adorned with written messages of love lined the Northwood tennis courts. The luminaries, purchased by players and family members in memory of or in honor of those who are currently battling or have survived cancer, illuminated the dark August night. Dave Shook, Lehigh University tennis coach and tournament player, honored his wife Elaine, with 40 luminaries arranged in a heart on center court.
This tournament was first held in August 2005 as the Nancy Bouis Cancer Tournament, which honored the memory of Nancy Bouis, a friend, a long-time Eastern Pennsylvania District (EPD) tennis player and a former USTA League presented by Chrysler team captain, who lost her battle with cancer. Even as her health deteriorated, Bouis never turned down an opportunity to get on the court and play tennis. She was the inspiration behind the initial tournament and it is her courageous legacy that encouraged Northwood to turn the tournament into an annual event.
Special thanks go out to all who made this event a “Smashing Success.” Court time and memberships for the winners were donated by Northwood. Staff, friends and local businesses graciously donated raffle prizes, and tournament sponsors Starbucks and Sam’s Club donated an additional $1,000 to the ACS on behalf of the Northwood.
Maddie Smith closes stellar collegiate careerFour years ago, Maddie Smith made her mark as a freshman playing on the Philadelphia University (PU) tennis team. Smith, who starred at Liberty High School in Bethlehem, Pa., had a 13-7 record in singles play, including a trip to the 2004 New York Collegiate Athletic Conference (NYCAC) Tournament semifinals. In doubles she and her partner put together a record-setting performance, posting a school-record 18-6 mark.
Four years later, as a senior, she capped her record- setting career by capturing the doubles championship, with freshman teammate Adriana Rodriguez, as well as the singles championship at the 2007 Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Women’s Individual Tennis Tournament, Oct. 19-20. For her efforts throughout an outstanding season, CACC Commissioner Dan Mara presented Smith with the CACC Player of the Year award.
In the eight-week span of the conference season, Smith was named Player of the Week three times and once shared Co-Player of the Week recognition. Smith, who can still play matches in the abbreviated 2008 spring women’s season, leads Philadelphia University’s all-time list for career singles (67), doubles (68) and combined wins (135). She also holds the school’s single-season records for singles wins (24), and combined victories (39), both records were set in the 2006-07 season.
Smith, who played in the No. 1 spot for PU all four years, comes from a family of Eastern Pennsylvania District (EPD) tennis greats. She is the youngest daughter of Sue and Art Smith. Art is a USPTA tennis professional, high school coach and a former USTA Middle States ranked player, who played collegiate tennis at Moravian College. Mom, Sue, as well as Maddie’s siblings Carolyn and Clay, all played collegiate tennis at Moravian.
Congratulations to Maddie Smith for a record-setting collegiate career!
Two EPD athletes golden at state gamesAkshay Damany, Allentown, Pa., and Katrina A. Lynn, Berwick, Pa., brought home gold medals from the 2007 Pennsylvania Keystone State Games.
The state games, which are held annually, are modeled after the Olympic Games, and include multi-sport competition that provides amateur athletes the opportunity to compete against other athletes from across the state.
Lynn won four medals at the 2007 games, including gold in the Women’s Open Singles, gold in the Girls 16 Doubles with sister Sara Lynn, silver in the Girls 18 Singles, and bronze in the Mixed Open Doubles with partner Fred Hockenbury. In addition to her success on the court, Lynn was selected as the games’ Outstanding Tennis Athlete, an award given to a participant who exemplifies sportsmanship, positive attitude and honesty.
Damany won the 2007 Keystone State Games gold medal in Boys 14 Singles. His success didn’t end there as he was selected to compete at the State Games of America. The event, which was held at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Col., in August, is a national competition that features the medal winners from their respective State Games. Damany again won the gold in the Boys 14 Singles and took home silver in the Boys 14 Doubles with his partner Rayce Roberson from Abilene, Tex.
Congratulations to both of these players for their outstanding accomplishments.
The 2007 Men’s Open winners Matt Potts (left) and Dave Shook (right).
Eastern PA District easternpa.usta.com
Maddie SmithPhoto credit: Jason Minick, Philadelphia University
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What and who is the NJ District?Tennis enthusiasts who reside in the New Jersey District can rest assure that it is an active district committed to growing the game of tennis. As the first year of a two-year term for the current volunteer board comes to an end, let’s talk about how the district operates.
All six districts within USTA Middle States receives the majority of its funding from the section and operates within the section’s guidelines. A designated district delegate, usually the president, is automatically a member of the USTA Middle States board. Both the district and section work with, and honor the mission of, the USTA national office, of which Middle States is one of 17 sections nationwide.
Ellen Williams has a talented board of 10 to work with, a list of goals, and the satisfaction one gets from the missions already accomplished in her third year as president. There is one employee, executive secretary Millie Sams, a tireless worker for the district. As Williams explained, “Our purpose is to grow the game of tennis throughout the district. In this quest, we undertake the mission of the entire USTA.”
The district gets information out to tennis facilities and parks and recs about USTA programs and how they can benefit from them. They maintain the district Web site and recognize deserving individuals, families and clubs at the annual awards celebration. They run the USTA League presented by Chrysler NJ District championships. They support groups operating in the district, and they assist financially with USTA League teams going to nationals.
“A big part of what we do is to keep the membership informed. We as board members are ambassadors for the USTA and for tennis,” Williams said. “The USTA often changes programs and there’s enough out there to fit anybody’s schedule.”
Williams is proud that, under her tenure, NJD has become more structured and organized. During her first term, new policies and job descriptions were put in place for future NJD leaders. In the past year, NJD has grown Jr. TeamTennis, completed a Girl Scout initiative, and started new senior leagues. The district is still looking to increase the number of leagues and programs and step up fundraising efforts.
The board members each have a major role and contribute to the overall success of the district. In addition, Lori Schwartz, the Tennis Service Representative employed by the section but responsible for the NJD, is out in the trenches growing programs and working closely with the NJD board as a voting member.
Schwartz trains Physical Education teachers on how to teach tennis in their gym classes and start after-school tennis programs. She works with facilities helping them organize staff programs. She works with high school coaches to get middle school tennis pathways into high school tennis. She’s seeing a lot of results from her efforts to grow Jr. TeamTennis and start after-school Rallyball programs. And she helped start a successful women’s tri-level shore league this year. Every day is different for Schwartz, who says there’s not enough time in the day to do everything she wants to do.
“Schools and school districts are a big focus for me,” said Schwartz. “And the programs I help with don’t have to be USTA programs. We just want people out there playing.”
What Williams would like people to know about NJD is that it is not a closed club.
“As members of the organization, they should become more involved on a volunteer basis. We are here to serve them, and it’s the membership funds that keep us in operation.”
Please visit the NJD Web site newjersey.usta.com, for the full listing of NJD Board members. For questions, comments, or to get involved, contact Millie Sams at [email protected] or 609-877-9215.
New Jersey District newjersey.usta.com
Laurie Bouch
Laurie Bouch and Arrowhead Tennis Club, Perfect TogetherYou might know Laurie Bouch from the 12 years she spent on the staff of USTA Middle States as the liaison between the New Jersey District and Middle States, or from her years playing on The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) tennis team. In the past couple years, you may know her because she taught tennis at RiverWinds, was an assistant high school tennis coach, and was the area sales rep for Balle de Match clothing. Or maybe you know her as the person who started a Community Tennis Association in her south Jersey hometown.
From now on, you will know Bouch as the General Manager of the seven-court Arrowhead Tennis Club in Medford, N.J. The club, which has undergone a few management and name changes in past decades, was just purchased by Mandalap Enterprises in October, and has gone back to the original name. Bouch is excited about the potential for the club and in using her past experiences for what she calls a very exciting time in her career.
Because people were beginning to think that the facility was going to be sold and turned into something else, players have looked to other area clubs for tennis. The club, which is undergoing extensive renovations, will capitalize by adding creative programs, some of which are already in place and gaining popularity. People will soon learn that Arrowhead is back on the tennis map.
The four-hour Sunday high–performance program for tournament players is “amazing,” according to at least one junior parent. It’s an “academy-like” program providing a lot more than just skills and tactics. Because no more than four kids per court will be accommodated, it is limited to only 28 players and the demand is already increasing.
Check out the new Web site, arrowheadtennis.com, for details on this re-established club and more of its programs, or contact Laurie Bouch at 609-654-7848 or [email protected].
(Left to right): Tony Severino, Mike Iannone, Lori Schwartz, Carol MacLean, Mille Sams, Ellen V. Williams, Wendy Rubin, Jon Fierabend, Laurie Bouch
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Ball kid hits the big time
David Goldstein of Jenkintown, Pa., grew up watching the likes of Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi and Martina Hingis on TV. Little did he know that one-day he’d actually work with players like them. Last summer, the 16-year-old junior from
Abington Senior High School got the opportunity of a lifetime - to serve as a ball kid at the US Open. “It was incredible. It really was,” says Goldstein. “You can’t imagine a 150-mile per hour serve coming at you. It just seemed surreal.”
Goldstein, an avid tennis player himself, didn’t make it to the biggest tennis event in the nation without first having to earn his stripes. For the last several years, he worked to develop his ball kid skills with the Advanta Championships and World TeamTennis Philadelphia Freedoms. In the spring, he saw an ad on the Tennis Channel promoting try-outs for the Open. Five hundred kids competed for just seventy rookie spots. But Goldstein was determined. “My first instinct was that I had to make a good first impression,” says Goldstein. “I only got three or four minutes to show how I throw the ball, how fast I was at the net. I had to show
them right away that I knew what I was doing.” His past experience made it obvious to tournament organizers that he knew what he was doing. Goldstein survived the first round of cuts and was asked to return to New York for a second audition. “Then it was down to about 150 kids,” recalls Goldsteini. His chances? Fifty percent. “I had to wait several weeks before I finally got the letter saying I had made it. I packed my bags and stayed with a relative in Manhattan.”
As a rookie, Goldstein started out on the smaller side courts. He worked a doubles match for Martina Hingis and Daniela Hantuchova. Later, he worked matches with rising local talent: Alex Kuznetsov of Richboro, Pa., and Madison Brengle of Dover, Del. Goldstein enjoyed hanging out in the ball kid lounge. “It’s located in the tunnel that leads to Louis Armstrong so I got to see Maria Sharapova and Roger Federer walk through the tunnel,” says Goldstein. “And I got a high five from Novak Djokovic who ended up getting to the finals,” Goldstein laughs. “It’s not big, but it was really cool at the time.” But Goldstein’s plum assignment was being invited to sit in the Center Court pit for the Nikolai Davydenko and Tommy Haas quarterfinal match. “I was courtside almost directly behind the action,” says Goldstein. “I was looking right at them. It was honestly the best seat in the house.”
Goldstein’s tennis excitement did not end in New York. One month later, the 16-year-old found himself on center court again, this time with Elton John and Billie Jean King. As a ball kid for October’s Smash Hits charity event, he had the privilege of serving Andy Roddick, Lindsay Davenport, Patrick McEnroe, John Isner and Anna Kournikova. “She’s just as pretty as I thought she would be,” says Goldstein who admitted he was a bit distracted. Anna has a way of doing that. “But I held my own. I love having the chance to watch tennis and be part of the action,” adds Goldstein. “I don’t think I’ll ever get to do this when I’m older so I want to take advantage of it now. It’s good for my heart and good for my tennis.”
David credits PATD’s Rose Weinstein for introducing him to his ball person career. Weinstein also helped him get involved with the Maccabi games and USTA tournament action. “It really means a lot to know that Rose is always there to encourage me. Without her, I do not believe my passion for tennis would be so strong,” says Goldstein.
Goldstein, now ranked No. 1 in PATD for boys 18-and-under, says his goal is to reach a top 20 ranking in USTA Middle States and play tennis in college.
And who knows? Perhaps one day he’ll have someone hand him a ball on court!
David Goldstein in action for the WTT Smash Hits. Picture by Reggie Day
PATD Bullets • PATD shines in the growing Tennis on Campus circuit. Villanova and University of Penn finished
in the top three in October’s Campus Championship event. Drexel, Temple and West Chester also fielded teams. Intramural College tennis is now the fastest growing tennis program in the country. To read more about Tennis On Campus see page 17.
• PATD salutes this year’s #1 ranked players and top servants of tennis at our Annual Awards Brunch January 13 at 11:30 a.m. at Green Valley Country Club. Meet this year’s winners on line: philadelphia.usta.com and learn how you can join in celebrating their success.
“My first instinct was that I had to make a good first impression”
Philadelphia District
David Goldstein shelters Richboro’s Alex Kuznetsov on a rainy day at the US Open
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Little Tennis
Four-year-old Will Dunlop of Chester Springs, Pa., isn’t content watching cartoons on the weekend. On Sunday afternoons he and his dad, Greg, take tennis lessons together.“It’s a good opportunity for Will and me to get together, introduce him to a new sport and
it’s good exercise on a nice afternoon,” says Greg Dunlop.
“It’s something we do so we can spend some time together,” adds Amy Koser, another Chester County parent who enrolled herself and six-year-old daughter, Tricia, in “Little Tennis” classes in Downingtown, Pa., this fall.
“Other sports have programs for pre-school children,” says Downingtown tennis instructor, Becky Desmond. “So why not have them try tennis? I started these classes so parents could know what their kids are doing and have fun with them while sharing in their success on the court.”
Downingtown’s “Little Tennis” program breaks down the game of tennis into bite-sized words and steps that even the littlest toddler can understand. Desmond uses hula hoops to teach kids court positioning. Her athletes play against an “invisible man” and she asks the kids to repeat new words and terms as they’re introduced.
“Keeping them busy and excited for 55 minutes can be a real challenge,” admits Desmond. “But frequently changing the activity makes the program successful.”
Parents like Downingtown’s Bridget Panza are amazed how quickly their children pick up the game and technique. “On the first day, they started my daughter, Emily, on the forehand and within five minutes she was doing it.”
By the third week the young tikes are hitting volleys and overhead smashes. Desmond says the real secret to her success is having the parents involved with thekids right from the start. “Having them on court with the child allows them to experience first hand what the child is learning,” says Desmond.
It’s worked well for Rob Smith and his five-year-old daughter, Madison. “Before, I was just letting her go out and hit to have fun,” says Smith. “But this way, she still has fun and learns the proper way to play so we won’t have bad habits to un-do later.” Desmond says her “Little Tennis” program not only attracts young kids to tennis. Many of the adults who come to class have never picked up a tennis racquet either. “I’ve had grandparents, aunts, uncles and even baby sitters participate at one time or another,” says Desmond. Many of her young protégés go on to participate in PATD’s junior league program. Desmond says the program is incredibly meaningful to her. “The most rewarding experience I had was when I did a high-five with a little guy and we momentarily spoke about beating the “invisible man,” remembers Desmond. “His father came up to me later and told me his little boy was autistic and that was the first time he had spoken to anyone. The father was beaming from ear to ear. I still cry with joy when I think about the moment.”
Chester Springs father, Greg Dunlop gives four year old son Will a ‘highfive’atLittleTennisclassesinDowningtown
Becky Desmond demonstrates ball and racquet control
2007 Harriton High School Girls Tennis TeamFront Row L-R: Team Captains, Jen Krain, Lucy Haller, Arielle Spencer, Sami BerkowitzBack Row L-R: Celia Tong, Coach Jack Ladden, Alicia Chen, Jennie Shulkin, Casey Robinson, Anna Matlack, Charlotte Matlack, Morgan Frechie, Ricky Reisner, Taylor Spencer, Assist. Coach Marie Occiogrosso, Caroline Sutherland.
The Sucess ContinuesThe Harriton High School Girls Tennis Team won the Pennsylvania State PIAA Team Championship for the 4th year-in-a-row. The team went undefeated this season with a 26-0 record and has a 46 game winning streak over the past two seasons.
Send Us Your StoryDo you have an interesting tennis story to tell? Send your story ideas to:
philadelphia.usta.com
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ADVERTiSEMENT
Interview with Delaware Smash player Leizel Huber!
The last few years you’ve played in Wimbledon and 24 hours later flew to Wilmington to play for the Smash. How would you describe that experience?
Thankfully it has always worked out like that! it’s been hectic and tiring but wouldn’t have it any other way!
You’ve played for three WTT teams throughout your career, how would you rate the Smash as a team, city, its fans, etc?
i feel very much at home in Delaware! it’s great seeing the same faces and playing for the best WTT team! i love the management and of course Mariaan our coach.
What are your plans for 2008?
This year has been unreal! i became an American citizen, won two grand slams and ended the year as #1 and bought a ranch where we are building a tennis center! i plan to work hard next year and hope for good health. And of course to play another season for the Smash!
What is your favorite food? TV show? Down time activities?
food - Mexican. TV show - Law and order. Down time activities - surfing the web and checking out the stock market!
Billie Jean King talks with Dr. Michael Seiden, President and CEO of Fox Chase Cancer Center, and his guests
Fasion Show models pose with Billie Jean. Models included representatives from Merion Cricket Club, Kinetix, Overbrook Country Club. Cheltenham, and the Freedoms
fashion show with Billie Jean King to Benefit fCCCThe Philadelphia Freedoms teamed up with the Fox Chase Cancer Center (FCCC) and Saks Fifth Avenue on November 28th for a cocktail event to benefit the FCCC. The evening was focused around a question and answer session with Billie Jean King and a fashion show with local tennis pros modeling outfits provided by Saks. Attendees mingled with their friends and Billie Jean, while also putting in their bids at the silent auction.
Philadelphia Freedoms and Delaware Smash Season tickets on Sale
January, 2008!
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Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, is famous for its solitude, Punxsutawney Phil and the Western Pennsylvania Laurel Festival.
However, the recent development of Tony Medvetz’s “Little Round Top” Tennis Camp, a unique pair of private tennis courts nestled on a hilltop just north of Punxsutawney promises to add tennis to the county’s sense of privacy, groundhogs and festivals.
When Medvetz first stepped onto this property, it evoked a vision of Colonel Joshua L. Chamberlain stumbling down a rocky slope of “Little Round Top” in the Battle of Gettysburg. Chamberlain’s regiment cheered as the rebels fled, all except one. Second Lieutenant Robert Wicker stood his ground and aimed his colt gun at Chamberlain’s head before firing, bringing these soldier’s face-to-face in a fierce fight that remains a vital part of American history.
This prompted Medvetz to bring weekend tennis warriors to battle on the clay, hence the name. “Little Round Top” was reborn in the Laurel Highlands of Jefferson County.
Medvetz’s day jobs are coaching Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) women’s tennis team and operating “Fast Times,” a successful screen-printing business in Indiana, Pa.
In between, Medvetz has realized his boyhood dream of merging his passion for tennis, his interest in the Civil War and a protective concern for the post Y2K era.
After acquiring more than 400 acres of rolling Pennsylvania hills and the help of many friends,
Tony has conceived, designed and built two pristine Har-Tru courts on the rustic encampment which exudes a Civil War theme. Blessed with a four-season climate, fifty of these delightful acres were given an extreme tennis makeover.
“Quite simply, the courts are named ‘North’ and ‘South’” said Medvetz, “out of respect for Generals Grant and Lee.” “For me, it’s the ultimate game to invite my friends over to play tennis, create teams and have the Yankees play the Rebels,” continued Tony.
Already, Tony has hosted many different groups at Little Round Top including mid-year clinics for the Indiana Tennis Association.
Separating the two-lighted courts is Fort Ligonier, a tamarack pagoda with a spiral staircase and a crow’s nest overlook.
As a primary residence there is “Camp Allegheny”, a rustic red pine log cabin designed after the nineteenth century. The residence is guarded by “Lookout Mountain,” a 90-foot tower accessible only by a hand-pulleyed Warsaw freight elevator and a courageous climb.
The twenty-minute ascent emerges above tall oak, maple and poplar trees offering panoramic views of 60 miles, shared only by bald eagles, hawks and wealth of other wildlife.
The trappers’ lodge or “Fort Pillow”, a majestic, spruce tennis guest quarters is connected to the “Princeton Courthouse
Restrooms” by a walkway dubbed “Goldsboro Bridge”.
Tony primarily credits the existence of “Little Round Top” to the patience and support of his wonderful wife Linda and their two children: Magdalene, 4 and Katarina, 2.
“Our camp is all about family. It’s only 30 minutes from where we live and regularly experiencing it together has made our family life lots of fun,” explained the 44 year-old coach.
A visit to “Little Round Top” is an educational experience for all ages.
“I’d like to use my camp for USTA junior clay court training weekends,” noted Tony who still possesses rifling doubles game from his IUP days. “And maybe everyone could learn a little more about our Civil War at the same time”, he noted.
Little Round TopBy Andy Findlay
Y unique C urtsThe Section’s Best Kept Secrets
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The Althea Gibson Community Education & Tennis Center in Philadelphia, Pa., is this issue’s featured Community Tennis Association. To learn more about the center and its mission, please visit: middlestates.usta.com.
Lori Rudy warms up at the 3.0 Adult National Championships in Las Vegas.
Continued from page 20
She played in three match tie-breakers at the Section tournament, and in similar fashion, she and Roulston won their first match at the National Championship 6-4, 1-6, 1-0.
“It really has been wonderful to play,” Rudy said. “I have been playing the whole time and have been adjusting my strokes as I continue to grow. My endurance is a little less, but I am playing as well as I have ever played.”
“I’ve had some opponents who were surprised, that at seven months, I was still playing,” Rudy said. “And…they were sorry to have lost to a pregnant woman!”
Rudy, Roulston and their teammates finished second in their pool. Although they were disappointed they didn’t advance to the semifinals, they knew that they had accomplished a lot by just reaching nationals.
“The experience was great, especially sharing it with all of our team members,” Roulston said. “All of our hard work paid off, and it certainly wasn’t easy getting there. We had some very stiff competition.”
Rudy agreed with Roulston. “The experience at nationals was a once-in-a-lifetime experience…but hopefully it won’t be,” Rudy said. “Assuming that everything goes smoothly, I plan to be out there next season.”
Delaware Tennis Hall of FameGreg Barkley, Harry Shur, and Mary Moore were inducted into the Delaware Tennis Hall of Fame on October 5 at Wilmington Country Club. More than 100 people turned out to celebrate with them. Guests enjoyed food and drinks and a silent auction to benefit the Delaware Tennis Foundation. The event raised more than $5,000.
Left to right: Ed McQuillin, Harry Shur, Mary Moore, Greg Barkley, and Jeff Harrison
EPD RemembersThe Eastern Pennsylvania District (EPD) suffered a great loss with the passing of Helen Zajac and Elaine Shook.
Zajac played in the U.S. Open at Forest Hills, N.Y. She was the Bethlehem City Tennis Champion for eight consecutive years and was ranked in the top 10 in USTA Middle States. As a certified tennis pro, she helped develop the games of many Lehigh Valley players.
Shook, an avid tennis player who loved the game, was honored in 2006 with the USTA Courage Award. The wife of Lehigh University tennis coach, Dave Shook, Elaine was a big supporter of her husband’s efforts to grow both varsity and recreational tennis.
Both of these women were champions and will be greatly missed.
District Central
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Middle States Happenings
Photo 1: USTA Middle States office staff celebrates Halloween.
Photo 2: U.S. Open Tournament referee and Director of USTA Pro Circuit, Brian Earley with fellow AMD native and Marshall University standout Kelli Schmitt.
Photo 3: USTA Officials Workshop (front: L to R) Lolita Clyburn and Lois Huggins (back: L to R) Steve Branch, Dick Green and Larry Mulligan-Gibbs.
Photo 4: Regional Rally- Althea Gibson Community Education and Tennis Center, Philadelphia (L to R) Valerie Chin, USTA Outreach Coordinator; Richard Meissner, Financial Manager, Kraft Foods Inc.; Emily Saunders, USTA; Bronal Harris, Executive Director, Althea Gibson Community Education and Tennis Center.1
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Check out the new photo gallery on middlestates.usta.com
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Middle States Happenings
Photo 1: (left to right) Andrew Baechle, Allegheny County Director of Parks; Rob Gregoire, co-tennis director, Club4Life; Bob Ruzanic, Tennis Service Representative; Marlynn Orlando, Executive Director USTA Middle States, Doug Brooks, Citiparks Head Tennis Professional, Jane Famili, Citiparks Tennis Programs Coordinator; Tom Benic, President, Allegheny Mountain District.
Photo 2: Everyone wanted a chance to meet local star Alison Riske at the PNC International including Club4Life tennis pro Marc Hill.
Photo 3: John Fredlein a 10-year-old tennis player from Pittsburgh, is all about showing his love for Middle States. He placed more than 40 temporary tattoos on his body.
Photo 4: Judy Levering (Mistress of Ceremonies and past USTA President), Merv Heller (past USTA President) and Jane Brown Grimes (current USTA President) at the 2007 Middle States Hall of Fame Induction Dinner and Auction.
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As the year changes, so are we. Log onto middlestates.usta.com, look for this icon, and let us know what you think about NetPlay and other Middle States programs.
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