The eleventh year of May being National “Tennis Month” was a great time for tennis with participation topping the 25 million mark for the first time since the 1990’s. This year for the first time, over 200 “Tennis Block Parties” took place across the country, with over ten thousand people in attendance.

Scalzi Park, Stamford, CT

Hosted at public parks, schools and tennis facilities, “Tennis Block Parties” featured tennis instruction by skilled teaching professionals and special guests. The “Tennis Block Parties” also included interactive games and attractions, offering the opportunity to learn and enjoy the benefits of the game. The events were free to the public, and were for people of all ages and abilities, from lifetime players to those who have never picked up a racquet.

Some “Tennis Block Parties” included two of the latest USTA youth initiatives, QuickStart Tennis and Rapid Rally. QuickStart Tennis is the recently launched play format for children ten and under and features equipment, courts and scoring tailored to the age and size of the child.

Rapid Rally is the tennis component of the USOC’s Jr. Olympic Skills Competition and is a national grassroots competition that provides kids ages 8 to 13, the opportunity to showcase their athletic abilities. Contestants in this basic tennis skills event compete against the clock to hit a low compression tennis ball against a wall as many times as possible in 30 seconds.

Please be sure to check out the photos from Block Parties from around the United States in the Tennis Month Photo Gallery. Remember it is only 364 days until the 12th year of May as National “Tennis Month” but that doesn’t mean you can’t hit the courts right now.

To see more Block Party Photos click here.

Buffalo, MINNESOTA— For most kids, the memories of going to summer school are enough to make one cringe. While all of your friends are enjoying their summer break sleeping in, you are forced to wake at the crack of dawn and go to school.

Michael Sicora

For USTA Northern junior player Michael Sicora, of Buffalo, Minn., his memories of summer school are a little different, as it literally changed his life. It was there, he took his first tennis class, and as he says now, “the rest is history.”

After taking that summer school class, Sicora thought he would sign up for a tournament “just to see how I would do.” He must have done alright as he is now ranked #1 in Boys 18s singles and doubles for the Section and has signed a letter of intent to play college tennis at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill.

Getting started in tennis later than most kids, Sicora played his first tournament at age 12, winning his first title when he claimed the Section’s Sweet 16s 12s tournament.

“I remember him coming home with that big silver cup,” his mother Kim Carlson said. “He was grinning ear to ear with such pride!”

He went on to win his first National Open title – a 12s doubles championships – that he describes as “which was great at the time.”

Since then, Sicora has been ranked #1 in every USTA Northern age group and has won close to 50 tournaments in his career. He is the two-time reigning USTA Northern Junior Section champion in both 18s singles and doubles, won the Minnesota Class AA Singles Championship as a sophomore in 2006, which was “a really big deal for me and my school,” and was named a National High School All-American in 2007.

Michael Sicora

Another big deal for Sicora happened recently when he learned he was one of four juniors nationally given the Bill Talbert Junior Sportsmanship Award by the International Tennis Hall of Fame and USTA National. Sicora will be honored during the International Tennis Hall of Fame Induction Ceremonies in Newport, R.I., in July.

“My first reaction was ‘Really, Why me?’ when I learned about the Bill Talbert Award,” Sicora said.

“I am so grateful to even be considered for the award. I owe it all to my parents as my dad was always big on no racquet throwing or swearing and always reminded me to treat my opponents with respect. My grandma always got upset when I threw my racquet, so that kept me from doing it. You never want to disappoint your Grandma.”

To see more of Michael’s video story please click here.

To see the three other Bill Talbert Junior Sportsmanship Award winners please click on the links below:

Alexa Glatch of Newport Beach, CA (Click here)

Alison Riske of McMurray, PA (Click here)

Evan M. King of Chicago, IL (Click here)

Dallas, TEXAS — The Dallas Tennis Association is a non-profit volunteer-based community tennis organization serving more than 3,000 youngsters annually.

Dallas Tennis Association

For over 30 years its mission has been to promote tennis by providing education, programs and events for everyone to enjoy tennis as a lifetime sport. Under the direction of NJTL Leader Bert Cole, the DTA aims to improve the life of families within the community.

Parents don’t simply drop off their kids; they often stay and work with them on the courts to help create a sense of ownership for the parents. The DTA also had success off the court this past summer when they partnered with the Scottish Rites Hospital and had terminally ill children rolled around the courts by their members.

This sort of responsibility is also being taught in the classrooms. Students learn leadership skills, sportsmanship, giving back to the community, and being part of a team. The DTA can proudly boast that so far, 100% of the seniors graduating from its college-preparation program each year have all attended college.

The Dallas Tennis Association was awarded the 2007 USTA National Junior Tennis League (NJTL) Chapter of the Year award along with the NJTL of Trenton, Inc. and The Rising Stars of Kentucky. The USTA recognizes chapters and programs at three different budget levels to reward those facilities that are able to do more with less.

Arthur Ashe, along with Charlie Pasarell, and Sheridan Snyder founded the NJTL in 1969. Ashe envisioned NJTL “as a way to gain and hold the attention of young people in the inner cities and their poor environments so that we can teach them about matters more important than tennis.”

Since then, NJTL has grown to over 500 chapters serving over 200,000 youth each year, making it one of the USTA’s largest community-based offerings.

To see the video about The Dallas Tennis Association please Click here.

Richfield, MINNESOTA — In 1933, 11-year-old Percy Hughes was given two gifts that have lasted him a lifetime. First, a neighborhood tennis enthusiast patiently taught him how to hit the ball over the net. And before the year was out, he found a clarinet waiting for him under the Christmas tree.

Percy playing the saxophone.

In the 75 years since, Hughes, of Richfield, Minn., has been making sweet music both on and off the tennis court, and he has been instrumental in bringing the joys of tennis to senior players around Minneapolis.

In fact, Hughes—a member of both the Minnesota Jazz and Minnesota Music Halls of Fame who has played with the likes of Duke Ellington and Count Basie and the USTA Northern Tennis Hall of Fame—is the most recent winner of the USTA’s Seniors’ Service Award recognizing excellence for service to senior tennis.

“I was never a great tennis player,” Hughes says. “But I took pride in learning the game and playing it correctly. I am extremely honored and proud to have impacted so many people and encouraged them to play.”

Hughes turned up the volume on his tennis after he retired from the Postal Service in 1982, after 28 years of delivering mail (a job he took that allowed him to keep his nights free for music).

He became a USPTA certified teaching pro well into his 60s and was the first teacher of the Twin Cities Senior Tennis Players Club, conducting weekly lessons for more than 20 years and organizing tournaments and social outings for the group.

He also writes a monthly column for Senior Tennis Times, volunteers for InnerCity Tennis in Minneapolis and was a longtime member of the USTA Northern Community Development Committee.

Enduring three hip surgeries, Hughes—a World War II veteran who was a member of the Army Ground Forces Band—is very aware of players’ limitations as they age.

Photo: Seniors’ Service Award — (L-R) Carolyn Riley, Chairman USTA Awards Committee; Percy Hughes, 2007 Seniors’ Service Award Recipient and Jane Brown Grimes, USTA President and Chairman of the Board. (Photo by Bryan Haraway)

“A lot of seniors cannot play tennis a certain way,” he says. “Sometimes you have to toss the book aside and determine what their bodies can handle.”

“Percy is a wonderful coach, mentor and volunteer with a tremendous passion for tennis,” says Marcia Bach, the USTA coordinator for park and recreation and a former executive director of USTA Northern. “You won’t find anyone with a bigger heart.”

To see the video shown at the USTA’s Annual Meeting about Percy please click here.

James McKinstry of Long Island, N.Y., is one of the many examples of medical persistence. McKinstry, who’s played at the 5.0 USTA League National Championships, is a Type 1 diabetic, and it’s something he can’t get away from, even on the court.

James McKinstry in action

He’s not alone. According to the American Diabetes Association, nearly 21 million Americans suffer from some form of diabetes, and nearly 41 million have “pre-diabetes” and are at a risk to suffer from the disease.

Getting hit with diabetes at the age of 16 set McKinstry’s promising junior tennis career back. During his early teenage years, he was in and out of doctor’s offices trying to find out what was wrong. A severe back injury playing high school basketball a year later effectively put the kibosh on his junior tennis career and forced him to take a year off after high school just to get settled physically.

But McKinstry found new life again through tennis when St. John’s University offered him a tennis scholarship. He played for the Red Storm tennis team from 1999-2001.

Being around pro athletes was commonplace for McKinstry, whose namesake father was a tight end for the New York Jets during the “Broadway Joe” Namath era in the mid-1960s. While in college, McKinstry spoke with his father and decided to give football a go, based upon wanting to try a new sport and knowing that his 6-foot, 3-inch, 220-pound frame could work on the gridiron, as well as on the tennis courts.

“He was instrumental in my tennis,” said McKinstry, whose father suffered a career-ending arm injury. “He wanted me to play a sport that I could play for a lifetime. And I am. I always looked up to my dad, and I wanted to challenge myself, so I wanted to give football a try. I’m not sure many people would think that. I was black and blue, but being close to the sport gave me an appreciation for what my dad and football players went through.”

James McKinstry

McKinstry did the two-sport thing while at St. John’s from 2000-01, playing both tennis and football. The SJU sports staff told him that he was one of approximately 10 athletes who have tried that particular two-sport combo. However, a diabetic episode after a football practice at the end of the football season during his junior year left McKinstry in a coma and pretty much finished both his college athletic careers.

McKinstry has been episode-free since his senior year of college and, now in the working world as a financial analyst for Bear Stearns, has again returned to his first love – tennis – as a release from work and as a way to keep diabetes from conquering his life.

Thanks to an extremely diligent program that can include up to five or six insulin shots a day and constant monitoring of his blood sugar, particularly on court, McKinstry has found success on it.

“It’s not been easy, but I think things would be so much worse if I was just sedentary all the time,” said McKinstry. “The thing is just to get out there on the court and move around if you can. You’ll feel better. It’s good for the heart and circulation. It’s good to get into a routine of making exercise and physical activity of any kind. It’s so helpful for diabetics to be active in keeping it from getting worse.”

Photo Captions:

Photo 1: James McKinstry goes airborne for this forehand.

Photo 2: James McKinstry testing his blood sugar levels during a changeover.

Getting the right grip

These volunteers brought tennis to Iraqi children through the gift of donated tennis equipment. This equipment, for the children, brought joy to not only the young players but to the Iraqi and Coalition servicemembers, as well.

Ernie Rains, the Central Alabama Tennis Association Community Coordinator, thought up the idea of donating tennis equipment to Iraqi children in order to hopefully soften a harsh lifestyle. His gift was realized through the coordinating efforts of friend, fellow CATAC member and Air Force Maj. William O’Sullivan, a Multi-National Corps – Iraq Joint Operation Center chaplain.

“The idea Ernie thought up would enable us to connect with the local populace — the folks who are distracted by the war,” said O’Sullivan, 46, from Tampa, Fla., who is currently serving in Baghdad.

Before teaching the Iraqi children the sport of tennis, the servicemembers volunteered their time to first teach the sport to Iraqi Army Soldiers. These soldiers welcomed the chance to learn the game and interact with their Coalition counterparts.

Handing out equipment

“It was a good way for Coalition forces to interact with Iraqis in a more casual environment,” said Marine 1st Lt. Jessamy J. Buban, 25, from Black Diamond, Wash.

Iraqi soldiers don’t usually have time for recreational activities. But, when they are engaged in sports, they are usually playing soccer or volleyball.

“For most of these guys, it’s their first time playing tennis,” said an Army Special Forces master sergeant who was volunteering his off-duty time.

Following the round of tennis, the volunteers were treated to a “hospitable lunch” by Maj. Raheem, an IA civil affairs officer who coordinated the event for the Iraqi Army.

An Iraqi boy practices his skills

After lunch, the Iraqi children made their appearance on the court.

The excited children were noticeably more chaotic to teach than the soldiers, especially after the balls and racquets were passed out. The children were “just children,” a point that struck home for many of the volunteers who were there.

“Kids playing games isn’t something that changes drastically among societies,” said Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Aaron A. Carr, 35, from Denver.

Carr, a father himself, couldn’t help but notice how much the children reminded him of his own son at home, despite the cultural differences.

“We thought an introduction to tennis would bridge the gap culturally,” O’Sullivan said. “We were right. When people get together, they can share a mutual joy over a sport. It’s something all cultures have in common.”

Photo Captions:

1 - Air Force Maj. William O’Sullivan instructs Iraqi children on correctly holding tennis rackets at Iraqi Army base Area 4 May 17. O’Sullivan, a Multi-National Corps – Iraq Joint Operations Center chaplain helped organize the event to teach young Iraqis how to play tennis, a sport not common to the Iraqi culture. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Jeffrey Belovarac)

2 - South Korean Maj. Cho Baekim keeps children from rushing to receive tennis balls and foam balls at Iraqi Army base Area 4 May 17. Multi-National Corps – Iraq servicemembers were with Iraqi children to teach them the sport of tennis. They also donated tennis equipment to the children for their own recreation. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Jeffrey Belovarac)

3 - An Iraqi boy practices his skills with a tennis racquet and ball. The equipment was donated to Iraqi children at Iraqi Army base Area 4 May 17 to teach them the sport and hopefully take their minds off the war in their country. Multi-National Corps – Iraq servicemembers volunteered to teach the sport of tennis, which is not common to the Iraqi culture. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Jeffrey Belovarac)

The passion. The excitement. The hustle. The enjoyment. This is not your average USTA tournament. This is the 95s doubles division of the Campbell’s USTA Nationals at the Mission Hills Country Club in Ranch Mirage, CA. That’s correct — a tournament for tennis players, age 95 and up.

Campbell’s USTA Nationals participants

Recently, four intrepid men took to the courts in the first ever USTA-sanctioned event for this age group. In fact, it is the first sport of any kind in the United States to have a division devoted to those who still compete at the ripe old age of 95.

The four participants ranged in height, weight and skill level, although there was one constant — their universal love for the game. There were players who have played tennis nearly their whole lives, such as Charlie Hurme and Bill Lurie. And there was Ed Baumer, who started playing tennis at the age of 65.

While Baumer, who resides in Coronado, Calif., a suburb of San Diego, may have arrived to the party late, he has made the most of his time. The 1934 All-American water polo player at Rutgers University has won 15 European titles, three USTA gold balls and four world championships in the super-senior levels. And he’s not done yet. Mr. Baumer plans to keep playing for as long as his body will allow him.

For now, his mission is to get the 85-and-older team officially recognized by the USTA. This past year, at the tender age of 94, he and a younger partner made it to the finals of an 85-plus tournament. As for his future playing days, Ed, the captain of the Bill Tauber Cup Team, hopes to play into his 100s, a goal that is suddenly not so far away.

However, on this day, it was all about the competition. The eventual winner, Charlie Hurme of Huntington, N.Y., came back from a two-year absence from tournament play because, as he says, “I’m a competitor.”

With only four players, this tournament took a different approach from the traditional tournament. The gentlemen participated in a round-robin format in which each player was able to play with one of the three others for one match. In the end, the total number of games won led to a victory by Charlie Hurme, who recorded 36 wins. Ed Baumer was second with 25, followed by Doug Crary with 23 and Bill Lurie with 22.

Nonetheless, everyone was a winner on this day, as the four made history in becoming part of the first ever 95-plus tennis tournament. This bit of history didn’t affect the contestants at all. As Ed Baumer remarked, “We didn’t understand the significance of it until later.”

But Bill Lurie was well aware of the significance. After all, he is the patriarch of the Lurie international team match, in which 90-year-olds from the U.S. compete against 90-year-olds from around the globe. The world teams are made up players from Canada, Argentina, Brazil, Korea, Switzerland and England.

It is his goal to get a 90s division going within the USTA. Mr. Lurie says, “All I get is satisfaction and happiness from tennis. Fortunately, I am still able to play.”

Tennis has given so much to Bill Lurie that he hopes he can give something back. Check that… he already has. He started the Lurie International Tennis Tournament.

One day, Mr. Lurie hopes his children will follow his footsteps and continue to work towards a 90s division within the USTA and, at the same time, continue playing a game where “love” has more than one meaning.

The tournament was an unequivocal success, and those who were privileged to play in it hope it grows even bigger next year. As for this year’s winner, Charlie Hurme, he thought this was to be his “last hoorah.” But after winning the event this year, he expects to return next year and “go and defend my title.”

Overall, these four determined men made history. Not only did they play the sport they love, but they did it with pride, passion and elegance. And they proved, once and for all, that age is a state of mind.

When asked what he thought of the state of the 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.”

Shane Baker and friends

“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 four-year 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 teammates 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 them 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.”

The clinics, which Baker considered a success, helped his team secure funding to participate in the USTA’s first annual Battle of the Sections: a Northeast Region event at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center last August, as well as November’s Badger Classic at the University of Wisconsin.

Delaware’s club tennis team

“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 to continue 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 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 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, whom 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 who want this, who are interested in tennis. It proved to me that my goals aren’t just ideas, they can really work.”

Baker’s goal of running a similar NJTL is right in line 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.

By Seth Sylvan

Randy Jensen hits the court

Randy Jensen of Salt Lake City, Utah, leads a busy life performing brain surgery and conducting cancer research at the University of Utah Huntsman Cancer Institute. Given the intensity of his schedule, it’s important that he has a place to go to blow off some steam.

That place happens to be the tennis court because what started as an attempt to keep up with his wife turned into a way to unwind. “I really just wanted to improve my game so I could beat my wife every once in awhile. I didn’t expect it to be mental therapy.”

Jensen has toyed with the game for awhile, but it wasn’t until this last year that he played consistently. In order to make time for the sport he is falling in love with, Jensen adjusted his schedule so that he is able to work during the day and play tennis later in the evening. “I enjoy playing so much, it was worth moving my schedule,” he says.

In spending more time on the tennis court, Jensen met several other men at a similar level of competition and joined them to form a 2.5 team. The group, representing the Intermountain Section, made it to the final day of the 2007 USTA League Presented by Chrysler 2.5 Adult National Championships but came up a little short, as they settled for fourth place. Perhaps it’s Jensen’s prowess in the operating room that has helped him become such an asset to his team on the court.

Tennis is a game of concentration, and that is very similar to being in the operating room. When you are competing, you need to know how to respond to the situation at hand, and you need to focus on your strategy and hand-eye coordination. It’s important to be able to think on your feet because you never know what to expect.”

Randy Jensen

Jensen plans to continue extending his talents in the medical field to his development as a tennis player. Through long hours working to find the reason brain tumors develop, late hours playing tennis and priceless hours making great memories with his teammates, Jensen has found that tennis is a lifelong game. It’s a way to clear his head, exercise and develop new relationships.

Tennis has also proven to be a great way for the Jensen family to connect, as not only do mom and dad play, but so do their three children. Jensen confides, “I’ll play this sport for a long time to come. I enjoy my teammates, and my kids and I are still trying to beat my wife.”

By Carrie Rupp

Many consider tennis a lifetime sport. For Lorraine Gonzales, the sport helped her get her life back.

Gonzalez hitting the courts

Affectionately called “Chiefy” by her friends because of her in-charge and driven demeanor, Gonzales is in a battle to regain normalcy in a life that was halted by a heart attack.

An avid softball player for more than 25 years, Gonzales was born and raised in Santa Fe, N.M. Athletics have always directed Gonzales’s path, as she spent time working for the city’s park and recreation department, as well as with the Special Olympics and Senior Olympics.

Known for keeping busy through work and recreational athletics, Gonzales thought her active lifestyle kept her in good health, but a sudden heart attack in September 2006 forced her to reevaluate her lifestyle, as well as her outlook on life.

“I always thought I was healthy,” Gonzales said. “I never would have thought it could have happened to me. It was shocking.”

Doctors informed Gonzales that she would need to “take it easy” for at least six months. The thought of not participating in softball or organized sports was frightening to Gonzales, but she stuck to the doctor’s orders, adopting a new diet and strict regimen of daily medications.

As Gonzales was adjusting to her new lifestyle, she yearned to become active again. A childhood friend, Belinda Ferrero, took the initiative to watch over Gonzales in her recovery period. She was also the impetus that shaped Gonzales’ journey to the sport of tennis.

Gonzales was hesitant to return to the diamond because, as a pitcher, the sport could be too stressful. Ferrero’s daughter Nicole, a freshman at Colorado College, is an avid tennis player. She suggested that her mother and Gonzales begin playing, lending them racquets and holding introductory “lessons.”

“I was nervous when I first started playing,” Gonzales said. “I didn’t know my limits. I didn’t want to push myself, but I wanted to be competitive.”

Gonzales and Belinda Ferrero (l)

After a few months of playing, Ferraro, a member of Shellenberger Tennis Club in Santa Fe, heard that a woman was looking to start a 2.5-level team. Ferraro and Gonzales contacted the organizer, Monica McLin, and signed up for the team.

After only playing once per week, Ferraro and Gonzales began playing doubles together four to six times a week. The extra effort helped send their team to the 2007 USTA League 2.5 Adult National Championships in Indian Wells, Calif. The team is the first from Santa Fe to reach a national championship in 17 years.

“Monica, Belinda and my other teammates are so great,” Gonzales said. “They really kept an eye on me and made sure I was comfortable and not pushing myself beyond my limits.

It took time to build up my strength and my endurance, and I had to be patient,” Gonzales said. “If it weren’t for my team, I definitely wouldn’t be where I am today.”

Today, Gonzales is in a great place. In addition to her success on the court, Gonzales has seen numerous successes off the court. She’s lost over 25 pounds, and she’s regained much of her confidence. She eats better and is happy with the friends the tennis team has brought her. Most importantly, she feels that her nickname, “Chiefy,” truly fits again.

“The game gave me back my life,” Gonzales said. “Being active has helped me so much. It even helps me relax and sleep through the night.”

The trip to the national championships reinstated Gonzales’ optimistic outlook. She and her team said the trip to California was very special to them. They couldn’t be happier to have been there. The women Gonzales shares the court with don’t play the sport to fulfill their competitive sides. They play to better their health, create friendships and share in something bigger than themselves.

“I don’t really talk about the heart attack any more,” Gonzales said. “I just try to take advantage of the opportunities I’ve been given and take time to enjoy life.”

By Holly Goddard

Brian Proffitt and Scott Carroll became friends and doubles partners after joining a Chattanooga, Tenn., combo doubles team captained by their mutual friend, Tony Hicks. In 1996, the team traveled to the USTA League 4.0 National Championships, and Brian was a key player in capturing the national title.

Brian Proffitt and Scott Carroll

As the years went by, the group became more than teammates. Playing tennis together had helped form genuine friendships, the depth of which was never more apparent than when Proffitt was diagnosed with kidney failure four years ago. Faced with deciding between dialysis for the rest of his life or a transplant, Proffitt began searching for a possible donor. And he had to look no farther than the tennis court. Both Hicks and Carroll stepped up.

After days of grueling tests, it was determined that Carroll was a suitable match for his doubles partner. By that time, both of Proffitt’s kidneys were barely functioning, making preparing for surgery difficult. But seeing his doubles partner grow weaker and weaker only reassured Carroll that he had made the right decision. The pair entered Atlanta’s Emory Hospital and underwent the procedure side by side.

“The day after surgery, I felt like a light switch went off in my body. I instantly wanted to go run three miles and play tennis,” said Proffitt.

Four years later, the team is best known in Chattanooga as “K1” and “K3.” Carroll is “K1” because he is left with one kidney; Proffitt is “K3” because he’s had three kidneys. If this team with the unbreakable bond wants to stay together, however, they will have to move up, as “K1” was recently promoted to 4.5.

By Holly Goddard

COLUMBUS, Georgia — When Pam Williams of Columbus, Ga., started to play tennis in 1994, she couldn’t possibly have known that the health benefits she was reaping on the court would one day pay off in a much larger arena – that of love and life itself.

Pam Williams

After taking a tennis course at Columbus State University, tennis became Pam’s game. She got involved with the USTA League and, as the years passed, competed in Women’s League tennis and played Mixed Doubles with her husband, David. Full of spirit, the spunky 3.5 doubles player recently picked up the award for best entertainer at the USTA Southern Section Southern Idol Competition.

To see Pam bounce around the court, it was evident that she enjoys the game and is dedicated to her team. What few knew, however, was, shortly after her run at the tournament, Pam returned home to undergo a major operation alongside David, who had been diagnosed with renal failure after a routine doctor’s visit in 2004.

It was a tumultuous time for the Williams’. Pam had just been laid off her job of eight years, a victim of downsizing. With no insurance and a sick husband, she launched a life insurance franchise. But despite building a successful company of 200 employees, she still could not insure David. So Pam left and embarked on a career – with medical benefits – as a financial specialist with Wachovia.

David had two options at that point: organ donation, for which the wait would be three to five years; or dialysis four days a week for four hours a day. Frustrated by both choices, Pam volunteered to be her husband’s organ donor. Though she was told it was extremely rare for spouses to be suitable donors, days of MRI’s, psychological testing and examinations by nephrologists determined Pam to be a perfect match.

Last year on July 30th, her 32nd birthday, Pam underwent a kidney transplant and gave her husband of 10 years the ultimate gift, the gift of life.

“I didn’t want him to be on dialysis; that would not be a good quality of life for us,” she said. “I just trust God and have faith that he will see us through.”

As far as her agenda post surgery, Pam – fit from 13 years of tennis – plans to hit the courts and be back to 100 percent by this summer.

By Holly Goddard

Elmer Gau of Matthews, N.C., defines the word inspiration. To sit down and talk with him is to know that you are in the presence of a true gentleman. His warm smile, gentle demeanor and bright optimism have helped carry him through the last two years since he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease.

Elmer Gau

“Parkinson’s hasn’t slowed me down that much. I still go out and hit a bucket of balls and play tennis in the heat of the day. I have to be in better condition than the other guy,” said Elmer, whose symptoms – chiefly sleeplessness and tremors in his left hand – are significantly managed by prescription medication.

It is medication, incredibly enough, for which there are two prescriptions in the Gau household. That’s because six months ago, Elmer’s wife, Mary, was also diagnosed with Parkinson’s. The Gaus are united in battling the disease, just as they have been unified in their love of tennis for nearly four decades.

In 1970, after deciding they weren’t getting enough exercise from their softball league, the Gaus picked up racquets and became hooked on the game. Thirty-seven years later, both Elmer and Mary have competed in USTA League National Championships. In 1998, Mary participated in the Senior Women’s 3.5 USTA League National Championships, and Elmer’s senior men’s 4.0 team took second place at the National Championships in 2002.

Although Elmer is determined to stay physically active, he had to drop down to the senior men’s 3.5 division – and not because of Parkinson’s, either. Another challenge he’s working to overcome for the sake of tennis is knee surgery; he had his third operation last August.

“They put a new knee in, and it is working great,” said Gau.

Elmer is back to playing tennis almost every day from noon until 2 p.m. in a relentless effort to stay in peak condition. He also competes in a Wednesday night round robin, mixed doubles, combo doubles and super seniors league. His super seniors team has a USTA Southern Sectional title under its belt, and his senior men’s 3.5 team finished a respectable third at the USTA Southern League Sectional Championships.

Not only is Elmer the driving force behind the team, he is their inspiration, and this group of close friends supports each other on and off the court.

“It is amazing to me what Elmer does. He’s just as tough as they come,” said teammate, Jim Nance. “We all just kind of sit back and are awestruck with what Elmer has been able to do. It has just been an inspiration, how he has overcome all of his obstacles.”

Three years ago Jefferson High School in Rockford, Ill., did not have a tennis budget. It could not even field a full varsity team with only five students interested in playing.

Jefferson High School tennis team

After a constant turnover of coaches and a consistent last-place finish in the conference, Kevin Burdick, retired Marine Corps Reserve commanding officer, took over the tennis program. He managed to get 13 boys for a full varsity team that first year.

Unpaid, Coach Burdick took a few tennis classes in college, and while he had coached several other sports, this was his first run as a tennis coach. He learned tennis scoring and proper etiquette about two weeks before the start of the season. Remembering that first season Burdick says, “I felt bad that my boys had no chance.”

The majority of students from Jefferson High School come from low-income families, and the school did not have access to the resources that the students would need to play tennis and even begin to compete in their very tough conference. They lost every match, not even winning a point.

Burdick wanted to provide his kids with the same opportunity that kids had at the other schools. If they were willing to put in the effort, he wanted to ensure that they had the same opportunity to learn and play tennis. He had to teach every kid in the program the basic fundamentals and rules of the game, but Burdick says, “Every kid that has come out to hit has stuck with it.”

Three years later, with some support and financial assistance from the USTA at the district, section and national level, Jefferson High School is today a no-cut tennis program with more than 40 boys and girls in the tennis program. The USTA helped connect Burdick and his kids with funds and assistance for racquets, equipment, uniforms and some tennis instruction.

This summer the cracked “atrocious” tennis courts that the team calls home are going to be replaced and rebuilt. When Burdick once had trouble even getting other teams to agree to play a match, now the team has a full schedule with duel matches and tournaments. They are even hosting the Jayhawk Invite this year with seven other teams participating.

While the conference is still competitive and cutthroat, Burdick has found the people in the sport and the local tennis coaches to be helpful and supportive. “People in tennis, they love tennis.”

His kids have worked very hard and are constantly improving. Burdick affirms, “Winning and losing doesn’t mean anything to me,” but the team is now winning individual matches, and the kids are excited and playing well.

Burdick likes to say that the program has been “coming out of the abyss.” Thanks to the help of Kevin Burdick, the support of the tennis community and USTA, and the dedication and hard work of the students, the Jayhawks are certainly leaving the abyss far behind.

It was one heck of a year for Philadelphia native Traci Green. Not only did Green accept the position of head coach of Harvard’s women’s tennis team, but she was also recognized nationally at the opening ceremonies of the 2007 US Open.

Coach Tracy Green

Named Harvard’s second black coach in history and first black female coach, Green began her tenure with the Harvard Crimson last July. Previously, Green spent three seasons at Temple University, where she led the Owls to their first winning season in six seasons.

Green adopted a Temple program that was 4-15 prior to her arrival. In her second season as coach, her team registered its first winning record since the 1999-2000 campaign, while her 2006-07 team went 16-4 overall, 8-1 in the Atlantic 10 Conference, and reached the championship match of the A-10 tournament.

With Green’s guidance, Temple rose to a ranking of No. 85 in the NCAA/Intercollegiate Tennis Association ratings in 2007, marking Temple’s first-ever national ranking. Her team defeated three nationally ranked opponents, and five of her players achieved all-conference status. Green took a record of 34-27 to Cambridge.

Her success is not confined to the sidelines. Green, who started playing tennis at age 10 on the courts of the historic Arthur Ashe Youth Tennis & Education Center, was a top Middle States junior. While attending high school in Philadelphia, Green made the junior U.S. national tennis team twice and began her serious training in Key Biscayne.

From her days training at Key Biscayne, the Florida weather won her over. She went on to compete at the University of Florida, where she lead her team to the 1998 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Championship and won two Intercollegiate Tennis Association Championships. A three-time, first team, All-Southeastern Conference selection, Green was ranked No. 5 in doubles and No. 21 in singles in the national collegiate rankings during the 1998-99 season. Green still remains a career leader in both singles and doubles victories in UF’s record books. While at UF from 1996-2000, Green earned a degree in communications.

Green’s accomplishments both on the court and as a pioneer in the African-American community earned her recognition at the Aug. 27, 2007, US Open opening ceremonies. Numerous African-American women were honored on a night that was dedicated to Althea Gibson, whom many consider the ultimate pioneer for black women’s rights in all fields, not just athletics.

Green joined Aretha Franklin, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Phylicia Rashad, Dr. Debi Thomas, Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun and others in Arthur Ashe Stadium to induct the late Gibson into the US Open Court of Champions. In an atmosphere that was nothing short of electric, Green and the other honorees stood proud, honored by thunderous applause and lengthy standing ovations.

2007 US Open opening ceremony

A $50,000 grant from the USTA, a community-wide effort, and help from one of Kennett, Missouri’s most famous residents is hoping to turn a once-vibrant tennis community into one again

By Jeff Sikes

Wendell Crow knew something was amiss. Each time Crow stepped on to the Kennett (Mo.) High School tennis courts in his hometown his serve really kicked, and it wasn’t because of the natural spin he imparted on the ball.

Kennett (Mo.) High School Tennis Team

A solid player with more than a half century of tennis experience, Crow is a man with a deep knowledge and passion for tennis. But even he knew that when a ball bounces up over a man’s head after a well-placed serve tickles a gaping crack or pothole, something’s not right.

It wasn’t right, and it hadn’t been for a long time for the tennis community of Kennett. The six high school courts Crow and his community shared were far removed from their original pristine state. Time and frequent play by the city’s tennis patrons had degraded the courts to a sad and sorry state of cracks and potholes usually reserved for old country roads.

“It was like playing a different sport out there,” said Crow, who grew up playing tennis in nearby Caruthersville, on a family court built by his father Charles, a former Missouri high school state champion.

Kennett (Mo.) High School

Still, the courts were the only ones in Kennett, a town of around 12,000 people nestled in the southeast “boot heel” corner of Missouri. Many locals had given up tennis, preferring to find safer sporting activities, one that didn’t include having to navigate courts that resembled the surface of the moon. The boys’ team had even folded a few years back because of lack of interest, no doubt from court conditions. True diehards like Crow and the school’s girl’s team were the only ones who remained. But the girls had to practice on them.

“The back of the courts had some areas so torn up that footwork was really tricky,” said Crow. “Of the six courts that were there, maybe one or two were what I would call playable.”

Dollars were needed to redo the surface that had been decimated by water drainage issues. Estimates put the price tag of a complete fix at nearly $275,000, a costly one for a school the size of Kennett. A school capital improvement project for the courts helped them earn $100,000 toward their goal, but the total funding was still a long way off.

“(Fixing the courts) had always been on the school board’s radar, but so many other school priorities just came first,” said Kennett superintendent Jerry Noble. “We were concerned because for years we’ve had great community participation in recreational tennis on these courts. You seldom could go by without players being on them. But, we were getting to the point where it was a potential liability issue for us, and thinking we might have to close it down. We simply didn’t have the money to renovate it. Of course, the USTA and Sheryl came through, and that changed it all.”

Kennett’s Most Famous Alumnus

Sheryl Crow

Sheryl is Wendell’s daughter; also known as Sheryl Crow. Yes, the Sheryl Crow who happened to grow up in Kennett, went to KHS, and is better known to the world as the 10-time Grammy Award-winning, multi-platinum recording artist. Crow matched the contribution of her former school bringing the school tantalizingly close to the total needed for the repairs. How the USTA got involved to bring that total even closer was an interesting aside to the story.

Knowing her dad was a tennis nut, Kennett High School’s most famous alumnus had purchased a unique 75th birthday gift for her dad at a celebrity auction last year. The gift? A chance to play on the Arthur Ashe Stadium Court with the legendary Billie Jean King. Wendell was psyched, and to prep for his big day, all spring and summer long he’d go up to the courts and workout with longtime KHS girls’ coach Janet Hilburn. On a trip back home last June during one of Hilburn’s summer clinics, Sheryl visited the courts to see her nephews and dad in action, and even batted a few balls around (Crow was an All-State track athlete at KHS).

“She came out and took pictures of her nephews who were in my clinic, and after it was over, she said, ‘I want to hit some’,” said Hilburn. Taken aback by the poor condition of the courts, Crow vowed to see what she could do.

Kennett (Mo.) High School

“I think she saw the shape the courts were in, and just wanted to help,” said Hilburn, who has coached the girls team the last 14 years, and could only remember slight patchwork fixes to the courts in that time. “It was such a blessing. After that, everything kind of fell into place.” The whole Crow clan flew to New York for Wendell’s big day at the end of the summer, taking in the men’s final with King. It was King who told the Crows to inform Kennett officials about approaching the USTA to see about additional funding opportunities for the school.

Wendell had an easy in with that, since he works with school board president Matt Shetley. The school board followed up, applied for a USTA Tennis in the Parks grant in early fall of last year, and received $50,000 to help their project. Crow’s generosity, coupled with the USTA pushed them even closer to their target, so school officials decided to move the tennis court reconstruction project up on their list. The girls’ team even penned handwritten letters to King to thank her for her advisory role.

Putting tennis back on the map

Construction on the courts has gone great since late last year, hit a snag with weather delays and flood delays in the spring of 2007, but is set to be completed around summertime, giving the school and the community of Kennett a shiny new tennis home.

Kennett (Mo.) High School

“They were scary to play on, and nobody, especially other teams wanted to play on our courts,” said junior Brook Burcham, a member of the Lady Indians tennis team. “I’d twisted my ankle on them before, so I knew all about it. I think the whole team is really excited about this, and I know I am very excited to get to at least play one season on them.”

The 25-member girls’ team was put out a little last fall, having to travel to Jonesboro, Ark. to practice last season, but is looking forward to playing on their own home courts next season. The boys’ team is also hoping to be re-formed, starting next school year. Hilburn’s tennis clinic, which attracts about 75 area kids each June, should have strong numbers this summer. The school’s six new courts, the only courts in the city, will also allow the city to play host to more school and regional events, and even local tournaments. In short, tennis is back on the map for this small community.

Excitement for the project crested when USTA Missouri Valley Executive Director Mary Buschmann dropped the USTA’s check off this past January at a city hall meeting. Buschmann spoke with school officials and administrators to see how things were progressing, and explained that the relationship the school and the tennis organization have formed is just in its infancy.

Going forward, there are many wonderful possibilities to expand the game in Kennett, and that has everyone excited about its future. The game in Kennett was a breath away from collapsing. Now it looks potentially stronger than ever.

“I really believe these improvements will revive tennis in Kennett,” said city school board president Matt Shetley, whose daughter Susan is on the KHS team.

“Competitive tennis had suffered so much because of the condition the courts were in. With the improvements, I think that will be solved quite a bit, and I believe we will see more people here coming back to tennis as a ‘fun’ form of exercise.”

And that’s something to Crow about.

It is not everyday that a child can influence the extracurricular activities of his or her parent; usually it is the other way around. But in the Uhle family of Blue Bell, Pa., that is exactly the case.

Thirteen-year-old Claire Uhle says she’s been playing tennis for almost seven years. She was introduced to the sport at a day camp she attended as a child. Now, Uhle attends the Arthur Ashe Youth Tennis Center’s Tennis Academy nearly everyday, participates in Jr. Team Tennis and is a ball girl for World TeamTennis franchise the Philadelphia Freedoms.

Claire Uhle

Even with that busy schedule, Uhle says she never gets sick of the game.

“I love it. It’s my life,” she said.

She passed her love of the game to her family, especially her mother, Joanne, who now plays a few times a week and is also a volunteer for the Freedoms.

“My husband and I weren’t tennis players at all,” Joanne said. “But Claire got us involved.”

“We started just watching her play, and then we started hitting on the weekends and eventually we attended some lessons through our township’s tennis program,” she added. “We’re definitely not on Claire’s level. She’s totally embarrassed to play with us!”

On the court

Claire’s 14 & Under Advanced Jr. Team Tennis (JTT) team, Kinetix, won the 2007 Philadelphia Area Tennis District (PATD) championship and finished second at the 2007 JTT Section Championship.

In the District Championship, Claire won her singles match as well as two girls’ doubles matches and one mixed doubles match.

At the Section Championship, Kinetix fell to a team from Delaware by just eight points. Claire participated in both the girls singles and mixed doubles competitions.

The budding tennis star, who is an eighth grader at Wissihicken Middle School, says she wasn’t disappointed to finish second at the championship. She was just excited to be there. This was the first time her team has made it this far.

Claire Uhle

When asked if she prefers playing singles or doubles she laughed.

“I like them both. I just like to play,” she said.

Up close and personal

It is Claire’s easy going attitude and love of the game that gets her through her busy days. One day last summer, after Claire finished competing at the JTT Section Championship, she went straight to work again as she was scheduled to ball girl the Freedoms’ match featuring Venus Williams.

“It’s a pretty busy day,” Claire said. “Hopefully I’ll make it on time.”

She did, and so did her mother.

“I really enjoy volunteering, I actually really enjoy watching Claire as a ball girl,” Joanne said. “It makes the matches more entertaining.”

Joanne, a social worker and professional “tennis mom,” remembered when Claire worked a John McEnroe match and got up close and personal with his fiery personality.

“She was standing pretty close to him when he was cursing at the umpire,” Joanne said. “I’m pretty sure it was just an act, but she heard it all.”

“Tennis has done so much for both Claire and me,” she added said. “I went from never stepping foot on the court to playing leagues, to captaining a 2.5 team that went to districts last year.”

Joanne isn’t the only one who has grown from playing the game of tennis.

“It’s been such a wonderful outlet for Claire,” she said. “She’s built confidence and self-esteem; she’s met tons of friends of different ages and from different backgrounds and it’s just been wonderful for her fitness and for mine too.”

For the Uhle family, tennis has brought them more than improved fitness, friends and trophies on the trophy shelf; it has brought a family closer together through a simple love – the love of the game.

Neil and Dale Radermacher (Eagan, MN) have been playing tennis since they were kids. Being eight years apart, the two always wanted to play doubles together in school, whether at high school or in college, but never got the chance until they found the USTA League program.

The Radermacher brothers

“The best thing about the USTA League program is that it allowed Neil and me to finally accomplish what we wanted to do as kids – play on the same court as a team,” Dale said.

Once the two got into the program, they set the goal of making it to the National Championships together, and last year they reached their goal.

“The best thing about being at the tournament was that we got to share the whole experience, not only with each other but with our team from the Northern Section,” said Neil.

“It just fits,” Dale added. “If one of us plays bad, the other always picks it up. It’s like we know what the other is thinking.”

With Neil having a son and Dale with three boys of his own in the past few years, tennis has taken a back seat for the duo, but even with limited time to hit the court, they always find a way.

“We have a school between our houses,” laughed Neil. “When we have the chance, we call each other up and say, ‘Hey, I’ll meet you at the courts.’”

What made the tournament even more special for the two Radermachers was that their mother, who had not seen them play as a doubles team in years, got to make the short drive down from Phoenix to watch.

“She surprised us after our match when she told us she was moving back to Minnesota to be closer to the both of us,” replied the guys.

It came down to the last match of the day to make it to the semifinals for the team from Minnesota. After the last ball had been played, they came up just a bit short.

It may have also been the last time that Neil and Dale would play at the National Championships together, as Dale is moving up to the 4.5 level.

“This was an experience of a lifetime – something that we will never forget,” replied Dale.

Neil then summed it all up by saying, “The fact that Dale and I left it all out there on the court just like we had dreamed of as kids says it all.”

“I’ve met so many great friends through tennis,” Fran Hunt said. “That’s what has kept me going all of these years.”

Fran Hunt

Eighty-four-year-old Fran Hunt isn’t exaggerating when she says “all of these years.” The Maine native, who now resides in Easton, Pa., has been heavily involved in USTA League tennis in Eastern Pa., for more than 30 years. She was honored by USTA Middle States in 2005 with the inaugural Carol Strasser Memorial League Service Award, an award given annually to a dedicated league volunteer.

Hunt began playing tennis in her 50s at Northwood Racquet Club. From there, she became a team captain, then 3.5 women’s coordinator and, finally, an Area League Coordinator.

She recently retired from her coordinator position but says she doesn’t see herself throwing in the towel as a captain any time soon.

“I don’t mind being a captain; I’ll do it for as long as I can,” Hunt said.

Although Hunt serves as captain, she no longer competes as a member of the team due to back problems.

“It is still fun to be involved,” Hunt said. “Tennis keeps me young, not that I always feel young. Sometimes I feel young, sometimes I feel my age, but the doctors tell me I’m in overall good health. They say I’m going to live to be 110.”

Although Hunt’s physicians tell her she’s in good health, she was sporting an injury at the 2007 Senior League Section Championships – a broken toe – an injury she sustained while loading her car up for her trip to the championship.

Broken toe or not, Hunt was busy keeping her team organized and watching her teammates’ matches during the championship weekend. Hunt has taken teams to nationals twice – a feat she believes is always attainable – although ultimately she just wants her teams to have a “grand time.”

USTA Hawaii Pacific Section conducted an unprecedented, highly social day of tennis at Honolulu Mayor, Mufi Hannemann’s office, “Honolulu Hale” (“House of Honolulu” in Hawaiian). Honolulu Hale is the official seat of government of the city and county, site of the chambers of the Mayor of Honolulu and the Honolulu City Council. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places with the United States Department of Interior.

Mayor Mufi Hannemann and Skyler Tateishi

The historic and grand city building turned from a diplomatic venue and place of work into a lively centre court when 2007 High School Tennis State Singles Champions, Kristin Lim and Skyler Tateishi challenged the Mayor Mufi Hannemann and Director of Honolulu Parks and Recreation, Lester Chang, to an exhibition match that rallied two stories of crowds in the famous Honolulu Hale courtyard!

Throughout the day, over 125 members of the city’s government and influential business leaders came through and spent part of their ‘Aloha Friday’ playing tennis in the famous courtyard of Honolulu Hale. The crowd consisted of tennis enthusiasts new and longstanding and included USTA volunteers, recreational coaches, Board of Director members, a visiting delegation of business people from Guielin, China, government employees, and the leadership of Honolulu county government. Participants played on a modified tennis court using mini nets, modified rackets and a variety of balls. Teaching pros and special guests offered games and instruction for participants of all ages and abilities.

This collaboration with the City & County of Honolulu has resulted in two extremely successful tennis programs at over 20 local public parks and school playgrounds in Honolulu. Both programs, the USTA Hawaii Pacific Section After School Tennis (offers low to no cost after school tennis activity & care) and the USTA Hawaii Pacific Section Play to Learn Tennis Lesson Program (grassroots tennis lesson program at public parks), provides the community with a proactive solution to childhood obesity, teenage pregnancy, gangs and drug abuse.

When Dayna Guizzetti (Southwest Section) took the court against Jennifer Schneider (Eastern Section) at the 5.0 USTA Adult League National Championships presented by Chrysler, little did they know what they had in common.

Dayna Guizzetti and Jennifer Schneider

In April 2006, Dayna and her husband, Mike, started the long process of trying to adopt a little boy from Vietnam. Overseas adoption can be an exhaustive and drawn out process. Once the paperwork was completed, Dayna and Mike received a letter saying the process had begun but could take up to 10 months to get a boy. They were No. 74 overall but No. 29 for families adopting a boy.

While waiting for a boy, the Guizzetti’s started looking at the Waiting Children section of the adoption agency’s website, and they absolutely fell in love with a little girl who was born premature. They immediately e-mailed the adoption coordinator for Vietnam to see if she was available but were told that there was one family ahead of them that had already expressed an interest in adopting the young girl. The next day Dayna and Mike’s dream came true when they found out that little Hannah An Guizzetti (Tran Khanh An – Vietnamese name) would become part of their family.

It wasn’t until May 2 of last year that the surreal dream of finally being able to hold their little girl came true when Dayna and Mike traveled to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam, to meet their new daughter, Hannah.

“It was just amazing. I really was at a loss of words what it was like to finally hold Hannah,” Dayna said. “For people who want to adopt internationally, don’t let the paperwork intimidate you. The agony is the waiting.”

Dayna Guizzetti and daughter Hannah

Before their match at the National Championships, Jennifer spotted Dayna coming through the host hotel lobby with Hannah and asked her if she needed any help getting Hannah’s stroller through the door. After talking in the hallway, they found out that they shared an incredible link – both had adopted children from Vietnam in the past year. Jennifer brought her twin girls, Tylie and Zoe, home last December.

The trip to Indian Wells, Calif., to play in the 5.0 USTA Adult League National Championships presented by Chrysler was the first time Jennifer had been away from Buffalo, N.Y., without the girls. Seeing Hannah in the hotel was an emotional moment for her, if only because it reminded her of that fact.

After their hotel hallway conversation, both had to cut the conversation short, since they both had pool-play matches Saturday, including against one another’s teams. When both women arrived on Court 4 for the No. 1 doubles match, the two were surprised to see each other standing on the opposite side of the net.

In the end, Dayna’s team fell short, 2-6, 6-3, 1-0 (10-8 in the super tiebreaker). But both women forged a special link because of their unique experience.

“It was a knock-down, drag-out match. We had some great points,” Jennifer said. “It could not have been much closer.”

Both women intend to stay in touch, as they each plan on adopting from Vietnam again. Next time, each wants a little boy.

“It’s a small world. We will definitely be in touch,” said Dayna.

To read more about the Guizzetti’s story, click here.

Photo Attributions:

Photo 1: Dayna Guizzetti and Jennifer Schneider forged a special bond at the 2007 5.0 USTA Adult League National Championships presented by Chrysler (Photo courtesy of Adam Davis)

Photo 2: Dayna Guizzetti and daughter Hannah (Photo courtesy of Adam Davis)

By Jeff Sikes

Red Oak, IOWA — Drive through the center of town in Red Oak, Iowa, and Mark Jackson’s Hardware Hank store is a hard sight to miss. The giant, white, three-floor structure is located near the center square of Red Oak, a 6,000-population town in the southeast corner of the state that is about as pure a slice of Americana as it comes.

Hardware Hank owner Mark Jackson

Jackson’s store is known far and wide in Iowa and is known as much for the owner’s down-home customer service as it is for something not always associated with rural Middle America – tennis. The top level of the store is a complete tennis shop, with racquets, strings, balls and even apparel. It is Jackson’s pride and joy – a 40’ x 30’ wall of gear that is a testament to his love of the sport.

It seems an odd pairing, tennis and tools, and an even odder location for a tennis store to be. But, then again, Red Oak is a crazed tennis community, with an impassioned and dedicated playing population that makes court time on the city’s total 18 courts a precious, precious commodity.

Red Oak’s high school team makes consistently deep runs into the Iowa state championships, and the city has a strong USTA League and tournament presence, as well as a great summer junior program.

Jackson, though, may be the most impassioned of all in Red Oak when it comes to tennis. He is certainly the city’s most well-known tennis player because of his store, Red Oak’s tennis hearth.

“The store has kind of taken on a life of its own and made me more well known than I should be,” said Jackson, who also does a weekly spot on a local radio station each Wednesday morning, talking up hardware, lawn care and, of course, tennis.

Jackson Team Iowa

“People’s jaws drop when they see the tennis portion of the store, which is always a funny reaction. I think we’re kind of an outpost for tennis in this region, and the store continues to grow and gets bigger and bigger each year.”

Jackson’s store started up on a frustration with having to make an hour-long drive to Omaha, Neb., for all his tennis needs. So he began adding a few sporting goods and tennis items here and there, but it was the tennis side that grew exponentially, probably because Jackson was and is such a tennis junkie.

“Our clientele really extends in any direction for about two hours because there’s not many people that carry tennis gear in this part of the country. We outfit about 10 southeast Iowa schools, as well, so it’s just great for us business-wise but also to support the sport. We’ve met a ton of friends through tennis and the USTA, so the word of mouth from that has been great.”

A native Georgian who was introduced to the game on public courts during teenage summer visits to his grandmother’s home in Sikeston, Mo., Jackson’s tennis love affair started early on in life. It has only blossomed and deepened even more into adulthood and since his move to Red Oak in 1983.

Jackson even met his second wife Ann Carder carpooling back and forth to USTA Mixed Doubles League matches in Omaha.

Mark and Stephanie Jackson

“She was single at the time and just starting to get into tennis. She convinced me to play mixed doubles in a league in Omaha with her, but really she just used me for the carpool. I was just a set of wheels to her,” said Jackson laughingly.

“On those drives to and back from Omaha, we’d compare notes on dating. I’d tell her how dating life was going. She would decipher girl talk for me, and I’d do the same for her about guys. After about six months of that, we both kind of caught on that we liked each other.”

The two are a formidable pair in Red Oak, helping put on the city’s local and junior tournaments in the spring and summer, swapping off tournament director and referee duties for each event. In addition to that, Jackson is also the Iowa Tennis Association’s incoming president and a key USTA Missouri Valley volunteer, heading up the section’s membership committee.

Carder also lends her time as a USTA Missouri Valley volunteer, helping out with the section awards committee.

The couple takes a handful of trips each year working for Steve Furgal’s Tennis Tours. They befriended Furgal on a vacation to New York for the US Open over a decade ago and have been tight ever since. The pair has traveled the globe helping out the Furgal’s and this year has already made stops at the Pacific Life Open in Indian Wells, Calif., and the ATP event in Monte Carlo. They have also worked the US Open booth the last 11 years for the Furgals.

“I’ve made a life partner through tennis, I have a tennis store, and I have a hobby that I try to help out by working with the USTA,” said Jackson. “All of it grew out of a love for the sport of tennis. Tennis means so much to me.”

Believe him because he’s got the hardware to back it up.

Photo Attributions:

Front of Store picture: Mark Jackson’s Hardware Hank store in Red Oak, Iowa, has a complete tennis shop inside.

Jackson Team Iowa: Mark Jackson (second from right) is the soon-to-be Iowa District Tennis Association president. Jackson is seen here at the USTA Missouri Valley Battle of the Districts Competition, which Team Iowa won in 2007.

Mark and Stephanie Jackson: Mark and daughter Stephanie Jackson, working at the Steve Furgal Tennis Tours booth at the US Open in 2007.

Memphis, TENNESSEE — Tennis Memphis has received a grant of $100,000 through the National Junior Tennis League (NJTL) “Community Building Through Tennis” initiative. This is the second year of the initiative, which seeks to utilize the sport of tennis and tennis facilities to build community in changing neighborhoods.

Tennis Memphis Receives $100,000 Grant

The NJTL “Community Building Through Tennis” initiative utilizes NJTL chapters, with both traditional and non-traditional tennis facilities, to reach out to the community and build social cohesion.

The money will support NJTL projects designed to bring together people from diverse backgrounds in neighborhoods experiencing economic and social change.

In 2007, the $750,000 pilot initiative, with a $400,000 grant from the Ford Foundation, awarded grants to four NJTL Chapters throughout the United States – Arthur Ashe Youth Tennis and Education (Philadelphia, Pa.); MaliVai Washington Kids Foundation (Jacksonville, Fla.); Milwaukee Tennis & Education Foundation (Milwaukee, Wis.); Tenacity, Inc. (Boston, Mass.).

In 2008, Tennis Memphis will join the four pilot recipients as a grantee. Also this year, the NJTL ”Community Building Through Tennis” initiative will have over $1,000,000 in action, having received grants from the Ford Foundation ($400,000), the USTA Tennis & Education Foundation ($300,000), a foundation wishing to remain anonymous ($150,000) and the recipients each matching $25,000 of their own funds raised specifically for this project.

Tennis Memphis is a non-profit Community Tennis Association, with a mission to provide support and programming that promotes and develops the game of tennis in the Memphis area. Tennis Memphis is a diverse organization striving to enhance and change the lives of people of all ages and socio-economic backgrounds in the community through the game of tennis, and through educational and life skills programs.

Established in 2001, Tennis Memphis operates the seven City of Memphis tennis centers, which include 50 outdoor and 12 indoor courts for the benefit of the public. Annually, 71,350 people play on the public courts. Of these, 2,500 are youth participants in the after-school programs, with 60% of all youth involved in the programs receiving some form of scholarship. Since its inception in 2001, over 25 players have received tennis college scholarships through Tennis Memphis.

“The ‘Community Building Through Tennis’ initiative enables the USTA to help neighborhoods throughout the nation by affecting lives both on and off the court,” said Barry Ford, Director, Outreach & Advocacy, USTA. “Tennis Memphis has shown its dedication to the community in the past, and with these funds provided by the USTA Tennis & Education Foundation and the Ford Foundation they will be able to make an even greater impact.”

The National Junior Tennis League (NJTL) is a program owned and managed by the USTA, founded in 1969 by Arthur Ashe, Charlie Pasarell and Sheridan Snyder, to provide through local chapters high quality tennis, life skills and education programming to children in underserved communities.

The USTA Tennis & Education Foundation is the charitable and philanthropic entity of the USTA. Its goal is to support organizations and programs that enhance the lives of people through tennis and education.

Portland, OREGON — Portland After-School Tennis (P.A.S.T.) was founded in 1996 with the goal of bringing low-cost tennis and education to underserved children at local schools and park sites. Thanks to the help of its dedicated volunteers and staff, the organization has continued to grow and positively affect the lives of Portland area youth over the last 12 years.

PNW – P.A.S.T. 1

Last year was a banner year for P.A.S.T., as working with Head Start, elementary and high school students, the organization served over 1000 children at 18 schools and four parks. The P.A.S.T. curriculum includes nutrition and life skills education but the tennis court serves as a classroom as well.

“Our kids keep coming back to the program year after year and really do develop strong tennis skills and also are for the most part good students and well-behaved. There are a lot of life skills just in the game of tennis itself,” says P.A.S.T. Executive Director Danice Brown.

In addition to its work on court, P.A.S.T. had some notable achievements off the court in 2007. In December, the organization received a $10,000 Aces for Kids national grant through the USTA Public Affairs Committee. With that grant, P.A.S.T. will look to expand its summer reading program, Serving Up Literacy, at public parks in 2008.

PNW – P.A.S.T. 2

Most recently, the organization received a $15,000 USTA Community Funding national grant that will finance its new P.A.S.T. Tennis Academy. The Academy will serve as the next developmental step for current P.A.S.T. participants who show promise and the desire to rise to intermediate and advanced levels of play. Academy players will be held to high academic and sportsmanship standards and will mentor younger program participants.

P.A.S.T. kids also had the extraordinary opportunity to experience the 2007 U.S. vs. Russia Davis Cup Final in Portland. From participating in the Community Tennis Carnival and getting to hit a ball with U.S. Davis Cup team members to attending the matches at Memorial Coliseum, it was an unforgettable experience.

Just ask P.A.S.T. participant and Benson High School student Noelle Phan.

“Being able to experience such a historical moment in life is truly something I am grateful for and definitely something I won’t forget for the rest of my life,” she wrote. “Ever since then, I have worked hard and will always keep working hard to be as great as I can be, just like each and every player in the Davis Cup.”

Yakima, WASHINGTON — It’s a scorching 100 degrees with cloudless blue skies and a warm breeze. It is the perfect day for tennis and to play with friends.

Rebecca Chestnut

Last summer I did just that. I participated in USTA Jr. Team Tennis and enjoyed beautiful weather, tennis and friends. It was one of the best experiences I have ever had.

As a part of the Wenatchee Valley League, practice was held weekly on Wednesdays at our local high school. Anyone who wanted to play tennis was welcome to join. We started in June and practiced in preparation for the USTA Jr. Team Tennis Eastern Washington-Northern Idaho regional tournament which was held in Yakima, Wash., later that summer. If we were able to win the regional tournament, we would move on the section tournament where we would play for the chance to go to the national championships.

On the morning of the first day of the regional tournament, we were ready to go. With racquets in hand and the sun shining, each team faced six different teams from all over Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho for the next two days to play a combination of singles, doubles and mixed doubles. These two days were probably the highlights of my summer. I was able to form friendships with people and make memories that last a lifetime.

Rebecca’s Team

At the end of the regional tournament, my team had come out on top giving us the opportunity to move on to the USTA Pacific Northwest Jr. Team Tennis Section Championships held in Tacoma, Wash. We returned home, tired and sunburned, but ready to prepare for sectionals.

The weekend I spent in Tacoma with my team is one I will never forget. Getting the opportunity to meet kids from different schools and form friendships with them and the rest of my team was an experience that will be treasured forever.

Unfortunately, our run came to an end at the section championships. Our team took third place and only the top two teams move on to the USTA Jr. Team Tennis National Championships which were held in Arizona. In the end, it was okay that our team didn’t advance. We fought hard, played our best, bonded as a team and vowed to come back next summer to clinch one of the top two spots so we could compete for a national championship.

Our friendships have continued since we returned home. We get together to hang out, play tennis and share in the love of the game that brought us together and continually keeps us coming back. Tennis has opened so many doors for me and USTA Jr. Team Tennis is an exceptional program that encourages kids to get outside and be active. We learn to play a sport that we can play and enjoy throughout our