INSIDE - USTA.com

contents
18
IN THIS ISSUE
4 From the Prez by Tony Menke
5 Area Reports
8 Health+Fitness Files by Carl Petersen
9 Net Notes
FROM THE
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
By Blair
Thompson
A
Volume XVII � Number 4 � Winter 2008-09
US Open 2008: I NY
Three Pacifi c Northwest juniors traveled to New York to take part in the 2008 US Open – arguably
the most spectacular tournament on the ATP and WTA Tour. While the three had different experiences
at the Open, all shared the same sentiment about the event and its setting – “I love New York!”
Turn to page 16 as each gives us a fi rst-hand account of their time on court and in the big city.
16
� 2008 USTA League
Year-end Ratings
The numbers are in! Alphabetical
listings of the men’s and women’s
2008 USTA League Year-end
Ratings have been published and
they begin on page 19. While you’re reviewing your rating, be sure to check
out page 18 to see how our section’s teams fared at the 2008 USTA League
National Championships.
9 From the Chair by Ira Moss
10 Community Tennis Development
12 Junior Development by Valerie Weaks
12 From the Tournament Desk by Becky Tallent
� Local player
helps U.S. team
reach 2008
Austria Cup fi nal
This fall, Len Wofford of
Portland, Ore., traveled
to Turkey to represent the
United States as a member
of the 2008 International
Tennis Federation (ITF)
Super Senior World
Championship team.
Read more about the
competition and Wofford’s
results on page 9.
Wishing tennis joy to the world
t this time last year, I had the pleasure of writing about a pair of major tennis triumphs: a Davis
Cup title in Portland and a 1 Up/1 Down championship in Beaverton.
Well, as most of you know, our U.S. Davis Cup team ran into a tough Spanish squad and was unable
to defend their 2007 title. But, as inquiring minds want to know, yours truly was able to two-peat and
go back-to-back back to at the 2008 1 Up/1 Down wheelchair tennis event. Of course, I couldn’t have done it
without another an great partner, Carl Backstrom. Th anks Carl and thanks to Debbie Borchers and Rich
Meyer
for doing all you do for wheelchair tennis in our area.
An And as we fl y through the upcoming holidays, take a moment to enjoy the following rhyme and
feel
free to add your favorite beverage of the season for extra enjoyment. It’s a little something
I
composed two years ago and was inspired by an actual pre-Th anksgiving tennis get-
together with a good friend. Sometimes the small things can make a big diff erence.
Happy Holidays and all the best in 2009!
9
13 College Courts
15 Pro Update - PNW Players on Tour
18 Let’s Talk Leagues by Sheila Banks
31 Tournament Schedule
‘Twas the day before Thanksgiving and all through my tennis bag, no racquets were
stirring, not even a Prince. But the nets were hung and the purple indoor courts of my
home tennis facility were lit with care in the hopes that I soon would be there.
Away to the club I flew in a dash, with a desire to hit passing shots that flew by my
opponent in a flash. Visions of aces and winners danced in my head, if only more
instruction books I had read.
As I jumped on the courts there arose such a clatter and in a moment I knew what was the
matter. I was not Federer, not Agassi, nor Blake or even Kournikova. And as my shots
flew around the court, I said to myself “just get it over.”
But no worries mate, as Mr. Rafter would say, because what to my wondering eyes
should appear but a smile on my face from ear-to-ear. And that feeling of joy, even as
I displayed my lack of rhythm and grace, made me think I want and need to spend more
time in this wondrous indoor tennis place.
After our match, as my partner and I sat down for some important rehydration, we wished
that all could enjoy our tennis exhilaration. And as I walked into the cold winter twilight,
promising to write my next Tennis Times column with much less rhyme and much
more reason, I exclaimed Merry Tennis to all and to all peace, health, and lots of love
(hopefully 40-love) this holiday season!
T
FROM THE BASELINE
By Bill Leong
Executive Director
USTA/PNW numbers rise to
record heights in 2008
his year has been full of noteworthy achievements
both on and off the court in the USTA Pacifi c Northwest
(USTA/PNW). Record numbers in USTA membership
and tennis program participation along with individual
and team national championships are just a few of
the many highlights we witnessed in 2008.
Current USTA/PNW membership of 23,540 refl ects an
over 100 percent increase since 2000. Our section boasts
the second largest percentage increase this year among the
17 USTA sections and has moved up to the twelft h largest
section based on membership.
Participation growth in the USTA League program has
helped to boost membership in our section. Th is year saw a
record nine percent participation growth with 1594 teams
and 20,426 players participating in Adult, Senior, Super
Senior and Mixed divisions. USTA League matches required
over 25,000 hours on the limited number of indoor
courts in the Pacifi c Northwest and we thank all the private
and public tennis facilities who have accommodated the
growing demand. Youth team tennis is also growing with
almost 2,000 players in the USTA Jr. Team Tennis program
and the expansion of new leagues in the Willamette Valley,
Southwest Washington and Bend, Oregon.
Additional 2008 community tennis highlights include
over 100 physical educators being trained to provide extracurricular
tennis programs in their schools with over
40,000 students impacted; a well-received inaugural Court
Symposium seminar in Portland featuring national speakers
and covering construction, advocacy, and fundraising
topics; an infusion of $135,000 from the USTA/PNW to
local communities to renovate and build courts that was
leveraged into nearly $3 million in funds from our national
offi ce and public/private sources.
And as I mentioned in the last issue of Tennis Times,
Pacifi c Northwest juniors won various national titles in
summer tournaments. Not to be outdone, congratulations
to our local adult players who continued to bring home
championships to our section. David Wagner of Hillsboro,
Ore., won the gold medal in quad doubles and bronze in
quad singles in the 2008 Paralympics in Beijing; Portlanders
Wayne Pickard and Mike Tammen won the USTA National
Men’s 50 Indoor doubles title and Dougal Williams
earned a gold ball with his singles championship at the
Men’s 30 National Grasscourts; in USTA League play, two
Seattle area teams, the Women’s 3.0 Seattle Breakers and
the Men’s 4.0 Bad Boyz, won 2008 national championships.
As we approach the new year, the USTA/PNW
Board of Directors will see some familiar faces in new
positions. Gwen Ramras assumed the USTA/PNW President
position at the section Annual Meeting in October.
She is the fi rst Alaskan elected president in the history of
our organization. Reelected for their second terms as Area
Vice President for British Columbia and Southern Oregon
respectively, were Peter Jackson of Vancouver and Mike
Naumes of Medford. Th anks to Tony Menke of Yakima
for his dedicated service as USTA/PNW President and we
look forward to him continuing that in his new position
as Section Delegate.
Finally, we would also like to thank Peter Kram for
his 12 years of service on the USTA/PNW Board. Peter
served four years each as Area Vice President, President
and Section Delegate from 1996-2008. We will miss his
sense of humor, wit and candor. I would like to personally
thank him for all his dedication and support.
Congratulations to all of the above and Happy Holidays
to all of you! �
www.pnw.usta.com � WINTER 2008/09 TENNIS TIMES
3