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COMMUNITY TENNIS DEVELOPMENT Alaska makes headlines in more ways than one By Ruth Turner his fall two USTA National staff members left their home states of Florida and Arizona to make T their fi rst trek to our country’s northernmost state. Along with a healthy does of curiosity, the two brought their expertise in QuickStart Tennis (QST) and running eff ective high school team practices. Th e fi rst to visit was Anne Davis, USTA National Manager of Recreational Coaches and Programs. She left Tallahassee, Fla., to make the ultimate cross-country fl ight to bring the QST Workshop Road Show to the Alaskan communities of Juneau, Anchorage and Fairbanks. When asked about her tennis experience in Alaska, Davis replied, “I was just blown away by the enthusiasm, not just for QST but for anything tennis. Th e sport is alive and well in Alaska. Th e people there are amazing considering the obstacles they face aren’t necessarily issues in other parts of the country… they just love it.” Jason Jamison, USTA National Manager of School Tennis was the second USTA National staff member to trade in the warmth and sun of a southern state for the cold and snow of Alaska. Jamison of Avondale, Ariz., was given an up close glimpse of the second annual Alaska State High School Tennis Championships held at the two Alaska Clubs in Anchorage. Alaska State High School tennis coaches were treated to an exclusive on-court session designed for them and the teams they coach, all of which are no-cut teams. “Th e natural ethic of these coaches to ensure that they keep all players on a team and to see them do so considering challenges such as available facilities, geography, travel, and weather was very inspiring,” said Jamison. Aft er the players took the courts to begin vying for a state high school title, Jamison was able to catch AREA REPORTS Eastern Washington [ Continued from page 7 ] Aedo explained, “I was so impressed with Gail and her command of the group. She’s clearly an RCW trainer for a reason. I wish we could have kept her the next day for more. Also, the training materials from the USTA were top-notch professional and DanaMichelle Atkinson was a pleasure to work with.” Northern Oregon By Glenn Good New facility alert! Tennis players and prospective tennis players now have an indoor opportunity in Newberg. High school tennis coach Dave Brown and his son Josh Brown have launched Topspin Tennis. A tennis training center at its core, Topspin Tennis will also be used for community activities. The facility is located on Elliott Road near WILCO Farm and Garden and has one full-sized tennis court and four QuickStart Tennis courts for entry-level play. Coach Brown will use the regulation sized court to accommodate 80 students from the high school, 30 adult members and 12 families. There are big plans to jumpstart beginners on the QuickStart courts. The QuickStart Tennis format has been explained as the equivalent of little league baseball as it uses age and size appropriate equipment and court dimensions. In addition to the court space, there is an Tennis coaches, instructors and volunteers from all over Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho participated in a Recreation Coach Workshop hosted by LLCTA and Peak Health & Wellness Center-Coeur d’Alene. area with fitness equipment as well as a ball machine hitting lane affectionately called the “Training Tube”. In fact, training and teaching is a huge part of the Topspin Tennis business model. The company motto says it aptly, “Come in here to train, go out there to play.” High volume with lots of programs will be the order of the day. The Browns will also provide racquet stringing, grips and balls to the Newberg tennis community by working with Player’s Racquet Shop of Beaverton. To round out their offerings to the greater Newberg community, the Browns would like to host some dances for teenagers and provide general fitness classes. There won’t be a roaring fire in the entry lounge or attendants in the bathrooms but the place will be jumping with tennis and other exciting activities. For more information about Topspin Tennis please call (503) 267-1357, or email playattopspin@gmail.com. Tennis Times article becomes an application Last spring, Brian Parrott was kind enough to cover my assignment for the Northern Oregon Area Report. He did a nice piece concerning the reformation of Portland State University’s Men’s and Women’s Tennis programs. What Parrott didn’t know then was that the Portland State University (PSU) coach was considering a move to Montana and has subsequently headed off to Big Sky country. As it turned out, Parrott’s article became an audition of sorts and now he is the head coach at PSU. As such, he plans to carry on the philosophy of keeping a virtually all- American team, meaning most players will be recruited from the U.S. Parrott loves the 30 TENNIS TIMES WINTER 2008/09 � www.pnw.usta.com job and the kids, and can see himself coaching the Vikings for many years to come. Thanks for stepping up, Brian and best of luck building the program. Southern Oregon By Gail Patton Memorial gift helps renovate Burns courts When Burns resident Ron McKenzie died several years ago, he left the bulk of his estate to the Babe Hendricks Memorial Fund (named in memory of his mother) to be used for area youth. McKenzie was a tennis enthusiast. He played almost every day in the years that he was able, helped care for the aging public courts and volunteered with the Burns Parks and Recreation tennis program. Because of his love for the sport it was only fitting that money from his memorial fund be used to renovate the four city tennis courts. A new retaining wall constructed, an asphalt overlay applied to the concrete, courts resurfaced and new fences installed, the Burns city tennis courts were ready for play. This past summer practice backboards were added and during the fall, electricity was hooked up to the outdoor lights that were installed during the renovation. The interest earned from the $500,000 donation is being used to pay off the loan used to pay for the improvements. Because of his generosity, another generation of Burns residents will have the opportunity to enjoy the sport that McKenzie loved. SOU welcomes new coach Jeremiah Walsh, a native of Redding, Calif., has been named Head Women’s Tennis Coach at Southern Oregon University (SOU). Most recently the Director of Tennis at Riverview Country Club in Redding, Walsh has held two other college coaching positions. As head coach at the Virginia Military Institute, Walsh was the youngest NCAA Division I coach in the country at that time. While coaching at the University of Northern Colorado he helped transition the team from NCAA Division II to NCAA Division I intercollegiate play. In 2003, Walsh started [ Continued from page 11 ] Anne Davis (far right) breaks with the QuickStart Tennis Workshop participants she worked with in Fairbanks, one of three Alaskan cities she visited. some of the action. He said of the competitors, “I was really impressed and pleased to see the high level of sportsmanship and good behavior amongst the competitors… It was refreshing. I could feel and see the sense of camaraderie here.” Clearly what stood out for Davis and Jamison were the people, the passion and the hunger for tennis in Alaska. Th anks to the hosts and host sites, and to Anne Davis and Jason Jamison for making the trip and joining in Alaska’s love of our great sport. � his own tennis facility management company in Colorado and won a USTA National Programming Award for “Excellence in Programming”. Tennis Times Editor’s note: Walsh replaces Southern Oregon Area Reporter Gail Patton who coached tennis at SOU for ten years, compiling a 111-35 record and two conference titles. Earlier this year, Patton was the recipient of two honors from the USTA and the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA). She was honored with the organizations’ community service and campus recreation awards, respectively, and was the only coach in the country to win both awards. Wild West Tennis Vacations Steve Vaughan’s Wild West Tennis continues to offer tennis camps and vacations in Mazatlan, Tulum, Palm Springs (during the Pacific Life Open) and Sunriver in addition to a 2009 French Open excursion. Known for well-organized and fun vacations, Wild West Tennis programs offer great value for the cost. For more information go to www.wildwesttennis.com or contact Vaughan at (541) 350-1379. Stocking stuffers for the tennis lover Here are some of my favorite gifts for the tennis players in my life: Thorlo Socks - If you like thick and cushiony socks, Thorlos can’t be beat. Replacement Grips - There is nothing worse than a dirty, slippery old grip. Overgrips - I like bright colors and designs. I put different colors on each racquet so I know which has the newest set of string. Books - Pressure is a Privilege by Billie Jean King and Breaking Back by James Blake; If you haven’t read these two books you are missing out. String - The rule of thumb is the number of times you play tennis in a week is the number of times each year you should restring. To all of our readers: Have a WONDER- FUL HOLIDAY SEASON! �
Tournament Schedules SCHEDULES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE. PLEASE GO TO TENNISLINK (http://tennislink.usta.com/tournaments) FOR UPDATES. ATTENTION JUNIOR PLAYERS: Please visit TennisLink at http://tennislink.usta.com/tournaments for the 2009 Junior Champs, Challenger and Rookie tournament schedules. OPEN JAN 16-18 JOHN & PHIL’S TOYOTA CORVALLIS CHAMPIONSHIPS ID# 600100309 MW(Op)sd; X(Op)d. Timberhill Tennis Club, 2775 NW 29th St, Corvallis, OR 97330. (541) 753-1043. Entry fees: $28s, $18d. Deadline: 1/10/09. FEB 6-8 MIKE ANDERSON MEMORIAL OPEN ID# 600310209 MW(Op)sd; X(Op)d. Bally Tennis, 200 Sleater-Kinney Rd, Olympia, WA 98516. (360) 438-2800. Entry fees: $35s, $21d. Deadline: 1/30/09. FEB 27-MAR 1 WEARIN’ THE GREEN ID# 600310309 MW(Op)sd. Bally Tennis, 1680 S Mildred, Tacoma, WA 98465. (253) 565-4600. Entry fees: $38s, $23d. Deadline: 2/21/09. SENIOR JAN 16-18 JOHN & PHIL’S TOYOTA CORVALLIS CHAMPIONSHIPS ID# 600100309 MW(35-50)sd; X(35,45)d. Timberhill Tennis Club, 2775 NW 29th St, Corvallis, OR 97330. (541) 753-1043. Entry fees: $28s, $18d. Deadline: 1/10/09. JAN 22-25 NORTHWEST WASHINGTON TOURNAMENT ID# 600410109 MW(35,45,55)sd. Central Park Tennis Club, 12630 NE 59th St, Kirkland, WA 98033. (425) 822-2206. Entry fees: $33s, $23d. Deadline: 1/4/09. JAN 30-FEB 1 SALISHAN SENIOR WOMEN’S CLASSIC ID# 600114209 W(45-75)sd. Salishan Lodge Tennis Club, PO Box 118, Gleneden Beach, OR 97388. (541) 764-3659. Entry fees: $40s, $30d. Deadline: 1/20/09. FEB 6-8 MIKE ANDERSON MEMORIAL SENIOR ID# 600310209 MW(35-60)sd; X(35)d. Bally Tennis, 200 Sleater-Kinney Rd, Olympia, WA 98516. (360) 438-2800. Entry fees: $35s, $21d. Deadline: 1/30/09. FEB 27-MAR 1 WEARIN’ THE GREEN ID# 600310309 MW(35-50)sd. Bally Tennis, 1680 S Mildred, Tacoma, WA 98465. (253) 565-4600. Entry fees: $38s, $23d. Deadline: 2/21/09. MAR 3-8 SALISHAN SENIOR MEN’S CLASSIC ID# 600111009 M(50-80)s; M(50-80)d. Salishan Lodge Tennis Club, PO Box 118, Gleneden Beach, OR 97388. (541) 764-3659. Entry fees: $40s, $30d. Deadline: 2/24/09. MAR 26-29 OREGON STATE SENIOR MEN’S INDOOR ID# 600211409 M(35-80)sd. Irvington Tennis Club, 2131 NE Thompson, Portland, OR 97212. (503) 287-8749. Entry fees: $33s, $23d. Deadline: 3/20/09. NTRP JAN 23-25 PLAYERS/VTC GRAND SLAM #1- SINGLES (THE AUSTRALIAN) ID# 600210809 NMW(3.0-5.0)s. Vancouver Tennis Center, PO Box 1995, Vancouver, WA 98668-1995. (360) 696-8123. Entry fees: $31s. Deadline: 1/19/09. JAN 28-FEB 1 MPRC DOUBLES OR NOTHING ID# 600210709 CMW(6.0,7.0,8.0,9.0,10.5)d; Combo MX(6.0,7.0,8.0,9.0,10.5)d. Mountain Park Racquet Club, 3 SW Botticelli, Lake Oswego, OR 97035. (503) 635-3776. Entry fees: $27d. Deadline: 1/20/09. FEB 12-16 VIVALA OLYMPIA TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIPS ID# 600710709 NMW(2.5-4.5)d; Combo MX(5.5-6.0,7.0,8.0,9.0)d. Doug Ruffin, 2641 Simmons Road NW, Olympia, WA 98502. (360) 867- 4190. Entry fees: $38d. Deadline: 2/2/09. MAR 6-8 PLAYERS/VTC GRAND SLAM #1 - DOUBLES (THE AUSTRALIAN) ID# 600500209 NMW(3.0-5.0)d; Combo MX(6.0,7.0,8.0,9.0,10.0)d. Vancouver Tennis Center, PO Box 1995, Vancouver, WA 98668-1995. (360) 696-8123. Entry fees: $23d. Deadline: 3/2/09. e-newsletter prize drawing! Register to receive the USTA Pacifi c Northwest ENewsletter and you could be the lucky winner in a grand prize drawing. Register at www.pnw.usta.com Deadline is December 31, 2008 www.pnw.usta.com � WINTER 2008/09 TENNIS TIMES 31
Page 1 and 2: Volume XXVII VII / Number 4 INSIDE
Page 3 and 4: contents 18 IN THIS ISSUE 4 From th
Page 5 and 6: AREA REPORTS Alaska Compiled by Mon
Page 7 and 8: Photo by Anne Schachter American te
Page 9 and 10: Wofford and U.S. team reach final o
Page 11 and 12: Ritzville Project 56: A grassroots
Page 13 and 14: Apply for a USTA college scholarshi
Page 15 and 16: PRO UPDATE As of 11/19/08 Kendrick
Page 17 and 18: I NY that US Open Ballperson: Chand
Page 19 and 20: 2008 USTA LEAGUE YEAR-END Computer
Page 21 and 22: Cassin, Ann Portland 3.5 Casson-Tay
Page 23 and 24: Lemmon, Denise Graham 3.5 Lemoine,
Page 25 and 26: Vandenbrink, Beth West Linn 3.0 Van
Page 27 and 28: Harrington, Bryan Portland 4.5 Harr
Page 29: Schulze, Robert Redmond 4.5 Schumoc

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