Courtside News - Crystal Lake Park District

Courtside News
9101 South Route 31
Algonquin, IL 60102 847-658-5688 JANUARY 2014
The diminutive Australian
Rod Laver’s left arm and wrist were so big that
his other arm appeared underdeveloped. Laver
has been considered by some to be the best
player ever, being the only male to win the magical “Grand Slam” of all four major tournaments
in one year. In fact, Laver did that TWICE – in
1962 and 1969!
The Racket Club is full of members with artistic flair. We
want to tap this resource and have some fun! There will
be a January art contest in which members can use any
medium they like – ink, paint, clay, abstract materials, etc.
– anything at all to represent their feelings about the Club.
So really, there are no guidelines as far as topic or form
as long as the Club is symbolized in some way. Winners
will be awarded with t-shirts and the display of their art
somewhere prominent in the Club.
There will be 3 age divisions:
* 10 & Under * 11 – 17 * 18 & Over
Entries must be submitted by January 31.
Good luck – we can’t wait to see what you come up with!
by Rob Laue
When I heard that one of our ladies’ interclub travel teams had
gone from middle of the 12-team league to 1st place in just 3
weeks’ time, I had to find out more! I am referring to the Division
II Liberty team of the Northern Illinois Traveling Tennis
League. Teams can score a maximum of 4 points per match. From
October 25 to November 8, this team won a staggering 11.5 out of
12 points! While that may have happened previously somewhere
in the league’s history, chances are a team has never catapulted to
the top mid-season quite so meteorically!
Team member Julie Nelson attributes the recent success to a pervasive “fun first” attitude among all 10 team members backed by
some unique technical tactics. For one thing, there are no permanent partnerships among players, but rather a rotation that keeps
everyone fresh and able to play effectively with any other team
member. Moreover, they play on different courts throughout the
season rather than being labeled as a “Court 1” or “Court 4”-type
player. “We have a method of mixing and matching partners that
starts with pairing a strong baseline player with a strong net
player, and that just works,” explains Julie. Jeanne Fischbach and
Diane Steverson keep track of how successful different team pairings are and use that for future lineup suggestions. Jeanne also
revealed that pros John Cincola and John Sisto have a helpful way
of teaching the team, explaining that “rather than both courts following the same drill and weaving players back and forth, they
each have their own drill on their own court. This really gives us a
good variety of ways to prepare for our matches.”
If you need an example of what this team’s made of, look no further than the recent match again Aurora #1. Trailing 1-5 in the
first set, Julie and Susan Creath managed to come all the way back
to force a tiebreak, only to be down 1-4 in the tiebreak. Yes, they
came back and won that tiebreak! Between the team’s positive
attitude and the well-constructed approach to their matches,
these ladies have definitely found all the right moves!
Team Members
Renee Biggam
Kari Cornelius
Susan Creath
Stephanie Cullian
Jeanne Fischbach
Kathy Malone
Julie Nelson
Diane Steverson
Leah Trader
Laurie Zuidema
Congratulations to Junior Club Championship Winners!
Boys 18: Hayden Dzurisin def. Nick Thome, 6-0, 6-1
Boys 18 Consolation: Ryan Cooper def. Steven Diklich, 8-3
Girls 15: Annie Timm def. Hannah Rakofsky, 6-2, 6-3
Girls 15 Consolation: Alicia Rasmussen def. Nikole Gilman, 8-6
Boys 15: Kyle Burton def. Patrick Nasta, 4-6, 6-4, 10-6
Boys 15 Consolation: Josh Svehla def. Michael Ptaszek, 8-3
Girls 12: Kaitlin Warner def. Barbara Covek, 6-4, 6-2
The Racket Club & Lifetime Fitness: What More Do You Need?!
Two heavyweights of their respective industries have just joined forces and created a superpower: The Racket Club and Lifetime
Fitness. Lifetime is located at 451 Rolls Drive in Algonquin, just off of Randall Road and south of Algonquin Road. We understand
that tennis is a great cardio workout and, obviously, the most fun you can have doing ANYTHING, but now you can hit the weights,
pool, basketball court, steam room, café, etc. to fill in life’s cracks at a great value. If you have never been to a Lifetime Fitness club,
believe us when we tell you it is something to behold. First of all, the clubs are HUGE. Next, they are extremely well-staffed and
service-oriented. Finally, they have tons of amenities and the equipment is all first-class. Going to a Lifetime to work out is kind of like
going to a Mercedes dealership to buy a car, or The Racket Club to play tennis. Since each club offers something that the other’s
members would benefit from, we decided to strike a deal. This special is for current Racket Club members who plan to join Lifetime
Fitness in Algonquin. Ask for Service Rep Pete Klingler or General Manager Mike Gilligan and tell ‘em The Racket Club sent you!
TRC Members Get (at Lifetime):
$0 Initiation ($100 value)
$20 Admin Fee that Covers ($200 value):
1 Training Solutions Appointment
1 My Health Score Complete Wellness Assessment)
$75 LT Bucks towards Club Services, Merchandise & Apparel
Big Savings on Monthly Gold Elite Dues
(Allowing Access to 66 Gold Clubs
Nationwide and 6 Chicagoland Clubs):
$61.95/mo Individual ($74 value)
$111.90/mo Couples ($129 value)
$139.85/mo Family ($174 value)
The Racket Club, in its never-ending quest to be the best, has brought in some new types of string for you to try.
Be sure to check out our string menu at the front desk if you want to experiment with different degrees of softness,
durability, spin, or a combination of effects.
Our January “String of the Month” is Prince Premier Control (16 gauge). This is what’s called a “wound” string, meaning it is comprised of hundreds of thin fibers. This particular strain of wound string has extremely many of these fibers, plus a larger fiber in its middle that helps it keep its tension long after it’s been strung in your racquet. With so
many individual fibers, it feels really soft and comfortable when you make contact. You really feel like you can work the ball however you want
to. You feel like you actually have some control over your shots! Normally it costs $30 to have your racquet strung with Premier Control, but it’s
only $19 in January!
January
1
New Year’s Day / Club CLOSED
3–5
Walt Herrick Sr. Memorial Foundation Men’s
Open Pro Prize Money Tournament
18
USTA Northern Illinois District
League Championships
31
High School Tiebreak Tournament / 7 – 9 pm
February
8
Wood Racquet Event / 7 – 9 pm
14
“Sweetheart Special” / FREE Court Time All
Day to All Member Couples
22
Girls 14 & Under Compass
Draw Tournament / 4 – 8 pm
Congratulations to Boys
14 & Under Compass Draw
Winner Sam Griengl-Schott &
Runner Up Max Kueller!
(L to R) Saarev Desai, Alex Freeman, Max Kueller,
Sam Griengl-Schott, Matt Kastritis, Zach Rowley
(Not Pictured: Josh Levin)