May - WOODLAND TENNIS CLUB
Transcription
May - WOODLAND TENNIS CLUB
May 2014 Volume 7, Number 1 Woodland Tennis Club From the President Welcome to our WTC Newsletter. Lots of great things have been happening with tennis in Woodland during the past year. We are very pleased to welcome our two new board members, Karen Shepard, club treasurer, and Kitty Schlosser, membership and newsletter chair. They have hit the “court” running. There is a new energy to the club with our partnership with Phil Cello, of the Cello International Tennis Academy (CITA), his local professional, Michael Kwong, and all the staff at Community Services Department including Director Christine Engel and her staff. Tennis is being transformed in Woodland, with increased participation in lessons, clinics, tennis ladders, league play and tournaments. This was the first of several tournaments planned this year in our new association with Art Williams - President Floyd McCain - Vice President Elaine McCain - Secretary Karen Shepard - Treasurer Sandra Farrell-Mott Pat Garrison Kitty Schlosser The board is currently reviewing setting goals and priorities for the future and we welcome your input as to what activities and programs you would like to see. It may come as no surprise but among the highest priorities is someday having a tennis complex built at the Community and Senior Center. The complex is in the Woodland City Master Plan; all we need is funding! Please share this newsletter with your friends and invite them to join us and participate in all programs being Contributors: offered. Woodland NTRP Tournament The Woodland Tennis Club hosted a USTA sanctioned National Tennis Rating Program (NTRP) tournament on May 10 at City Park. Participants included WTC club members as well as talented players from other areas in the Sacramento area. It was a beautiful day and great tennis was enjoyed by all. Our thanks to Floyd and Elaine McCain for getting to the courts early to set up a wonderful array of snacks for the players. The tournament results are listed on page 7. WTC Board of Directors the Cello International Tennis Academy (CITA). Future tournaments scheduled at City Park: CITA Woodland Open June 21-22 CITA Summer Family Open July 12-13 Art Williams Elaine McCain Floyd McCain Karen Shepard Pat Garrison Creed Watts Brent Birdsall Edited by Kitty Schlosser NTRP Fall Open September 5-7 NTRP Fall Adult/Senior Open Inside this issue: Social Committee Activities 2 Meet New Board Members 3 Tennis Etiquette & Rules 3 Spring Interclub Tennis Results 4 Tennis Ladder Results 4 Nugget Scrip Program 5 High School Tennis 5 Summer Junior Tennis Academy will offer a unique tennis experience for intermediate and advanced junior tennis players in Woodland. The six-week academy includes three training sessions per week under the guidance of CITA teaching pro Michael Kwong as well as team matches against area opponents. Practices are scheduled for Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1:30 – 3:00 with matches on Friday afternoons. The academy runs from June 23 August 1. (Schedule subject to change). The program costs $190. Phil Cello Tennis Academy 6 Meet Michael Kwong 6 New Equipment 7 Website & Facebook Update 8 Determine Your Tennis Rating 8 Check WTC web site for more information and registration. WTC Membership Form 9 October 3-5 Junior Summer Tennis Juniors have several choices this summer for tennis fun. Summer Tennis Camp will be held June 16-20 from 8:30 am to 11:30 am at Woodland High School for ages 12-17 entering grades 7 to 12. All abilities are welcome, from beginner to advanced. Cost is $80 Woodland Tennis Club Volume 7, Number 1 Page 2 Social Activities Committee Members of the Social Activities Committee: Elaine McCain (Chair) Floyd McCain Marjie McWilliams Marianne & Roger Cook Dave Dobson Cate Frey Margo Roeckl Paula Stewart Nan Saunders Members of the WTC continue to enjoy a number of tennis and social activities planned and organized by the Social Activities Committee. These activities include the Annual Meeting, weekly Thursday Night Tennis, Valentine Tennis Social, St. Patrick’s Day Tennis, Summer Saturday Tennis, Halloween Tennis Social, and Turkey Tennis Social. Ongoing information about the WTC’s social activities can be accessed on the “Events” page at our website: woodlandtennisclub.com. Annual Meeting The Annual Meeting was held at Steve’s Pizza on Saturday, February 15, and was preceded by a morning of “Valentines Tennis Social” at City Park. At the meeting, Art Williams, President, summarized activities that the WTC has been involved in over the past year and thanked the many volunteers who helped to organize the events. He also thanked Eric Ramirez, an honorary member who has assisted the WTC in tax and financial matters, and Mike Jansen who has provided some legal assistance. The club has two new honorary members: Phil Cello and Michael Kwong. Michael has begun providing tennis lessons to the Woodland community. Art also thanked the following Interclub Captains: Pat Garrison, Dave Taylor, Leone Murdock and Floyd McCain. Thursday Night Tennis This is a year-long event that takes place every Thursday Night, except when it rains. An email notice is sent out each Sunday to all WTC members who have expressed interest in the event asking them to respond if they want to play that Thursday. After tennis a simple potluck is held with shared food and drink provided by the players. If you would like to be included in the weekly invitation please contact Floyd and Elaine McCain at [email protected]. St. Patrick’s Day Tennis A fun time was had by all that attended the special Thursday night tennis held just before St. Patrick’s Day. Great tennis doubles and potluck after with corned beef and cabbage provided by the club. Thanks to Marianne and Roger Cook for organizing this event. Winners Michael Kwong and Margo Roeckl earned the privilege of wearing the leprechaun hat. Return to page 1 Pat Garrison, Treasurer, presented the finances of the Club. Also reporting were Elaine McCain, Social Activities Chair, and Dave Dobson, Website Manager. The Nominating Committee recommended that Karen Shepard and Kitty Schlosser be elected to fill two vacant positions on the Board. They were elected and will each serve for 1 year. Art Williams, Pat Garrison, and Elaine McCain were re-elected to the Board for two-year terms. Art and Georgina were recognized by the USTA for being in the 300 Club, which means they participated in 300 USTA tournaments. They shared their attractive jackets which they were given in recognition of this achievement. We’re on the web! woodlandtennisclub.com WTC facebook Woodland Tennis Club Volume 7, Number 1 Page 3 Meet New Board Members Karen Shepard has been playing her favorite sport, tennis, since high school - she won’t tell you how long ago that was. After enjoying a membership and interclub play at Country Oaks, she took a hiatus for several years to pursue a new hobby, cycling. She missed tennis and returned to the sport seven years ago. Karen is married and has two adult children and two grandchildren. In addition to tennis, she enjoys spending time with her family, reading, Zumba and cycling. She appreciates the time and effort longstanding members of WTC devote to the club and to promoting tennis in Woodland. Kitty Schlosser had not played tennis since she was a teenager but her interest returned when her daughter Robin began playing on the Woodland High School tennis team in 2002. Since retiring from UC Davis in 2012 she now has more time to play and enjoys playing doubles regularly on Tuesday and Thursday mornings with several other women. Kitty is married to Ernie Schlosser and they have 3 grown daughters. They live on a farm/ranch in Zamora. In addition to tennis Kitty likes to golf, ride horses, and quilt. We would like to thank Sandra Farrell Mott for her years of service on the WTC Board. She is a new mother and realized she just did not have the time to devote to this position. She has resigned from the board but will continue to update the WTC Facebook page. We really appreciate her dedication to the club. Tennis Etiquette & Rules: Q&A Players new to tennis and to interclub play will probably appreciate learning some of the nuances of rules and court courtesy. This newsletter plans to include a few tips in each issue which the club hopes will be helpful. Let’s get started. Q: Is it okay to hit the first serve back to the server when it is a fault? A: When the server’s first serve is a fault, try not to hit it back to him/her. It disrupts the server’s rhythm and must be tracked to make sure it does not land in your court or another court. Q: When players are on a court and a point is in play, can I cross behind the court or enter through a gate near the court? A: If a game point is in play, please refrain from crossing behind the court or entering through a gate close to the court until the point is finished. The players will appreciate this courtesy, which minimizes distraction, and you will avoid the risk of getting hit by the ball. Q: During a set, when can I go to the sidelines to get a drink, nibble on an energy bar, eat a banana, take off my jacket, call my stockbroker, etc.? A: Changing sides occurs after odd games, i.e., the first, third, and fifth games. It is at this time that players are expected to take drinks from water bottles, make any clothing adjustments, etc. Players are usually expected to remain on the court for even games, thus ensuring uninterrupted play. Source of reference: The USTA website, www.usta.com/ If you have a tennis etiquette or rule question you would like us to research please send it to: Karen Shepard at [email protected] or Kitty Schlosser at [email protected] Return to page 1 Woodland Tennis Club Volume 7, Number 1 Page 4 Spring Interclub Tennis Men’s Doubles 3.5 Team Women’s 60+ Doubles 7.0 Team We just concluded a very competitive Interclub season with a record of 3 wins and 4 losses. Three of our 4 losses were decided by just one match. We ended the season in 5th place. We had to scramble in the beginning of the season to fill our team roster when SATA informed us they were not offering a 4-man team format, so we agreed to participate in the 6-man team format in order to have a team during the spring season. The Women’s team had a disappointing season losing all matches. On the positive side...they had fun playing against some very nice ladies from Sacramento and enjoyed pleasant lunches. We were told that the WTC always provided the best lunches! The following players participated this season: Fermin Cabello Thomas Clemens Dave Hanson Justin Leishman Derek Shepard Creed Watts Casey Calhoun Pat Garrison – Co Captain Jeff Harris Lars Miller Dave Taylor – Captain Noah Winters We are very grateful to Leone Murdock for taking on the captain duties again this year with assistance from Shirlee Cisneros. Leone says this is her last season as captain and Elaine McCain has volunteered to lead the team in the fall. The following players participated this season: Anneke Balics Elaine McCain Marjie McWilliams Kathy Payne Kitty Schlosser Shirlee Cisneros - Co Captain Mimi McMahon Leone Murdock - Captain Karen Shepard Vivian Walker Contributed by Pat Garrison Tennis Ladder Results Mixed Doubles 7.0 Team The WTC’s only mixed doubles team, which played in the 6.5 Division last season, had to move up to the 7.0 Division this spring because not enough teams entered the lower Division. We played six matches and our record was one win and five losses. Most of the teams we played had much younger players on their rosters. The teams from Natomas and Laguna Creek were especially strong. Although we didn’t have a winning record our team members played hard and had a good time. We provided great food at our home matches and received generous compliments from our opponents for the food we provided. Compliments go to James Ousey who won four of the five matches he played. A number of our team members could not play this season due to injuries after the season started. Floyd McCain was Captain and Cate Frey was Co-Captain of the team. Marianne and Roger Cook Floyd and Elaine McCain Bob and Leone Murdock Art and Georgina Williams Cate Frey Jeff Harris Contributed by Floyd McCain Return to page 1 Sue Little Mimi McMahon Mike Mott James Ousey Doug Shepard Lynda Welter Michael Kwong organized a tennis ladder this spring for men, women and junior players. The person who played the most matches in each category was awarded the prize of a private lesson with Michael. The winners are: Junior Ladder Elxx Vanderpool and Luka Reiner with 5 matches each Women’s Ladder Cate Frey and Mimi Lyon with 11 matches each Men’s Ladder Art Williams with 15 matches Most wins in all ladders Art Williams The ladders encouraged many players to arrange matches with players new to tennis or players they did not know. A great time was had by all. If you are interested in playing the ladders, contact Michael at [email protected] and he will add you to the email notification list. Contributed by Michael Kwong Woodland Tennis Club Volume 7, Number 1 Page 5 Nugget Scrip Program WTC members, have you ever asked yourself how you can help boost the club’s income flow—short of selling your firstborn or mortgaging the family farm? Well, there is an easy, painless way to bring money into the club coffers that will make you feel like a Daddy Warbucks - or at least warm and fuzzy. The Nugget Scrip Card allows you to donate up to 4% of your purchases from either Nugget Market or Food 4 Less to the Woodland Tennis Club. You can obtain a card from WTC board members Elaine and Floyd McCain, Kitty Schlosser and Karen Shepard or from the Nugget corporate office located next to the Woodland Nugget. The program is absolutely free. After you receive your card, register it online, and present it to the cashier each time you shop. Multiple cards can be registered under one family member so monthly purchases earn a greater percentage. Cards carry no cash value, so no need to worry if your card gets lost or stolen. One WTC member finds that an easy way to remember to use her card is to place it in her wallet next to her debit card. When she removes her debit card to pay for her purchases, she sees the Nugget scrip card and gives it to the cashier to swipe. A four percent donation from Nugget for each trip to buy groceries does not seem like a lot, but since January 2014, the store has issued checks to the club totaling more than $110.00 because members used their Nugget scrip cards. Currently, less than one percent of WTC members use the card. If that number bumps up to even 25 percent, the monthly Nugget checks will grow considerably. The WTC Board encourages you to participate in this win-win program. Contributed by Karen Shepard High School Tennis Pioneer Patriots The PHS boys tennis team exceeded expectations this season by winning their 4th consecutive league title. It was a total team effort with a great combination of seasoned veterans providing leadership and first year players contributing in key roles. Four year number 1 player Joseph Clark led a very strong singles side with Seniors Kyle Bates, Chance Konkaem and foreign exchange student Tom Mangold going undefeated in league play. Junior Alec Haas dropped only 1 match and even earned a win at the number 1 position. Sophomore Daniel Garcia worked hard to earn a winning record in his first season as a singles player. Our doubles teams were combinations of rookies and veterans. First year player Alex Lopez surprised all by earning a spot on the number 1 doubles team. Sudeep Baniya proved to be the rock around which we could build a strong doubles foundation. Throughout the season, he was paired with a multitude of rookie partners to provide them the leadership example they could follow. The end of season league championship tournament proved a showcase for the Patriots. 5 out of the 9 players who qualified for sections wore the black and gold of Pioneer. Joseph Clark placed third in singles and the super-doubles pairings of Tom Mangold/Chance Konkaem and Kyle Bates/Alec Haas finished 2nd and 3rd respectively. Contributed by Creed Watts Woodland Wolves The Woodland High Boys Tennis Team just completed its season with the TCC League Championships. Woodland struggled throughout the season due to having an incomplete team. Due to this we were forced to forfeit matches against every school we played and it proved too much to overcome. We finished league in last place but the team members all had a positive attitudes and competed very hard. All the boys improved significantly and are an exceptional group of student athletes. The team highlight was having two of our players make the semifinals at the league championships in the A flight of singles. Contributed by Brent Birdsall Return to page 1 Woodland Tennis Club Volume 7, Number 1 Page 6 Cello International Tennis Academy Phil Cello has contributed to the Northern California tennis community for over 30 years as a coach, volunteer and community advocate. He owns and operates the Cello International Tennis Academy, has participated in NorCal Player Development camps, is a past USTA NorCal president and has been honored with the USTA NorCal Service to Tennis Lifetime Achievement Award in 1988. He was inducted into the NorCal Tennis Hall of Fame in 2013. Phil is currently resurrecting the tennis team at Solano College. This requires cleaning and fixing the 12-court complex that has fallen into disrepair. [From NorCal web page] Phil has contracted with the City of Woodland to organize and run tennis programs at the city public tennis facilities. Michael Kwong will be assisting Phil and has been providing lessons and clinics to players since Fall 2013. Michael is offering FREE tennis lessons for beginners on Saturdays - children at 1 pm and adults at 2 pm. Meet Michael Kwong Something exciting is happening to tennis in our community. Michael Kwong has arrived to be Cello International Tennis Academy’s (CITA) head coach for Woodland. Since he has become a smiling fixture on the City Park tennis courts, WTC thought its members would like to get to know more about him. Michael was born in Cronulla, a beach suburb about 40 miles south of Sydney, Australia. His parents and one sibling, an older sister, still live there. Michael is Chinese Australian; his father was born in Hong Kong and his mother was born in Australia. Most of his extended family lives in Australia. Every day, Michael’s retired parents walk down the road to the tennis courts and play three sets of tennis - against each other. When Michael is home, he gives them private tennis clinics to improve their game. Michael began playing tennis at age nine when he chose it for his elementary school sport. His tennis instructor was an enthusiastic American who taught him for one year. Michael credits this Yank for getting him interested and excited about tennis. Michael took private lessons weekly throughout his teen years. He was the number one tennis play at his high school and again for Sydney University. Upon graduation from college, Michael began training at a tennis center with the goal of becoming a professional player. After a year, he decided to leave the tennis center. He traveled to Hong Kong in 2003 where he entertained thoughts about playing Davis Cup tennis. Upon arrival, he saw there were many opportunities to coach and give lessons. So Michael said goodbye to Davis Cup aspirations and began teaching, sometimes up to ten and twelve hours a day. Michael at 23 was really a seasoned coach; he had been at it since age 16. And he’s been playing tennis daily since age nine. Michael spent a total of ten years in Hong Kong, from 2003 to 2013. During that time, he worked in an office for six years from 2007 to 2012. Two of those years were spent at Citigroup as a stock broker and four years in a hedge fund trading currency. He loved tennis so Return to page 1 much that he also continued to play and teach part-time. Finally, at the end of 2012, Michael said goodbye to office life and decided to follow his passion to be a full-time coach again. Michael spent a total of ten years teaching in Hong Kong where he was also ranked in the top ten for singles and was a two-time Hong Kong National Doubles runner up. Michael was asked for his observations about the differences between Australian and American recreational players at the club level. He said that Americans tend to be louder, more enthusiastic and verbal on the courts. Australians are quieter and more laid back. Then Michael commented on some of the myths that Americans have about Australians: Americans believe there are kangaroos and wallabies bouncing around city streets and that the country is largely undeveloped and uncivilized. He went on to say that actually about 80 percent of Australians live along the ocean and he’s yet to see a kanga on the bustling streets of Sydney. When asked what myths Australians have about Americans, he said that stereotypes are often based on the Americans that Australians see on TV. There are only three American television shows in Australia: Oprah, Judge Judy and Jerry Springer. So when Australians see the people who appear on those shows, they question whether all Americans have similar personalities including loud, boisterous behavior. Upon arrival here, Michael quickly observed that these myths were unfounded. Well, we are a bit loud. (continued on page 7…) In early May Michael placed 3rd in the USTA National Men 30’s Indoor Championship at the Gold River Racquet Club. Photo shows him with his first ‘bronze ball’ trophy. Woodland Tennis Club Volume 7, Number 1 Meet Michael Kwong continued… Michael’s favorite fun activity in California to date has been to take road trips; he recently visited Los Angeles, Las Vegas and San Francisco, putting more than 1,000 miles on his new car. He’s also traveled to Portland and Washington. He enjoys Mexican food and has a favorite taqueria and taco truck in town that he frequents. As an Australian, he appreciates a good barbeque and tender lamb chops. Note: you may see him buying large quantities of lamb chops at Costco. Michael’s advice for all levels of tennis players is to enjoy the game and play regularly. The mantra that he often repeats (and repeats yet again) at clinics is, “Most points are lost because of unforced errors. Try to keep the ball in play as long as possible.” Makes perfect sense. Michael’s visions for the future of tennis in Woodland include establishing a junior academy where students are playing daily and tennis is their chosen sport. Staying true to this formula, young players can be assured of a slot on their high school and college teams. And maybe the serious players will earn ranking New Equipment The WTC has purchased some ‘ball hoppers’ for use in picking up balls during the lessons and clinics. We have also purchased 3 score flip cards which hang securely on the net and help keep the game score. Page 7 points to be able to play professionally. He believes the sky is the limit! Michael would also like to see more women taking the morning clinics and add another women’s interclub team; his goal also includes adding more children, especially in the academy, and a six month plan includes hiring one to two more coaches. In closing, Michael would like everyone to know that he is very happy to be in Woodland and satisfied with the progress of the tennis program. “I appreciate the support of the Woodland Tennis Club and the City of Woodland Parks and Recreation Department.” He is very appreciative of the motivation exhibited by everyone now taking lessons. “They are nice, positive people with the same goal to enjoy and improve their tennis skills.” And we appreciate you, Michael, for everything you have brought to make tennis a viable and fun sport in Woodland. Michael can be reached at [email protected] or (530) 377-6102. Contributed by Karen Shepard NTRP Tournament Results Men’s 3.0 Singles - Creed Watts (Woodland) Men’s 3.5 Singles - Dean Misajon (Roseville) Men’s 4.0 Singles - Sunny Mallinson (Woodland) Men’s 5.0 Singles - Michael Kwong (Woodland) Vivian Walker, Caroline Pereira, Stephanie Miller, and Nikki Pool use the new hoppers to pick up balls. Women’s 3.5 Singles - Veronica Dunn (Davis) Women’s 4.5 Singles - Garbo Berger (Martinez) Men’s 3.5 Doubles - Matthew Cresci & Philip Garcia (Elk Grove) Women’s 3.0 Doubles - Karen Shepard & Kitty Schlosser (Woodland) Mixed 3.0 Doubles - Karen Shepard & Art Williams (Woodland) Mixed 3.5 Doubles - Kristel Durand & Philip Garcia (Elk Grove) WTC club members are in bold. Congratulations to all! Art Williams Christine Engel Score flip cards Phil Cello Michael Kwong Floyd McCain Kathy Payne shows how they making picking up balls much easier! Elaine McCain More tournament photos are on the WTC web site under “Event Photos”. Return to page 1 Newsletter Title Volume 1, Issue 1 Page 8 Determine your tennis rating using the National Tennis Rating Program (NTRP): 1.0 This player is just starting to play tennis. 1.5 Has limited experience and is still working primarily on getting the ball into play. 2.5 Needs on-court experience. Has obvious stroke weaknesses but is familiar with basic positions for singles and doubles play. 3.0 Learning to judge where the ball is going although court coverage is weak. Can sustain a short rally of slow pace with other players of the same ability. 3.5 Has achieved improved stroke dependability with directional control on moderate shots, but still lacks depth and variety. Starting to exhibit more aggressive net play, has improved court coverage and is developing teamwork in doubles. 4.0 Has dependable strokes, including directional control and depth on both forehand and backhand sides on moderate shots, plus the ability to use lobs, overheads, approach shots and volleys with some success. Occasionally forces errors when serving and teamwork in doubles is evident. Rallies may be lost due to impatience. 4.5 Starting to master the use of power and spins and beginning to handle pace, has sound footwork, can control depth of shots and is beginning to vary game plan according to opponents. Can hit first serves with power and accuracy and place the second serve. Tends to over hit on difficult shots. Aggressive net play is common in doubles. 5.0 Has good shot anticipation and frequently has an outstanding shot or exceptional consistency around which a game may be structured. Can regularly hit winners or force errors off of short balls and can put away volleys, can successfully execute lobs, drop shots, half volleys and overhead smashes and has good depth and spin on most second serves. 5.5 Has developed power and/or consistency as a major weapon. Can vary strategies and styles of play in a competitive situation and hit dependable shots in a stress situation. 6.0 Generally do not need NTRP ratings. Rankings or past rankings will speak for themselves. The 6.0 player has obtained a sectional and /or national ranking. 6.5 The 6.5 player has extensive satellite tournament experience. 7.0 The 7.0 player makes his living from tournament prize money. WTC web site and facebook update The WTC website is being updated weekly so check it for upcoming events and photos. You may also send a comment by using the “Contact Us” page. A few new pages have been recently added: Board members photos and contact information Past newsletters Photos from social events Junior summer tennis information and registration The WTC facebook page was launched last year and is administered by Sandra Farrell Mott. Check it out for information and photos of WTC activities. Return to page 1 Woodland Tennis Club Volume 7, Number 1 Page 9 2014 Membership Application Type of Membership: New Renewal Check appropriate Membership category (new members joining after July 1st pay half price): Please make check payable to: Woodland Tennis Club Single $35 Mail to: Woodland Tennis Club P.O. Box 2283 Woodland, CA 95776-2283 Family $50 Senior (60+) $25 Junior/Student $20 Lifetime Membership $1,000 (includes special recognition) Name: Level of Play (Beginner, 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, 5.0) Address: Home phone: City/State/Zip: Mobile phone: E-Mail Address: (Most club correspondence will be done by email.) For Family membership, please list family members: Level of play Name Adult Junior Senior Name Adult Junior Senior Name Adult Junior Senior We share our member contact information ONLY with other club members so they can contact each other to arrange matches. Your contact information will be included in our Club Directory unless you opt-out. Opt-out of directory: The Woodland Tennis Club is made up entirely of volunteers. Pleases indicate any areas of the club that you would like to provide assistance: Membership committee Newsletter Fundraisers Interclub team organization Tournaments Website Social activities Woodland Tennis Club is a nonprofit organization dedicated to encouraging and expanding participation in tennis for all ages and abilities throughout the community. Thank you for supporting tennis in Woodland!!! Junior tennis activities Other ideas: Return to page 1