On August 4, 2013, the USTA Mid-Atlantic Section assumed the day to day operations of the Virginia District.  The first Virginia District annual meeting and awards luncheon under the management of the Mid-Atlantic Section was held Saturday, November 16^th at the Fredericksburg Country Club.

Richmond was well represented at the awards luncheon.  Eight awards out of the sixteen presented were received by Richmond residents or organizations.  In addition, two of the four NJTL Arthur Ashe Essay Contest winners, Crystal Ellison and Yusufu Ibrahim, were from Richmond.  Crystal and Yusufu are members of the Metro Richmond Tennis Club.

Sophia Mitchell, ranked #17 in the Girls 12 and Under division  in the section, was named the Junior Player of the Year.  Tatsiana Uvarova was named the Adult Tournament Player of the Year.  Tatsiana teaches at Raintree Swim and Racquet.  Eddie and Stacey Parker, Raintree Swim and Racquet owners, were present to celebrate the award with Tatsiana.

Joe and Shima Grover became the first husband and wife team to jointly receive the Volunteer of the Year recognition. The Grovers have been dedicated volunteers of the RTA tennis since their arrival in Richmond. Their energy and enthusiasm for the sport have benefited all tennis programs throughout the city. Rob Johnston of Three Chopt Recreation Club received the Tournament Director of the Year award for directing three separate Davenport & Company City Championships for the open, junior and rated divisions.

The McDonald’s Mid-Atlantic Clay Court Championship was recognized as the Tournament of the Year.  The Clay Court Championships are held at the Salisbury Country Club, and the 2013 event attracted record 123 players.  Tournament Director Scott Steinour accepted the award for Salisbury CC.

Fred Bruner received the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award for many years of dedicated service to the sport of tennis in Richmond.  Fred was a top junior player and served as the vice president and president of RTA several times.  Fred also directed the Davenport & Company City Championships for many years. He is currently serving on the RTA executive committee.

Deborah Morton, Deputy Director of the City of Richmond’s, Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities accepted the Community Outreach Event of the Year award on behalf of the city.  The award recognized the well-attended grand opening event for the Westover Hills Tennis Complex.  The City of Richmond partnered with RTA to open the newly renovated Westover Hills Tennis Complex. Four new dedicated 36’ courts and three reconstructed blended line courts were added to the tennis complex.  Fifty-seven facilities state-wide have blended line courts, but only a handful of tennis facilities in the Commonwealth has permanent 36’ courts.

Congratulations to award winners.

St. Catherine’s and Collegiate School girls’ tennis teams are fierce rivals on the court. Their teams are generally composed of some of the finest players in the area, and their records usually reflect the talent and coaching on the squads.

This fall, their seasons followed similar paths. Both were in contention until the final match of the League of Independent Schools tournament, and both were beaten by the same team in the VISAA, Division I championships.

Collegiate (17-3) edged St. Catherine’s (14-4) for the LIS title. The Cougars were runners-up in the VISAA tournament, losing to Cape Henry Collegiate, which was the same team that eliminated St. Catherine’s in the semifinals.

It was the fifth straight LIS crown for Collegiate and 20^th overall, but it took a doubles sweep to pull it off.

In what was essentially a dual match between the Cougars and Saints on the final day of competition at Collegiate’s Williams-Bollettieri Tennis Center, Collegiate found itself trailing St. Catherine’s 42-40 after losing four of the six singles matches.

“It was the same thing as last year,” said Collegiate coach Karin Whitt. “We were down two points [to St. Catherine’s] and had to sweep the doubles. Last year was a little bit different because St. Catherine’s didn’t make it to the finals in one of their [singles].

“Everything was head-to-head. Whether we were playing for first or playing off for third, it was head-to-head.”

In the doubles, Anne Miller and Georgia Beazley won quickly over Emma Williams and Callie Nesbitt 10-2 at No. 3, then Katie Wright and Allie Straus beat Kemper Young and Lily Horsley 10-7 at No. 2 after splitting with them in the regular season.

That left it up to Ellie Whitlock and Sarah Johnson at No. 1, where they edged Charlotte Bemiss and Terrell Williams 10-7 for the clinching points. The Cougars finished with 48 points, while St. Catherine’s wound up with 47.

“Collegiate has been known for doubles for years, and we really concentrate on doubles,” said Whitt. “In the pregame speech, I just told the girls, ‘Well, we knew we were going to be here, now here we are, let’s get it done.’

“So we were pretty confident going into doubles. If it had been the other way around, if we needed to win more singles, we would have been less confident. But we always preach the importance of doubles.”

Collegiate defeated St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes 9-0 in the quarterfinals of the VISAA and Norfolk Academy 5-2 in the semifinals, before dropping their second match of the season to Cape Henry Collegiate 5-3 in the final.

“All in all, a very good season,” said Whitt, who completed her seventh season with the Cougars. “But I don’t think, if you had told me at the beginning of the season and before everyone had come out, that we would win LIS again, I would have agreed.

“But as the season progressed, it became more and more of a possibility.”

Beazley, a freshman, supplied a certain point every match at No. 6 singles, going 19-0. She, along with sophomore Miller, and juniors Johnson and Straus, will return. Collegiate will lose two of its top six in Whitlock, a world-ranked water skier, and Wright.

The Cougars are also helped tremendously by having two junior varsity teams that combined for a 25-1 record this season.

Meanwhile, for St. Catherine’s, it was a case of what might-have-been.

The Saints had a powerful lineup but it could have been even stronger, had senior Caroline Jones not been injured just before the season started. Jones had also missed all of the 2012 season because of an injury.

“She would certainly have been one of our top one or two players,” said coach Richard Peyton. “She was our senior captain this year and she didn’t play a match. That did not help us. She was working really hard and playing national tournaments.

“But you can’t say if we had had her, things would have been different but they certainly would have. You have to work with what you have. We also missed Lily Horsley for half the season with a broken finger.”

Horsley is the granddaughter of Waller Horsley, who was quite a player on the local scene back in his day.

Despite those injuries, St. Catherine’s only lost to Collegiate (twice) and Cape Henry Collegiate (twice).

“Considering what we had, I think everybody was really pleased with what we’ve done and the way we’ve improved through the season,” said Peyton, whose team lost two of its first three matches before winning 13 of its next 14.

The Saints gave unbeaten Cape Henry Collegiate its two toughest matches of the season, dropping a pair of 5-4 decisions.

“They won one, two and three singles against pretty much everyone because they’ve got nationally-ranked players [at those positions],” said Peyton. “And they won at number one and two doubles against everybody.

“They’re a stronger team than anybody and unquestionably the best team in Virginia.”

Bemiss, the No. 1 player for the Saints, is the only player graduating from the top six so they should be strong again in 2014.

“Charlotte Bemiss is going to be a big loss, but I think Terrell Williams is going to be stepping up for us,” said Peyton. “I know these girls are really excited about next year and they’re already working hard to get ready.

“[Eighth-grader] Lindsay White really has a passion for the sport and could play No. 6 for us next year.”

Don’t be surprised if these two rivals battle it out next season for the LIS title and be strong contenders for the VISAA crown.

So what do you have planned for Thanksgiving Day? Heading over the river and through the woods to grandmother’s house for a turkey dinner and all the trimmings? Or getting ready to welcome family and friends for an evening of food and festivities?

Well, if you’re Stacey and Eddie Parker, you are preparing for 40 or so junior players and their parents to visit Raintree Swim and Racquet Club for Thanksgiving dinner and participate in the USTA National Open Boys’ 18 tournament Friday through Sunday.

“Do we miss out on having our own family [for Thanksgiving]? We do,” said Eddie Parker, co-owner of the western Henrico County facility. “But we see everybody around Christmas. I can’t get together with my sisters until Christmas anyway.

“This is our extended family. The USTA players and their families. We like it. It’s fun.”

Parker remembers hitting the road with his son and daughter for previous USTA tournaments during Thanksgiving.

“When our kids were playing over Thanksgiving, we traveled and saw the things that we liked and saw things that we didn’t like,” said Parker. “We thought it was time for us to give back to the USTA tournaments.”

Parker said the meal is prepared by members of the club, as well as volunteers from the Richmond Tennis Association.

“We have a good handful or so [who take part],” he said. “One family will bring four or five pies for dinner. Another family will bring stuffing and mashed potatoes. Another family will throw in a couple of turkeys. We have plenty of food.

“Then we usually put some out [turkey] for sandwiches the next day for lunch.”

This is the third straight year that Raintree – and the Parkers – have hosted a national tournament. The first two years it was the National Open Boys’ 16s event, which included local juniors Brett Moorhead and Liam Sullivan.

In 2014, the National Open Girls’ 18 tournament will be held over Thanksgiving weekend at Raintree.

“We close the club on Thursday and players can come in and use the facility [for practice],” said Parker. “Then, the players will check in between 3 and 5. At 5 o’clock, we have our official meeting. Then, we’ll have Thanksgiving dinner for all the players, their families, their coaches and anybody that came with them.”

The festive affair will take place in the social room, just off the main entrance to Raintree.

“It’s more of a homey feeling,” Parker said. “You’ve got a big-screen TV. People watching football. The players all sit together and eat. Families will all get a table and sit together. I think it’s a great way to kick off the tournament.”

The only local junior scheduled to play in the singles draw of 32 is Shyam Venkat, who is Henrico High School’s No. 1 player. Harrison O’Keefe of Salem and John Hublitz of Vienna are other state players in the field.

There will be players from Texas, New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Massachusetts, Ohio and Maryland, as well as Virginia, Parker said. A doubles draw of 16 is also part of the program.

In addition to Raintree, which has four indoor courts, the first two rounds of the singles tournament will be held at Hermitage Country Club (which also has four indoor courts) beginning Friday morning. The finals will be held on Sunday morning.

The tournament is open to the public and there is no admission charge. Parker believes it’s an excellent tournament for local juniors to come and watch.

“It’s a great opportunity,” said Parker. “Any of these [local] kids that are wanting to be college players or wanting to play nationals, they need to see what this level is all about. All of the kids here are going to be college players. Some already are.”

Parker said a few college coaches will be on hand to watch the matches and check out potential recruits. The Raintree event is one of 18 USTA junior tournaments being held around the country Thanksgiving weekend in different divisions.

Fairfield Inn by Marriott and Holiday Inn Express, both located on Gaskins Road near I-64, are serving as tournament hotels, Parker said, and have offered the juniors and their families a special rate for the weekend.

Jake Weber won the Boys’ 18’s division of the 2013 August Battery Park Junior Open, a tournament that is jointly sponsored by RTA and the City of Richmond, Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities, but that is only the tip of the iceberg.  Jake is ranked #55 in the USTA Mid-Atlantic section in tennis, lettered in golf and set several individual and relay team records in swimming.  Jake received the 2013 USTA Mid-Atlantic Junior Sportsmanship Award and golf sportsmanship award in 11^th grade.

Jake’s community service hour log is a page and half long.  Jake helped RTA by volunteering three times for the Arthur Ashe Inspirational Tour exhibit at the Science Museum this summer and at the Westover Hills Tennis Complex Grand Opening, another joint project of RTA with the City of Richmond’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities.

Jake’s accomplishments also include 5.1 GPA at Henrico High School with a perfect SAT math score and excellent SAT scores in writing, biology and chemistry.

We congratulate Jake for his achievements and wish him the best in the college application process.

The day after Thanksgiving was a most rewarding one for Shyam Venkatasubramanian — even though the Richmonder spent nearly 11 hours at Raintree Swim and Racquet Club and won only one of four tennis matches.

Venkat, which is the last name Shyam uses the majority of the time, played in the USTA National Open Boys’ 18 tournament, which was held in Richmond for the first time and attracted some of the best juniors in the country.

Although he didn’t win but one match, the experience allowed Venkat to gain exposure to the national circuit and learn what he needs to work on during his senior year of high school at Henrico and next year in college.

Plus, his family and friends could watch him play, and he could go home after the long and tiring day.

“I was at Raintree from 8:30 in the morning to about 7 at night,” said Venkat, Henrico High’s No. 1 player. “So basically the whole day. But that’s how it is when you play in these national tournaments and we’re all used to it.

“It was good to play a tournament kind of in my backyard. It was good to be able to go home and have dinner with my family. That was really nice and the support [during his matches] was really good. It was an awesome thing to have, especially at this tournament.”

Venkat lost to Liam Caruana (Texas) 6-3, 7-6 (7-5) in a hard-fought, opening match in the round of 32.

“He’s pretty good,” said Venkat. “It was a close match. We were sort of counter-punching a lot in the beginning and it got really close in the second-set tiebreak. I had a couple chances to win [the set] but I went for too much at the end, and he was able to get it.

“He played a really good match and it was a really good experience for me.”

In the consolation bracket, Venkat unfortunately ran into the tournament’s No. 3 seed, Nicolas Podesta (New Jersey) and bowed out quickly 6-2, 6-0. Podesta had been upset in the first round by Jacob  Dunbar, who plays for the University of Richmond.

“I got a bit unlucky with that,” said Venkat. “I actually played the same kid in Florida in July and we had a pretty good match there. But he got the better of me pretty easily [at Raintree]. I fought hard and gave my best effort but he played too good.”

Venkat teamed with Mid-Atlantic partner, Michael Quang (Maryland), in doubles, and the pair won a round before losing in the quarterfinals to the No. 2 seeds. Overall, though, Venkat was glad he had the chance to play in the tournament.

“It was a lot of fun,” he said. “I knew, with the small-draw size, that every single player competing would be really good.

“It was good to get some experience against these top players. I didn’t do as well as I hoped I would do but it was good to see how I matched up against some of the top players in the country. I think it showed where I stand and how much more I need to improve.

“Hopefully, what I learned here will help me improve my game, so I can get it to a higher level and start winning more matches in these national tournaments because that’s the next level of tennis. It was a good learning experience for me.”

Venkat, who is currently ranked No. 2 in MATA in the boys’ 18 division, will continue at the top  spot for Henrico in the spring and hopes to capture his first state high-school singles title, after finishing runner-up to Cosby’s Brett Moorhead in June.

As far as college, Venkat is still narrowing his choices and plans to make a decision sometime in the spring.

This was the third year that Raintree has hosted a national tournament during Thanksgiving weekend. The previous two had been in the boys’ 16 category. Next Thanksgiving, the western Henrico County facility will have the National Open Girls’ 18 division.

Harrison O’Keefe, singles Champion

This year’s winner was Harrison O’Keefe of Salem, who has committed to the University of South Carolina for next year.

“The players were very well-behaved,” said Eddie Parker, co-owner of Raintree and one of the area’s top teaching pros. “I think a lot of them have already signed to go to colleges, so they didn’t have that extra pressure of ‘I HAVE to do well in this tournament.’

“They all competed hard and they wanted to win. There were some 16-year-olds playing up, so it was important for them because they’re looking for schools. Overall, they were very good sports. I was really pleased with how it went.

“I hope the girls’ 18s is going to show the same kind of stuff next year. We had good crowds, too. A lot of members and a lot of non-members came out to watch. A lot of local juniors and their parents. It was definitely a big success.”

As the local tennis season winds down and preparations are beginning for 2014, it’s time to take a look back at the sights and sounds from a very interesting and productive 2013 for the Richmond Tennis Association.

It started with a forward-looking, youthful new president and board that came up with some exciting innovations and continued some old traditions. It ended with a wonderful holiday party at Raintree in December — with promises for another stellar year on tap.

With apologies – and similarities – to the 12 Days of Christmas lyrics — herewith is the RTA’s version of the old folklore tune.

• On the first day of RTA, our organization gave to everyone a multitude of support for the Lobs and Lessons-organized Young Aces Open and Family Open at Virginia Commonwealth University (with special thanks to Tina Carter and her staff);
•  On the second day of RTA, the organization lent a helping hand to all the Truong Wheelchair Grand Prix tournament folks at the Midlothian Athletic Club, where everyone could see that being confined to a wheelchair doesn’t stop you from playing the great game of tennis;
• On the third day of RTA, the association co-sponsored (with Davenport and Company) its biggest tournament of the year, where Wortham (appropriately enough) claimed her third Wortham Cup and Eric Shulman produced a second straight performance worthy of the Einwick Cup on the men’s side.
• On the fourth day of RTA, the local organization improved the national travel policy, so more of our local juniors could have the opportunity to test themselves against some of the best young talent in the rest of the country;
• On the fifth day of RTA, the volunteer-supported group sent plenty of help to Battery Park on the North Side for several grass-roots tournaments in an area where there is plenty of potential on the courts – if only someone would help them learn about the game and give them the equipment they need to play;
• On the sixth day of RTA, the outfit began to put together a high-level development program to provide the top-ranked juniors an opportunity to practice with each other — and regain Richmond’s stature among the Mid-Atlantic area and, indeed, the rest of the country;
• On the seventh day of RTA, our organization gave the local pros assistance in conducting the McDonald’s Summer Tournament Series, where up-and-coming juniors could hone their skills and get a healthy taste of competitive tennis that would help them reach the next level;
• On the eighth day of RTA, the association worked really hard – especially Wortham – to sell raffle tickets for a free trip to the U.S. Open Championships in New York, and it paid off for the RTA in a money-making project, as well as for Somdev Devvarman and Jim Cain, who were able to see some great tennis without paying for it.
• On the ninth day of RTA, our group went out of its way in cooperating with the City of Richmond’s Department of Recreation and Parks to build four, 10-under QuickStart courts at Westover Hills Playground and help produce a grand opening in September worthy of an Oscar Night’s red carpet.
• On the 10^th day of RTA, the talented local group supported the 20^th annual Anthem Challenge at the Westwood Club, which turned into another showcase for the men and women’s doubles teams from ACAC, which captured its third consecutive trophy in the hotly- contested affair.
• On the 11^th day of RTA, the organization also co-sponsored two tournaments in October, the RTA Junior Team Cup at ACAC and the Data Technologies Autumn Cup (similar in format to Anthem Challenge) at Avalon Recreation Association. Both were well-attended and the competition came down to the wire.
• And finally, last but far from least, on the 12^th day of RTA, the local tennis aficionados hosted one of the most amazing banquets and induction ceremonies of the Richmond Tennis Hall of Fame, which added six individuals, as well as recognizing Thomas Jefferson High School’s record 15 state team championships at the Westin Hotel.

The 2013 Richmond Tennis Hall of Fame Inductees

Members of TJ State Champion teams

And so, my friends, as we come to the end of another successful year in the RTA, we’ll let Wortham have the final words:

“This has been a great year for the RTA. It has been a privilege to work with so many wonderful people to promote the sport of tennis throughout Richmond. We are forever grateful to our sponsors, volunteers and other generous supporters without whom we wouldn’t be successful. As 2013 comes to a close, we have spent time reflecting on the year’s events — as well as planning for an even better 2014.”

Are you looking for indoor court time during the cold weather? Want to get more singles matchplay?

ACAC- Midlothian may have just what you are looking for. The club hosts weekly singles match-play from 9-1030pm and uses all 7 indoor courts. Players can sign up one week in advance by calling 804-464-0980.

Wednesday nights- levels 3.0-3.5
Thursday nights- levels 4.0-4.5

Both players bring balls, winner gets the spare.  Players will be paired with a level appropriate match and scores will be recorded on an online ladder.

Players must pay the court fee ($18.20 for the 1.5 hours).  Non-members do not have to pay a guest fee.

For more information please call 804-464-0980 or email Ben Zaiser at benz@acac.com

The 2nd Annual Jensen-SchmidtTennis Academy will be the weekend of January 11th-12th.  This is a camp that was originally designed for people with Down syndrome, but has spread its scope to include all folks with disabilities, both mental and/or physical.  There will be truly world-class instruction, one-on-one buddies assigned to every camper, and so much fun to be had.  Through a high level of motivational exercises and positive attitudes, their staff is dedicated to giving the students training in tennis, all the while having fun and building relationships.  It is known that sport enhances physical conditioning as well as mental and social abilities. At the Jensen-Schmidt Tennis Academy, they embrace tennis as the vehicle to make this happen.  Last year’s Academy was a SMASHING SUCCESS – you can talk to anyone who attended to find out how great it was!! 

Visit the Jensen-Schmidt Tennis Academy website for more information.

The cost of $75 includes the following items that campers get to take home and keep: a tennis racquet that has been fitted to the camper (unless they came last year, in which case they should bring their racquet from last year), a camp t-shirt, a bag, headband/wristbands, a water bottle, and other yummy snacks and drinks, as well as a lunch on Saturday.

The camp runs from 9 am -12 pm on Saturday morning and then 12-3 pm on Sunday afternoon, and will be held at the INDOOR HEATED tennis courts at the Thalhimer Center at VCU, which they have generously made available for us to use. The camp ends with a fabulous graduation ceremony.

We think that you are getting a LOT for your money, but $75 is still a fair amount of money, and we definitely have scholarships available.  The academy welcomes children as young as 4 and as old as 97 . Here is a video that you can watch to see more about the camp:www.jensen-schmidt.com and if you have any questions at all please feel free to ask. Contact Jen Dowda at 804-852-5366 or jennifer.dowda@gmail.com for more information. While we definitely want everyone to be able to come join us, we want to encourage you RSVP as soon as possible.  With only 4 courts, we want to maximize your athlete’s time at the Academy, and we are expecting a sell-out!

We also need lots of volunteers to make this event a success- please contact Jen Dowda at jennifer.dowda@gmail.com if you are interested in volunteering.

A pickup truck with a trailer pulled up to the back of the Willow Oaks Country Club tennis facility. On the side of the driveway was an early Christmas present for the City of Richmond’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities. Two parks department elves hopped out of the pickup cab and loaded up the city’s early Christmas present from Willow Oaks.

Six courtside benches, two tennis nets and ten divider curtains filled the trailer. Trailer in tow, the elves returned to the city’s facilities to prepare for installation of their Christmas loot.

Willow Oaks CC had replaced court side benches, nets and divider curtains. The club donated the used equipment to the Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities to be re-purposed.

Thank you, Willow Oaks Country Club and Cris Robinson for this worthwhile donation.

On Tuesdays and Thursdays immediately after students are dismissed, the gym at Linwood Holton Elementary School is buzzing.  Younger students come on Thursdays and older students come on Tuesdays to participate in a Ten and Under Kids’ Tennis Club After School Program.

“We have thirty to forty kids coming out, and volunteer teachers and parents help with the program,” said James Skinner, the program founder.  “I am not the PE teacher, but I love tennis.  I wanted kids to be exposed to tennis at an early age.”  The program received tennis racquets, nets and red foam balls from RTA through the USTA Ten and Under Market Initiative to accommodate the unexpectedly large turnout.

Principal David Hudson is a big supporter of tennis.  Mr. Hudson is a runner, but “I support all physical activities.  Fitness is a very important part of Linwood Holton curriculum.”

Linwood Holton Elementary is not only the home of a vibrant Kids’ Tennis Club, but the school was also the site of the final USTA Ten and Under Coaches Workshop of the year.  The USTA Ten and Under Market Initiative Coordinator Kelley Glen was delighted to be able to present the workshop in a setting that is familiar to all ten and under coaches.  Feisal Hassan, a USPTA master professional from Midlothian Tennis Club, conducted the workshop.   The workshop was lucky to have Feisal who has conducted many similar workshops all over the country.  The workshop was funded by a USTA grant and was free to all who participated.

The workshop shared the gym with the rehearsal for the school musical “Annie”.  The Linwood Holton Kids’ Club and the school musical are sure to produce stars “Tomorrow, Tomorrow…”

The 2nd Annual Jensen-Schmidt Tennis Academy took place on January 11-12 at the Thalhimer Tennis Center on the campus of Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond.

The Jensen-Schmidt Tennis Academy is a camp designed to meet the sport specific needs of children and young adults with Down syndrome, and other mental and physical disabilities.

This year, nearly 50 campers and more than 70 buddies and volunteers took the courts at VCU. They enjoyed drills, games, exercise activities, and a moon bounce. Jen Dowda – owner of Play Tennis Hanover – spearheaded the event coming to Richmond for the first time last year, and once again organized this year’s festivities.

In addition to Richmond, the Jensen-Schmidt Tennis Academy takes place in seven areas of the United States: Atlanta, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, St. Louis, Tulsa, and Washington DC. For more information, visit www.jensen-schmidt.com.

The 2nd Annual Richmond Winter Wildcard 18 and Under Jr. Team Tennis (JTT) Invitational saw 58 of the area’s top players compete on eight teams for a chance to earn a spot at the USTA/MAS Virginia District JTT Championships. The Wildcard Invitational was played at Midlothian Tennis Club and hosted by the Richmond Tennis Association.

January 17-19, four Advanced level teams and four Intermediate level teams played a round robin tournament to determine the winner – with each player and team playing a match on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday to meet the JTT requirements for advancement.

The Advanced teams were ACAC-Garnett, James River HS-Hoefer, Richmond Nomads, and Tuckahoe Raptors. After the first two nights of action, the stage was set for Sunday night when the Nomads faced off against the Raptors for the championship. The Nomads won boys singles, girls singles, boys doubles, and girls doubles – with the Raptors picking up the mixed doubles win 6-4. The Nomads won the team match 28-13, and finished the tournament with 88 total games, with the Raptors finishing second with 67, ACAC third with 55, and James River fourth with 44.

Of the 29 players comprising the rosters of the four Advanced teams, eight finished 2013 ranked in the Top 50 of the junior USTA/Mid-Atlantic Section Tournament Standings: Danny Polk (18th in Boys’ 18), Justin Cerny (27th in Boys’ 18), Danika Kahatapitiya (33rd in Girls’ 16), Morgan Fuqua (37th in Girls’ 16), Joseph Brown (39th in Boys’ 16), Arshaya Sood (41st in Girls’ 18), Matthew Cousins (45th in Boys’ 16), and Keerthana Shankar (50th in Girls’ 16). Another handful of players who participated finished ranked in the Top 100.

The Intermediate teams were MRTC-Banks, MTC-Dames, Westwood-Wandling, and Woodlake-Ritter. This was one of the closest round robins ever, with five of the six team matches being decided by two games or less.

On Friday, MRTC defeated Westwood 22-21. On Saturday, Woodlake beat MRTC 24-23, followed by Westwood slipping by MTC 23-22. The matches were just as close on Sunday, with MRTC beating MTC, 21-19, and Woodlake defeating Westwood 24-22. The difference in the tournament ended up being Woodlake’s 27-16 win on Friday over MTC – giving Woodlake 75 total games. MRTC and Westwood tied for second with 66 games, and MTC finished fourth with 57.

The Richmond Nomads and Woodlake-Ritter will represent the Richmond area at the 2014 USTA/MAS Virginia District JTT Championships, July 25-27 at the Virginia Beach Tennis & Country Club.

On February 14-16, more of Richmond’s top juniors will participate in the Richmond Winter Wildcard 14 and Under JTT Invitational at Midlothian Tennis Club.

College tennis is in full swing and there are plenty of teams to watch in the area. Use the links below to view the schedules and get out and support these collegiate athletes!

The UVA men’s team is currently ranked #1 and the defending National Champions.

Virginia Commonwealth University

Men’s Tennis

Men’s schedule

University of Richmond

University of Virginia

Mens Tennis

Mens schedule

William & Mary

Longwood

Randolph-Macon

Hamden-Sydney
Men’s Tennis

Men’s schedule

Virginia Union University
Men’s Tennis

Men’s schedule

Women’s Tennis

Women’s schedule

42^nd Annual Men’s Member/Guest Tennis Championships
The Country Club of Virginia
January 24-26, 2014

“Blue” Open Division  Championship Flight
Chris Mumford/Joe Cappellino def. Clifford Foster/Matt Foote 5-7, 6-4, 10-7

Champions Chris Mumford and Joe Cappellino, Finalists Clifford Foster and Matt Foote

“Blue” Open Division  “A” Flight
Robert Reynolds/Matt Magner def. Tut Bartzen/Tom Bartzen 6-4, 6-4

Finalists Tom Bartzen and Tut Bartzen, Champions Matt Magner and Robert Reynolds

“Red” 8.5 & Below Championship Flight
Jess Ellington/Tim Mullen def. Wes Atiyeh/Bill Carli 6-0, 6-3

Champions Tim Mullen and Jess Ellington, Finalists Bill Carli and Wes Atiyeh

“Red”  8.5 & Below Division  “A” Flight
David Campbell/Wilson Davis def. Michael Filer/Dan Conner 6-1, 6-3

Champions David Campbell and Wilson Davis, Finalists Dan Conner and Michael Filer

“Green” 7.0 & Below Championship Flight
Scott Redmond/Dave Leuschen def. Fred Craig/Dustin Sanderson 6-0, 6-3

Champions Dave Leuschen and Scott Redmond, Finalists Fred Craig and Dustin Sanderson

“Green” 7.0 & Below “A” Flight
Emmett Avery/Carter Redd def. Brent Winn/Scott Green 6-7, ret.

Finalists Scott Green and Brent Winn, Champions Carter Redd and Emmett Avery

On Saturday, Feb. 8 at 10 a.m. at the Grace Street Theater:  a work-in-progress excerpt from the upcoming film Althea and another short film ”Johnny and Arthur Ashe” by ESPN’s 30×30.

In addition to the films, there will be a post-film discussion that includes Eric Perkins, Tom Hood, Jolynn Johnson, and Rex Miller (director of Althea).

The Southern Film Festival brings together films and those involved in their making with constructive commentary. The theme of the 2014 Festival is “Sports and and the south.” For a complete listing of events visit http://wp.vcu.edu/sff/

There must have been something in the water around these parts. Or perhaps the moon was fuller than usual a decade or so ago. Maybe it was one of those rare, really cold spells that affects our area every now and then and keeps everyone inside.

Whatever it may have been, the outcome was the birth of a number of children to several of the teaching professionals in Richmond. And most of these kids are – not surprisingly – becoming rising young stars on the court.

Love, after all, is a prominent part of the scoring landscape in the sport of tennis.

“I’ll tell you what, it’s a very unique situation, I think,” said Scott Steinour, director of tennis at Salisbury Country Club. Steinour has three sons who play tennis, although all of them are in South Carolina now working at academies there.

“You have such a tight-knit group of all the pros, and we’ve been here for so long. You look at the Butterworths, the Bernstines, the Sancilios and now the Robinsons. We did have Carl Clark and his kids but they’ve moved away now.

Tate Steinour

“I think it’s amazing that so many pros have stayed put in Richmond and have kids that enjoy tennis. Now, you go to all these tournaments and you’ll see all the old pros there just watching kids. Not playing any more but watching their kids.”

Tate Steinour, 16, Steinour’s oldest son, played No. 1 for Midlothian High School last year, leading the Trojans to the state Group AAA semifinals. Cooper, 14, and Spencer, 12, also have been training in South Carolina, but Steinour hopes they’ll be back in Richmond by September.

“The pros are very close, and now to have their kids come up and playing against each other and training with each other is pretty neat,” said Steinour. “We competed here before we had kids, and now we’ve all had kids and they’re starting to take over.”

Chase and Ryan Bernstine

Chase Bernstine, 15, one of Mark Bernstine’s three sons, was ranked No. 1 in the 14-under group in MATA  last year. Ryan Bernstine, 13, was ranked No. 2 in MATA in the 14s, while the youngest, Evan, 9, is another up-and-comer. Bernstine is the director of tennis and fitness at Hermitage Country Club.

Damian “Little D” Sancilio, 8, son of Courtside West partner and club director Damian Sancilio, made a name for himself when he reached the final of the “Little Mo” Nationals for 8-and-unders last October. His brother, Roman, 6, can hold his own on the court, too.

Chase Robinson, 9, one of three children born to Cris and Melissa Robinson, was the consolation bracket winner of the “Little Mo” Internationals for 8-and-unders in 2012. Ella, 8, and Mia, 6, also know how to swing a mean racket.

Chase Robinson

The elder Robinson is the director of tennis at Willow Oaks Country Club and Melissa is a former State Clay Court champion.

“Maybe one of the reasons is all of these tennis pros are about the same age,” said Melissa, pointing out that perhaps it was time for most of them to start having a family. “There’s such a huge group of boys 10-and-under that can play with each other.

“I wish there were more girls that played because there are a ton of girls [in that age group].”

Don’t forget about the two children of Ed and Leslie Butterworth. Audrey, 12, is the No. 1 player at Short Pump Middle School, the top middle school in the area, and Hatcher, 10, is a fourth-grader at Shady Grove Elementary.

Many of the offspring of the pros practice and play against each other in tournaments.

“Chase probably played with Tate the most,” said Bernstine. “The big group is Evan’s group. Cris’ son [Chase] is in that group, and Damian’s son. They’re all pretty competitive and they all like to hit with each other.”

Being the sons and daughters of pros gave these youngsters a leg up on the court, too.

“You teach, and you have clinics and camps and groups,” said Ed Butterworth, director of tennis at Burkwood Swim and Racquet Club and a former city champion, “and all the kids want to do it. With Audrey’s group, at one time, I want to say six of the girls were ranked in the top 35 in the Middle Atlantic. All from one little club.”

Even though all of them had the advantage of having a teaching pro for a parent, most tried other sports, too.

“With Damian and Roman, it started out as something fun to do,” said Sancilio. “Every Saturday and Sunday, we would just hit around and have fun with it. They both love it. For them, it was such a fun thing to do, and I don’t mind hitting with them.

“They get together and hit with these other kids, more than they really just do lesson stuff [from Dad].”

The elder Sancilio said Damian has tried basketball, baseball, football and soccer, while Roman has a similar background. But tennis seems to be the sport that holds the most interest for them – for one very good reason.

“I think it’s because tennis is the sport they’re the best at,” said Sancilio. “It’s fun for a little kid for people to come up and say, ‘Wow, you’re really good!’ In other sports, they’re really good, too, but in tennis they’re amazing to other people.

“There’s so much fun around the whole tennis scene because they get to go and play in tournaments. They see somebody from Maryland they haven’t seen in a couple months. It’s a neat world for these guys. I think that helps fuel them.”

A former teaching pro, John DePew, has a couple of up-and-coming kids in Bryce, 16, who plays No. 1 for James River High School, and Kylee, 14, who is still in middle school. DePew was formerly  director of tennis at Brandermill Country Club.

Another top area junior is Paul Mendoza, son of Rene Mendoza, an assistant pro at Woodlake Swim and Racquet Club. The younger Mendoza helped Cosby High School reach the state Group AAA semifinals and is expected to play No. 1 singles this spring.

And of course, there are the three children of Eddie and Stacey Parker, owners of Raintree Swim and Racquet Club. Kyle, 23, and Nicole, 21, were both high school standouts at Mills Godwin and in college, while Kensington, 11, prefers other sports.

“All those other guys and girls are following in my footsteps,” said Eddie Parker, with a big smile. “They saw how much fun it was to have kids that played tennis and went to tournaments, so they decided to do it, too.”

With all these talented youngsters with such strong tennis genes, might there not be some future city champions among the group?

“There’s a lot of really good players,” said Sancilio. “You can’t really tell right away who’s going to be better when they’re older.  A lot of times when they’re this good really young, they either burn out or other kids start to catch them and they lose interest.

“But I think if these kids stay together and push each other up, somebody is going to get really good out of this group.”

Other local teaching pros with children who play:

Katherine Carnohan  (Burkwood) — Josh, 16, No. 1 for Lee-Davis High School, and Casey, 13.

Mary Davis (Burkwood) — Twins Gabi, 13, and Claire, 13.

Brian Wills (Hanover Country Club) – Madeline, Emily, Jessica and Preston.

Eight Richmond area teams will take the courts next weekend at Midlothian Tennis Center to compete for a spot at the JTT District Championships in July. In the Advanced division teams from Westwood, MTC, GG-Bhagavatula and Raintree will play in a round robin format. The teams in the Intermediate division are from Kanawha, Woodlake, MTC and Salisbury. Matches will begin at 7pm each night. Good luck to all the competitors!

In the 1970s and ‘80s, the Richmond area was producing some of the top juniors in the Mid-Atlantic area – and even the nation.

That was due in no small part to the support of what was then called the Richmond Tennis Patrons Association, which funded an indoor winter program at St. Christopher’s School so juniors could practice and play matches during the cold months.

Tommy Cain, Mark Vines, Junie Chatman, Rodney Harmon, Kathleen Cummings, Betty Baugh Harrison, Leanne Seward, Wade McGuire, David Caldwell and Damian and Diane Sancilio were just a few of the talented youngsters who came through that program.

But once the funding dried up for the program, the local juniors went their separate ways to learn the game, and the majority of the top players began to come from northern Virginia and the Washington-Baltimore area.

Perhaps it’s time for a change in course – or rather going back to the future.

With the cooperation of the Association of Richmond Tennis Professionals and the Richmond Tennis Association, Eddie Parker and Cris Robinson began a program last summer called the RVA Junior Team Tennis, which is designed to help the best juniors in the area get even better.

“Without the RTPA winter program that so many players remember, we didn’t have any way to get our players practicing together,” said Ginny Wortham, president of the RTA.

When the program started last summer, there were 60-65 juniors involved. This year, the number has climbed to 90 who have registered so far. Most of the top players in Richmond have signed up for the training sessions.

“Cris Robinson and I were trying to get all the best players to start practicing together,” said Parker, co-owner and tennis director at Raintree Swim and Racquet Club. “We feel that the players are not going to excel unless they get to compete and practice with the best players in their area.

“Right now, they’re spread amongst all the clubs, which is fine. But we think occasionally they need to get together and train together, and try to be part of a team.”

To that end, Parker said, “We have put together a program for 2014 to participate as a Richmond travel team. We’ve already met once [in January]. We will do things like training sessions together and travel to go watch college matches.”

On Feb. 15-16, the RVA team will go to Virginia Beach to compete with players from that area. Parker said he has also talked with the Four Seasons Tennis Academy and College Park Tennis Club programs in northern Virginia and Maryland about similar competitions later this year.

“When Cris and Eddie came to us last year with this idea, we were excited about its potential for Richmond junior tennis,” said Wortham. “Both Cris and Eddie have done a tremendous amount of work creating this program and we are proud to support their work building a sense of RVA team spirit within the junior tennis community.”

The College Park, Md., facility began as a place to help players in that area but is now a USTA training site with 32 courts.

“We’re trying to make it a College Park academy [in Richmond] but without the facility,” said Parker. “College Park is probably one of the top training centers in the country, and we don’t see any reason why Richmond can’t have a training center like that because we have so many really quality players.

“They could all practice together [in one place] and be a part of a team.”

The program has been divided into three age groups so the competition will be equal.

The Competition Training Center for 12-unders is divided into two divisions, varsity and junior varsity. Among the top players are Damian “Little D” Sancilio, Chase Robinson, Talman Ramsey, Hatcher Butterworth, Evan Bernstine, Ryan Monroe and Nick Reynolds.

Some of the 12-under girls include Raine Weiss, Kirby Westerfield, Helena Huff and Nora Willet.

The next group is the RVA Champions (14-under) and features Ryan Bernstine, Spencer Whitaker, Karl Katlaps, Scott Phillips, Audrey Butterworth, Brooke Conaster, Alyssa Hahn, Anna Bradzik, Anya Sood and Alyssa McDaniel.

The final section is the RVA Elite, which includes 16 and 18-under players such as Chase Bernstine, Justin Cerny, Greg Akerman, Carter Hayes, Josh Carnahan, Paul Mendoza, Bryce DePew, Arshaya Sood, Nina Sorkin and Keethana Sankar.

The workouts are being held at Raintree and Willow Oaks Country Club, where Robinson is the director of tennis, at least once a month.

The RVA team has attended a VCU-James Madison match at VCU and is planning a trip to Charlottesville to watch the top-ranked Virginia Cavaliers. The older boys have also worked out with the Hampden-Sydney team twice.

“I think these things give the kids a team feel and lets them play matches against different people,” said Robinson. “I think it’s very exciting.”

With support from Under Armour and the RTA, the program has created shirts for the juniors with RVA Junior Team emblazoned on the front.

“I’m getting reports from some of the parents that their kids want to wear it every day and they’re having to force them to take it off a day to wash it. That’s the sense of team unity and pride that we’re hoping to create.

“So they’ll be excited about it. Work harder. Push each other. Celebrate with each other. We hope those that aren’t involved will see the results and the excitement … and want to become a part of the program. So that everybody is pushing everybody.”

Parker remembers the program at St. Christopher’s and believes the 2014 version is similar if not better.

“I’ve been here 25 years,” said Parker. “John Hill and I used to travel over there every Tuesday and Thursday and work with the elite players. We think that was a very good concept because we weren’t taking kids away from their clubs and their own pros and coaches.

“But if you can get them together to train and play with each other, where they’ll get on the phone and call each other and say, ‘Let’s play on Saturday,’ we think that’s the best of both worlds. We’re trying to simulate what they did way back when with the RTPA group.

“Hopefully, we’re going to soon get a facility where we can do a lot more. We can do a lot more when we move outdoors in the summer and have more courts. Right now, we can’t bring 30 kids in to train on four courts.”

In addition to Parker and Robinson, other local pros who have helped include Damian Sancilio, Mark Bernstine, Ed Butterworth and Joe Cappellino.

“It’s more of a community program,” said Parker. “The only reason Cris and I are putting our name to it is somebody has to be in charge. But we do want all the pros and coaches around to help us make Richmond a tennis powerhouse like it used to be.”

A pair of Deep Run High School girls, senior Caroline Mosberg and freshman Nina Sorkin, were among the recipients of the Richmond Tennis Association’s 2013 junior awards, presented on Sunday evening during a banquet at Salisbury Country Club.

Mosberg, who will be heading to the University of Mary Washington next fall, took home the Dorothy Chewning award for enthusiasm and love of the game by an area girl.

Sorkin, who is expected to play near the top of Deep Run’s lineup this spring despite her youthfulness, received the Ellen Smith Maloney award for most improved girl.

The Sam Woods award for most improved boy went to Danny Polk, a senior at Hanover High School and four-year captain of the team. The Greg Semon award for enthusiasm and love of the game by an area boy went to Carter Hayes, a senior at St. Christopher’s School.

Greg Akerman, a junior at Douglas Freeman High School, received the Richard B. Passloff award for male sportsmanship, while Ellie Whitlock, a senior at Collegiate, took home the Sue Cain female sportsmanship award.

Mosberg, who has been a member of the Richmond Times-Dispatch’s All-Metro team the past three years, is a three-time Colonial District singles champion and was Central Region titlist her sophomore season.

“Caroline has such a passion for tennis,” said Deep Run coach Maria Sorkin. “There have been many cases where she’s been injured and she perseveres through the pain [and plays]. She’s a team leader and is constantly looking to improve her game and fitness.”

Sorkin is a tireless worker on the court and has worked with area pros Damian Sancilio, Pat Anderson and Jamie Morgan. She enjoys team tennis and has represented the Mid-Atlantic section in zonals the past three summers, helping her team win last summer.

Polk chose tennis over baseball in ninth grade and has been improving his game ever since. He has been a member of the Richmond Nomads junior team for several years and particularly enjoys playing doubles.

Another member of the Nomads, Hayes was a second-team, All Prep League choice last spring.

“Carter is one of the most dedicated and enthusiastic players I have ever met,” said Richard Peyton, St. Christopher’s coach. “He is the perfect player to coach because he truly loves all aspects of the game. His enthusiasm for the game is contagious.

“His passion for tennis helps make our high school team better, as his enthusiasm and positive attitude spreads to his teammates.”

Akerman will be a junior on the Rebels’ team this spring and has played No. 1 singles the past two years. He won the Colonial District singles and doubles crowns last spring and lost in the semifinals of the Central Region tournament. Akerman was an All-Metro pick in 2013.

Whitlock has completed her four-year eligibility for Collegiate, where she played No. 1 singles and doubles as a senior last fall. She was all League of Independent Schools (LIS) for four years and All-State her final three years.

“Whether winning or losing a match, [she led] by example, beginning with the first ball hit during practice each and every day,” said her Collegiate coach Karin Whitt. “Ellie’s superior sportsmanship was always on display for all to see.”

The evening’s guest speaker was Chris Mumford, a former local junior standout himself who talked about how tennis influenced his life and gave him the confidence to succeed off the court. He also spoke about how his father related important parts of life to tennis – work harder than your opponent, play one point at a time and play your game.

“We are so grateful to Salisbury for playing host for the evening,” said Ginny Wortham, president of the RTA. “The setting was perfect, and they prepared a delicious, family-friendly meal.

“Each of the recipients was incredibly deserving, and we are proud to call them our own.”

John, Eileen and Sean Heath were all there at the wheelchair tennis fundraiser held at Westwood.  John was playing host, Sean mingled and Eileen played tennis.

Data Technologies, John’s company, became a sponsor of the Midlothian Athletic Club Wheelchair Tennis Open last year.   The tournament is an RTA event and is held on the first weekend in May.  John was at the tournament all day Saturday and returned with Eileen and Sean to watch on Sunday.  No other sponsor has ever shown such interest.

When it became apparent that the tournament could benefit from additional funding, John singlehandedly organized a round robin fundraising event in less than six weeks’ time.  He enlisted Westwood to donate courts, found a wine and a beer donor and provided refreshments.  Although only a small group played tennis, John’s passion for wheelchair tennis raised over $1,400 for the 2014 MAC Wheelchair Tennis Open.

The tournament planning committee unanimously voted to use the donation to reduce the entry fee from $80 to $50.  Players receive a $15 rebate for registering early and another $15 for participating in the Sportable Run/Roll Social on Friday night.  If a player qualifies for both rebates, the entry fee becomes only $20, far below the entry fees for other tournaments in the Truong Wheelchair Tennis Grand Prix circuit.  The balance of the fund will be used to provide travel grants to make sure that all wheelchair tennis players interested in competing will have a chance.

The MAC Wheelchair Tennis Open is part of the Truong Wheelchair Tennis Grand Prix circuit, the first ever such circuit in the nation.  Truong Rehabilitation Center of Fredericksburg is the title sponsor of the circuit.  The majority of the competitors come from outside Richmond, with some from as far away as OH, NJ, WVa, MD, PA and NC.  The 2014 MAC Wheelchair Tennis Open will be held on Saturday and Sunday May 3^rd and 4^th with the Sportable Run/Roll Social on Friday May 2^nd.  We hope you will come watch the exciting matches or play some run/roll doubles and learn how tennis brings wheelchair tennis players and able-bodied players together.