Board of DirectorsAssume Positions For 2007-2008

USTA Northern announced its new Board of Directors and Executive

Committee at the turn of the year, including president Jay Pfaender of Mendota Heights, Minn. All board members were presented to the Nominating Committee who then researched the list of applicants, interviewed them as necessary and developed the slate of board members to be approved by the organizational members at the Annual Meeting in November. They are all non-paid, community volunteers serving in their new positions in both 2007 and 2008.

A long-time league player and former varsity tennis player at Mankato State University, Pfaender has served over five years on the USTA Northern board and in a variety of different positions. He recently completed two years on the Member Services Committee at the national level. A veteran business leader in downtown St. Paul, he has been in senior banking positions over the last 20 years. He is currently Vice President of Drake Bank. Previously, he was president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau of Minnesota and North Dakota.

In addition to his USTA positions, Pfaender has served as president of the St. Paul Winter Carnival, president of the downtown St. Paul Rotary and on the board of the St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce. He currently serves on the board of the Ramsey County Historical Society and is a contributing author.

Pfaender replaces Mary Thompson, who moves from president into the section delegate role where she will vote on issues at the National level for the Section. She is currently the Executive Director of the Sioux Falls Tennis Association and an employee of Westward Ho Country Club. Thompson is an active tournament player, as well as a tournament director overseeing the Asfora Junior Sectional, the only Level 3 tournament in USTA Northern.

Jeffrey Baill of Plymouth, Minn., and Brent Frueh of Rochester, Minn., are the organization’s new vice presi-dents. A managing partner of Yost & Baill, LLP, in Minneapolis, and a prac-ticing attorney for over 25 years, Baill is a USTA League Tennis player and is in his third year on the USTA Northern board. Frueh is the Tennis Coordinator

at the Rochester Athletic Club and a long-time member of the USTA Northern board with over 10 years of service. He also has five years of national committee experience and works with many of the top junior players in the Section as part of the USTA Northern High Performance Program.

Dominic (Andy) Henderson of Merrifield, Minn., remains in his position as treasurer and Dave Mathews is the new secretary of the board. A telecommunications expert for Rural Utilities Service, Henderson has been a member of his local Community Tennis Association board for 16 years, the USTA Northern board for six years and has served on a national USTA committee. An active player, Henderson has also volunteered his services as the treasurer of Mission Township the past 20 years. Mathews, of Eden Prairie, Minn., is the District Sales Manager for Head Penn Racquet Sports and is a long-time league and tournament player in the Section. He has served two stints on the board with his first being from 1977-84, and then again, since 2003. A former player at the University of Minnesota and local teaching professional for almost 20 years, Mathews has worked with the Hall of Fame, Board Development, Multicultural and Compensation committees.

The remaining board members are Shannon Bakke of Bismarck, N.D.; Brian Biernat of Woodbury, Minn.; Jeff Bloomberg of Pierre, S.D.; Ellen Doll of Minneapolis; David Hopkins of Edina, Minn.; Raman Jayapathy of Eden Prairie, Minn.; Tim Kurtt of St. Paul, Minn.; Kathleen Lundberg of Minneapolis; John Niedfeldt-Thomas of Mounds View, Minn.; Roshan Rajkumar of St. Louis Park, Minn.; Rod Wannebo of Grand Marais, Minn., and Chuck Whitaker of Dellwood, Minn.

USTAnorthernNEWS

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2007-2008 USTA Northern Board of Directors: Back Row (L to R): John Niedfeldt-Thomas, Shannon Bakke, Brian Biernat, Tim Kurtt, David Hopkins, Chuck Whitaker, Rod Wannebo, Jeff Bloomberg, Ellen Doll, Roshon Rajkumar. Front Row (L to R): Andy Henderson, Brent Frueh, Jeffrey Baill, Jay Pfaender, Mary Thompson, Dave Mathews. Not pictured: Raman Jayapathy and Kathy Lundberg.

Jay Pfaender

In December, USTA Northern Executive Director Mike Goldammer announced the promotion of Kara Schmitz to Adult Competition Specialist and the hir-

ing of Ursula Shute as the new Twin Cities Area League Coordinator/USTA League Assistant and Michele Becker as Administrative Assistant.

Schmitz, who was the Twin Cities Area League Coordinator/USTA League Assistant, replaced Karl Monson who took a job teaching pro at the Rochester Athletic Club in Rochester, Minn.

Schmitz started at USTA Northern in March of 2006 after serving as the Business Coordinator at the Apple Valley Chamber of Commerce in Apple Valley, Minn., since January of 2005. While at the Chamber, Schmitz coor-dinated the event planning and marketing efforts, as well as all communications efforts to a membership of over 500 organizations.

Schmitz graduated from the University of Minnesota-Duluth with a degree in international relations in 2001. At UMD, she was a four-year member of the varsity tennis team, while also serving as an assistant tennis coach at The Marshall School in Duluth during that time.

Shute comes to USTA Northern from Tour Tradition Golf where she was co-owner and manager since 2003. While there, Shute managed all aspects of operations for golf club sales including trade shows, seminars and business-to-business sales, increasing sales from $300,000 to $1 million annually. She also participated in over 30 trade shows per year throughout the United States.

A USPTA certified instructor and long-time USTA League Tennis player, Shute earned her Associate of Science degree from the University of Minnesota and her Vocal and Music Business degree from Music Tech of Minneapolis.

Becker joins USTA Northern after serving as an Administrative Assistant at Kaleidoscope Health Systems, Inc., for the past year. She has also worked in an administrative capacity at D’Amico and Sons Corporate Offices, Ceridian, The Minneapolis Club and WCCO Television. Becker is a native of Bloomington, Minn., and is certified through the Office Education Association.

1001 West 98th Street, Suite 101Bloomington, MN 55431

(952) 887-5001 • (800) 536-6982Fax: (952) 887-5061

Michele Becker (952-887-5001, ext. 110)Administrative Assistantbecker@northern.usta.comKristi Bushinski (952-358-3280)Adult and Junior Tennis Assistantkbushinskinorthern@comcast.netChristine Buysse (952-358-3290)Community Tennis Assistant/Jr. Team Tennis Coordinatorbuysse@northern.usta.comBecky Cantellano (952-358-3291)Community Development Specialistcantellano@northern.usta.comPat Colbert (952-358-3283)Assistant Executive Director and Junior Competition Specialistcolbert@northern.usta.comPatty Egart (952-358-3292)Corporate and Collegiate Tennis Coordinatoregart@northern.usta.comMike Goldammer (952-358-3284)Executive Directorgoldammer@northern.usta.comDarren Iverson (952-358-3294)Community Events Coordinatoriverson@northern.usta.comNancy Lundberg (952-358-3286)Community Tennis Assistant/Adult Tournament Coordinatorlundberg@northern.usta.comLisa Mushett (952-358-3282)Director of Marketing and Communicationsmushett@northern.usta.comJames Poehler (952-358-3281)Administration Directorpoehler@northern.usta.comKara Schmitz (952-358-3285)Adult Competition Specialistschmitz@northern.usta.comHayley Horning Shibley (952-358-3295)Tennis Service Representativeshibley@northern.usta.comUrsula Shute (952-358-3287)Twin Cities Area League Coordinatorshute@northern.usta.comSandy Smith (952-358-3288)Director of Membership and Salessmith@northern.usta.comTony Stingley (952-358-3289)Multicultural Specialiststingley@northern.usta.com

STAFF DIRECTORY

USTA NorthernPromotes One; Add Two More to Staff

� tennislifemagazine april 2007

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Corrections…We apologize for

our mistakes in the last issue…

The photo of Kathy Shelgren’s 3.0 USTA League Tennis team which advanced to Nationals was incor-rect. Here is the proper photo.

Also, the website address for the Quad Cities Tennis For All project is www.quadci-tiestennisforall.com. Thank you to George Erickson for correcting that.

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Over 190 people representing 90 different communi-ties attended the Ninth Annual Regional Community Tennis Workshop sponsored by Advantage Track &

Tennis on November 3-5, 2006, at the Fort Snelling Tennis and Learning Center in St. Paul, Minn.

The workshop reached out to CTA members, park and recreation employees, community education staffs, teaching pros, facility personnel and other tennis movers and shakers. On-court and off-court sessions were available to all attend-ees, including USTA Northern staff, USTA Northern Board of Directors and many council members. For the second consecutive year, USTA National provided support for this regional event with the intention of drawing attendees from the Intermountain, Midwest and Missouri Valley sections.

The theme for this year’s event – “It’s Your Game” – mirrored the USTA national campaign. Kathy Francis, Managing Director of Marketing and Development for USTA, served as the keynote speaker for the event telling everyone the thinking behind the new USTA “It’s Your Game” campaign and all of the other supporting marketing themes with programs such as USTA League Tennis and Jr. Team Tennis.

Pre-workshop activities began on Friday, Nov. 3, with a Community Tennis Rally delivered by USTA Northern staff, followed by a Tennis Organizer Workshop given by USTA National Manager of Tennis Organizers Anne Davis. Also on Friday, Bill Mountford, Director of Tennis at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, led a Recreation Coaches Workshop in which over 60 people attended. Friday’s activities culminated with the Teamster Challenge where Team Roddick defeated Team Davenport 47-46 in the finals. Team Roddick members included Chad Anderson (West Fargo, N.D.), Joe Walz (Aitkin, Minn.), Doug Dexheimer (Spearfish,

S.D.), Jim Dahl (Milbank, S.D.); the late Audrey Howlett (Grand Marais, Minn.), Julie Hatleli (Mankato, Minn.) and Dana Otto (Dawson, Minn.).

After Francis’ Keynote Address, Saturday and Sunday’s sessions focused on topics useful to CTAs, program direc-tors, teaching pros, coaches and administrators. Some of the sessions during the weekend were Three Crowns of Sportsmanship by legendary Gustavus Adolphus coach Steve Wilkinson, a leadership conference by USTA Northern Hall of Famer Greg Lappin, a Dealing with Difficult People session led by nationally-renowned speaker Tom Colbert and on-court sessions by many of the leading teaching pros in USTA Northern. Sunday focused on marketing, fundrais-ing, grant writing and fitness and strategy sessions.

USTA Northern held its Annual Meeting during lunch on Saturday, where they recapped 2006 and introduced the new board members for 2007-08. The Section also held its annual awards banquet on Saturday night honoring 12 of its best and brightest members for a number of different awards. Twin Cities teaching pro Greg Wicklund was the

emcee for the event.The three-day workshop ended on Sunday

with a performance by The Amazing Hondo – a well-known magician who has spoken to many corporate groups including the PGA tour.

In addition to the great information and the networking opportunities available, attendees also received a gift, workshop manual, oppor-tunities for tennis play, meals, snacks and new friendships. Mark your calendar for November 17-18, 2007, and celebrate the 10th Anniversary of this great event

Community Tennis WorkshopReminds People “It’s Your Game”

USTA National Managing Director of Marketing and

Development Kathy Francis was the keynote speaker for the

workshop.

The Amazing Hondo wowed the audience with his unique brand of magic and motivational messages.

Bill Mountford, Director of Tennis at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, led a Recreation Coaches Workshop.

� tennislifemagazine april 2006

When Hildy Neel first took her daughter, Ingrid, to play tennis at the neighborhood park in Evanston, Ill., she was hoping her then-four-year-

old daughter would enjoy it enough to maybe want to play again. With racquets in one hand and a basket of balls in the other, the two set off on frequent mother-daughter out-ings to the courts.

“When I first took her to play, I saw this small girl concentrating so hard and always trying to do her best,” Hildy, a former college tennis player herself, said. “I could see the focus she had and how much she enjoyed playing the game.”

Little did Hildy know that the focus and fun she saw in her little girl would have the makings of a potential tennis superstar only four years later as Ingrid is quickly grabbing the attention of tennis people in the know both nationally and internationally.

After Hildy, Ingrid, 5-year-old brother Harry and dad Bryan moved to Rochester, Minn. (Bryan, a Rochester native, now works at Mayo Clinic), the family joined the Rochester Athletic Club (RAC) and signed Ingrid up for a group tennis class. Once there, it didn’t take long for teach-ing professional Brian Christensen and the other staff members at the RAC to see she was something special.

“Brent Frueh (Tennis Coordinator at the RAC) brought me into his office one day and told me that Ingrid tracked the ball really well,” Hildy said. “He mentioned that she reminded him of his son, Eric, when he was five, who is now a top junior player in the Section.”

Now eight years old, Ingrid is one of the top players in country for her age group. After winning the Little Mo Sectional Tournament in Dallas in May of 2006, Ingrid qualified for October’s Little Mo National Tournament in Austin, Texas. While there, Ingrid surprised everyone but herself by taking home the 8s National title with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Anastasia Nefedova who moved from Russia and is training in Florida. Neel became the first player in USTA Northern history to win the prestigious tournament.

“It was great to win against International players,” Ingrid said calmly. “During the tournament, I was just trying to stay positive and tell myself I could win.”

With the title came a trophy as large as the four-foot-two-inch Ingrid - the 18th trophy she had won in her young career.

“The trophy was big, but not very heavy,” Ingrid said. “I carried it on the plane and they had to store it up in first class because it was so big. Now it is in the dining room with all my other trophies.”

That trophy collection is growing by the day as Ingrid did not have to wait long for number 19 after winning a USTA Northern Girls 14s Level 6 event in the Twin Cities in November despite being the youngest competitor (most players were 13 or 14 years old), as well as the smallest.

“In her first match, her opponent walked up to her and thought Ingrid was on the wrong court,” Hildy said. “She

was so nice trying to help Ingrid find the right court, but when she realized Ingrid was on the right court, you could see the shock in her eyes.”

Ingrid went on to win the match 6-1, 6-0.Weighing in at only 60 pounds, most kids would be

scared playing people who are almost twice as old and tall as they, but not this little spitfire. Ingrid relishes it.

“It is not scary for me at all,” she said. “It is probably scarier for my opponent because they do not want to lose to an 8-year-old.”

It is that no-fear attitude that still amazes Christensen after working with her the last two years. He continues to be surprised daily at what this little bundle of energy is doing on the court. With Hildy’s encouragement, Christensen developed a plan where Ingrid is doing something differ-ent each day to keep tennis fresh for the future star. She takes a private lesson with him twice a week, participates in group lessons three times a week and works out with the local high school team twice a week. Ingrid has also started taking occasional agility training and group jump rope classes.

“Ingrid already has all of the shots in her bag,” Christensen says. “What is amazing is she has to work twice as hard as

Ingrid Neel:Small In Stature, But Big On The CourtBy Lisa Mushett

Ingrid Neel holds her trophy after winning the National 8s Little Mo Championship in October.

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most of the people she plays because she is so small and her legs are half as long.”

Although Ingrid possesses superior talent for someone so young, what truly intrigues Christensen every time he watches her play is her mind and court awareness.

“She is so smart on the court,” Christensen said. “It is like watching a teaching pro. You can’t teach the things she already knows. Either you have it or you don’t. She is clever, independent and quite mature for an 8-year-old.”

That independence and maturity is starting to lead Ingrid to places that most people can only dream about. Ingrid played her first international tournament – a junior event in Deauville, Normandy, France called the Once Upon a Time Tennis Tournament where the top 9, 10, 11 and 12 year olds from around the world played over the Christmas holidays. She placed second in her age category, defeating the #1 seed in the process, before falling to a nine year old girl from the United Kingdom in the finals.

“I couldn’t understand what the referee was saying and they used softer tennis balls for the younger kids,” Ingrid said of the experience. “There were a lot of kids from Italy, but my mom speaks Italian, so that was okay.”

The USTA has also recognized it might have something special in Ingrid as they invited her to participate in a High Performance Development Camp January 23-27 in Carson, Calif., at the Home Depot Center which houses the USTA West Coast National Training Center. She becomes the first person in USTA Northern history to receive an invitation to this prestigious clinic.

“This camp is the first contact we have with promising young players,” Debbie Graham–Shaffer, USTA High Performance Coach for girls born between 1995-98, said. “The purpose is to provide an introduction to the USTA for these players, as well as help coaches and parents with scheduling, training regiments and any other questions they might have as we try to develop the next champions.”

As Ingrid garners more and more atten-tion in the tennis world, the Neels know that many harder decisions lie ahead for this young family, but for now it is all about having fun.

“I really like the sport and have a lot of fun playing,” Ingrid said. “It is really good exercise and is fun to compete against other people instead of practicing all the time.”

“She is such a good girl, with a good heart,” her dad said. “She is a kid who happens to be a good tennis player. She also is also pretty good at basketball, skiing and piano. The most important thing is that Ingrid is happy and having fun.”

With support and results like this, how could she not have fun?

Ingrid Neel is the first player in USTA Northern history invited to a High Performance Developmental Camp.

� tennislifemagazine april 2007

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Jr. TEaM TEnniS orGanizEr aWard

Brian McCoy of LifeTime Fitness - Moore Lake in Fridley, Minn., is the first recipient of the USTA Northern Janet Louer Jr. Team Tennis Organizer of the Year Award. This award recog-nizes an individual for their efforts in expanding an exist-ing Jr. Team Tennis league or developing a new league. During the 2006 local travel-ing season, McCoy coached 79 players making up eight USTA Jr. Team Tennis squads in the Greater Twin Cities league. Seven of these teams competed at the Section Championships in July with two advancing to the National Championships at the 14-and-Under Advanced level. McCoy also assisted his son, Brody, with the team that won the 2005 14-and-Under Jr. Team Tennis National Championship in Tucson, Ariz., featuring his youngest son Wyatt.

BoSTon SciEnTific 4.5 TEaM PlacES SEcond aT WTT naTional chaMPionShiPS

The Twin Cities-based Boston Scientific 4.5 squad finished second at the 2006 World TeamTennis Rec League National Championships in Indian Wells, Calif. Forty-eight recreational and corporate teams representing 19 states competed in 10 different divisions, with the weekend kicking off with a clinic hosted by WTT co-founder Billie Jean King. The Boston Scientific team lost to the Smith Barney – Florida squad 46-39 in overtime. Members of the runner-up team from Boston Scientific included captain Mathan Krishnappan (Minneapolis); John Leehy (Falcon Heights, Minn.); Eric Mokelke (White Bear Lake, Minn.); Amy Lamparske (Minneapolis) and Cammie Wadman-Day (Ham Lake, Minn).

(L to R) Cammie Wadman-Day, Amy Lamparske, John Leehy, Eric Mokelke, Mathan Krishnappan

SouTh daKoTa hall of faME launchES nEW WEB SiTE

A new Web site has been created by Drew Nielsen high-lighting the history of tennis in South Dakota. The South Dakota Hall of Fame Web site, www.sdtennishall.com, is always looking for any interesting historical tennis photos or newspaper clippings and stories to be included on the site. Please send any submissions to contact@sdtennishall.com.

BiSMarcK holiday TEnniS ProvidES ToyS for ToTS

The fourth annual Bismarck Holiday Tennis Tournament was held in December benefiting the Burleigh/Morton County Foster Care Program. Tournament entry fee was a new toy valued at $10 or more. This year, the tournament provided 58 toys for the children of Burleigh and Morton County. Pictured right are Dale Nurnbirg, Head Tennis Professional; Darlene Hill, Director of Burleigh/Morton County Social Services; Sharon Dockter, Burleigh/Morton Social Services and Mike Walk, General Manager.

MicKEy MaulE WinS SEnTryWorld fall claSSicMickey Maule (Chanhassen, Minn.) won the 2006

SentryWorld Fall Classic Pro Invitational in Stevens Point, Wis. Maule topped many of the best players in the Midwest

in the three-day tournament taking home top honors from the $6,000 total prize money event. In the finals, Maule defeated Tate Whitlinger (Appleton, Wis.) 6-2, 6-2. Curtis Wright (Eden Prairie, Minn.) advanced to the finals of the men’s doubles draw with partner John Morrel (Chicago).

STEvE WilKinSon naMEd uSPTa collEGE coach of ThE yEar

Gustavus Adolphus men’s tennis coach Steve Wilkinson (Saint Peter, Minn.) was the winner of the 2006 United States Professional Tennis Association (USPTA) College Coach of the Year Award. Wilkinson, a USTA Northern Hall of Famer, has built a dynasty over the last 37 years at Gustavus. Under his leadership, the team has won 18 conference titles in a row and 33 of the last 36 conference titles. Wilkinson has amassed an impressive 325-1 conference record and an 885-253 overall mark. His team finished third at the 2006 NCAA Division III Championships and won the ITA Division III Indoor Championships.

Mickey Maule (left) collects his winner’s check at the 2006 SentryWorld Fall Classic.

Brian McCoy coached eight Jr. Team Tennis squads in 2006.

� tennislifemagazine april 2007

USTA Northern leads the nation in the number of high school coaches who adopt a No-Cut policy for its boys and girls tennis teams. As of December 31, 111 coaches have registered through the USTA as a No-

Cut program, including 80 in Minnesota (the most of any individual state in the country). For its efforts, USTA Northern

was awarded a $1,000 scholarship for having the most No-Cut policy

coaches by USTA National. Although sometimes diffi-cult to accommodate every-one who wants to play tennis, coaches around the Section see the impor-tance of the No-Cut policy as it allows young players the opportunity to be part of a team with their friends and repre-sent their school. Mounds

View High School, in Mounds View, Minn., who won the

Minnesota State High School Boys Team Championship in

2004 and 2005, has 149 players participating on only eight courts.

Other schools, like Red Wing High

USTA NorthernTops No-Cut Policy Adoptees

Minnesota (80)Aitkin – Cindy Walz, Joe WalzAlbert Lea – Sean GillamAndover – Cammie Wadman-DayAnoka – Scott LeakeApple Valley – Susan FurtneyMounds View – Michael CartwrightBenson – Jane KjosBloomington Kennedy – Krista PawlickiBlue Earth Area – Travis ArmstrongBrooklyn Center – Phil HatchnerPark Center – Jon PetersonBuffalo – Charley KeifenheimCannon Falls – Paul NorstadChamplin Park – J.C. LippoldCentennial – Arnie LemersSt. John’s Prep – Charles MilerCoon Rapids – Scott StorickCrookston – Mike GeffreDuluth Denfield – Eve SteinDuluth Central – Paul SandholmEast Grand Forks – Jim Watt, Terry PaukertElk River – Julie HavemeierEveleth-Gilbert – Thomas ProsenShattuck-St. Mary’s – Richard KetteringFergus Falls – Hal Johnson, Jeff MoonGlencoe Silver Lake – Robb DeCorsey

Minnewaska – Tara ReichmannHastings – John HuttemierLitchfield – John CarlsonLong Prairie – Curt HatfieldLac Qui Parle-Dawson Boyd – Barru BraceMankato West – Eric WeisserMaple Grove – Paul ScheuerHill Murray – Steve MartinMounds Park Academy – Michelle OlsonMarshall – Charles KostMinneapolis South – Jesse MorganTotino-Grace – David WarehamMinneapolis North – Julie AndersonMonticello – Jeffrey BordwellMoorhead – Scottt MathesonMound-Westonka – Tom OsbornNew London-Spicer – Chad AndersonNew Ulm – Joe PoncinNorth Branch – Tom McLaughlin, Kristin

UnverzagtNorth St. Paul – Nick KruegerNorthfield – Mark EnsrudTartan – Lawerence FronczakOwatonna – Curt MatejcekParkers Prairie – Todd TumbergPerham – Terry GrzybowskiPine City – Rick Engelstad

Armstrong – Doug AndrusRed Wing – Kris KlassenRedwood Valley – Jeremy RobinsonRichfield – Sarah HolmRochester Century – Joe Boyer, Scott BoyerRochester Lourdes – Kevin RustRoseville – Kevin WhippleShakopee – Darren IversonMartin County West – Ross BettinSleepy Eye – Bradd GoedeSouth St. Paul – Pepper MeyerSt. Cloud Apollo – Mark MuntiferingNorth – Doug NiskaSt. Cloud Cathedral – Ellis ScheevelSt. Francis – Joe FredicksonSt. James – Les ZellmanHumboldt – Skip JobeCretin-Derham Hall – Randy MuetzelVirginia – Dave GundersonWaseca – Kyle CollinsWinona – Cathy SolemWorthington – Mike Marquardt

USTA NorTherN No-CUT PolICy CoACheS (AS of DeCemBer 31, 2006)

“I have been coaching at St. Mary’s for

18 years and have never cut a boy or girl from the tennis team. I

believe if a tennis player is willing to come to practice every day and put in

the time and has a desire to play tennis, they shall continue to be on the team.”

Sandy Wald-clooten, St. Mary’s high School,

Bismarck, n.d.

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“I am a no-cut coach

because I feel all of our players deserve a chance to play

at the level they fit best. Tennis is more than just about winning. It develops life-

long skills the girls will take with them beyond high school. It is a great lifetime sport and it

will help keep the girls playing forever and stay healthy. Having a no-cut program also makes some girls feel safe to come out, because they

do not need to worry about the feelings that come with being cut.”

robb decorsey, Glencoe-Silver lake high School

”At Mankato West tennis is contagious. If one

player sees another player on the courts, they want to know why, and

more times than not, they come down to join them. I tell my students in class about the

no-cut policy in tennis and it gets them fired up to try something new. Almost every year the var-sity lineup contains a couple of players that only a few years ago had never played tennis. It is

exciting to see the student-athletes accom-plish goals they set for themselves.” Eric Weisser, Mankato West

high School

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School in Red Wing, Minn., have an enrollment of 736

students with 100 of those playing tennis. Likewise,

Virginia High School in Virginia, Minn., has 379 students with 98 playing tennis on eight courts and Crookston High School in Crookston, Minn., (enrollment 320) has 90 playing tennis on seven courts. Dickinson High

School in Dickinson, N.D., has 100 girls on its team.“Tennis is a lifetime sport,” Mounds View High School head coach Mike Cartwright said. “Anything we, as coaches,

can do to encourage greater participation can only help maintain and build interest in tennis. Tennis is

an outstanding activity to promote sportsmanship, honesty and fitness. Team tennis puts the focus on team success and away from the individual. The needs of the team are of paramount importance. These are among the many life lessons that can be developed for students who are allowed, and encouraged, to participate.”

For those coaches who want to implement a No-Cut policy, but have questions or obstacles, an advisory team of experienced coaches is available

offering advice at highschool@usta.com. Answers to frequently asked questions and links to other coach-

ing resources are also available by visiting www.usta.com/highschoolcoaches or calling Tony Stingley in the

USTA Northern office at (952) 358-3289.

north dakota (14)Bismarck Century – Scott McPhersonDickinson – Clayton JohnsenFargo South – Jason Thiner, Victor YoungsShanley – Vern BaardsonFargo North – Greg UnruhGrand Forks Central – James WyattGrand Forks Red River – Tim Wynne, Greg

LaDouceurJamestown – Pam Musland, Steve ListopadWahpeton – Lee NagelWest Fargo – Chad AndersonWilliston – Wade Stueve

South dakota (16)Huron – Michael KniggeMilbank – Jim DahlMitchell – Gayle KleinPierre – Jeff SchlekewayPierre Riggs – Jeff BloombergRapid City Central – Sherry Oyler, Annie

BusslerRapid City Stevens – Jason OlsonSt. Thomas More – Seth KeeneSioux Falls Roosevelt – Terry GroveSioux Falls O’Gorman – Donald BarnesSioux Falls Lincoln – Amy HollandWatertown – Scott EwaldYankton – Tim Mulhair

Wisconsin (1)Greg Emerson

Crookston Unveils eight New Courts

On September 17, 2006, the Crookston Tennis Association (CTA) celebrated the opening of eight new tennis courts located on the Crookston High School campus. It was the highlight of what has been a long-time goal of the CTA which started with 13 members from various backgrounds who had a common interest in bolstering the recreation options for this Northern Minnesota community.

“It has been a real blessing for our community that everyone was able to come together and build these eight courts,” Lee Meier, President of the Crookston Tennis Association, said.

Unfortunately, it rained the day of the court dedication, but that did not dampen the spirits of all those who worked so hard in achieving this milestone. Over 50 kids and another 50 adults attended the party which moved inside to the Crookston High School gym.

“I have coached the Boys and Girls Tennis Team

for seven years and have never cut. Everyone needs to try playing a sport and

if a student doesn’t feel threatened by being cut, then maybe we can give them something to

look forward to each school day to become active and involved in a lifelong sport. Tennis is a game you can play all your life by yourself or with others. If we can show the high school player how fun tennis can be without cutting anyone, then we’ve given them a

positive start into being an active adult.” chad anderson, West

fargo high School

“Tennis is a lifetime sport and

cutting defeats that purpose. Getting enough exercise is a major

issue in our society today. We want to do our part to help kids stay in shape. We may have athletes out for tennis who will not play

at the varsity level, but it is exciting to see them learn to hit a two-handed backhand for the first time. We have been fortunate to player every-one in a match, even if it is a single set. It is so gratifying to see those kids after high school

at the courts playing TENNIS!” Jeff Bordwell, Monticello

high School

�0 tennislifemagazine april 2007

Jon Rydberg has been limited to walking with crutches or in a wheel-chair since the age of 1. What would be viewed as a hindrance by many, Rydberg has made the most of his situation by becoming one of the elite

wheelchair athletes in the world in two different sports. A former collegiate wheelchair basketball player at national power Texas-Arlington, where he earned a full scholarship, the Oakdale, Minn., resident then shifted his focus to tennis where he has taken the world by storm.

“Jon is one of the most talented players on the tour,” United States Paralympic Tennis Coach Dan James said. “Jon is fast, which makes his chair mobil-ity a huge asset. He is also able to stay in points much longer than most players and has an incredible topspin backhand that can become a winner at any time.”

After achieving a ranking of 11th in the world and earning a spot on the 2004 United States Paralympic Tennis Team that competed in Athens, Greece, Rydberg abruptly left the game and returned to the hardwood, playing with the Minnesota Rolling

Timberwolves. It didn’t take long for him to make an immediate impact on the basketball court as he played against many of the

world’s best players in the All-Star Wheelchair Classic during the 2006 NBA All-Star Weekend in Houston.

After taking a full year off from tennis (almost unheard of for an elite athlete in any sport), Rydberg returned to the court late in the year and quickly regained his position amongst the world’s elite players. He is currently ranked first in the United States and 12th in the world in the latest wheelchair tennis rankings. He was one of eight players worldwide invited to play in the US Open Wheelchair tournament last year in Flushing, N.Y., and has traveled the world over as part of the international wheelchair tennis tour.

“After taking a year off, I was not surprised he was able to climb back up in the rankings, but he did it playing the minimum number of tournaments,” James said. “Jon will only go higher as he plays a full schedule working towards the Beijing Games in 2008.”

A self-admitted sports nut, especially when it involves his beloved Minnesota teams, Rydberg is giving back to the sports that have given him so much in his life when he is not on the road. He works with the Junior Rolling Timberwolves sponsored by the Courage Center in Golden Valley, Minn., as well as makes special appearances on behalf of USTA Northern at many of its events throughout the Section including playing an exhibition as part of the Boston Scientific Pro Women’s Tennis Classic in February. He also opened his own performance-based apparel company called Sevenge Clothing LLC last year.

Getting to KnowJon Rydberg

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Q. How old were you when you started playing tennis? A. I started playing at age 11 with a racquet welded onto one of my crutches. I moved over to playing on the wheel-chair tour at age 15.

Q. How did you start playing tennis? A. My friends were playing, so I wanted to play along with them like any young boy. I was already playing hockey, football and softball so I just found it natural to step into tennis too, despite being on crutches.

Q. What is your earliest tennis memory? A. My earliest memory would be practicing with my friends and John Eberhart at the local tennis courts after school.

Q. What is your greatest tennis accomplishment? A. I have enjoyed a few good tournament wins and upset-ting some Top 10 players in the world, but representing the United States at the Paralympics and World Team Cup are at the top of the list.

Q. What is the best part of your game? A. I have good speed and a heavy topspin backhand, but I would like to add something to that list in the coming year.

Q. What is your favorite part about playing tennis? A. The competition, travel, and the fact that you can find a lot people who want to play.

Q. What are your tennis aspirations? A. To move into the top 10 in the world and medal at the ‘08 Paralympics in Beijing.

Q. Who is your favorite tennis player and why? A. Roger Federer… because he is a true professional and the most down-to-earth guy on tour. He takes nothing for granted.

Name: Jon RydbergHometown: Oakdale, Minn., via Pine City, Minn.Age: 29Family: Not Married. Two brothers, age 8 and 31.Schooling: Bachelor of Fine Arts in Art from The

University of Texas-Arlington Current Employment: Owner/Operator of Sevenge

Clothing LLC, a performance-based apparel company

Q. Who has influenced you most in your tennis? A. My friends and family. They push you to be better.

Q. What do you like to do when you are not playing tennis?

A. I’m a huge Minnesota sports fan, so you can catch me at the games year round, especially at the Wild games. I also love boating, working on Sevenge, hanging out

with family and friends and helping to promote the game.

Q. Any tennis superstitions you might have? A. The only superstition I have is not to have one. It takes away from what you should be concentrating on.

Q. You are also a great wheelchair basketball player...be honest which is better tennis or basketball?

A. I like tennis for the individuality, but I also like basketball for the team atmosphere and its physical nature.

Q. Where is the best place you have visited while playing tennis?

A. Australia and Zermatt, Switzerland.

Q. Talk about playing in the 2004 Paralympic Games and the Opening Ceremony?

A. It is an amazing feeling to play for your country at the highest level. It makes it even more special when you have 75,000 people cheering you on as you come into the stadium for the Opening Ceremony. But the best part is to have family make a long and costly trip to experience it with you.

Q. Talk about playing in the 2006 US Open Wheelchair tournament?

A. The US Open is always a great event. It has amazing atmosphere, great tennis and good people.

Q. Did you ever think that you would be ranked #12 in the world, especially after taking a year off from the game?

A. I had no doubt that I would get back to the level that I was at before taking the year off. However, I didn’t know I would become a better player so quickly from the time off.

Q. Why did you decide to come back to tennis after taking the year off to play basketball?

A. I decided to come back for a few reasons. One, it would be good exposure for my new performance apparel company. Two, I thought it would be fun to play again. And most importantly, I felt I had unfinished business to attend to in the game.

�� tennislifemagazine april 2007

Greg Wischer, of Grand Forks, N.D., won the 8- and 9-year old Rapid Rally tennis division at the 2006 U.S. Junior Olympic Skills Competition Presented by

Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. Wischer defeated Zachary Linder of Alpharetta, Ga., and Cross Tolliver of Bluefield, W. Va., in claiming the inaugural national Rapid Rally title.

Each contestant had to serve a low-compression tennis ball and continue to hit the ball against a wall and above the net as many times as possible in a 30-second time period. Wischer finished with 33 points.

“It was really fun,” Wischer said. “I really didn’t know how I would do or how good the competition would be.”

The U.S. Junior Olympic Skills Competition is a free, grassroots, Olympic sports program which teaches youth, ages 8-13, about the advantages of living a healthy lifestyle by promoting fitness, physical activity and sports participa-tion. The program is also a foundation for building youth interest and participation in Olympic sports. The event saw 72 youth, ages 8-13, competing in the National Finals in basketball, tennis, soccer and track and field. Each contes-tant received round trip airfare and accommodations to take part in the three-day contest.

In its first year of implementation in 2006, more than 1.5 million participants, representing all 50 states competed in the program. Children from across the nation competed in more than 5,700 local qualifying events and 150 regional competitions which tested their skills in the four sports. The top three scorers from each age group and sport were selected as finalists and competed for the title of U.S. Junior Olympic Skills Champion in his/her age group and sport. Finalists represented 32 states.

“It was really fun to meet people from all different parts of the country,” Wischer said. “That was the best part.”

Wischer traveled with his father, Brian, to the United States Olympic Committee national headquarters, where America’s Olympic and Paralympic athletes, live, train and prepare to compete in the Olympic and Paralympic Games. The finalists also participated in three days of activities which included interacting with U.S. Olympic and Paralympic athletes including Marcelo Balboa (Cerritos, Calif.), former U.S. National Soccer Team member and three-time U.S. World Cup member; U.S. world champion, Olympic silver medalist and professional cyclist Mari Holden (Colorado Springs, Colo.); Hunter Kemper (Longwood, Fla.), the No. 1 ranked triathlete in the world and five-time Paralympic medalist and the world’s fastest amputee, Marlon Shirley (Chula Vista, Calif.).

The National Finals event replicated the festivities of the Olympic Games. Finalists participated in an official Opening Ceremony, complete with a lighting of the caul-dron at the Olympic Training Center, a Parade of National Finalists which occurred along the Olympic Path and a special Awards and Medals Ceremony on the final day. Additionally, finalists and their guests received special tours

of the U.S. Olympic Training Center and visited some of the historic and scenic surround-ings of Colorado Springs.

“I was able to go to Pike’s Peak,” Wischer said. “We took a train up the mountain. It was definitely the biggest mountain I had ever seen. When we got to the top, it was hailing. I also went to the Olympic Training Center and saw all the equipment and the swimming pool. The Opening Ceremony was also fun. We all walked in a line following the torch and then we lit the cauldron.”

Wischer had so much fun at the 2006 event, he is preparing to defend his title.

“I am already practicing for next year!”

Greg Wischer Wins National Rapid Rally Title

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“Edina’s Whitney Taney Seeks a Third State championship”– Star-Tribune“Getting To Know Whitney Taney” – TennisLife Magazine“hornets roll to 10th State Title in a row” – Edina Sun Current”Edina’s Taney Sets a record That May never Be Broken”

– Edina Sun CurrentThese headlines say it all – well almost. Whitney Taney

is indeed our “star of stars” in high school tennis. Also, consider these toasts to Taney:• TennisLife, in its October issue, filled an entire page with

questions and answers from Whitney• Rise Magazine placed Whitney on the cover of its November

issue• Tennis Magazine included Whitney in its “Tennis 10” which

covered highlights from 2006 in its January/February 2007 issue

• USTA Magazine heralded Whitney as one of USTA Northern’s “Stars of the Game” in its January/February 2007 issue

• Sports Illustrated’s Faces In The Crowd featured Taney in the November 6 issueThese are a few of the articles recognizing Whitney’s

talented game. After a recent hitting and instructional session with Whitney, the following items and/or compo-nents are apparent:• Whitney is a very consistent player and smart, if not bril-

liant, in her choice of shots• Whitney has been awarded a five-star rating by the high

school star ranking system• With her tennis achievements and high academic stand-

ing, Whitney is also a splendid role model for our junior players

• One of Whitney’s on-going goals is to improve her physi-cal condition➠ My advice: Enjoy those great college tennis years ahead

of you at the University of Michigan and be sure to keep in touch. I’ll let Chris Evert have the last word:

“You’ve got to take the initiative and play your game. In a decisive set, confidence is the difference.”

➠ From Frank Jamisen: “My wife gave birth to a 10-pound, 20-inch baby girl. She’s a born tennis player! She’s got the size and she’s already got Sharapova’s shriek!”

➠ High Fives to: Pioneer Press Playmakers Brenna Kelly, Mounds Park Academy; Laura Young, Sibley; Deborah Barany, Roseville; Baseline Tennis Center fundraiser and former Gopher football All-American Bob McNamara; Wisconsin stars Stephanie Kothlow, Unity H.S. and Jenna Degner and Emily Brandt of Osceola; and to Dave Steinbach, Racquet Sports’ High School Tennis Coach of the Year, Brookfield. Dave maintains running a no-cut

tennis program far outweighs any inconveniences.➠ You Don’t Say: Dad to Mom upon his return from

Michigan’s biggest junior tournament – “Bobby’s game was like a rhapsody in Kalamazoo!”

➠ Around the Courts: Britt Swenson, former Benilde star, is playing for New York University; Dan Kim, St. Thomas #1, will play for Johns Hopkins University; Tom Loper, former Breck and St. Thomas competitor, is attending the University of Minnesota Dental College; Danny Wilson, former Minneapolis South athlete, now plays for DePaul; Alex Lau, former Bloomington Jefferson standout, now plays for Valparaiso; Matt Keesey, former Northfield racqueteer, plays at Wisconsin-Green Bay; Janelle Jones, Edina Country Club pro, is a new USPTA member; Mark Molkenbur, former Eau Claire and White Bear player, was also in attendance at the US Open; Don Lucia, Gophers men’s hockey coach, played tennis in high school; and Urban Ljubic is the new Gopher women’s assistant coach.

➠ Humoresque: A tennis player was given a membership in an exclusive dancing club to improve his footwork. He claimed to be an accomplished dancer. Turns out our tennis-seur couldn’t dance at all. He was accused of bearing waltz fitness.

➠ The Minnesota Connection: The Luther College “Norse” tennis team has been invaded by the Minnesota “Vikings”! Decorah, Iowa, is home of the Norwegian Museum and now has bragging rights to these steadfast, stalwart ad hearty “Northern” competitors: Reid Mason, Edina; Jono Martin, Mounds View; Derek Hoffman and Eric Smith, Eagan; Jared Wiklund, Duluth East; Max Bush, Duluth Marshall; and Brad Nelson, Northfield. Heia! Heia!

➠ Short Set: Coach: “We have a great squad this year. We have lost no games, no sets and no matches. Reporter: “How many matches have you played?” Coach: Our first match is next Tuesday.”

➠ In Memoriam: Belated sympathy to old hitting part-ners, tennis friends and students of the game – Elizabeth Stromme, Edina; Duncan MacMillan, Wayzata; Pepper Fuller, Wayzata; Bill Schatzlein, Bloomington; Ned Budd, Wayzata; Russ Goodson, St. Paul; Donavan Riley, Minnetonka; Stan Hill, White Bear Lake; Jim Bordewick, Edina; Larry Griffith, Eden Prairie; Virginia Schlampp-Waldin, Edina; Chuck Weber, Crystal; Zachary Smith, Cedar; Elaine Donham-Dennett, Wayzata; Charlotte Drake, St. Paul; Edward Siegel, Minneapolis; Jim Rankin, St. Paul; Bob Phelps, Mendota Heights; Mary Newell, Maple Grove; Cheraye Romanoff, Anoka; Teresa Willis, Burnsville; Audrey Howlett of Grand Marais, Minn.; and Bruce Getchell, Vadnais Heights. Bruce was tennis coach at White Bear Lake High School for more 30 years.

➠ Down Limerick Lane: This one is for Whitney Taney –There once was a player named Clyde who lost his

matches and cried. When asked why he bawled, he said he’d be mauled… by his coach who was fit to be tied!

racquet ramblingswithGreg Wicklund

�� tennislifemagazine april 2007

Don’t Miss Exciting Activities Scheduled For Tennis Month

May is Tennis Month and USTA Northern is working with a number of different commu-nities to celebrate the start to a great summer of tennis.

Hoping to get a head start on things, fun tennis activities and lively

music will rock the Mall of America Rotunda on Saturday, April 22, with a Tennis Block Party from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. People of all ages and abilities can participate in tennis interactive games, while receiving instruction from local pros and watching assorted tennis exhibitions throughout the day. There will also be prizes, an information booth promoting summer tennis programming and free ice cream for participants.

But the fun doesn’t stop there as there are 15 other Tennis Block Parties scheduled around the section starting April 28 in Bismarck, N.D. The parties feature hours of free tennis instruction, interactive games and attractions, as well as possible celebrity appearances. The rain-or-shine events will have a number of different activities set up that may include a Family Fun Zone; a Demo Racquet Court; Tennis 101; Beat the Pro; Team Tennis Challenge and Champions of the Court.

For more information about the Tennis Block Party in your area or to play host to your own Tennis Block Party, please contact Darren Iverson at (952) 358-3294 or at Iverson@northern.usta.com.

The complete Tennis Block Party schedule as of January 15: April 22 Mall of America, Bloomington, Minn. May 1 Vadnais Heights, Minn. May 9 Valley City, N.D. May 11 Brandon, S.D. May 12 Eagan, Minn. May 19 Altoona, Wis. May 19 Stillwater, Minn. May 23 Roseville, Minn. May 30 Hutchinson, Minn. May 31 Jamestown, N.D. June 2 Mendota Heights, Minn. June 4 Moorhead, Minn. June 5 Crookston, Minn. June 5 Inver Grove Heights, Minn. June 12 Fargo, N.D.

It’s Summer USTA League Tennis Time!!!

It may be cold outside, but it is time to start thinking about USTA League Tennis presented by Chrysler. Registration for leagues beginning in March for Twin Cities leagues and in April and May for programs outside the area. Also, look for something new coming to your area - TRI-Level Leagues, a league with three doubles matches played at three NTRP levels. For more information on playing League tennis in your area, or starting a team, please contact your closest Area League Coordinator listed below.

AreA LeAgue CoordinAtor Listingstwin CitiesUrsula Shutephone: 952-358-3287e-mail: shute@northern.usta.comBismarckDale Nurnbirge-mail: thetennisguy@hotmail.comduluthJoe Mihalekphone: (715) 392-7405e-mail: jmihalek@fryberger.comFargoOliver Summersphone: (605) 361-8810e-mail: oliversummers@yahoo.comeau ClaireDeb Freundphone: (715) 877-2228e-mail: debfreund@fastmail.fmnorth shoreLee Bergstromphone: (218) 370-1062e-mail: lee@thomsonite.comowatonnaNancy Lundbergphone: (952) 358-3286e-mail: lundberg@northern.usta.comrapid CityChristine DeGrangese-mail: frznsdian@rushmore.comrochesterSheryl Warfieldphone: (507) 282-1013e-mail: allaboutsheryl@aol.comsioux FallsJeff Nelsonphone: (605) 335-8546e-mail: jeffn@westwardhocountryclub.comWashburnXimena Christiansonphone: (715) 373-2531e-mail: maxistal@charter.net

importAnt 2007 ustA LeAgue tennis presented By ChrysLer dAtes

twin Cities AreaRegistration begins in MarchHome Court Forms and Commitments To

Play Deadline: April 6, 20072007 Twin Cities Summer Season:

May 7-July 27, 2007For more information, please contact

Ursula Shute at (952) 358-3287 or shute@northern.usta.com

2007 ustA northern post season play scheduleTwin Cities Area Championship:

August 3-5, 2007Adult Section Championship:

August 17-19, 2007Senior Section Championship:

September 7-9, 2007Mixed Doubles Section Championship:

September 14-16, 2007

2007 national ChampionshipsAdult and Senior National Championships

– September & October 2007Mixed Doubles Regional Championships

– November 2007

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Pro fileSusan Furtney

Q. How were you introduced to tennis?A. Just behind my back garden was a small tennis club. It had three outdoor courts, a climbing frame, a paddling pool, a sand pit, a small pavilion and a rose garden. What more could you want growing up!

Q. What is your earliest tennis memory?A. Standing at the fence watching the older children enjoy-ing tennis lessons. You had to be 8!

Q. Name some of your tennis achievements?A. I have been playing for 52 years and enjoy competing.

Q. What is the best thing about being a teaching pro?A. The enjoyment on the student’s faces.

Q. How long have you been a teaching professional?A. 36 years…where did the time go? I taught my first lesson to one of my college roommates at Bedford College of Physical Education in England in 1969. I then took the Lawn Tennis Association Professional Coaching exam in 1971. (Equivalent to USPTA except it was a 10-day residen-tial course).

Q. Who are the people who have influenced you the most?

A. The British taught me to have a stiff upper lip, to under-state and to have a sense of humor. The Americans taught me people skills, to be less reserved and the knowledge that I could reach any goal I set for myself.

Q. What is your best tennis memory?A. Watching some of my students coach other students.

Q. What is the most fun you have had playing tennis?A. Playing with my daughter in Oregon at Thanksgiving.

Q. What is your most memorable teaching experience?A. When one student asked me, after her sixth lesson, how many times you could let the ball bounce. It taught me the importance of details.

Q. If you were not teaching tennis, what would you be doing?

A. My other job, which is computer programming

Q. The advice I give every student is…?A. Consistency is the ultimate weapon.

Q. What is the best advice you ever received?A. I think it may have been a quote from Arthur Ashe who said, “Billions of people in the world could not care less whether you win or lose a tennis match.” That helped me put things in perspective and not take myself so seriously!

Q. To make tennis better, we should…?A. Keep working on introducing more and more students to the game and make it fun. The enjoyment of the game will make them become self motivated and allow them to reach the level they elect for themselves. I like the shorter competitive format ideas for new players as they will be more likely to enter an event with less of a time commit-ment. We need to organize more and more events and introduce the game.

Q. How can we get more women to be teaching pros?A. A result of introducing more players will hopefully lead to more female players with improved self esteem who will realize they would make great teachers of the game. I think I could help with that effort.

Q. Why did you want to become the director of the St. Paul Urban Tennis Program?

A. Peg Brenden mentioned the position was open after we had played tennis one day in the summer. By the time I had arrived back at my house, I realized it was a perfect match, so to speak! I know first hand the joy and positive benefits of playing tennis and I will be able to help more players enjoy the game in this position than as an on-court teach-ing professional, although I still love that part of the job!

Q. What are your early goals for the program?A. 1. To spend the program dollars wisely and responsibly; 2. To increase the number of players we reach; 3. To continue the good reputation the program enjoys; 4. To work towards an indoor facility for SPUT; 5. To match all the people that would like to volunteer with the people who would benefit from their time and effort. If you would like to help, call me at (952) 210-0490 to sign on!

Susan FurtneyApple Valley, MinnesotaExecutive Director of St. Paul Urban Tennis

�� tennislifemagazine april 2007

Although the turn of the calendar signals “Cookie Time” for the nation’s Girl Scouts, troops in North Dakota are finding new ways to shed a few of those

extra cookie pounds with the help of USTA Northern and Tennis Service Representative Hayley Horning Shibley.

Shibley, whose territory encompasses Eastern North Dakota and Northwestern Minnesota, was looking to introduce tennis to young girls in North Dakota. After much thought, Shibley called the area’s local Girl Scout councils in hopes of developing a program where girls could learn to play tennis, while possibly earning badges at the same time. Much to her delight, Shibley learned the Girl Scouts already had a soft spot in their hearts for tennis as they offered two sports-related badges. Keeping that in mind, Shibley soon developed “The Tennis Carnival” where the girls could accomplish a majority of the requirements necessary in earning the badges while learning to play tennis at the same time.

“I was a Brownie and a Girl Scout myself so adding tennis to something that I was involved with as a young girl made sense to me.” Shibley said.

During the 90-minute Carnival, Shibley takes the girls through throwing, catching, volleying, striking the ball with their racquets, stretching and hitting back and forth. She starts with the catching and tossing of transi-tion (pressureless) balls and then does some fun racquet games so they can get used to handling the racquet. After working with the balls and racquets separately, Shibley then puts them together and plays basic games like Red Light, Green Light. They then start hitting balls, concentrating on forehands and volley-ing. Shibley then has them volleying, before playing games using foam balls so everyone has success right away and leaves the Carnival with a positive feeling about the game.

“I make contests out of everything and the girls can win prizes,” Shibley said. “I bring some fun music, which the girls love, and I teach them tennis terms going through the different lines on the court and parts of the racquet. I also

do a fun tennis coloring contest with prizes and a tennis quiz at the end for those who listened and learned the tennis terms I throw out during the clinic.”

Shibley’s Carnival is designed specifically to help the girls complete the requirements for the Girl Sports Try-It for Brownie Scouts (grades 1-3) and the Court Sports for Junior Girl Scouts (grades 4-6). The Girls Sports Try-it is designed to give girls the basics for any sport by teaching them to throw, catch, kick, volley and strike, while the

Court Sports badge takes it even further by learning to keep score, studying about the athletes that

play the game, as well as adapting the sport for people with disabilities.

Starting the program in September of 2006, Shibley has already played host to Tennis Carnivals all over North Dakota including stops in Cooperstown, Lisbon, Enderlin, Bismarck, Fargo, Grand Forks and Moorhead,

Minn. She has touched over 250 girls during that time teaching them the great things sports,

and specifically, tennis have to offer.“I appreciate the opportunity to work together with

the USTA,” Girl Scouts Pine to Prairie Membership Specialist Karen Murray said. “I think it is mutually beneficial and the organizations complement each other nicely.“

The girls who have participated in Shibley’s Tennis Carnivals agree. Shibley recalls a cute story where she was carrying her tennis equipment to the car in Cooperstown, N.D., when a Girl Scout stopped her and said, “You know, as you were bringing stuff in I thought to myself this looks like fun but I didn’t know it would be that fun.”

The parents of the Scouts have also appreciated Shibley’s unique approach of introducing tennis to their daughters.

“I had a great talk with one troop leader in Bismarck whose daughter participated in the Carnival,” Shibley said. “She said she had never seen her daughter enjoy playing a sport as much as she liked tennis that day. After the Carnival was over, the daughter asked her mom if she could take tennis lessons. It was just awesome because her mom had been looking for something active for her daughter. She never thought it would be tennis!”

VolleyingFor BadgesBy Lisa Mushett

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