Real Estate News

QUINN BROWN

MARTIN

WEICHERT REALTORS HIRES 3 AGENTS, RECRUITING/MARKETING COORDINATOR

Debra Quinn, Donna Martin and Lakesha Brown have joined Weichert Realtors as real estate agents.

Quinn, who will work out of the Bluffton office, has worked in the spa industry since 2003. She has experience working in luxury spas including Forbes Five Star, AAA Five Diamond, Leading Spas of the World, and Relais & Châteaux establishments. When she moved to the Lowcountry, she met a local Realtor who inspired her to pursue a career in real estate.

Martin, who will work out of the Sun City-Okatie office, has more than 20 years in the real estate business. She works closely with the owners of the area’s most prestigious homes.

Brown, who will work out of the Beaufort office, completed six years in the United States Air Force. After her

PEELER

time in the military, she obtained her real estate license in 2007. Brown graduated with a nursing degree in 2019.

Joy Peeler joins Weichert Realtors as its new Beaufort Administrator and Recruiting/Marketing Coordinator. She will work out of the Beaufort office. Peeler, who is a native of Hilton Head Island, has spent many years working in hospitality in Beaufort County. She has worked for a timeshare company up to a Forbes 5-star luxury resort.

HILTON HEAD AREA SEES SLIGHT SALES BUMP

According to the December Housing Supply Overview from the Hilton Head Area Association of Realtors, from January 2021 to December 2021, pending sales in the Hilton Head region were up 1.2 percent. The price range with the largest gain in sales was the $650, 001-and-above-range, which increased 26.3 percent. The overall median sales price was up 11.7 percent to $410,000. The property type with the largest price gain was the condos/ villas segment, where prices increased 18.2 percent to $325,000. Market-wide, inventory levels were down 50.8 percent. The property type that lost the least inventory was the condo segment, which decreased 34.9 percent.

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY WELCOMES AGENT

Justin Keown has joined Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Bay Street Realty Group as an agent. A South Carolina native, in Montgomery, Ala., he received the 2021 Top Producer of the Year Award. He’s a supporter of breast cancer awareness through The American Cancer Society’s Real Men Wear Pink campaign and is involved with Amvets Post No. 70 in Port Royal.

HHI

RESIDENT KEN ANDERSON RELIVES LEADING BENGALS TO THE BIG GAME

SUPER

EXPERIENCE

BY JUSTIN JARRETT | PHOTOS BY LLOYD WAINSCOTT

Every February the memories come rushing back to Ken Anderson, not that they ever fully fade.

Every young boy who picks up a football dreams at some point of playing quarterback in the NFL, and in the wildest of those dreams, he might become the league MVP or even play in a Super Bowl.

Anderson lived it, and he will relive it this month when Super Bowl LVI kicks off Feb. 13 in California. He led the Cincinnati Bengals to the first Super Bowl in franchise history following the 1981 season, when he was named the NFL’s Most Valuable Player.

Now retired to Hilton Head Island, Anderson remains a beloved figure in Cincinnati, where his nonprofit foundation, the Ken Anderson Alliance, provides opportunities for adults with disabilities — and where he was inducted into the Bengals Ring of Honor last October.

It was during Anderson’s 16-year career — all with Cincinnati — that Bengals fans began to morph into fanatics, as the once-unheralded quarterback from the small town of Batavia, Illinois, by way of NCAA Division III Augustana College, led the fledgling franchise to division titles in 1973 and 1975.

During that magical 1981 season, when the Bengals went 12-4 and claimed the top seed in the AFC, Cincinnati went full-blown wild for its football team.

“That was kind of the first year they started wearing orange and black wigs and painting their faces, and the ‘Who Dey!’ chants started,” recalls Anderson, who turns 73 on Feb. 15. “Just the excitement in the city, you know, of going to a Super Bowl. So, I guess anytime you do something like that for the first time for a franchise, it’s really a big deal and a special deal.”

Anderson’s only Super Bowl appearance as a player left some psychic scars. The Bengals committed four turnovers, including three in the first half that helped Joe Montana and the San Francisco 49ers build a 20-0 halftime advantage and hold off Cincinnati’s furious rally for a 26-21 victory at the Pontiac Silverdome in Michigan.

Cristy and Ken Anderson with their dog, Ande.

Anderson rushed for a touchdown, threw for 300 yards and tossed a touchdown pass to lead the comeback, but he also threw two interceptions that still linger amid the precious memories.

“It’s devastating when you lose,” Anderson says. “But, you know, after that game I think I was the first athlete that carried his son off the field after the Super Bowl, so he was there in the locker room. I remember I was sitting there dejected, and I finally asked, ‘Well, what did you think?’

“He got a big smile on his face, and he says, ‘Dad, that was the best halftime show I’ve ever seen!’” Anderson continues with a laugh in reference to the Up with People performance. “So I guess there was some benefit to it.”

After the game, he and his son passed by as San Francisco coach Bill Walsh was giving a postgame interview. The now legendary 49ers coach, who was Anderson’s mentor in the West Coast offense in his early years in Cincinnati, paused the conversation and slipped away for a sentimental moment with a former pupil. That memory lingers, too.

Even on Hilton Head, Anderson can’t escape the one that got away. Years ago, during the Hilton Head Island Charity Golf Tournament, Anderson bumped into Dwight Hicks, the beneficiary of one of Anderson’s ill-fated passes in Super Bowl XVI, a costly interception on the goal line that led to San Francisco’s first score. Hicks joked that he was surprised they were on speaking terms, then made a confession.

“I gotta tell you, I blew my coverage,” Hicks revealed. “I shouldn’t have been there.”

“So, I didn’t read it wrong,” Anderson says. A small consolation.

Anderson went back to the big game as an assistant coach with the Pittsburgh Steelers following the 2008 regular season (which the Steelers won) and was struck by how much more of a spectacle the event had become since his showdown with Joe Montana in Super Bowl XVI, where the media coverage was minuscule compared to today’s climate.

“It’s just changed so much since then,” Anderson says. “I think back then the Super Bowl pregame show was a half an hour. It wasn’t all the hoopla before the championship game that there is now. I think the pregame show starts a week ahead of time these days.”

Ever the Bengals fan, Anderson has been known to let a “WHO DEY!” loose on his sparsely-used Twitter account, which consists mostly of Bengals-related content, including in-game tweets. He loves this young quarterback, Joe Burrow, who plays a little like he did.

“I tell you, they’re going to be good for a while,” Anderson says with excitement. “They’re a young team, and they’ve still got to address the offensive line. If that gets better, I think the sky is the limit.”

LONG COVE CLUB

Story by Barry Kaufman | Photos by Rob Kaufman

There are certain things that come to mind when one pictures Long Cove Club – elegant Lowcountry homes, picturesque waterfront scenery, and of course crisply manicured greens and meandering fairways on their world-famous Pete Dye course.

Since returning to the club as Director of Golf in 1987, Bob Patton has seen Long Cove Club’s profile grow to become one of the most celebrated courses in the country.

“When I started, we had less than 100 houses, and now we have close to 500. But what’s very important is how we’ve managed to maintain the course over the years true to how Pete Dye designed it,” he said. “We work hard to keep the golf course in the best possible condition and do our best to provide a great golf experience for our members. That part has not changed.”

Helping make that experience possible is the staff of professionals Long Cove Club has been able to attract.

“There’s nothing I do that’s more important than bringing on board a great staff,” said Patton. “You are only as good as the people you have working with you for the benefit of the members.”

Among the staff is Head Golf Professional Ben Chehval, who has been with the club for 20 years; assistant pros Joe Deegan and former All-American golfer Adam Lescalleet; and award-winning Director of Instruction Rob Stocke. They manage the experience on the course, and soon on the club’s state-of-the-art teaching facility.

“We anticipate breaking ground on the new facility soon.” said Patton. “It’s going to be amazing. We’re very excited about adding this new facility to enhance our instructional programs for our members.”

While Long Cove Club is world-famous for its golf, some of the fiercest competition to be found in Long Cove Club isn’t on the course. It’s on the court.

Here, within the leafy confines of what is jokingly called the “Secret Garden,” Long Cove Club’s Sports Center offers plenty to love with 8 Har-Tru courts, four pickleball courts and two bocce ball lanes.

“We added pickleball in 2018, and it has taken off like crazy,” said Tom Ruth, Sports Center Director for Long Cove Club. Hailing from Indianapolis, where he played tennis for St. Joseph’s College before embarking on a career as a club pro, Ruth has spent more than 20 years helping others hone their game. In May of last year, he brought his talents to Long Cove Club.

This fast-growing sport enjoys a few parallels with tennis, but is played with different paddles, balls and rules for a completely different experience that shares the same pulse-pounding excitement.

“I played tennis for 27 years, but really only picked up pickleball when we added the courts,” said Thomas Richter, Head Tennis and Pickleball Pro. A native of Germany, Richter played college tennis at Birmingham Southern and Indiana University before joining Long Cove Club in 2017. “They’re very similar in terms of the skills you need.”

In the end, what keeps these two driven to provide the best tennis and pickleball experience on the island is the people.

“I love interacting with everyone here,” said Richter. “They’re all here to learn and get better, but it’s just fun to be out on the court with members.”

Coaches:

Derek Porter, Julian Sullivan, Eric Turner, Stan Smith , B.J. Stearns, Marwin Kline, Diogo Lamy Nicolas Guillon, Alice Batson, Besmir Muskaj, Matt Cuccaro Not pictured: Alfredo Soliz , Mike Treschitta

SMITH-STEARNS TENNIS ACADEMY

B.J. STEARNS: GUIDING YOUNG ATHLETES TO GREATNESS

Story by Barry Kaufman | Photos by Rittherbeck Photography

Over the past 20 years, Smith Stearns Tennis Academy has been helping shape the next generation of the sport. The two gentlemen whose name can be found on the sign need no introduction, of course. The first is Stan Smith, perhaps equally famous for his legendary tennis career as he is for the iconic shoe that bears his name. Joining him is B.J. Stearns, well known as a premiere juniors coach with dozens of junior national champions under his training, who has grown along with the academy

According to Stearns, the last few years have seen explosive growth at the academy, with this shift in thinking producing some of the court’s brightest stars. “Particularly in the last 5-7 years we’ve had students doing really well on the collegiate circuit,” said Stearns. “Right now we have two of the top 15 men’s players in college and former student Jessie Pegula reached a career high ranking of #18 on the Women’s Tennis Association tour. That’s been fun to watch.”

But just as the game of tennis has evolved over the past 20 years, so too have the methods by which they are taught.

“We’ve come to realize that teaching students the game and guiding them to greatness is just part of what we can do for these young people,” said B.J. “What we want to do is look at how we can improve the whole athlete.”

That has meant augmenting the academy’s renowned tennis instruction with teachers that focus on all aspects of the game, on and off the court. The professionals you see here represent the vanguard of this new way of teaching.

Students at Smith Stearns will still receive a world-class education of the game’s fundamentals and techniques courtesy of director of instruction Eric Turner, director of high performance Derek Porter and coaches Julian Sullivan, Nicolas Guillon, Diogo Lamy and Alfredo Soliz (not pictured).

But what sets Smith Stearns apart is the “whole athlete” approach they’ve taken to guiding students. Head athletic trainer Besmir Muskaj and director of sports performance Alice Batson oversee a team that breaks down every aspect of a student’s performance and conditioning. Beyond improving their game, the efforts of sports performance trainers Marwin Kline and Mike Treschitta (not pictured) along with mental conditioning coach Matt Cuccaro give students the tools they need to enjoy the game safely and with a strong focus on personal development.

“Tennis is a completely different game than it was in 2002, and keeping up with the competition means having the will to look at every aspect of the way we teach,” said B.J. “I’m proud of the coaches and professionals we’ve added, and the results speak for themselves in the way our students have responded and improved their game.”

And ultimately, the students are what it’s all about.

“At the end of the day, tennis isn’t just about hitting balls. There’s far more to it on the mental and physical sides of things,” said Stearns. “I think it just makes them a more well-rounded player and gets them ready for the next level of competition.”

CAROLINA COLLECTIVE DANCE CENTRE

Story by Barry Kaufman | Photos by Ritterbeck Photography

Dance is far more than just movement. It’s an artform, an expression of the soul as meaningful as any painting but crafted with the entire body. It’s also a science, an ever-evolving set of techniques and details that can and must be mastered for the true art to shine through.

Few understand this balance like Tess Luechtefeld, owner of Carolina Collective.

“Our biggest focus is on training,” she said.

To that end, she, her students, and her staff of 10 are fixtures at some of the industry’s top competitions and conventions. The training at all levels never stops.

“We want to expose them to what’s current in the industry, then bring it back here.”

The key difference with Carolina Collective is the sheer variety of methodologies; whether that means dancing on Broadway, a professional ballet career, for competition or on the sidelines at a football game, Luechtefeld has assembled a team of supremely qualified instructors in nearly every discipline.

“All of our teachers have an extensive resume in their field, so we really get a melting pot of different training.”

That melting pot reaches through technique and into the hearts of students as well. As Carolina Collective strives for excellence, it does so as a family. They walk arm in arm under the sparkling chandeliers, they practice walking into their future greatness surrounded by those who’ve loved, cheered, and inspired them to be the very best versions of themselves.

“This is a journey,” she said. “Dance lessons are life lessons, and we are here to create an atmosphere they can develop their hearts and character.”

OLD SOUTH GOLF LINKS

Story by Barry Kaufman | Photos by Lloyd Wainscott

Every year, the beautiful yet challenging Clyde Johnstondesigned Old South Golf Links has reaped accolades as one of the Lowcountry’s favorite spots to golf. There’s just something different in the way each hole hugs the landscaping, immersing you in the Lowcountry’s natural majesty.

Guiding this unique experience are some of the most experienced golf professionals in the area.

Head pro Jim Uremovich has been with Old South for 16 years, but his golf career stretches back to 1988 when he was first named a pro.

For him, that natural beauty is one of his favorite aspects of this celebrated course.

“There are five holes along Mackay’s Creek, and there’s really only one hole that has houses on it,” he said. “You get out there and you’re really out in nature.”

Of the 18 holes, Assistant Golf Pro Ernie Hanewinckel counts the seventh as his favorite.

“It’s the scenery, number one. Number two, it’s not a hole you have to hit a long way,” he said.

The dogleg layout of number seven hits the sweet spot of challenges.

“I just love the setup of that hole. You can make everything from a birdie to a triple bogey.”

Like Uremovich, Hanewinckel began his golf career in the late 80s and enjoys the laid-back atmosphere at Old South Golf Links, where the focus is on improving the game, but ultimately elevating your enjoyment of golf.

“Jim runs a very relaxed, but great program here,” he said.

Some of the Lowcountry’s most mesmerizing holes, and some of its most seasoned pros to help your game. That’s what makes Old South different.