Summer Getaways

2022 SUMMER Getaways Getaways BY CORY SEKINE-PETTITE s tennis enthusiasts, we know that the Southeast is blessed with great summer weather and a plethora of beautiful destinations from where we can enjoy the sunshine while playing our favorite sport. From the North

Georgia mountains to the Gulf Coast to the

Atlantic Ocean, the following resorts prove that you don’t have to travel far to have a memorable summer getaway or fun-packed tennis weekend.

BIG CANOE RACQUET CLUB

Jasper, Georgia

Located just 60 miles north of Atlanta, the scenic views and environment of Big Canoe offer the perfect getaway from our busy, metropolitan lives. No matter what the season, Big Canoe provides unheralded vistas of the North Georgia mountains for your tennis and/or pickleball getaway. In between hitting sessions and coaching, you can enjoy any or all that Big Canoe has to offer. You and your mates can start the day with coaching tailored to your needs and let the racquet club’s staff get you set up for a round robin to test out those new skills. Finally, finish up your day at the clubhouse with great food and great company. Big Canoe has weekly tennis and pickleball clinics for all levels, and seven different weekly round robins. The club’s amenities include 10 tennis courts (six clay, two hard courts, and two indoor courts) and four stand-alone pickleball courts. Additionally, visitors can take advantage of 27 holes of golf, the Wellness Center, the Bocce Ball facility, two swimming pools, and the lakeside beach club. All year long, the club’s director of racquet sports will put together your team’s perfect weekend getaway. Weekend team “getaway” packages are a great way to get your team ready for an upcoming season, to celebrate the end of a season, or just to spend some time away from the city with your tennis and/or pickleball buddies. Your getaway is whatever you would like it to be: A Friday through Sunday adventure, or just a couple of easy-going days on Saturday and Sunday. For the younger competitors, Big Canoe offers kids’ camps throughout the summer ending the final week of July. Kids lessons are available with any of the club’s pro staff. Contact Geoff Hedges to set up your weekend get away!

bigcanoepoa.org | 706.268.3367

PALMETTO DUNES TENNIS & PICKLEBALL CENTER Stay & Play Carolinas’ #1 Tennis Resort

4 Day Tennis Packages

Beginner / Intermediate: From $400 pp/pn* Advanced: From $407 pp/pn* • 4 days / 3 nights in a one bedroom resort view villa • Two clinics per player • 2 hours of court time daily • Three-day bike rental per person

CALL: 866-287-2679

Mention promo code NET22

More Vacation Packages available at PalmettoDunes.com/NN

*Package rate is per person, per night, based on two (2) person occupancy in a one bedroom resort villa & includes taxes & resort fees. Some restrictions apply. Subject to availability. Prices subject to change. Rates expire August 31, 2022.

PALMETTO DUNES OCEANFRONT RESORT

Hilton Head, South Carolina

Tennis lovers can book their ultimate weekend getaway at Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, and enjoy tennis court time, lessons, clinics and more daily at the award-winning Palmetto Dunes Tennis & Pickleball Center. Along with its easy-to-access proximity, Hilton Head Island remains evergreen all year-round, making Palmetto Dunes an ideal destination for tennis players of every skill level.

Take advantage of 19 Har-Tru tennis courts (four of which are lighted), 24 lighted pickleball courts, and one of the most comprehensive instructional programs on the East Coast. League play, lessons and clinics are available for all ages and ability levels. Racquet Sports Industry Magazine named the Palmetto Dunes Tennis & Pickleball Center as the 2020, “Pickleball Resort of the Year,” while Sarah Ansboury, the resort’s director of pickleball instruction, was tapped as the “PPR Member of the Year.”

Customize a weekend getaway for your family with packages for beginners up to advanced players, including: • 4 days/3 nights in a 1-bedroom resort-view villa at

Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort

• Two hours of court time per day (when available) • Two tennis clinics of your choice (choose from Stroke of the Day, Daily Drill, Competitive Edge Drill or Competitive

Doubles Clinic) • One, 1-hour semi-private tennis lesson, per player • Three-day bike rentals to explore miles of paved pathways • Pro Shop merchandise & dining discounts • 10% off bike/kayak/canoe rentals at Hilton Head Outfitters Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort has long been a favorite vacation destination because it consistently provides one of the richest vacation experiences in the country, with more award-winning activities than any other resort in the Southeast. Guests may use their complimentary bike rental to explore miles of paved pathways beneath towering live oak trees and three miles of pristine beaches. Bike — or take the free Dunes Buggy shuttle typically from mid-April through mid-September — to the Dunes House, a laid-back beach bar and restaurant where guests enjoy food, drinks and fun with spectacular views of the Atlantic Ocean. Big Jim’s BBQ, Burgers, Pizza & Catering at the Robert Trent Jones clubhouse is popular for a cold drink and relaxing meal. Hilton Head Outfitters is available for bike rentals, canoes, kayaks, fishing and much more. The Mediterranean-style Shelter Cove Harbour & Marina, Hilton Head Island’s largest deep-water marina, located right across from Palmetto Dunes, features waterfront shopping and dining and a wide variety of charters, including nature cruises, dolphin tours, sport crabbing and fishing.

PalmettoDunes.com/tennispickleball | 866.287.2679

SANDESTIN GOLF AND BEACH RESORT

Miramar Beach, Florida

Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort offers award-winning beach-to-bay accommodations, four championship golf courses, 12 world-class HydroGrid clay and three hard tennis courts, six pickleball courts, shopping, dining, entertainment village, endless amenities, and more. There is something for everyone to enjoy, and you don’t even have to leave the property. All of the tennis enthusiasts in your family can take advantage of private lessons, the junior tennis program, round robin tournaments, group clinics, matching service, equipment rentals, the pro-shop, and club membership. There are many tennis weekend specials available. When you book directly, you receive complimentary bike, kayak, and boogie board rentals, access to the fitness center and four resort pools, beach parking, resort transportation, and tennis court time.

In addition to tennis, there is always something to do at Sandestin! Enjoy breakfast at Marina Bar and Grill, pamper yourself with a spa treatment at Spa Lilliana, play games at the Laser Arcade, dance during a Wednesday Night Concert at Baytowne Wharf, indulge in dinner at Ovide (curated by celebrity chef, Hugh Acheson), rent a boat at the marina, or simply enjoy the beach. The options are endless!

Sandestin.com | 855.470.2327

SEA ISLAND

Sea Island, Georgia

An exceptional resort, appealing to those who appreciate gracious service and heartfelt hospitality, Sea Island is home to four Forbes Five-Star experiences — The Cloister at Sea Island, The Lodge at Sea Island, The Spa at Sea Island, and the Georgian Room restaurant. With expansive settings and five miles of private beach, Sea Island offers guests an array of off-the-court activities, including fishing, golf, fine dining, and shopping. Located on the southeastern coast of Georgia, Sea Island features a 65,000-square-foot spa and fitness center, three championship golf courses, seven pools (one indoor), a Beach Club, Yacht Club, Shooting School, six-lane bowling alley, children’s programs, and, of course, tennis.

Sea Island features 14 Har-Tru courts, including eight lighted courts, and fastdry clay composition courts, including one stadium court, and individualized instruction that is professional and instinctual. Private lessons, group lessons, and custom clinics are available daily with Sea Island Tennis teaching professionals. Tennis clinics are available Monday through Saturday at 9 a.m., 10 a.m., and 11 a.m. Clinics are available for intermediate to advanced players — maximum of six guests. Private lessons, group lessons, and clinics are available at The Cloister, daily, with the Sea Island Tennis teaching professionals — also with a maximum of six participants. If you want to try your hand at other sports, the Retreat Tennis Center has eight pickleball courts, currently used for group clinics, private lessons, and open play. Additionally, Sea Island is one of the few Forbes Five-Star U.S. resorts with squash facilities, featuring two international softball courts and one North American hardball doubles court. The Squash courts are located within the Fitness Center.

seaisland.com | 855.572.4975

SPECTRUM RESORTS — TURQUOISE PLACE

Orange Beach, Alabama

If you’re looking for an elevated vacation in the heart of Orange Beach, look no further than Turquoise Place. Turquoise Place’s luxury amenities include hot tubs and grills on every balcony, a winding lazy river, tennis courts, six pools, an onsite poolside bar and grill, pool-side cabanas, activities for the kids, and condos starting at 3,200 square feet.

Two regulation-size tennis courts are located just outside the indoor pool area on the fourth-floor amenity level of the east tower. Turquoise glass provides a stunning backdrop for the lighted courts. From the advanced players looking to show off their skills to beginners eager to try a new sport, these courts are available to all guests — and they’re striped for pickleball as well. Off-court activities for the family include kids’ crafts, such as tie-dye t-shirts and shark tooth necklace crafts, live poolside music, scavenger hunts, and more. Turquoise Place also has a snow cone stand with more than 20 flavors to choose from, plus a retail shop onsite where you can get sundries and your favorite Turquoise Place logo’d merchandise.

turquoiseplace.spectrumresorts.com | 866.348.9112

G A M E S E T M A T C H

SEPT 16 - 18 Ladies 4.0 SEPT 30 - OCT 2 Ladies 3.0 and 8.5 Combo OCT 14-16 Ladies 7.5 combo and 8.5 Combo NOV 11-13 Ladies 3.5

Teams competing from around the Country Fabulous Room Accommodations Continental Breakfast Daily Tournament Luncheon on Friday Exciting Matches Throughout the Weekend Discounts in the Sandestin Tennis Shop Team Photos & Tournament Raffle Prizes/Awards to Winners & Finalists Three-Bedroom Condo to Defend your Title for Next Year And More!

C O N T A C T 8 5 0 . 2 6 7 . 7 1 1 4 | D A V I D B R A N T @ S A N D E S T I N . C O M T O S I G N U P !

THURSDAY WOMEN

Thurs. 9:30 a.m. Fall Registration is June 30 – July 21 Fall Season runs Sept. 8 – Oct. 20

The Challenge of Wet Weather

BY KAREN SULLIVAN, THURSDAY WOMEN LEAGUE VICE PRESIDENT

It is always a good idea to refresh your knowledge of the rules regarding inclement weather. These can be found in both the adult league rules and the captain’s handbook. A regularly scheduled dual meet cannot be called a rainout before waiting one hour to determine if conditions improve. This wait time can be extended by the league VP and is usually applied at the last match of the season, during playoffs, and City Finals. When a match is officially determined to be rained out, it is important that all times and dates for makeup matches be confirmed electronically by both captains. It can happen that one captain may assume that a line is scheduled, but until they get confirmation from the other team captain, it is not officially scheduled.

Once a date and time has been confirmed by both teams, the match must be played on that date unless there is inclement weather. The default date is the last date that a match must be made up, and I certainly would never advise a team to wait until that date to make up any match. If a team has waited until the default date, which is then rained out, a team may run into other league make-up dates, not to mention being unable to confirm the legality of lineups as the following match will be played before the previous week has been completed. Rain certainly can complicate things, so it really is worthwhile to be familiar with the basic rules regarding inclement weather.

I would also like to remind everyone of our league’s fabulous group of volunteers! They spend untold hours helping captains through all the many nuances and situations that can arise in a season. We certainly would be unable to run our league without this great team of people. I encourage you to take the time to thank your coordinator.

One last thing! I know we all enjoy this special privilege of being able to play tennis on Thursdays. Please remember to treat your opponents with respect and good sportsmanship. Our league works so much better when we play together in a spirit of cooperation!

Hoping for a rain-free fall season!

MEN

Sat. 9:00 a.m. Fall Registration is June 30 – July 21 Fall Season runs Sept. 10 – Oct. 22

Finals Will Be Played ‘The Good-Old-Fashioned Way!’

BY MITCH FALKIN, MEN’S LEAGUE VICE PRESIDENT

Remember the City Finals days where lines 1 and 2 played first, then lines 3 and 4 played, and then line 5 played, and the City Championship came down to one match and everyone on both teams were watching, cheering, feasting, and enjoying the camaraderie of City Finals? Well… those days are BACK!

COVID impacted so much of our lives, and for ALTA, it changed the way we ran City Finals. To minimize crowds at the venues and to keep the City Finals time duration to a minimum, we instituted the “All 5 Lines Start at the Same Time” procedure, whereby each level had two different starting times (9:00 a.m. for some, 11:30 a.m. for others), and all five lines on each team played at the same time. I must admit, it did accomplish the goals: everyone knew they would start at a certain time, they would play at the same time, and be off the court within 2-1/2 hours. It also made sure that lines 4 and 5 started their matches even if one team swept lines 1, 2, and 3, so that was another benefit. But lost in this “compressed” method was a lot of the fun experienced when City Finals was more of a festive, full-morning occasion and not a specified, 2.5-hour event. I say, “Can’t wait; bring it on!”

We are continuing to work on everyone’s favorite subject — travel times — trying to minimize the number of away matches that require long drives. We also continue to tweak and upgrade the ALTA computer system so that the Lineup Checker becomes your “go-to” team management software. The main benefit to using the ALTA Lineup Checker for each match is that since it is based on the lineups that were actually played in previous weeks (NOT the lineup that was planned, but changed at the last minute), movement violations and defaults are definitely reduced.

Registration for the fall Men’s season starts Thursday, June 30, and the roster registration deadline is Thursday, July 21. Captains, please make sure everyone is signed up and ready to play. Players, make sure you have found a team so you can compete. Play begins on Saturday, September 10 and the regular season ends on Saturday, October 22. Playoffs and City Finals run through Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022. Weather is always fantastic for the fall season. We look forward to another great ALTA Men’s League season!

Come Join The SENIOR DAY Women Tues. 10 a.m. • Men Wed. 10 a.m. Fall registration is June 30 – July 21 Fun Of The Fall season runs Sept. 6 – Oct. 19

Senior Day League

BY CATHY GONZALES, SENIOR DAY LEAGUES VICE PRESIDENT

ALTA’s Senior Day Leagues continue to grow. There were 381 Senior Day teams containing 4,772 tennis players during the spring season this year. The only requirement to play is that you are 55 years of age or older. A new team can be formed with only eight players. Senior Day Women’s doubles teams play on Tuesday mornings, while the Senior Day Men’s doubles teams play on Wednesday mornings. Both start league play at 10:00 a.m.

These leagues play during the spring and the fall when the weather is ideal for some great tennis. Another advantage to playing the Senior Day Leagues is that a match consists of two teams playing three lines of tennis, so it doesn’t take all day to complete the match.

Don’t miss out this year on the Senior Day Leagues. Registration opened June 30 and will close on July 21.

JUNIORS

Girls Sat. 1:30 p.m. • Boys Sat. 3:30 p.m. Fall Registration is June 30 – July 29 Season runs Sept. 10 – Oct. 22

The True Meaning of Winning With ALTA

BY TAMMI COPELLI, JUNIOR LEAGUES VICE PRESIDENT

There’s nothing better than arriving at City Finals to see the wonder and excitement in the eyes of the junior players and their parents. The first thing I say to my junior teams playing at City Finals is, “Today, there are no losers,” and being at City Finals proves that. I also explain to them their behavior on the court is important because their efforts to get here have earned them the opportunity to be ambassadors of our sport. They are the best of the best; they have already won, and hence, there are no losers.

The players are not the only ones who benefit from being there. It truly is a team effort. It’s also an ALTA team effort: Our office staff providing the tennis opportunity; the parents allowing and encouraging of their children to play and their efforts to make that happen; the team managers managing the line-ups and matches throughout the season; the coaches/pros teaching our juniors to play; our juniors putting in the time practicing and playing; and of course, the vast number of volunteers. This includes the ALTA coordinators, the overall coordinators, the league vice presidents, and the ALTA Executive Committee who help keep the leagues running successfully. Combined, it truly is an incredible machine that works brilliantly, and we are all so happy for these impressionable kids to play at City Finals.

The winning starts the day someone obtains an ALTA membership. The benefits of playing or volunteering are tremendous. ALTA helps members and volunteers feel that sense of belonging and provides members the chance to be a part of a sport/team that most anyone and any age can play. No matter your ability, you are able to play a great sport and can quickly realize that just playing tennis is more important than winning or losing. If you decide to take the next step and captain or manage a team, that can lead to lifelong friendships. Ultimately, ALTA also provides the opportunity to give back to a sport or organization that has afforded you so much. There is so much to gain from playing or volunteering for ALTA. Speaking from experience from being a parent of two junior players, I later volunteered to be team manager. I also served as a scorekeeper back in the day before ALTA was online. Playing as an adult in the Thursday Women, Sunday Women, and Mixed Doubles Leagues also led to being a team captain, coordinator, overall coordinator, Junior Leagues VP, member of the Rules Committee, and serving on the Executive Committee. I can assure you and say with complete confidence that the benefits of ALTA are worth every minute of the time spent volunteering.

So, is winning City Finals the goal? Maybe, but truly being part of ALTA has so many rewards that there really are no losers. Regardless of what part you play in ALTA, in your heart you now know you are part of a winning team. With the ALTA fall season right around the corner, are you ready to be a “winner?”

JUNIOR CHALLENGE LADDER

Registration is open until August 15 The Ladder runs from Aug. 23 – Dec. 4

ALTA Junior Challenge Ladder is Open!

BY STACEY SIMMONS, JUNIOR CHALLENGE LADDER VICE PRESIDENT

ALTA Junior Players: Don’t miss out on one of the best junior tennis leagues in Atlanta. This is a unique ALTA league where you can compete at a high level and challenge other junior players on your own schedule. The Junior Challenge Ladder (JCL) attracts some of the best players in the metro Atlanta area and is still one of the best deals in town.

Here are the requirements: • Players must be 10-18 years old • Players need an ALTA membership and must pay the $15

JCL fee • Register at altatennis.org

As a member of the JCL, you can participate in round robin events, meet new players, and make some lifelong friendships. Most of the players say their favorite things about the JCL are the fun events, the ALTA swag/clothing that is provided, the awards program, and the end-of-season party.

Register today! The deadline is August 15. For more information, you can email Jrchallengevp@altatennis.org.

WHEELCHAIR

Tues. 6:30 p.m. Fall registration is August 1 – 19 Fall season runs Sept. 6 – Oct. 11

Rolling And Winning

BY LYNN LEE, SPECIAL PROGRAMS VICE PRESIDENT

Did you know ALTA has a Wheelchair League program? Spring Wheelchair, summer Run/Roll, and fall Wheelchair offer area wheelchair athletes, from beginner to advanced, a chance to play weekly tennis matches geared to their personal skill levels.

The spring Wheelchair league ended May 3 with an end-ofthe-season event that included tennis, food, fun, wheelchair demonstrations, and fellowship until the center turned off the lights!

We are now managing the summer Run/Roll season that began June 7 and ends July 19 at Hudlow Tennis Center. In Run/Roll, an able-bodied player and a wheelchair player are matched against another like team of comparable ability. This league plays Tuesday nights at 6:30 p.m. and is open to adults 18 and older. The season lasts seven weeks followed by City Finals. If you are interested in participating, please get in touch with me at specialprogramsvp@altatennis.org, and we’ll get you started in the right direction. You need to be an ALTA member in good standing and available on Tuesday evenings.

Come be a part of these great leagues!

Good Sportsmanship

BY LINDA SHEPHERD, ALTA FIRST VICE PRESIDENT

One of the key initiatives when ALTA league play first began was good sportsmanship. We love hearing from our members who take the time to share stories about their opponents going the extra mile on and off the court. ALTA takes pride in recognizing these acts of kindness with sportsmanship awards. Here are a few of the stories of our sportsmanship winners from the spring season:

Plantation North Sunday Women A5

Captain: Lisa Talbot Nominated by Georgia O’Brien, Indian Hills CC

Lisa and I began our text chain two weeks before the match. We asked to play two lines early, since we were short players this season. We offered days and times, and she did the same. This went on day after day. After a while, we finally found a day to play, and then it rained! Again, we texted the players, checked the weather, and tried to play that afternoon, but it did not work out. Back and forth we went, texting what would work, what couldn’t work, day after day. Finally, we decided to play a line and agreed on the time and day of the match, but I had to switch my lines. Luckily, they still had a competitive match. My players didn’t realize all the effort Lisa had made for us to play early. They were very gracious. We are so thankful that Lisa is a good ALTA captain.

Peachtree City Tennis Center Senior Day Women B3

Captain: Suzanne Heil Nominated by: Susan Rees, Sun City Peachtree

I am nominating Suzanne Heil and her team from Peachtree City for their compassion and kindness to the ladies on our team. We played her team at our facility and enjoyed talking and sharing refreshments. The same week, we had another match to be played at the same facility. Suzanne and her team came over to cheer us on and even offered us refreshments. We truly appreciated the true ALTA spirit towards us.

Saddlebrook/Cobb County Sunday Women A5

Captain: Lea Tatum Nominated by: Terina Fowler, Hamilton Crossing Park

I had several teammates injured and some on vacation for our match scheduled on April 10. Lea helped move some people and lines around multiple times to accommodate us. We did not have to default any lines due to the good sportsmanship of this captain. She was very sweet, fast to respond, and a pleasure to work with. She even went beyond the call of duty to help with an issue that arose the day of our scheduled makeup match. She is a super captain, and her team should be proud to have her.

Edinburgh Thursday Women B3

Captain and Co-Captain: Lindsay Gerry and Susan Pope Nominated by: Barbara Sanders and Desiree Higgins, Kingsley Estates

Our team was a Spring 2022 division winner. Our facility lacked enough courts for us to host this playoff match. We were prepared to pay for courts at a nearby facility, but Edinburgh was kind enough to host the match at their courts. They were extremely gracious about the exact start time of the match knowing we had to travel. They also were able to reserve three courts which helped shorten our day. We are thankful for their hospitality and for being so courteous and understanding.

SWITCHING SURFACES

Can a home team at a facility that has both clay and hard courts play different lines on different surfaces?

Mitch Falkin, Men’s League Vice President

No. Referencing the General Rules Adult Leagues, I. Teams and Players, C: Each team must guarantee use of at least two courts of the same surface/type at the same address. But what about when there is a rainout? Since the matches are usually played in random order based on schedules, can the facility use hard or clay? Yes. If the facility has hard, soft, and indoor courts under one facility number, the home team can move the match to other approved courts available at the same facility.

DON’T ‘DEFAULT OUT’

What is a default?

Gina Clance, Senior Mixed League Vice President

A default is recorded when a team fails to have players present to play within 20 minutes of the match time. Should inclement weather occur, at the normal default time of the line being defaulted, regular inclement weather rules apply, and the default does not occur. Teams must default from the bottom of the lineup, except in the case of a weather-delayed match. ALTA rule V.D. states that a team may not record more than the average of one default per dual meet per season. If a team records more than this number, that team is considered ‘defaulted out’ and all matches are nullified. A team also may not default all lines of a dual meet. This also will result in ‘defaulting out.’ Defaulting out has some serious consequences. The team and/or its members may be suspended for the next season. Since a team defaulting out has all matches played nullified, it also can change the division’s standings. We encourage teams to talk to their coordinators who may be able to help teams avoid this. A default is recorded on the scorecard by the team captain or person entering the scorecard. The team receiving the point lists player names on the card. These players do get credit for a match played, and their movement should be tracked from this point. No names are entered for the team defaulting the point.

PLAYER RANKINGS QUERY

My C1 Mixed Doubles team needed an additional player. I tried to add a player, but she had previously played on a Thursday Women’s League B1 team. Why was I not able to add this player?

John Lowell, Mixed Doubles Vice President

Once schedules have been released, a team may add up to six players, subject to certain restrictions. In this case, the player’s last level of play was too high. The team was placed at C1 because the average ranking of its five highest ranked women and five highest ranked men was C1.

MAKEUP DATE CONFLICT

Our regular-season match was rained out; my partner and I, along with our opponents, were all in agreement on the makeup date. The day before our makeup match, my partner had an unexpected conflict. When I asked our opponents to change the makeup match to another day, they said we couldn’t change the date. Is that correct?

Karen Sullivan, Thursday Women’s League Vice President

Yes. (Adult Rules VI: Inclement Weather, A). In the event of a rainout, captains have the option to change the lineup for those matches that have not yet started, as long as the lineup change doesn’t conflict with the player movement rules. This is important because once there’s an agreement on a date for a makeup match, a commitment has been made to play on that agreed upon date, unless rain occurs again (Adult Rules VI. C.). Since your partner is no longer available to play on the agreed upon date, your captain should be notified as soon as possible to make any necessary changes to the lineup so the makeup match can still be played on the agreed upon date.

DID YOU EVER WONDER ABOUT … ?

If you’ve ever had a situation occur in a match where no one on the court knew the rule that applied, send your inquiry to Good Question. ALTA officials answer questions in each issue of Net News and yours could be chosen next. Submit your question, along with your name, league, team name and level to altaeditor@ altatennis.org.

Advance Your Understanding Of The Game

My tennis journey continues in so many wonderful ways. I’ve been a player at the junior, high school, college, and professional levels. I coached at the recreational, college, and professional levels. I’ve been part of directing and marketing racquet sports programs at various clubs and special events around the nation. Broadcasting tennis has been part of my journey since 1984, and that has been part of the fun.

I often speak to aspiring junior players about the advantages of a tennis career; that having a Roger Federer-type career is only one of the many options in the game. Tennis opened my life to so many avenues of opportunity. So, I stress to juniors and their parents to keep the focus on personal education. I teach them to draw on the world around them to better their knowledge of the game and how to treat people. Listening to learn is the greatest weapon a person can develop. I ask a lot of questions, and my awareness of how I can pick up effective tools to improve my approach has helped me more than any other aspect in my various careers. My latest challenge is coaching WTA competitor Coco Vandeweghe (USA). We began in April with the clay court season. I coached her in 2020 during the World Team Tennis season, but being a full-time coach on tour is the closest thing I’ve ever experienced next to actually playing. The laser-like focus to improve every day and battle against the most talented players on the planet is so much fun! When you’re playing — or coaching someone who is playing — you learn right away the incredible intensity in every match, practice, and gym session.

It’s a “win and/or improve constantly” approach. Losing can’t be an option because it’s the reality of the profession. You are evolving into what can win out there or you won’t be out there for very long. You must always advance your understanding of the game. Can you as a player (or coach) adapt to the constant shifts of momentum and strategy during matches?

As a coach, my number-one goal is to empower my player with a confidence that can never be crushed by a loss, losing streak, or injury. I must instill a sense of situational awareness at all times to find their very best performance and identify opponents’ weaknesses. They must develop a mental dashboard of gauges (if you will) that tells the story of the match from walking out to the court to the handshake after. Have you ever seen Nadal at the coin flip or in the tunnel before he walks on the court? He does kangaroo jumps with his opponent right there! It’s done to intimidate the opposition mentally and physically before they have hit the first ball. Nadal sets the intensity tone that the other side must match or must block out completely. I was part of such a situation during one French Open final between Federer and Nadal. It’s too long to explain in this article, but if you ever run into me, I can share it. Basically, Nadal had Federer completely mental and the match was over before it even began. This is after Federer had won the previous three majors in a row.

Knowing what makes you think, feel, and play your very best is the same at every level. The players who master the mind master the game.

The WTA and ATP will be playing all around the country this summer and I hope you get a chance to see some of the fresh faces and old veterans. A couple of great events are the Atlanta Open and Washington D.C. Open. Seeing the great singles and doubles is a blast, but being close to these great players practicing is inspiring. They all work so hard. You might not be able to hit a 120-mph serve, but you could pick up a tip that helps your second serve. Whatever you do, do not try a “tweener!” Keep going for winners.

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How To Improve Your Game –Start with Your Serve

BY SUE BEATTY-HITES, COACH, CHEROKEE TOWN & COUNTRY CLUB

The most important shot in tennis is the serve, followed by the serve return. Many players simply underestimate the importance of this first shot. I often hear, “I just want to get it in.” However, what you do with this first shot can dictate the point. A wide serve opens up the court, whereas a deep serve helps keep the receiver from coming in or taking control of the return.

A good serve begins with the proper biomechanics. These elements are essential to developing the many puzzle pieces that create a serve. It’s the only shot you hit the same almost every time. Here are the basic puzzle pieces: 1. Correct grip — use the continental grip, no exceptions. 2. Proper stance — transfer weight to back hip/leg and bend the knee. This is also called “loading.” 3. Correct backswing — engage the shoulder and have your elbow parallel to the ground. 4. Accurate ball toss — with tossing arm acting as a lever, slowly toss the ball slightly in front where you can easily

“throw” your racquet at the ball. 5. Exact contact point — with a fully extended arm, reach to hit the ball and follow through across your body for the finish. 6. Practice — take the time to serve a hopper-full of balls.

More complex puzzle pieces include: topspin and slice, vary where your racquet hits the ball; placement, target three locations (Alley, Body, Center); and pace, create racquet head speed from using proper mechanics.

The good news is once you have an effective serve, you HAVE IT! It doesn’t go away but it does need constant practice. Often, how your serve goes is how your game goes. Serve well, play well. Serve poorly, play poorly. This circles back to the importance of practice and how it creates confidence. The serve is much like the Cinderella story. Often treated like the stepchild, but once discovered, it becomes a beautiful part of your game.

Here is a guideline to practice for success: Hit 100 serves three to four times a week, working on one puzzle piece then adding another and another. Top it with targeting and precision. Do this for six weeks, adding a private lesson each week to be sure the technical execution is correct. If you are a beginner, consider 50 serves, two to three times a week, again with lessons. This will make all the difference.

Start each point with a plan. There are many fun parts of tennis and out-thinking your opponent is one of the most fun and challenging. Here are a few suggestions: • Make first serves — creates more pressure for returner. • Mix placement with slice & spin. • Keep ‘em in the corner — a weak return gives you an open court. • Serve based on the position of the receiver — use the underhand serve or short, soft serve if returner is behind the baseline.

It’s a great feeling knowing you have an excellent chance of winning because of your serve! Some players are happy just coming out to play. Others want to work at improving their game. The following components put you on the fast track to overall improvement: private lessons, group team practices, drills/ball machine/point playing/practice matches/playing on your own time, competitive competition, and improving your fitness.

In summary, learning to serve well with variety and creativity aids in your success and enjoyment of this wonderful game!

USTA GEORGIA-GPTA TEACHING PROFESSIONAL SPOTLIGHT: SUE BEATTY-HITES

Hometown (City/

State): Sonoma, California

How did you get involved in

teaching tennis? My mom had a tennis court in her yard in Sonoma and I began teaching there.

Diehard fan of what sports team?

San Francisco 49er’s

Best part of your game? Slice backhand

Dream doubles match would be me

and… My best friend Susan Wright playing anybody!

When I’m not teaching tennis, I’m…

Traveling, hanging with daughters, friends, family, Maverick (my dog), and enjoying wine.

My favorite tennis memory is:

Playing at the US Open the last year it was at Forest Hills.

My favorite professional player is:

Coco Gauff

#1 reason why I enjoy teaching &

coaching tennis: Introducing people to the game and watching them fall in love with everything tennis offers!

What important tennis message do

you want to promote? Learn to play the game well. It’s so much fun!

Get Strong For Tennis

BY DR. MARK KOVACS, CTPS, MTPS; CEO, KOVACS INSTITUTE; EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR INTERNATIONAL TENNIS PERFORMANCE ASSOCIATION

Have you ever watched professional players play a match live? Did you notice how hard they hit the (CTPS) through the International Tennis Performance Association (iTPA). These individuals are trained to work with tenball and how well they moved? These players usually have great technique, but they also have committed themselves to performing strength training exercises that allow for effective energy transfer for each stroke, as well as muscular endurance (or strength endurance) to perform tennis strokes at a high level for an extended period. One of the questions we get the most at our institute is whether a league tennis player should have a tennis-specific strength training workout. The simple answer is a resounding YES.

From an athletic perspective, absolute strength is the largest amount of force that an individual can produce, irrespective of the time it takes to move the force. Think about when you may be performing a lunge movement. Absolute strength would be measured by how many pounds (or kilograms) is on the bar (or the dumbbells). Power, on the other hand, is defined as the amount of work performed per unit of time. Therefore, the absolute resistance is only half of the equation. The time to move the resistance is just as important. To be powerful, you need to have a required amount of strength and then be able to move forces quickly. For tennis players, it is important to not only focus on strength (how much you can lift), but also on power (how quickly you can lift a weight safely). The challenge for many competitive, recreational players is the type of strength training. We also recommend you work with a qualified individual to help you set up a tennis-specific strength training program. Look for a Certified Tennis Performance Specialist nis athletes to offer tennis fitness programming. Here are a couple of tips that should help you when researching the best strength training options to improve your tennis: “Weak legs command. Strong legs obey.” This quote by Gil Reyes, long-time strength coach for Andre Agassi, is one of the most valuable for every tennis player. I have been fortunate to spend over a decade working closely with Gil; this is one of his favorite themes when working with tennis athletes. If your legs are not strong, they will not do what your mind and the rest of your body wants them to do. Getting strong allows you to load better on wide balls, have a more stable base during rally balls, move quicker around the court, and change direction faster. General strength training will provide some general benefits, but tennis-specific strength training will provide tennis-specific benefits. “A chain is only as strong as its weakest link.” This proverb was never about tennis, but the theme applies to injury risk for tennis players. If you have certain weaknesses anywhere along your chain (your body), the weakest point will likely breakdown. Understanding your weaknesses, and training strategically to correct them, will provide great benefit to every tennis athlete. The areas of typical concern for recreational tennis players are the shoulders, the knees, the lower back, the elbows, and the calves (for older, male athletes). Make sure you are doing some preventative work on these areas multiple times per week.

Just Desserts

Who doesn’t love — and deserve — a sweet treat every once in a while? You’ve worked hard and played hard. Give yourself a tasty reward with one of the following recipes from your fellow ALTA members. And consider bringing them for your teammates to try at your next match!

A timeless combo

Lavender-Lemon Shortbread

Donna Schaaf, Jefferson Township Senior Day Women B5

A crunchy delight

Caramel Pretzel Magic Bars

Ann Moren, Georgetown Sunday Women B4

¾ cup butter ½ cup confectioners sugar 1 tsp. vanilla extract ½ tsp. lemon extract 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour ¼ tsp. salt 1½ tsp. dried lavender 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon zest 3 Tbsp. granulated sugar

Beat butter, sugar, vanilla and lemon extract with mixer at medium speed until creamy. In separate bowl, sift together flour and salt, slowly add flour mixture to butter mixture while beating until combined. Fold in lavender and lemon zest. Shape dough in ball, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 2 hrs. On floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness using 2-inch round fluted cutter. Sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake on parchment at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or less until set. Let cool.

1 ½ cup graham cracker crumbs 6 Tbsp. butter, melted 1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk 50+ pretzels (e.g., Snyder’s Snaps) 1 cup of caramel bits (found near choc. chips at the grocery store.) 1 cup milk chocolate chips 1 cup sweetened coconut flakes

Mix graham cracker crumbs with melted butter & press in a sprayed 13x9-inch pan. Pour about half the can of condensed milk over crust. Layer your pretzels as close together as you like over the condensed milk/crust. Sprinkle caramels, chocolate chips, & coconut flakes. Pour remaining half of condensed milk on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes until lightly brown. Let cool completely before cutting & serving.

Gluten free & easy to make

Peanut Butter/Chocolate Chip Cookies

Debbie Partrick, Knollwood Lakes Sunday Women B5

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1 cup chunky peanut butter 1 large egg 1 tsp. baking soda ½ tsp. vanilla extract 1 cup milk chocolate morsels

Stir together first 5 ingredients using a wooden spoon. Stir in chocolate morsels. Drop cookie dough by rounded tablespoons onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack. Makes 1 1/2 dozen.

Pièce de résistance

Jeanne’s Cherry Bottom Cake

Jeanne Owart, Peachtree City TC Thursday Women B4

2 cans cherry pie filling 1 box butter cake mix or chocolate cake mix 1 stick butter ¾ cup Dr Pepper

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 pan with the stick of butter. Then soften the remaining stick of butter in microwave and set aside. Open the two cans of cherry pie filling and dump them into the bottom of the greased pan and spread evenly. For a nice cake finish, in a bowl mix the cake mix, the softened butter, and the soda lightly together and then spread evenly across the cherry mixture. For more of a cobbler texture, open and sprinkle the dry cake mix evenly across the cherry pie filling in the pan, then mix soda with butter and drizzle over the dry cake mix. Place pan in oven and bake for 45 to 60 minutes until brown and cherry mix bubbles over top of cake mixture. Take out and let sit. Serve and enjoy. For the cake-like version, you may want to place Dove chocolates (or similar) on top of cake when it comes out of oven to melt for extra chocolate flavor.