Tennis Teams at SGCC: Teamwork is Dreamwork Building Bonds for a Lifetime

BY KATIE KISSAL | CHAIR, COMMUNICATION COMMITTEE

Members of the SGCC community are no strangers to sports. From golf to swimming, pickleball, and tennis, athletic activity at the Club is abundant. Within each of these sports, you can find teams of all ages working hard on their craft together.

The tennis program at SGCC is a prime example of a wideranging athletic community. Tennis is one of the few games that can be considered a “lifetime” sport. It is easily played by people of all ages and levels. Luckily, our Racquets Department is designed with this in mind and provides opportunities for everyone to enjoy the rewarding experience of belonging to a team.

Teamwork is Dreamwork

The value of team sports for children is widely acknowledged. In addition to the benefits of staying active, being part of a team can help develop motivation, commitment, and confidence. It’s no different for adults. Belonging to a team enhances and expands one’s regular social interactions.

When Jackie Kushman and her family joined in May 2022, she had never played tennis. A lifelong athlete, Jackie played softball and basketball growing up and was a Division 1 volleyball player in college. She was a little nervous about playing tennis, but threw herself into the Club’s programs.

Today, almost a year later, she plays on SGCC’s Interclub C team. “Being active has been my way of life and being on a team (again) brings me happiness, makes me feel young, and reminds me of how it felt growing up on sports teams,” says Jackie. “Tennis is 100% the reason I am at the Club as much as possible.”

Courtships

At SGCC, joining a tennis team is a great way to create new friendships. Team sports are invaluable in creating strong bonds and relationships, and the tennis court can be a great matchmaker for friendships.

Shared experiences of strategizing, communicating, and the ebb and flow of wins and losses, can accelerate teammates and partners getting to know each other. Experiencing your best moments as well as your most vulnerable moments levels the playing field and promotes the creation of life-long bonds.

“Being on a team is a great experience, creating deep bonds with your fellow members and learning about yourself through competition,” according to Branden Beets, Director of Racquet Sports. “You’ll challenge yourself mentally and physically through match play and meet new friends along the way.”

No one knows that better than Kim Sabo and Staci Goede. Their fun can be seen and heard wherever they play tennis together. Their infectious banter is well-known and spreads smiles across courts.

The duo met at a Cardio Tennis class in the winter of 2010, soon after they both joined. “We chatted in class and agreed to meet at the next one. That was the start of our friendship both on and off the court,” said Kim.

Staci elaborates, “We would play tennis and then eat dinner at the Clubhouse afterwards for years. Covid and career adjustments changed our traditional Thursday evening time, but now we play several times a week and usually hang out afterwards.”

Both Staci and Kim attribute their time off the court to a deepened friendship and trust on the court. “Staci and I have different playing styles on the court—she’s a little more competitive and I’m a little more casual and much louder! Together we always have fun,” laughs Kim. Staci agrees, “Win or lose, we love to play together.”

O Captain! My Captain!

Teamwork does not just happen on the courts; it also happens due to the devotion of volunteer members who serve as captains. Captains are not just the camaraderie cheerleaders of their teams, they are also organizing calendars, pairing lineups, and managing countless lines of communication to make it all happen with what seems like ease, but is really a lot of hard work. They create the teams we know and love.

Two examples are an SGCC love story. Husband and wife Luis and Brooke Diaz both serve as captains for several SGCC teams and are well-known regulars at the tennis center.

Brooke captains the Women’s Interclub B team, while Luis captains the Men’s Interclub team as well as one of the Club’s Men’s NVTL teams. Luis’ tennis CV is impressive; he’s been to several USTA regionals and sectionals events, as well as national championships. He plays in a government league against other international organizations.

Brooke is known for her support and sweet demeanor and feels the love from her team as well. “The cooperation, positive attitudes, and love I feel from my gals makes every season my favorite season!” she said. Luis enjoys the experience as well: Brooke & Luis Diaz

“It’s a privilege to meet and get to know virtually every single player that comes through the Club from all levels. I also love having the opportunity to socialize outside the court with other players and their families.”

SGCC Strategies for Success

Behind the proverbial curtain of all the fun and hard work is a specific vision and strategy of Branden Beets. “Our goal is to have an SGCC ‘system’ for the teams,” he explains.

The system involves getting everyone on the same page. “The goal of team tennis is to have fun and be as competitive as possible to win. In the competitive environment, it’s best to understand formations and patterns of play as a team. This way when they face adversity in a match, our players can constructively strategize together,” says Branden.

Branden works to make this system a reality by heavily involving the SGCC Racquets Staff in the various teams: “We provide year-round practices, player recruitment, match observation, team camps, lineup input, and post-match feedback.”

His strategies for SGCC teams are not just about technique, but also mindfulness. Branden says, “Mindset and mental toughness is constantly developing. We mentor our players on being resilient. Understanding that you will face adversity every time you step on the practice court or match court is huge. Expect it, realize it’s normal—everyone makes mistakes— and trust the process. We practice adversity responses and situational awareness training on a weekly basis in our group lessons, tactical doubles classes, and team practices.”

The work is paying off. Branden has observed significant positive growth within the teams since taking over the Racquets program in April 2022: “Players are experiencing growth in their game and improved self-belief. Our problem-solving skills have developed, and players have more weapons at their disposal. Outcome results will come with time as our members become more comfortable in the SGCC system.”

Several Ways to Serve It Up

In addition to the robust tennis programming (clinics, events, round robins, etc.), there are numerous opportunities for players of all levels to participate in competitive team match play, including Interclub (women, men, and junior) and through the Northern Virginia Tennis League (NVTL).

Interclub

Interclub tennis consists of competitive team matches against other private clubs in the area. SGCC participates in the Interclub League of Northern Virginia.

Depending on the number of tennis players and their playing levels, clubs can field a variety of teams and they are categorized in alpha order according to their level of play. Currently, SGCC has Women’s A, B, and C teams (weekly daytime matches in the spring and fall seasons). For those whose schedules do not allow for daytime matches, there are Men’s and Women’s Evening Interclub teams.

Women’s A, B, and C teams participate in weekly team practices with SGCC’s professional staff. Team cohesiveness and strategy are further developed at pre-season camps. The two-day intensive programs are developed, organized, and led by team captains and the SGCC tennis pros.

Kids can get in on the interclub match play as well. SGCC has Interclub Junior teams for 10 to 12-year-olds as well as a team for older teens. They currently compete in the summer. Practice in the off-season takes the form of the Academy-level junior tennis programs.

Northern Virginia Tennis League (NVTL)

SGCC has three teams that compete in NVTL: two men’s teams and a mixed doubles team. NVTL is composed of teams from local tennis and/or country clubs. Matches are played in the evening and/or weekends in the spring.

Become a Team Player

If you are interested in team tennis at SGCC, reach out directly to Branden Beets at branden@sgccva.org. He will help connect you with the right volunteer captain, find players of a similar level, and answer any questions about team play. The Racquets staff and captains also hold player interest meetings at the Racquets and Fitness facility in the spring.

SGCC Tennis Team Captains

INTERCLUB CAPTAINS

• Women’s A Team - Linda Whitestone

• Women’s B Team - Brooke Diaz

• Women’s C Team - Amy Waller

• Evening Women’s Team - Page Coleman

• Evening Men’s Team - Luis Diaz

NVTL CAPTAINS:

• Men’s - Luis Diaz

• Men’s - Darren Banh

• Mixed - Greg Street

JUNIOR INTERCLUB

• 10s & 12s Boys/Girls - Jennifer Beets

• 16s Boys/Girls - TBD

The spring tennis team season begins in mid-April. Don’t miss out reach out to the our Racquets Professionals for help joining a team today. 