17 minute read
A Lifetime of Mentoring with Arnold Bradshaw
Coach Arnold Bradshaw: Stories from a Lifetime of Mentoring
An article from the Geneva Newspaper mid 90’s about Coach Bradshaw retiring
Mementos of Bradshaw’s 28 years as Geneva High School’s boy’s tennis team were on dis-play at the country club. After a social hour and fine meal, it was time to tend to business. First, Rick S announced the plans for adding to and re-furbishing the tennis courts in Arnie’s name. About $7,000 has already been collected for that purpose. Plans for the Geneva Area Tennis Expansion Fund include adding two new courts, repairing the four old ones and upgrading the fencing. lighting, bleachers, wind screens, nets and net posts.
Phil D, one of Bradshaw’s former players acted as master of ceremonies, took his turn at “roasting” Bradshaw and introduced Pete R, who passed the microphone from table to table in a session entitled “Fry the ’Shaw.” Most of the participants had difficulty finding anything to “fry” Bradshaw about, however.
Many of Bradshaw’s former players related incidents showing how Bradshaw taught them not only to play tennis, but how to live their lives. “He not only taught me how to win, he taught me how to lose,” said one of Bradshaw’s former players. “He teaches students lessons that they can use their entire life,” said another former player, Rob P. “There are so many things he’s taught me that I use in my life, my work and my family.”
Doug B mentioned the notes Bradshaw always left his players after matches, notes that included tips on how to play belter and be a better sportsman, notes that his players have kept over the years. One of the notes in his racket cover was affixed to B’s racket and read, “Please don’t kick me,” a reference to one of B’s ways of showing his displeasure. “I haven’t kicked a racket since,” B said.
A recent note from a former player to Coach Bradshaw. Names abbreviated for privacy.
Ihad dinner with KA, DS and BS last week to celebrate K’s 60th birthday and your name came up (names abbreviated for privacy) S and I were lamenting the fact that the GT Reunion got cancelled this summer because we were planning on attending. I was certainly looking forward to catching up with you and Coach K! I was checking in with others and I know JM had told me he was coming as well as J Mc and several others.
I sure hope we can reschedule the event for next year and that we can again, all get together. That is one thing, among many that I learned from you, the strength that we have when we all come together. I think you know this, but I learned a great deal from you and the way you pulled a group together every season and created an atmosphere of family had an impact on me. I have been on many teams and I don’t want to take anything away from other coaches, but you were the first that talked to me like an adult when I was still a kid and you created a family atmosphere. You expected things from me and held me accountable, but I always felt the love and respect went both ways. I know that you showed me the path to becoming a good man, husband and father. You were just an incredible role model and I have tried to shape myself into the type of man that you exemplified to us all.
I have built a small business with the structure that you showed me. No one person more important than the other and getting people to understand their individual role is critical to our success. We will exceed $15 million in sales this year and that is only happening because everyone on our team has buy-in, wants to be held accountable and more importantly, wants to win “the right way”. They actually get frustrated dealing with some of our supplier partners “because they just don’t seem to care as much as we do!” Sounds like A Tennis (just kidding; gotta take a shot at BW ha ha).
Speaking of BW, I ran into him a few years back and we had a great conversation. He talked about how he loved my era of players and how easy we were to coach in tennis and basketball. He said what a great rivalry we had in tennis. I looked at him like I was shocked and I joked with him, “A nail doesn’t really have a rivalry with a hammer does it?!?” And then we both laughed and I told him how much we respected his school program and what a class act he was. I then reminded him that he was the man that started the name “Clean Vince” from Coach K’s Basketball camp. He talked at length about how much fun those camps were.
I remember sitting with my Dad during his last days and reflecting on my days in G and we talked about you. He said, “I hope you realize how lucky you are that you had such good men as coaches in high school.” He went on and said something like, “As a father, knowing that you were spending a lot of time with Arnie Bradshaw and BK after school made my job a lot easier.” To answer his question; Yes I know how lucky I am to have spent so much time with you.
I believe you know how grateful I am for teaching me tennis, giving me my first racquet for like $10 so I could go to practice the next week and give tennis a try. I still have that magic wooden stick! Good ol’ Dunlop Maxply!!! But it is so much more than that, like our undefeated 7th grade basketball team when you made me your captain even though I was not the best player on the roster. You trusted me, I was 13 years old and you trusted me!!! And you taught me that I may be the most talented, but I could let others lead too.
I miss not seeing you more often and I hope we can all get together next year and celebrate the institution that you started and nourished for so many years...G EAGLES TENNIS! Coach, I love you like family and I think of you often. You are one of a kind and as important in my life as my Dad was. I’m so grateful to have been touched, influenced and shaped by you and your impact on me has been so appreciated.
By the way - in 30 years of coaching he compiled a career record of 485-44 and a conference record of 346-4 from 1966-1993. Arnold Bradshaw lived the Leading with Love way.
Editors note: I was lucky enough to be a recipient of some of Coach Bradshaw’s special treatment. He gave me a hand written note at one of the past conferences, and it included a copy of a letter sent to Sports Illustrated, a sheet of quotes good for teaching, 2 sheets from the 1976 USPTA newsletter (and I have learned he keeps EVERYTHING), and a super special gift. Coach used Tennis Trading Cards as prizes for his players, and he gifted me a rare and old Roger Federer card. It listed his highest ranking as 6 in the world. Thanks Coach
Southern Spotlight
William Noblitt, Providence Country Club Charlotte, NC
Give a brief description of your tennis/other career: I grew up in Shelby, NC where I started playing tennis at the Cleveland Country Club. Played soccer and tennis all growing up before focusing more on tennis through high school. Played college tennis at NC State University, where I was a 2 time First Team All ACC selection. Ended my career at NC State with the most singles and doubles wins in school history. Started as an assistant tennis professional at a club in Raleigh after college and have been in the industry ever since!
When did you start playing tennis? 5 yrs old
What other sports did you play? Soccer
What moved you to teach tennis? Always loved the game and wanted to be able to share my knowledge and passion with others.
What is something people will be surprised to learn about you? Had a two hand backhand volley and extreme western forehand grip when I got to college.
Lyndsey Kelly, Lafayette Junior & Adult Tennis, Lafayette, LA
Give a brief description of your tennis/other career: I founded LJAT in March 2017 in a mission to grow accessible and sustainable public parks programs for junior and adults in Lafayette. I currently operate out of two public park facilities. I am a USPTA Professional and a Licensed Cardio Tennis Professional. When did you start playing tennis? I started as a Freshman in high school (13yrs old) after a friend convinced me to help her start up a team. I believe we had 8 players on our entire high school team that first year. What other sports did you play? Ski Racing, Figure Skating, Soccer, Softball What moved you to teach tennis? Wherever I have moved in the world, the local tennis community has always become an extension of my family. Introducing people to tennis and creating a safe and fun environment to learn and play is my primary motivation as a coach. What is something people will be surprised to learn about you? I am originally from New Zealand, but was raised in Alaska for 12 years and ended up in Lafayette after a 30,000 mile road trip across the US. Nearly 5 years later I think it’s safe to say I chose a great spot! What are your hobbies? I have two crazy dogs and a wonderful fiancé so any time I get to spend with them. I’ve also enjoyed getting into Pickleball and Volleyball this year. What are your hobbies? Spending time with my family and playing golf
What is your favorite movie? Miracle
Are you reading anything right now? Listening to an audio book...”One Year After”
What is your favorite sports team? NC State Wolfpack!!!
Who is your favorite player of all time? Rafael Nadal
What person would you most like to have lunch with? Tiger Woods
What would you be doing if you were not in tennis? Real Estate
If you had a “do over”, what one thing would you have done differently in your
teaching career? Wearing more sunscreen and a bucket hat early on! Are you reading anything right now? Where the Crawdads Sing
Who is your favorite player of all time? I have loved Nadal ever since I started playing. How cool is it he’s still dominating 16 years later?!
What person would you most like to have lunch with? I lost my mom in August of this year, so I would give anything to have lunch with her one more time. She was always such a massive supporter of mine and even when I started this journey with only a handful of juniors she believed in my vision to grow.
What would you be doing if you were not in tennis? My degree is in Environmental Science so I would probably be putting that to use.
If you had a “do over”, what one thing would you have done differently in your teaching career? Ask me again in 5 years! I’ve learned so much in my young career and am constantly looking for ways to improve, so any mistake I’ve made along the way has created opportunities to grow and learn which I wouldn’t change for anything. My main challenge is learning the art of balance between running a program, coaching, and personal life -- that is still a work in progress!
Tech Corner The Best Free Software of 2020
By Eric Griffith
Continued from last issue
FILE VIEWERS AND CONVERTERS
IrfanView
IrfanView (pronounced ear-fan-view) has been the leader in file viewing for over two decades. Not only does it view multiple file types, it can convert them, batch process changes, even play media. Plug-ins and addons give it even more power.
XnView MP
With an enhanced version that works across platforms, XnView MP actually has multiple uses, like batch file conversion and support for 500 image formats. It’s only free for private or educational use.
FastStone Image Viewer
View, manage, and compare your images with this fast and intuitive freebie. It supports a slew of image formats, plus a ton of RAW image formats from specific digital camera manufacturers. It has companion apps for screenshots and photo resizing.
GRAPHICS AND IMAGING
Adobe Photoshop Express
When you don’t need the full strength of Photoshop, but still want Adobe in your arsenal, the low-end, consumer-oriented Express is there to help you with the basics of image editing. It’ll auto-fix a lot in your images, plus has photo filters and, of course, in-app purchases to extend functions. (Read our review of Photoshop Express for iPhone.)
GIMP
The GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP) remains a top pick for free image editing for good reason. It has all the high-end tools you could want for playing with graphics and, naturally, costs 100 percent less than Photoshop.
Pixlr X
Pixlr X is a “next generation” web-based photo editor for making quick adjustments and retouches to a photo when more advanced tools aren’t available. Every change is automatically saved and it also works directly with Dropbox.
MEDIA PLAYERS/CENTERS
VLC media player
The premier way to watch just about any video, ever, no matter what the weird codec, VLC has features like auto-rotating smartphone videos taken at the wrong orientation, and resuming playback from where you stopped. Seriously, VLC plays back anything on all desktop platforms, and guarantees it comes with no ads, tracking, or spyware.
Kodi
Kodi has become the open-source serious media center. Run the software in one place and stream all your media (you bring the content) to other devices. It’s all about content, so it’s the best option in many ways for a home media center.
Plex
If you don’t know or care what a media server is—you just want to stream your videos and music collection around the house—Plex is probably for you. Install it on all your devices, point it at some media, and those audio and video files become available on everything. Even remotely over the internet.
UNINSTALLERS AND INSTALLERS
IObit Uninstaller
This is the tool you need to get rid of stubborn programs, plug-ins, and toolbars on a Windows PC. It outpaces the competition by including a community-based suggestion feature, so the rest of the internet is helping you delete extraneous crud from the PC, too. (Read our review of IObit Uninstaller Free, a PCMag Editors’ Choice.)
Ninite
Ready to install a whole butt-load of programs for Windows all at once, like after you purchase a new PC? Don’t grab them all individually—visit Ninite to check off all the programs you want. Then download a custom installer that will place all the programs on the PC in one massive installation session.
Unchecky
This doesn’t uninstall as much as it prevents installs. We’ve mentioned how you might be accidentally getting Windows software you don’t want when you install something you do. Unchecky ensures all the checkboxes in the installer programs are unchecked, and warns you if you may be getting a potentially unwanted program (PUP) or offer.
VIDEO
Lightworks
Pro-level video editing, with quality up to 4K? You can get it if you download Lightworks. The free version limits output to 720p videos on Vimeo or YouTube, but has most of the same tools as the $25/month Pro version.
HandBrake
No one would call HandBrake simple, but for power and comprehensiveness, it’s hard for any other video transcoder to compete. Transcode means to convert; Handbrake will turn almost any video format into another video format. It’s free, open source, and has years of practice.
Blender
Budding CGI animators of the world have free access to Blender, a magnificent open-source tool to do full 3D modeling of characters and worlds. It even features an integrated game engine.
Eric has been writing about tech for 28 years. He was on the founding staff of Windows Sources, FamilyPC, and Access Internet Magazine (all defunct, and it’s not his fault).
Southern Officers The “Standard” is the official newsletter for the Southern Division of the United States Professional Tennis Association.
President Kevin Theos theos@sta.usta.com 205-790-7256 1st Vice President Tom Parkes pvcctennis@gmail.com 910-233-4755 2nd Vice President Kaitlin Flaherty-Bisplinghoff kflaherty07@gmail.com 832-656-4472 Secretary/Treasurer Ken Andriano kandriano@theriverclub-ga.com 336-541-5876 Past President/Regional VP Todd Upchurch tupchurch1@gmail
Directors at Large Bill Riddle tennisun@aol.com 615-243-6698 Jason Hazley usptala@gmail.com 225-247-3028 Executive Director Pat Whitworth pat.whitworth@uspta.org 800-438-7782 (phone/fax) Head Tester Ron Gwyn rgwyn@haigpoint.com 843-341-8114 ALABAMA John Beaube jbeaube@green2grocer.com ARKANSAS patmalone67@gmail.com GEORGIA Bill Anderson banderson@capitalcityclub.org KENTUCKY Chuck Brown chuckb0489@msn.com LOUISIANA Bill Bryan billb1481@gmail.com MISSISSIPPI Emilia Viljoen stayplaytennis@gmail.com NORTH CAROLINA Fred Pfuhl hpfuhl@tollbrothers.com SOUTH CAROLINA Mike Pollard mpollard@wexfordplantation.com TENNESSEE Meg Bandy mbandy@mccallie.org
USPTA Welcomes Our New Members
Jimmie Collins................. Jackson, MS David Drew ....................Atlanta, GA Greg Howe................ Birmingham, AL Jackson, Plyler............... Matthews, NC Beau Summersill ...........Wilmington, NC Richard Wilson ................ Jackson, MS
USPTA Certification Tests & Upgrades
Nov, 8, Life Time Fitness Peachtree Corners GA Nov 15, Park Crossing Club Charlotte NC Dec 5/6, Atlanta Athletic Club Johns Creek GA Dec 6, Williamson County Indoor Sports Complex Brentwood TN
C
—Jay Samit
—Dalai Lama
—Jeff Goins
“A problem is a chance for you to do your best.”
—Duke Ellington
—Jim Rohn FAST FACTS
Tennis Stars and Coaches Who Have Appeared in Movies or on Stage?
Bill Tilden was the first to appear on Broadway. He was great friends with Charlie
Chaplin, but this did not stop him from having 3 flops on
Broadway. Bill wrote and acted in all 3 of his Plays.
Althea Gibson was the first tennis star to hit the big screen. She was a big part of John Wayne and John Ford’s blockbuster movie “Horse Soldier”. Althea went from the big screen to the golf links to earn a living.
Vijay Amritraj was given a screen test between the second and third rounds of Wimbledon 1982 and landed more than just a cameo part in the James Bond movie “Octopussy.” He played other roles in movies produced in Bollywood. His Last movie appearance was in Star Trek IV but he made a handful of appearances on top TV shows in the US.
John McEnroe, who was once married to the movie star Tatum O’Neal, has appeared in six films, the last in Adam Sandler’s 2008 release “You Don’t Mess with the Zohan” where he played himself.
Other notable players who have had time on the big screen; Ilie Nastase, Guillermo Vilas,Tom Gullikson, John Lloyd, Dennis Ralston, Ion Tiriac, and Leander Paes on the men’s side. Notable women have been Maria Sharapova and Anna Kournikova. Rafael Nadal is the latest super star who appeared with Colombian rock star Shakira in her music video.
USPTA SOUTHERN DIVISION NEWSLETTER
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The Standard is published every 60 days by the Southern Division of the United States Professional Tennis Association.
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