Northern Arizona

by Andrea Meyer

Director of Racquet Sports

Nicole Chambers begins her season at Forest Highlands with Head Professional, Garre Lakey, USPTA, on May 12. They have lots in store this season for both members and guests. Nicole has started a FAST-4-TENNIS series of events to offer more match prac ce to Northern Arizona USTA adult players. Members and guest can look forward to holiday socials, member/member, and member/guest events for both men and women, triples events, clinics and more.

The Flagstaff High School boys’ team made it to the final of the State Team Championships, losing to Catalina Foothills who have now won the tle nine seasons in a row. This was the first me in decades that Flagstaff had made it to the finals. Captain Camden Hagerman, a student of Nicole’s, proudly holds the very large runner-up trophy!

The Flagstaff Tennis Associa on is hos ng the Flagstaff Open for adults, June 10 - 11th at Northern Arizona University. Flagstaff pros are also providing plenty of junior events, together with the USTA, to foster match prac ce for both developing and elite juniors from the Northern Arizona area.

In Presco , Pro Sterling Fe y, who managed the en re high school tennis season with only three courts total for his PHS boys’ and girls’ teams, was honored by his fellow coaches as Division 2 Sec on 2 Coach of the Year. Sterling’s selec on was richly deserved, especially as members of his teams performed so well at State despite the cramped court space and this season’s unusually inclement weather. Senior Ava Strasser was a singles quarterfinalist and was crowned Division 2 Sec on 2 Singles Player of the Year; teammate Somer Hu man and Strasser were recognized as Sec on Doubles Team of the Year. Sterling’s son Leyton with dubs partner Luke Raber narrowly lost their state quarterfinals match in an 8-10 third-set e breaker. Sterling has a full summer of JTT and local tournaments in the works. His efforts con nue to include outlying NAZ communi es such as Lake Havasu and Kingman in fostering the growth of junior tennis in those communi es. As proof, Kohen Juelfs of Kingman’s Lee Williams HS was a doubles Semifinalist at State. Sterling has coached Kohen on numerous JTT teams.

Also in Presco , Elite Pro Chris Howard sends news that his star student Andrew Bogdanov and Andrew’s USA Wheelchair Team won the bronze medal at the World Cup May 5 by defea ng Japan, 1-6, 6-4, 10-6. In Co onwood, Pro Andrea Meyer’s work teaching mini tennis in the Verde Valley’s k-8 schools con nues to pay off. She had nine freshman girls on her team of 19 JV and varsity this season. Andrea’s summer schedule will include some parent-child instruc on as well as Live Ball and Triples under the lights for high school and community players.

Sedona Elite Pro Jake Worseldine has been coaching elite junior siblings George and Grace Hakopian as they climb the Southwest rankings. In April the Hakopians went deep into Level 3 draws in Phoenix tournaments.