2013 Winter CrossCourt

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CrossCourt Winter 2013

missourivalley.usta.com

LET US SERVE

How a Lincoln priest serves his parish through Schools Tennis and an international competition in Poland

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: } THE SERVE - JTT Sportsmanship Winners } >= 2>DAC F8C7 - Tammy Hill and the Omaha Tennis Buddies } Annual award winners and our Hall of Fame inductees

CrossCourt The USTA Missouri Valley publishes CrossCourt quarterly, focusing speciďŹ cally on the members and events in the section. All material copyright USTA Missouri Valley, unless otherwise noted.

Your feedback is welcome.

TA Missouri Missour Miss ourii Valley Val Val USTA 6400 West 95th Street Suite 102 Overland Park,, Kansas 66212

HALL OF FAME

CrossCourt would like to recognize the 2013 USTA Missouri Valley Hall of Fame Inductees and Section Award Recipients. See the five inductees who will be honored as the newest members of the USTA Missouri Valley Hall of Fame.

3) 322-4801 322 48 4801 01 Fax F (913) twitter.com/USTAMoValley youtube.com/user/mvusta facebook.com/USTAMoValley

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5PcWTa 1aXP] 2^]]^a ^U ;X]R^[] =TQaPbZP journeyed to Poland in September for the second annual International Tennis 2WP\_X^]bWX_ ^U ?aXTbcb P]S RP\T W^\T fXcW a trophy. He talked with CrossCourt about the unique experience.

THE SERVE

4aXR 7^fTb :P]bPb 2Xch <Xbb^daX P]S 6aPRT <^^aT Bc ;^dXb <Xbb^daX TPa]TS B_^acb\P]bWX_ Awards for the 2013 Jr. Team Tennis season. CrossCourt catches up with them to find out what makes JTT so much fun.

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Scott Hanover President

B?>C;867C >=) SPORTSMANSHIP

Mary Buschmann Executive Director Manon Eilts Marketing Communications Director Emily Steinwart Public Relations and Graphic Design Coordinator Eli Gieryna Senior Digital Media Coordinator

For questions about your USTA membership, please contact USTA Member Services at 1-800-990-USTA, or visit the Membership Center at www.usta.com/membership.

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Jr. Team Tennis coach Andrew Schmidt Ua^\ BWPf]TT :P]bPb fPb ]P\TS cWT 9CC coaches’ sportsmanship award winner for 2013.

>= 2>DAC F8C7

Tammy Hill talks with CrossCourt about her experience working with the Omaha Tennis Buddies and its recent national honor.

If you would like additional copies for your facility, please contact CrossCourt at the address above.

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LET US SERVE

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913) 91 3) 322-4800 322 48 4800 00 (913) (888)368-8612 Toll Free

WINTER 2013

8 MISSOURIVALLEY.USTA.COM WINTER 2013

2013 H A L L F A M E of

2013 INDUCTEES:

Kevin Hedberg

Ron Cobb

Doug Smith

and Section Aw ar d s

Joe McGuire

Bruce Vosburg

The USTA Missouri Valley is proud to honor the following outstanding recipients: Junior Player of the Year (Female) Madison Westby (Tulsa, Oklahoma)

Outstanding High School Coach Troy Saulsbury (Kearney, Nebraska)

Outstanding Community Tennis Association The Gateway Confluence (Belleville, Illinois)

Junior Player of the Year (Male) David Liu (Omaha, Nebraska)

Adult Player of the Year Rich Slivocka (Hutchinson, Kansas)

Member Organization of the Year The Greens Country Club (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)

Junior Recreational Player of the Year Elizabeth Kirschner (Kearney, Nebraska)

Adult Recreational Player of the Year Beth Causey (Chesterfield, Missouri)

Outstanding Official Cynthia Palmer (Blue Springs, Missouri)

Outstanding Junior Tournament Omaha Missouri Valley Futures (Omaha, Nebraska)

Outstanding Contributor USTA League Tennis Program Geri Steckel (St. Louis, Missouri)

Media Excellence Sam McDowell, The Kansas City Star (Kansas City, Missouri)

NJTL Chapter of the Year Genesis School (Kansas City, Missouri)

Event of the Year Bart & Nadia’s Sport & Health Festival (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)

10 and Under Tennis Provider Kristen Reith (McPherson, Kansas) USTA Jr. Team Tennis Organizer Kassi Kingsland (Springfield, Missouri) Outstanding Contributor USTA Tennis Youth Programs Jeremiah Ollison (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma) Outstanding Contributor Youth High Performance Program Troy Bray (St. Louis, Missouri)

Outstanding Adult/Senior Tournament US Cellular Summer Open (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma) Tennis Family of the Year Stevenson Family (Dardenne Prairie, Missouri) Facility of the Year Koch Family Tennis Center (Omaha, Nebraska)

WINTER 2013 MISSOURIVALLEY.USTA.COM

Community Service Excellence Reggie Wesley (Lincoln, Nebraska) Distinguished Service Scott Hanover (Kansas City, Missouri) President’s Award Surprise Announcement 3

Let Us Serve

How a Lincoln priest serves his parish through Schools Tennis and an international competition in Poland

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our Martyrs’ Nights Out consisted of allowing students access c^ cWT 0QQ^cc B_^acb 2^\_[Tg c^ aTRTXeT b^\T X]bcadRcX^] as well as open courts for the whole family to come out and T]Y^h |

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Fr. Connor is a Physical Educator s dream to have as Pastor at the school.

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5^a 5a 2^]]^a cWPc Xb fWPc cWT VP\T ^U cT]]Xb Xb P[[ PQ^dc sharing fun experiences with family and friends. He says that Pb P _aXTbc fWTcWTa f^aZX]V fXcW WXb bcdST]cb R^]VaTVPcX^] ^a cWT VT]TaP[ _dQ[XR WT fP]cb c^ bWPaT WXb [^eT ^U cWT VP\T {8 [XZT c^ bWPaT cWX]Vb cWPc 8 [^eT fXcW _T^_[T) UPXcW UaXT]Sb UP\X[h \TP[b Q^^Zb ePRPcX^]b RWTbb P]S cT]]Xb | bPXS 5a 2^]]^a {CWTaT PaT b^ \P]h fPhb c^ R^\_TcT P]S WPeT Ud] I play every week to exercise and work on different aspects ^U \h VP\T 8 ePah cWX]Vb d_ fXcW bX]V[Tb S^dQ[Tb \XgTS S^dQ[Tb SaX[[b P]S RPaSX^ cT]]Xb c^ bcPh UXc P]S X] V^^S RPaSX^ePbRd[Pa WTP[cW 8 [^eT cT]]Xb QTRPdbT Xc Xb R^\_TcXcXeT VaTPc TgTaRXbT b^RXP[ PUU^aSPQ[T Ud] P]S RP] QT _[PhTS cWa^dVW^dc ^]Tzb [XUT | 5a 2^]]^azb UP\X[h P[b^ _[Phb P QXV _Pac X] WXb cT]]Xb STeT[^_\T]c 6a^fX]V d_ X] :P]bPb 2Xch <Xbb^daX WXb parents bought him a racquet at the age of five and taught him to swing and hit balls. He and his five brothers and sisters all learned to play and have passed the game down to all 19 of his nieces and nephews.

MISSOURIVALLEY.USTA.COM M ISSO ISS OURI RIVA VALL LLEY EY.U .U UST TA. A.CO CO OM WINTER WINT INTER ER 2013 201 2 013 3

5a <PccWTf 4XRZW^UU P _aXTbc X] 1aPX]PaS =TQaPbZP P]S 5a 2^]]^azb S^dQ[Tb _Pac]Ta X] ?^[P]S cWXb hTPa WPb QTT] QTbc UaXT]Sb fXcW 2^]]^a bX]RT cWTh bcdSXTS U^a cWT _aXTbcW^^S c^VTcWTa X] ('# 2^]caPah c^ 5a 2^]]^azb R^\_TcXcXeT cT]]Xb QPRZVa^d]S 5a 4XRZW^UU _[PhTS cT]]Xb ^][h aTRaTPcX^]P[[h Qdc the two played doubles together occasionally over the years. 7T bPXS cWTh ch_XRP[[h f^] cWTXa \PcRWTb Qdc cWPc Xc fPb]zc P[fPhb RWP[[T]VX]V T]^dVW U^a 5a 2^]]^a B^ fWT] 5a 2^]]^a asked him to travel to Poland for the second International CT]]Xb 2WP\_X^]bWX_ ^U ?aXTbcb 5a 4XRZW^UU bPXS hTb 0b Q^cW <a 4XbT]\T]VTa P]S 5a 4XRZW^UU fX[[ PccTbc cWTaTzb ]^ QTccTa P\QPbbPS^a U^a cWT VP\T ^U cT]]Xb cWP] 5a 2^]]^a “The verdict is out as to whether or not I could be swayed into S^X]V b^\TcWX]V [XZT cWXb PVPX] | bPXS 5a 4XRZW^UU {>][h cX\T will tell. But if there’s anyone capable of twisting my arm into S^X]V b^\TcWX]V R^\_[TcT[h ^dc ^U \h R^\U^ac i^]T hTc PVPX] Xc f^d[S QT 5a 2^]]^a 8 VdTbb cWPczb fWPc UaXT]Sb PaT U^a { Fr. Connor with his trophy.

“We are a tennis family and have a lot of fun centered on cWT R^dacb | bPXS 5a 2^]]^a {FWT]TeTa 8 P\ W^\T 8 RP] P[fPhb UX]S P VP\T <h UPcWTa Pc PVT '! bcX[[ _[Phb cWaTT cX\Tb P fTTZ | 2^]]Ta _[Phb X]S^^ab Pc cWT =TQaPbZP CT]]Xb 2T]cTa X] cWT 0QQ^cc B_^acb 2^\_[Tg X] ;X]R^[] Pb fT[[ Pb ^dcS^^ab Pc bTeTaP[ UPRX[XcXTb 5^a cWT _Pbc U^da bd\\Tab WT WPb _[PhTS in the Ace Bandage Tennis League with 120 other men in Lincoln. The league consists of a dozen matches over cWT bd\\Ta P]S 2^]]^a bPhb Xc _a^eXSTb WX\ fXcW VaTPc competition and the chance to meet new players. 5a 2^]]^a UXabc WTPaS PQ^dc cWT X]cTa]PcX^]P[ c^da]P\T]c when a former seminary classmate living in Poland contacted WX\ [Pbc hTPa eXP 5PRTQ^^Z CWT UaXT]S Z]Tf ^U 5a 2^]]^azb love for tennis and told him that there had been a tournament U^a _aXTbcb X] ?^[P]S U^a cWT _Pbc ! hTPab Qdc X] ! ! cWTh were planning to host the first International Tennis 2WP\_X^]bWX_ ^U ?aXTbcb 5a 2^]]^a aTRadXcTS P]^cWTa priest in Lincoln to join him on the trip and the two of them journeyed overseas for the inaugural event.

“Lifetime wellness is a goal that we hope to instill in all of our students. We want them to leave with the skills and knowledge of how to make the right choices for the rest of cWTXa [XeTb | bPXS 4XbT]\T]VTa {8c Xb P VaTPc WT[_ c^ WPeT a^[T \^ST[b bdRW Pb 5a 2^]]^a fXcWX] cWT bRW^^[ fW^ PaT S^X]V exactly this. He is a very active man who knows the value of QTX]V UXc \T]cP[[h _WhbXRP[[h P]S b_XaXcdP[[h | 5a 2^]]^azb _TaU^a\P]RT X] ?^[P]S bW^fb cWT bcdST]cb P]S the community just what one can accomplish with that kind of dedication and passion. “I tried to put into practice what we instill in our students: be P V^^S b_^ac QT Wd\Q[T R^\_TcT WPaS U^a cWT V[^ah ^U 6^S P]S [TPeT Xc P[[ ^] cWT R^dac | bPXS 5a 2^]]^a {8c f^aZTS 8 fPb cWaX[[TS P]S Pc _TPRT |

“The trip in 2012 was awesome and the tournament was UP]cPbcXR | bPXS 5a 2^]]^a {8 [^eTS cWT eT]dT cWT aTS R[Ph cWT W^b_XcP[Xch P]S RP\PaPSTaXT 4eTahcWX]V PQ^dc the trip was way more than I expected – except for my _TaU^a\P]RT ~ cWPc [TUc P [^c c^ QT STbXaTS | 0UcTa [^bX]V X] cWT `dPacTaUX]P[b cWPc hTPa 5a 2^]]^a resolved to work on his game and return in 2013 for P bW^c Pc aTST\_cX^] C^ cWPc T]S WT _aPRcXRTS \^aT played in more area tournaments and worked on his physical conditioning. All that training paid off when he went back to Krakow this year. “I wanted to give a better effort in the sport that I T]Y^h P]S WPeT QTT] b^ eTah Q[TbbTS c^ _[Ph | bPXS 5a 2^]]^a {8 _[PhTS \dRW R[TP]Ta P]S fPb bdRRTbbUd[ X] From left: Fr. Krzysztof Jarmula, Fr. Fernando Suarez, tournament director Fr. all five rounds against many of the same contenders. In Piwor, Fr. Connor, the Auxiliary Bishop of Krakow and Monsignor Joseph cWT `dPacTaUX]P[b 8 fPb U^acd]PcT c^ QTPc cWT STUT]SX]V Kazimierz Caputo. RWP\_X^] X] \h PVT SXeXbX^] 4eTahcWX]V PQ^dc \h VP\T bcaPcTVh R^]SXcX^]X]V P]S \X]SbTc fPb QTccTa | WINTER 2013 20 013 MISSOURIVALLEY.USTA.COM MISSOU URIVALLE EY.UST TA.COM M

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2013 Jr. Team Tennis Sportsmanship Winners with

Eric Howes, a member of the 18s Intermediate team from Northland Racquet Club in Kansas City, Missouri, and Grace Moore, a member of the 10 and Under team from Dwight Davis Tennis Center in St. Louis, Missouri, were named the male and female JTT Sportsmanship winners for 2013. They each received an iPod Nano for their efforts. CrossCourt caught up with them to find out why they love tennis and playing JTT. Q: You were honored with a JTT sportsmanship award earlier this year. What did it mean to you to be recognized for your on-court sportsmanship? EH: Being recognized for on-court sportsmanship felt good and the whole b_^acb\P]bWX_ V^Tb QPRZ c^ cWT R^]RT_c ^U 9CC fWTaT h^d PaT _[PhX]V cT]]Xb competitively but are out there having a good time with your buddies. 6<) 8 [^eT P[fPhb WT[_X]V \h cTP\ c^ VXeT cWT\ \^aT R^]UXST]RT Q. How did you get started playing tennis? 6<) <h SPS cPdVWc \T W^f c^ _[Ph EH. I got started playing tennis through my grandpa’s love for the game. He was our high school’s tennis coach for five years. Q: What made you want to sign up for Jr. Team Tennis? EH: I signed up for JTT for the same reason as above - my grandpa coaches JTT so I figured I might as well tag along for the ride. 6<) 8 WPS P[aTPSh _[PhTS QTU^aT b^ 8 fPb [^^ZX]V U^afPaS c^ cWT cTP\

Eric Howes

Q: What’s your favorite part of playing JTT? 6<) 0[[ ^U cWT _aPRcXRX]V Xb Ud] EH: My favorite part of JTT is that every player really plays a crucial role in winning. Plus it is a fun time.

Q: Who is your favorite pro tennis player? 47) =^ePZ 3Y^Z^eXR 0[fPhb WPb QTT] P[fPhb fX[[ QT bcPacTS QTWX]S 5TSTaTa P]S =PSP[ P]S f^aZTS WXb fPh c^ fX]]X]V WXb UXabc 6aP]S B[P\ TeT]c X] ! ' fWXRW WP__T]TS c^ QT cWT hTPa 8 began playing tennis. 6<) BTaT]P FX[[XP\b Q: What’s your best shot? 6<) <h U^aTWP]S EH: I’d say my best shot is my return of serve in general. Or one shot in particular would be forehand passing shot down the line. @) FWT] h^dzaT ]^c ^] cWT R^dac _[PhX]V cT]]Xb fWPc S^ h^d [XZT c^ S^ fXcW h^da UaTT cX\T. 47) FXcW \h UaTT cX\T 8 T]Y^h _[PhX]V P ]d\QTa ^U ^cWTa b_^acb Ua^\ \h X]S^^a b^RRTa Grace Moore, center, with Dee Wharton, St. [TPVdT c^ _XRZ d_ U^^cQP[[ TeTah fTTZT]S 0[^]V fXcW b_^acb 8 P[fPhb [^^Z U^afPaS c^ Louis district coordinator for JTT (left), and reading a book whenever I have the opportunity to do so. Jess Campbell, Moore’s JTT coach (right). 6<) 8 [^eT c^ _[Ph fXcW \h UaXT]Sb

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MISSOURIVALLEY.USTA.COM WINTER 2013

SPORTSMANSHIP SPOTLIGHT 0]SaTf BRW\XSc R^PRW Pc :P]bPb 2Xch APR`dTc 2[dQ TPa]TS cWT 9CC R^PRWTbz sportsmanship award for 2013. He won an iPad Mini and talked with CrossCourt about why he loves Jr. Team Tennis. Q. You won the section’s coaching sportsmanship award earlier this year. Why do you think sportsmanship is important with a program like Jr. Team Tennis? A. It is THE most important aspect. It is easy to make enemies when playing a one-onone sport. Playing in a manner in which you have a chance to make a lifelong friend is SXUUXRd[c hTc f^acW Xc 8 P\ _a^dS ^U cWT fPh cWT ZXSb X] \h 4gRT[[T]RT 0RPST\h WP]S[T themselves whether winning or losing a match. Q. What made you want to get involved in coaching Jr. Team Tennis? 0 6XeX]V ZXSb P RWP]RT c^ _[Ph X] P c^da]P\T]c [XZT Pc\^b_WTaT fPb cWT \PX] aTPb^]

Coach Andrew Schmidt and players from KC Racquet Club.

Q. What’s the most important lesson you try to teach your players? 0 ATb_^]SX]V c^ P[[ RXaRd\bcP]RTb fWTcWTa QPS ^a V^^S X] P \P]]Ta cWPc f^d[S bW^f respect for your opponent and yourself. Q. How did you get started playing tennis? 0 <h ^[STbc Qa^cWTa SXS]zc \PZT cWT V^[U cTP\ X] WXVW bRW^^[ b^ WT fT]c ^dc U^a cT]]Xb P]S \PST cWT cTP\ 7T f^d[S _aPRcXRT fXcW \h SPS Qdc cWTh f^d[S]zc [Tc \T WXc fXcW cWT\ bX]RT 8 fPb b^ \dRW h^d]VTa CWXb \PST \T fP]c c^ _[Ph eTah QPS[h TeT] cW^dVW 8 WPS ]TeTa _[PhTS QTU^aT CWT] fT Y^X]TS <X[Qda] 2^d]cah 2[dQ P]S cWTh WPS cT]]Xb R[X]XRb 0UcTa b_T]SX]V fPh c^^ \dRW cX\T X] cWT WdVT caTTb ^] cWT V^[U R^dabT 8 fT]c c^ cT]]Xb fWTaT cWT ^][h {caTT| fPb cWaTT UTTc WXVW 8 aTP[XiTS cT]]Xb fPb much cooler and more fun. This all coincided with Bjorn Borg winning his fourth-straight Wimbledon against Roscoe Tanner in (&( fWT] 8 fPb ! 8 fPb \Tb\TaXiTS Qh 1^aV QTRPdbT h^d R^d[S]zc cT[[ XU WT fPb fX]]X]V [^bX]V ^a aTP[[h ]Tae^db 7T fPb R^^[ c^ bPh cWT [TPbc @ FWT] h^dzaT ]^c R^PRWX]V 9CC fWPc S^ h^d [XZT c^ S^ fXcW h^da cX\T. 0UcTa b_T]SX]V cX\T fXcW \h fXUT \h U^da RWX[SaT] P]S bTaeX]V Pc ^da RWdaRW 8 [XZT c^ bZPcTQ^PaS X] \PbbXeT _^^[ [XZT Q^f[b and go fast!

Missouri Valley Squad Wins Jr. Team Tennis National Title CWT DBC0 <Xbb^daX EP[[Th ' P]S d]STa b`dPS Ua^\ >Z[PW^\P 2Xch >Z[PW^\P aTRT]c[h RP_cdaTS cWT ]PcX^]P[ RWP\_X^]bWX_ Pc cWT ! " DBC0 9a CTP\ CT]]Xb 'D 8]cTa\TSXPcT =PcX^]P[ 2WP\_X^]bWX_b WT[S X] B^dcW 2Pa^[X]P CWT ! " DBC0 9a CTP\ CT]]Xb 'D =PcX^]P[ 2WP\_X^]bWX_b Qa^dVWc together the top 32 teams at the Advanced and Intermediate levels from various USTA sections throughout the country. CWT cTP\ STUTPcTS P b`dPS Ua^\ FX[\X]Vc^] = 2 $$ "% X] cWT 2WP\_X^]bWX_ \PcRW 4Pa[XTa X] cWT c^da]P\T]c cWTh STUTPcTS P cTP\ Ua^\ ?^]RT ?dTac^ AXR^ $! "& X] cWT bT\XUX]P[b CWT cTP\ Xb R^PRWTS Qh AP]Sh ?PX]c^] P]S UTPcdaTb) 1TPd ;P]XTa 9^aSP] 7T]ah 9^bWdP =^T[ :PcXT 2^]aPS 1[PZT 2aPfU^aS <PaXP <PaR^b and Seth Moore. 5a^\ [TUc) 1TPd ;P]XTa 9^aSP] 7T]ah 9^bWdP =^T[ :PcXT 2^]aPS 1[PZT 2aPfU^aS <PaXP <PaR^b P]S BTcW <^^aT

“It’s a really cool experience. These kids worked really hard and b^\TW^f fT \P]PVTS c^ fX] cWT fW^[T cWX]V | bPXS ?PX]c^] {<^bc ^U the kids were here last year and we placed fifth. Our goal this season fPb c^ R^\T QPRZ P]S X\_a^eT fWXRW fT SXS |

WINTER 2013 MISSOURIVALLEY.USTA.COM

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Omaha’s Tennis Buddies Honored with National Award CWT DBC0 P]]^d]RTS cWPc >\PWP CT]]Xb 1dSSXTb ^U >\PWP =TQaPbZP WPb QTT] PfPaSTS cWT ! " DBC0 =PcX^]P[ 0SP_cXeT CT]]Xb 2^\\d]Xch BTaeXRT 0fPaS CWT organization was honored during the annual USTA Tennis Development Workshop C3F WT[S >Rc^QTa " ~ =^eT\QTa " ! " Pc cWT BWTaPc^] 3T]eTa 3^f]c^f] in Denver. The USTA bestows this recognition upon a program or program leader cWPc WPb ST\^]bcaPcTS R^]cX]dTS TgRT[[T]RT STSXRPcX^] P]S bTaeXRT X] cT]]Xb U^a P] adaptive tennis community.

CP\\h 7X[[ [TUc fXcW :PcaX]P 0SP\b 5Xabc Vice President of the USTA Board of Directors.

4bcPQ[XbWTS X] ! $ >\PWP CT]]Xb 1dSSXTb Xb P _a^VaP\ cWPc _a^eXSTb hTPa round training opportunities for tennis athletes with developmental and physical disabilities. The program was built upon the summer program established by B_TRXP[ >[h\_XRb ^U =TQaPbZP FXcW cWT WT[_ ^U cWT >\PWP cT]]Xb R^\\d]Xch CT]]Xb 1dSSXTb _a^eXSTb PSSXcX^]P[ caPX]X]V P]S aTb^daRTb cWa^dVW^dc cWT hTPa U^bcTaX]V R^\_TcXcXeT cT]]Xb ^__^acd]XcXTb UaXT]SbWX_b P]S b^RXP[ ]Tcf^aZb U^a players of all ages with special needs. “Tammy Hill and the Omaha Tennis Buddies are dedicated to ensuring that everyone with special needs has the opportunity to participate in a meaningful tennis Tg_TaXT]RT | bPXS :dac :P\_Ta\P] 2WXTU 4gTRdcXeT 2^\\d]Xch CT]]Xb DBC0 {FT PaT _a^dS c^ PRZ]^f[TSVT cWTXa TUU^acb fXcW cWXb PfPaS |

[ Q + A ] ON COURT WITH...

TAMMY HILL & OMAHA TENNIS BUDDIES

Tammy Hill helps run the Omaha Tennis Buddies program in Omaha. CrossCourt caught up with Hill before the Tennis Development Workshop awards ceremony to learn about the program. Q: Tennis Buddies was chosen from over 75 applicants to receive this national award. Tell us a little bit more about the program. A: The Tennis Buddies program is a partnership of athletes with disabilities and tennis enthusiasts in the Omaha and Lincoln communities. It was started as a way to establish a community and create a chance to socialize for Special Olympics Nebraska participants. We have junior and high school tennis _[PhTab cT]]Xb _a^UTbbX^]P[b \T\QTab ^U cWT 2aTXVWc^] D]XeTabXch cT]]Xb teams and many others who volunteer their time to organize events and teach cT]]Xb c^ cWTbT X]SXeXSdP[b FT W^bc TeT]cb P]S PRcXeXcXTb hTPa a^d]S* TeTahcWX]V Ua^\ SX]]Ta P]S \^eXT ]XVWcb c^ P fP[ZX]V R[dQ R^]RTacb QP[[ VP\Tb P]S 2aTXVWc^] cT]]Xb \PcRWTb 0]S ^U R^dabT fT _aPRcXRT P]S _[Ph cT]]Xb Q: How and why did you get involved? 0) 1PRZ X] ! $ 8 e^[d]cTTaTS Pc P B_TRXP[ >[h\_XRb =TQaPbZP TeT]c 9P]T 7X]Tb cWT DBC0 =PcX^]P[ 0SP_cXeT CT]]Xb 2^\\XccTT 2WPXa P]S 8 f^]STaTS XU fT R^d[S UX]S P fPh c^ VXeT cWT _PacXRX_P]cb P hTPa a^d]S Tg_TaXT]RT FT fP]cTS cWT\ c^ WPeT cWT bP\T options and opportunities as everyone else. So we started contacting coaches and organizing an expansion of the program. Jane ad]b cWT fTQbXcT WT[_b db fXcW VaP]cb P]S cPZTb _W^c^b Pc TeT]cb 8 WT[_ R^^aSX]PcT P]S aTRadXc e^[d]cTTab P]S ^aVP]XiT TeT]cb Q: What is your favorite part about working with the Tennis Buddies program? A: The USTA Missouri Valley has had an event for the past three years called ALL Stars Day that is the highlight of our year. We PRcdP[[h W^bcTS Xc X] >\PWP cWXb _Pbc 9d]T 5aTS 9^W]b^] 3XeTabXch P]S 8]R[dbX^] <P]PVTa U^a cWT bTRcX^] aTP[[h b_TPaWTPSTS cWT event and the athletes love it. Team events like ALL Stars Day resemble USTA League tennis for the athletes and are some of their UPe^aXcT TeT]cb 8 P[b^ [^eT bTTX]V ^da PcW[TcTb QT bdRRTbbUd[ X] ^cWTa PaTPb 5^a X]bcP]RT fT WPS ^]T CT]]Xb 1dSSXTb _PacXRX_P]c fW^ fPb Ydbc T[TRcTS W^\TR^\X]V ZX]V Pc WXb WXVW bRW^^[ P]S fT WPS P]^cWTa fX] cWT <Xbb 0\PiX]V ?PVTP]c Q: How can people get involved in adaptive programs? A: Anyone can learn more about Adaptive Tennis at USTA.com. The USTA is committed to connecting players and volunteers to 0SP_cXeT CT]]Xb _a^VaP\b ;^^Z U^a P _a^VaP\ X] h^da PaTP ^] cWT {5X]S P ?a^VaP\| _PVT 8

MISSOURIVALLEY.USTA.COM WINTER 2013

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