HIDEAWAY 2013 - 14 TENNIS SEASON RECAP

Hideaway Produces USTA FL Sectional Champs

Hideaway USTA FL State Champs

Let me start this season wrap up with HUGE KUDOS  to Captain Ed Marcelo and his USTA Florida 65 and Over 7.0 Sectional Champion teammates! The team represented the Hideaway Country Club, Lee and Charlotte Counties at the Sectional Championships in Daytona this past weekend, and walked away as State Champions...the first ever in the history of Hideaway Tennis. Keep an eye out for more details in the News-Press.

Team members collect prizes in Daytona

In addition to Captain Ed, Hideaway members of the team included Richard Fell, Masa Kumamoto, Tim McClary, and Bob Bachula. Other members of the team included John Blohm, Nile Evans, Tom Martin, and Steve Romaine. It was the successive year Captain Ed had taken a 7.0 team to sectionals, but it was under the Hideaway banner that they emerged victorious. The team will play for the National Championship next march in Arizona.

Association Round Robin Revived

Bill Dey
Men's Round Robin Coordinator

Hideaway Tennis saw other successes during the 2013-2014 season. The Tennis Association’s Men’s Round Robin, played on Tuesday and Friday mornings, evinced a revival, drawing enough participation to warrant a request to reserve all four courts on Tuesdays next season.

Bill Cross, Linda Cisco, & Peg Perry with TA

Participation in the Association’s Ladies’ Round Robin flagged, as all but one of our lady tennis members played on the three teams that represented the club this season, and satisfied their tennis appetites that way. Our ladies are so generous, however, that upon request of the one member who did not play on the teams, the Wednesday morning round robin was revived on one court. Way to go ladies!

More Hideaway Teams

Steph, Paula & Vivian check out 70-plus action

In addition to our Sectional Champs, our men’s and women’s teams helped to put The Hideaway on the Southwest Florida tennis map with their strong performances this season. Among the Hideaway residents participating on ladies teams this season were Paula Barry, Lee Cross, Vivian Landis, Michelle Paquette, and Linda Sisco. Thank you for your outstanding representation of Hideaway ladies tennis. 

3.0 Captain Lynne Price &
Copper Captain Bert Ann Haas

Our Lee County Women's Tennis League (LCWTL) Copper team, led by Bert Ann Haas and Terri Turner, finished in the top-10 (7th) of their division, and although the other two (3.0 led by Lynne Price and Rennie Bassett; Bronze led by Pearle Warren and Pat Ben-Dov) didnt' finish in the top-ten, they represented The Hideaway with total effort and a lot of class.

Ed Marcelo & Masa Kumamoto

Ed Marcelo was a busy guy this season, as he also led one more USTA FL league team and a Lee County Men's 70-Plus team. One of those teams, the USTA 3.5 Adult 55 & Over team, was undefeated but chose not to attend the USTA Florida sectional competition.  Ed’s Lee County 70-Plus team finished third among the six teams in the Red-A Division, the highest 70-Plus division in the League. 

Captain Mike Stern

One of the most active tennis aficionados in the area, Michael Stern, captained another successful Hideaway men’s team, posting a second-place finish among the 10 teams in the Southwest Florida Team Tennis League. Several local teaching professionals, including yours truly, represented the Hideaway on this team, providing some exciting Friday afternoon entertainment.

Terry See & Tony Crouch play on Hideaway's
Southwest Florida Team Tennis team

 The recent adoption of new membership rules is likely to result in fewer Hideaway teams next season, as all of the men who played on our 2013 -14 teams have moved to Park Meadow, and we will suffer some losses with the ladies as well. It appears that we will have to recruit some additional players if we are to field another Copper team, but it looks as though we will definitely field 3.0-Minus and Bronze teams. 

New Teams for 2014-15

Bronze Captain Pearle Warren

I have received inquiries about forming a new 4.0-Minus team, and a new 60-Plus team, so if you don't already have a a home and a team, we might have a place for you at The Hideaway. You can contact me at 407-466-4652 or taniles13@yahoo.com if you would like to explore those opportunities. We are low on frills, but also low on drama and we want to keep it that way!

Bronze Co-Captain Pat Ben-Dov with
doubles partner Reggie Miskovich

In closing, I would like to offer sincere thanks to Pearle Warren, Pat Ben-Dov, Lynne Price, Rennie Bassett, Bert Ann Haas, Terri Turner, Mike Stern and Ed Marcelo for doing the thankless captain’s 
job for their Hideaway teams this past season. 

Sean Balliet

Mega thanks go to Sean Balliet and his staff, Tom Dudas, Janine Harrell and all of the Hideaway personnel that made it possible for us to have a great 2013-2014 season. Game, set, match…T. A.

FORT MYERS TENNIS ON THE HORIZON

Senior Dean Tsamas
with Coach C. J. Weber

COLLEGE TENNIS

Coming up really soon, as in this coming weekend (Sat. the 12th) is the last home match for FGCU’s Men’s Tennis and it happens to be Senior Day as well. That means that some of our favorite FGCU players will be playing their last home match and saying their goodbyes to their fans and vice versa. Check out the details here.

JUNIOR EVENTS

LCCTA Tourney

There are a few events for juniors coming up. The first is USTA Florida’s Level 5 Lee County CTA Boy's & Girl's 16s at the Barbara Manzo Tennis Center at Three Oaks Park, April 26 – 28. There are already more than 100 players registered for this one, and some top juniors in the area should be heading down to Three Oaks for this one.

Among the top local juniors already scheduled to 

Thankdiwe Kangwa
Photo courtesy of News-press

participate are Thandiwe Kangwa, John Carlin, Max Garramone, and Allison Ghuman of Fort Myers; Philippe Nino of Naples; and Stevie Kennedy of Bonita Springs. In fact, players are coming from all around the State for this one, so if you want to view some high level junior tennis, or have a junior in this age group who likes to compete, get the dates on your calendar! Entries close this Sunday the 13th at midnight, and potential participants can register here.

Tennis for a Better Life Charity Event
There’s another event on the horizon, less than a month away, that I hope will receive the support of the community that has been so generous throughout the season. If you haven’t yet heard of Tennis for a Better Life (TFBL), I hope you will take a look at their website.

TFBL is a Christian, nonprofit organization that seeks to “provide tennis and education scholarships to children in America and around the world starting in Africa,” and to “share the love, hope and message of Jesus Christ.” I am not big on religion myself, but I am always willing to get behind a good cause regardless, and this appears to be a cause very worthy of getting behind.

TFBL is hosting the Inaugural Kids Helping Kids junior 

Paul Segodo giving instruction

Photo courtesy of Segodo
Academy website

tournament at Park Meadow Tennis Center, May 2 – 4 (matches begin after 3pm on Friday). Draws will be available for players aged 10-and-under through 18-years old. Tournament Organizer, Paul Segodo, himself a beneficiary of the kindness of tennis players is seeking to do unto others as has been done unto him. According to the TFBL website, Paul, a native of Benin, Africa, was given the opportunity to come to the US to learn the game of tennis at age nine. He now has his own academy!

Entries for the inaugural event close on April 28, and participants can Register here. Contact Paul at 239-600-0821 or paul@tennisforabetterlife.org for more information about the event.

USPTA PROS
National Clay Court Championships at Landings

Paul D'Amico- Director of Tennis
at The Landings

Pro League may be over, but if you are a fan of tournament play, and you have a favorite teaching pro in the area, here’s something you will definitely want to put on your calendar, Chances are you will get to see your favorite pro and many others compete in the USPTA National Clay Court Championships at The Landings Yacht, Golf & Tennis Club, Thursday, May 8 - Sunday May 11.

Among the locals you are likely to see will be Steve Shortridge of Colonial Country Club, who recently defeated Roscoe Tanner in the 11th Annual Florida Cup played in Sarasota. If you know Steve, you know he is pretty low key, so he downplays the victory, but a W is a W…and when it comes against a player who was among the top-five in the world, well, that’s worth acknowledging around here.

Other popular locals likely to participate include former Wimbledon participant, Kim Jones of The Landings, Bob Green of Pelican Preserve, Armor Persons of Breckenridge, Erica Cossairt and Dave Rowat of Gulf Coast Total Tennis & Fitness, 

John Ramsey of Kelly Greens, Kerry Kendrick of Casa Ybel, John Jerome of Wildcat Run, along with some of the heavy hitters from Naples like Tye Myers and Franco Mata. I’ll do an update prior to the start of the event with a bit more detail on the field. Until then, game, set, match...T. A.

LAST CHANCE TO SEE FGCU EAGLES AT HOME THIS SEASON

Home crowd at Kennesaw State match

It hardly seems possible, but the tennis season for Florida Gulf Coast University’s (FGCU) women’s and men’s tennis teams has reached the home stretch! In fact, the women played their final home match on March 29, sweeping all seven points from Mercer, and the men have their final match this coming weekend (Sat. April 12^th, at 1pm) against Stetson University, in a match that has major A-Sun Conference Championship implications.

The Women

Coach Vernon doing her thing

But before we get to the men's big match-up this coming weekend, the Lady Eagles' performances this season have earned them top billing. They went 13-7 overall and posted a 6-2 Conference record under first-year coach Courtney Vernon. Their Conference record gained them the third seed in the Conference Championship to be held in Jacksonville the 17^th – 19^th of April.

Candela Munoz-Giron

Overall, all but one of the Lady Eagles finished with a winning dual-match record.  Perhaps the most impressive of those records, as far as numbers go anyway, was posted by freshman Candela Munoz-Giron, who finished 14-2, primarily at the fifth and fourth positions. Munoz posted the Conference’s highest dual-match singles winning percentage (.875, tied with Eveline Lepinay of Stetson), quite a feat for an incoming freshman.

Elizabeth Means
Photo courtesy of Linwood Ferguson

Sophomores Johanna Sterkel (11-7) and Elizabeth Means (11-7), and freshman Breana Stampfli (10-7) also posted strong records to help propel the Lady Eagles to their third-place, regular-season Conference finish, behind only the 2013 Conference Champion (University of North Florida) and Finalist (East Tennessee State University).

Johanna Sterkel- Photo courtesy of Linwood Ferguson

Sterkel’s 11-6 (.647) record at No.3 Singles was the third highest winning percentage on Court 3 in the Conference, while’s Stampli’s 10-7 (.588) record landed her in fourth on the winning percentage list at No.2 Singles. Means’ .667 percentage (4-2) on Court No.4 was good enough to tie for fourth at that position.

Sarah Means

Junior Sarah Means, who held down the heavy-lifting spot all season at No.1 Singles and Doubles, finished with a winning record (9-8) at the top position in singles. A late-season slump may have hurt her stats, but her fighting spirit, and classy on-court carriage reflected well upon the program. Sarah did manage to post a 12-5 tournament record this season, including a tourney win, and is likely to be a mainstay atop the lineup again next season.

Bettina Botha

Senior Bettina Botha Struggled early in the season at No.4 & 5 Singles, but hit her stride coming down the stretch on Court 6, winning five of her last eight matches. Teaming with Sterkel at No.2 Doubles, Botha also notched the third-highest winning percentage (.688) at that position in the Conference, going 11-5 for the season. She will be missed!

Christyn Conniger,  Breanna Stampfli
& Gyanna Mandic

Senior Gyanna Mandic didn’t see much playing time in singles during her final season, but did post a 2-1 singles record, and notched five wins on the No.3 doubles court with Stampli. Mandic has been a valuable member of the team during her four years, and has been one of the team's better doubles players over the years. The Lady Eagles take a five-match win streak into the A-Sun Championship, and will be looking to pull off the upset in Jacksonville.

The Men

Coach weber & lineswoman

Coach C J Weber couldn’t have asked for a better match-up for his final home match of the season…from a fan perspective that is. From a team standpoint he may have preferred an easier match-up, but the Stetson University Hatters will provide a telling barometer reading of where the Eagles are going into the Conference Championship in Jacksonville, April 17 - 19.

Jordi Vives
Photocourtesy of Linwood Ferguson

How even is this match-up? Both teams come into the match (this coming Saturday the 12^th at 1pm) with four-match win streaks, and both teams are one win above .500. According to Coach Weber, his team and Stetson's team have fared almost the exact same against common opponents. 

Lucas Vaz

Perusing individual stats, the Eagles’ No.1 player junior Jordi Vives leads the Conference in singles winning percentage (.882, at 15-2) overall and at the No.1 singles position. Guess who is No.2 on the overall list? Stetson’s Graham Ball, although he plays No.4 Singles primarily.

Jordi & Dean Tsamas

In overall doubles, FGCU’s Vives and senior Dean Tsamas sit fourth on the list, while the fifth-place duo is from Stetson. Vives and Tsamas have the second highest winning percentage on the top doubles court, and Stetson has the fourth-place team on the list. 

Lance Lvovsky

Not convinced of the parity of this contest? Well, last season the Hatters upended the Eagles 4-3 in the final regular season match to claim the third seed for the Championship. Last year’s season finale was at Stetson, however, and the Hatters come to the Eagles’ nest this time around. It should be a doozy!

Tianyu Bao

Although only one Eagle (ITA No.62 Vives) has posted a winning dual-match record on the season, the team has done enough collectively to position themselves for a good tournament run. Four of the Eagles’ six regular singles players are on multiple-match win streaks, and despite the slow start to the season for most, five of the six have at least a .500 record over their last 10 matches.

Gabe Echeverry

The Eagles will need to pick up their doubles performance against Stetson and in the Conference Championship if they are to close out the season in fine style, as only the team of Vives and Tsamas has posted a winning record this season. However, with three seniors playing their final home match at FGCU (Tsamas, Gabe Echeverry, and Lance Lvovsky) on Senior Day, I’m looking forward to a strong outing from the Eagles on Saturday. See you out there! Game, set, match...T. A.

TENNIS ON TAP FOR GREATER FORT MYERS AREA

Madisen’s Match

Madisen's Match 2013
Photo courtesy of Gale Van Rossem

As you probably already know, the 5th Annual Madisen’s Match, hosted by The Landings Yacht, Golf & Tennis Club (LYGTC), is coming up this Friday and Saturday (March 28 & 29). This is one of the area’s premier charity tennis events, replete with dinner and auction, 

Pro with local Kim Mai at
Madisen's Match 2013

former ATP Tour professionals providing clinic instruction and playing exhibitions, and a Pro Am event. Proceeds from the event go toward building a playroom at the Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida. Click the link above for the complete story. The Landings is located at 4425 South landings Drive in Fort Myers.

FGCU Tennis

FGCU vs Troy @ Three Oaks

Before you join the Madisen’s Match festivities on Friday evening, you have the opportunity to join Florida Gulf Coast University’s (FGCU) growing, tennis fan base in cheering on both the men’s and women’s teams. Both the men and lady Eagles will host Georgia’s Kennesaw State University Owls at 11am at FGCU’s home courts.

Bettina Botha & Coach Vernon

Win or lose, both teams play with an intensity characteristic of their coaches, C. J. Weber (men) and Courtney Vernon (women). The ladies will be seeking to

Coach Weber with
Lance Lvovsky & Tianyu Bao

improve upon their 9-7 overall and 2-2 A-Sun Conference records under dynamic, first-year-coach Vernon. The guys will be working to even their conference record at 2-2, and to close to within one game of .500 on the season.

T. A. & Coach Weber
Photo courtesy of Steph

If you don’t make it on Friday, both squads will be back in action on Saturday (29th) at 6pm against another conference foe, the Mercer Bears, also of Georgia. 

If you follow basketball, you may know that the men’s basketball Bears knocked our Eagles off in the A-Sun Conference Final, denying the Eagles an NCAA berth. Our guys can’t feel too bad as Mercer toppled the vaunted Duke Blue Devils in Round 2 of the Big Dance. Our tennis Eagles can dish out a bit of payback on Saturday.

You can follow the Lady Eagles here and the Gentleman Eagles here. The FGCU campus is located at 10501 FGCU Blvd. S. in Fort Myers, just south of Gulf Coast Town Center. 

Play Day at Three Oaks

Angie Guillette &
Stephanie Neppl of ITA

Per Angie Guillette, there are happenings for the kids this weekend as well. This Saturday (29^th) from 1 - 4pm, players 5 – 12 years-old can participate in RED, ORANGE & GREEN ball competition, or skills challenges for the red ball court. 

These play days help youngsters transition from skill development to competition in a less threatening way. The cost for the event is $10 and includes snacks and drinks for the players. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Angie Guillette at 239-989-4388 or angie@threeoakstennis.com. 

The event will be at the Barbara Manzo Tennis Center at Three Oaks Park, 18251 Three Oaks Parkway, Ft. Myers. You can click here to sign up or copy and paste the following link into your browser: http://www.courtsideusa.com/communities/fort_myers_area/event/76299/2014-03-29-1300/.

SCCF Tournament

The 22nd Annual SCCF Tennis Tournament will be held at the Dunes Golf & Tennis Club, April 5 – 6, 2014. Benefiting the Sanibel Captiva Conservation Foundation, the event will include a happy hour for players and sponsors as well as a pro exhibition on Saturday. Contact Lisa Cochrane (239-246-8875) or Warren Schwab (239-395-8774) for more information. The Dunes is located at 949 Sand Castle Road on Sanibel Island.

Tennis for a Better Life

I had received information about a Tennis for a Better Life benefit event being held at Park Meadow Tennis Center, also on April 4 -6, but the event has been postponed. Despite the postponement, it is a tremendous cause that I intend to get fully behind. 

I hadn't heard about Tennis for a Better Life prior to a couple of weeks ago, but I did manage to browse their website in preparation for this post. I hear they have a junior tournament fundraiser on the horizon and I'll be sure to get the word out on that. They are on Facebook as well if you want to friend the cause. 

USPTA Nationals at The Landings

Milos Vasovic- USPTA Grand
Prix Men's 35 Champ with
Alex Hermeto and Pro-Am
Winner

This is a bit early, but I wouldn’t want you to miss out on this one, so put it on the calendar. About six weeks after they host Madisen’s Match, The Landings will host the 2014 USPTA National Clay Court Surface Championships on May 8-11, 2014. 

Paulo Barros- Top Open player on
USPTA Florida Grand Prix Circuit

The local pros who usually travel to play events (Armor Persons of Breckenridge, Steve Shortridge of Colonial, Bob Green of Pelican Preserve and others) are sure to be in this one. The usual big hitters from Naples (Franco Mata, Tye Myers, etc.) are likely to be in the field as well.  

Paul D'Amico- Director if Tennis

Don't be surprised to see some additional pros who don't usually play the USPTA Grand Prix circuit in this one as national titles will be on the line. As a former winner, I can tell you that it feels good to be a National Champion...even if it was an "old guys" division :). Keep your eye on this one as it ought to be fun, and you know Paul and his crew at the Landings always put on a nice event. 

That's about it for me on this end. Game, set, match...T. A.