There's No Time Limit on a Love for the Game
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George Milton takes a needed rest break. There’s no time limit recalling the feat. “We had moments when on a love for the game we were playing really well, even after five days. Then there were also some moments _____________ we kind of just staggered around. Once you lose sleep you obviously can’t make it up. eople often go to great limits for the You just kind of recycle yourself and things they love and hold P try to stay alert. dear. But to lay love on the line for “But it was always fun.” 120 hours, literally, the way PLENTY OF FAN SUPPORT George Milton and Jan Jefferies Ninety seconds of rest between did when they played a fundrais- games was all Milton and Jefferies ing marathon match in late had for five days as they went for October through early November of what they believed then would be a famed entry in the 1987, you have to be both a supreme tennis nut and a little Guinness Book of World Records. (They later learned that nutty. the record time they set out to surpass had already been Five straight days and nights on a Hammond Park tennis broken.) They were allowed five minutes of rest per hour, court in Emporia, Kan. –– 120 hours packed with 2,000 but the pair “banked” it all each day, preferring to take one games, 198 sets, blisters galore and a lifetime of memories two-hour block of time per day. –– proved Milton had an unquenchable love and fortitude Food and drink? Milton and Jefferies ate granola bars for the game. Not that it had ever been questioned before. and bananas on the sidelines because there was no time to Milton, a former coach at Emporia State University eat or digest anything heavy. Bathroom breaks? The pair (ESU), has always been one of the strongest and most dedi- took them during their 90-second changeovers or two-hour cated advocates for tennis in the USTA/Missouri Valley daily breaks. Section. “Those five days were pretty special to me,” said Milton, See TENNIS MARATHON Page 4 Uniquely Kansas junior Tennis playing in Wimbledon! Tennis is the sport that welcomes us all arin Korb had never played tennis, having KEEP THEM PLAYING About 300,000 kids play The USTA/Missouri Kalways considered it an uninviting, “coun- high school tennis. Their “season” lasts around Valley Section pub- try club” sport. But after she broke her back dur- eight weeks, then several of them hang their rac- lishes CROSSCOURT quar- ing her senior year in high terly, focusing specifi- quets up, and that’s it. The school, Karin discovered tennis majority, I fear, don’t play much cally on the members was the one sport that wel- and events in the sec- when tennis is “out of season” tion. Your feedback is comed her to play –– in a on the scholastic calendar. welcome. wheelchair. We’ve got to keep them play- Today, Karin’s the No. 2- ing, during the summer and ranked wheelchair player in after graduation. Let them know USTA/Missouri Valley America, and she is keeping 8676 W. 96th St. they’ve got options, especially busy spreading the word about Junior Team Tennis (JTT). Through JTT, they can Suite 100 one things is, as the headline on page 3 of this Overland Park, KS keep playing, fine tuning their game and enjoying CrossCourt states, “uniquely tennis.” the bond with teammates. Tennis truly is a sport for everyone. Players in If they’re off to college, urge them to get wheelchairs clearly understand that. The barrier is involved with Tennis on Campus, either through missourivalley.usta.com often getting others, able-bodied players, for [email protected] an existing program or by even starting one, them- instance, to understand the welcome mat has selves, at their new school. And, of course, we always been out for wheelchair players to partici- welcome fresh faces for USTA League tennis. pate in USTA programs, including League tennis. (913) 322-4800 Does your League team recruit wheelchair play- (888) 368-8612 Toll Free ers? (You have to then be certain your matches WTT Discover that World Team Tennis serves up are contested on accessible courts.) And realize some of the most fun in tennis. We in the Missouri wheelchair players compete right alongside able- Valley are especially lucky with three franchises in (913) 322-4801 Fax bodied players. The lone exception to the rules is our section –– the Kansas City Explorers, St. that they receive two bounces, rather than one. Kevin Nebergall Louis Aces and Springfield Lasers. Adding to the President I’m proud of the work the USTA does around thrills this summer, those three times are vying for the country, but especially here in the Missouri the first “Show-Me Cup.” Mary Buschmann Valley to bring the game of tennis to people with Executive Director But you can be more than a spectator when it disabilities –– from wheelchair tennis to introduc- comes to WTT. Play in a league of your own! Manon Eilts ing the game to those with special needs, the hear- Marketing/Communications WTT Recreational Leagues offer high-energy co- Director ing impaired and injured U.S. veterans. ed team play for players of all ages and abilities. It’s our game –– all of us. Joe Loudon Visit wtt.com to find a league near you. Sr. Publications Coordinator Jeff Sikes Sr. Communications Coordinator New campaign focuses on getting people on the court more We encourage you ind a court... Find a partner... Find a pro- country, the USTA/Missouri Valley introduced It’s to “go to the net” “Fgram... It’s your game!” Your Game at missourivalley.usta.com with a and keep updated That is the USTA’s new call to action as it intro- series of articles about some of the unique courts at your USTA/ duces a new marketing campaign to urge current in the section (see page 4). Missouri Valley Section Web site. tennis players to play more often and former play- National advertisements began appearing in ers to get back on the court. It’s Your GameTM April to coincide with the debut of the re-designed Learn more... Stay focuses on the emotional connection recreational USTA.com. The Web site now offers a wide range informed... Your players have to the game and their favorite courts. of new services and data bases that will help you section Web site is “The campaign highlights why people play or find a local court, a playing partner or information a great source for upcoming events, what they are missing by not playing,” said USTA about a variety of tennis programs. (New section features, photos, Managing Director of Marketing & Development Web sites will also be launched soon.) results and more. Kathy Francis. “It reminds them that it’s your It’s Your Game follows the 2005 USTA/TIA Plus, you can escape, your workout, your bond to friends and (Tennis Industry Association) Tennis Participation download back family –– It’s your game.” Study, which identified a 4.1 percent increase in issues of While the national campaign has concentrated tennis participation vs. 2004, with 5.8 million new CROSSCOURT. on five different public courts from throughout the players hitting the court last year. 2 SPRING/SUMMER 2006 next stop the big Chloe Jones to play in game’s most storied tournament _____________ Jacob Johnson t is the dream most kids who pick up a tennis believes he’s viewed Iracquet share: To someday play at Wimbledon. as just another player A junior from the on his Topeka high USTA/Missouri Valley school team. Section will realize that dream this year. Chloe Jones will Sport allows many wheelchair students compete in The their only opportunity to compete with peers Championships –– bet- Chloe Jones ter known here in the nails a serve _____________ states simply as during a recent Wimbledon –– in the workout. he opportunity to com- the court, people just see me as juniors division. The 16- Tpete –– to put one’s ath- an opponent and nothing else.” year-old from Baldwin letic skills to the test –– is one ONE RULE According to City, Kan., will travel to of the greatest joys of playing Friend at Court, the only rule England early to also sports. Unfortunately, for many difference regarding wheelchair compete in an high school-aged wheelchair athletes participating in either International Tennis athletes, the opportunity to com- singles or doubles is that the sit- Federation (ITF) junior pete interscholastically isn’t ting player is allowed two grass court warm-up always afforded to them. bounces every time the ball event in London, a week Many sports are simply at a crosses his/her side of the net. prior to Wimbledon. loss to address the varying chal- Nothing else about the game is Jones has skyrocketed lenges of intermingling disabled altered. up the ITF world junior and able-bodied high school “The only concern we’ve had rankings in 2006. athletes into the competitive or looked at was getting verifi- Hovering around 350 at fold. cation from the USTA about the beginning of the Tennis is an exception. Two doubles competitions with year, Jones took an high school wheelchair athletes wheelchair and non-wheelchair early spring trip to the in the USTA/Missouri Valley –– players, and we looked into it, Philippines, Malaysia Austin Tisdell of Kickapoo and educated ourselves to the and Indonesia, reaching the quarterfinals in two High School in Springfield, two-bounce rule,” said Kevin events to help vault more than 200 places in the Mo., and Jacob Johnson of Garner, assistant executive rankings.