Dallas Tennis News Label Area A Publication for Members of the Dallas Tennis Association Dallas Tennis Association 14679 Midway Road, Ste 104 DALLAS, TX DALLAS, Addison, TX 75001 TX Addison, Addison, Texas 75001 1396 NO. PERMIT Office 972-387-1538 104 Ste Road, Midway 14679 PAID Dallas Tennis Association Tennis Dallas Fax 972-763-0781 POSTAGE U.S. ORGANIZATION Newsletter email: [email protected] NON-PROFIT Volume 8 Number 1 We serve. Everyone wins. SM Spring 2007 Over 100 Area Junior Players Recognized by the DTA at Annual Banquet The 2007 Dallas Tennis Asso- ticipating in USTA National tour- Presidents, Jane Morrill and Laura Worsham. ciation (DTA) Junior awards naments; travel grants were Other DTA Board members were also there banquet presented by the awarded by the DTA, DPTA and to show support for all the Dallas area junior Maureen Connolly Brinker MCB. players. (MCB) Tennis Foundation was The prestigious Al G. Hill Sr. Thank you to all the parents, players, held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel Award was presented to Kristen coaches, volunteers, clubs & facilities, the in Addison on Sunday, January Rafael and Alexi Chijoff-Evans. DPTA (Dallas Professional Tennis Associa- 28th. Over 100 area junior play- This award is given to a Super tion), MCB and Wilson for your support of ers received awards and schol- Championship 18s boy and/or this annual event and junior tennis in the arships at this year’s event in girl who is a graduating high greater Dallas community. Congratulations front of a crowd of nearly 400 Krtisten Rafael - Al Hill Award school senior and who has: to the banquet committee: Kathi Eckel and attendees. Recipient achieved an outstanding player Anna Nallon (co-chairs), Laura Worsham, Tina Attendees enjoyed pre-banquet festivities, record in Texas and has represented Dallas Anderson and Josh Eckel (photographer), for playing pop-a-shot, football toss and other well; exhibited good sportsmanship, leader- a job well done. games for prizes. The DTA also raffled off ship, character and academic record; dem- a Nintendo Wii, the new Wilson K Factor onstrated service to the Dallas tennis com- racquet (donated by Wilson Racquet Sports) munity and participated in DTA events. and $25-50 gift cards. A special guest at the banquet was Cindy Presiding over the event was the current Brinker-Simmons, daughter of legendary President of the DTA, Spence Kendrick. He tennis great, Maureen “Little Mo” Connolly kept the group entertained by handing out Brinker. Cindy shared memories of her prizes to anyone who could answer his trivia mother and presented the MCB 2006 Spe- questions that ranged in subject from tennis cial Achievement Award to Tara Eckel. This to American Idol. award is given to a graduating high school This year’s guest speaker, Beverly Bowes- senior player who has achieved success on Hackney, was an All-American player and the national level by outstanding results in a Carol Weyman and Nancy Jeffet (MCB), Tara Eckel - MCB assistant coach for the University of Texas. national championship or inter-sectional and/ Special Achievement Award, Cindy Brinker-Simmons She spoke about match preparation - both or a USTA national championship the mental and physical side of the game. Inside This Issue: Beverly discussed how to use the bench on sportsmanship the court as your “happy chair” - a place to award and demon- strating outstanding pump yourself up before and during your DTA Calendar 3 match. character and lead- ership. From the President 2, 3 A variety of awards were given to over 100 Other special area junior players. (For a list of awardees, Junior Banquet 4-5 go to page 5.) Local clubs gave sportsman- guests included the Executive Director ship awards to one boy and one girl from League News 6, 8 their facility; Player of the Year awards were of the USTA Texas given to outstanding players by age group in Section, Ken Men’s Challenger of Dallas 7 the ZAT, Championship, Super Champion- McAllister; the President and Ex- Alexei Chijoff-Evans - Al Hill ship tournament levels and for the National Award Recipient Tournament News 3 Junior Tennis League (NJTL); National Ex- ecutive Vice Presi- Volunteer Opportunities 3 cellence awards were given to players par- dent of the MCB Tennis Foundation, Nancy Jeffett and Carol Weyman; and DTA Past 2 — DALLAS TENNIS ASSOCIATION SPRING 2007 From the President and Tara Eckel (MCB winner) are good to tennis fans who may not be familiar with Over the past 30 days, I have had the pleasure examples for your children of what hard work our programs. Through the efforts of the of being involved in two of the activities that and perseverance on the court and in the DTA Board and other volunteers, Dallas is reaffirm my belief that tennis can be an classroom can bring them. All three are one of the premier stops on the Challenger inspiration for all of us. honors students who will play college tennis. Tour. If you enjoy watching your tennis up And all three are the epitome of the term th close and personal, T Bar M is the place to On January 28 , the annual student – athlete (my emphasis on student). be every February. DTA junior banquet was held with over 350 men, women, Just two weeks after the junior banquet, T After being involved with this tournament for boys and girls in attendance. Bar M Racquet Club hosted Dallas’ largest the past few years, I appreciate how hard it Unfortunately, they had to sit men’s professional tennis tournament, the is to make a living as a touring tennis pro. through a nervous and $50,000 AT&T Challenger of Dallas. For one You can see many of the same players year tongue tied emcee (me), but, week, Dallas tennis fans had the opportunity after year, trying to earn ATP ranking points. from the front tables to the to watch some of the rising stars of the ATP Many pros had to go through qualifying to back of the ballroom, everyone could see Tour in one of the most intimate settings for get into the Challenger main draw. Those the future of Dallas tennis as players stepped a professional tournament you can find. players not qualifying for the tournament earned as much at the Challenger as I did – up to the stage to accept various honors and If you didn’t attend the event, I think you zip, zero, nada. awards. From those in the under 12 boys really missed something great. Not only was and girls who disappeared when walking some of the best tennis in Dallas played since Most of these touring pros stay with Dallas behind the podium to those in the under 18 the old World Championship Tennis (WCT) families who volunteer an extra bed or couch, who have played their way to college days, but also proceeds from the tournament and the pros take advantage of a free buffet scholarships, these Dallas players represent benefited the DTA’s own “Invest in a Child” and workout facility at T Bar M. They earn a what is best about junior tennis. The charity. For those of you who aren’t tennis little extra money on the side by helping out commitment to excellence - that “eye of the nerds like me, the Challenger Tour is like the in clinics and pro-ams during the week. The tiger” (to quote an old song by Survivor) - minor leagues of the ATP, where players pampered pro is not playing in Dallas the that drives a competitive tennis player on the ranked below #60 in the world can earn week of the Challenger. No entourage to cater court was replaced that cold Sunday night valuable ATP ranking points (and some to a player’s every whim. No hordes of by smiles, hugs and warm congratulations money). Most of the players this year were autograph hounds or paparazzi stalking the from one competitor to another. ranked between #60 and #200. courts. No loaner cars for contestants with the rare exception of a volunteer family letting In 2006, more success was achieved at the Save for a certain Swiss (and maybe a him drive Mom’s Suburban. national level tournaments from Dallas juniors Spaniard with clamdiggers), most of these than any previous year. The dedication and players can compete with anyone on the pro What makes an individual sport such as tennis desire it takes for these juniors to succeed in tour. Previous Dallas Challenger participants or golf so compelling is the lack of guarantees tennis was also reflected by their success in include some of today’s stars such as James when competitors step onto the court or the classroom. As the beneficiaries of our Blake, David Nalbandian and the Bryan course. No contracts to fall back on like most local tennis programs, many players are Brothers. This year’s tournament included team sport players. Playing tennis is an headed to college to play on scholarship at up and comers such as Spain’s Guillermo extremely difficult way to make a living – but universities including Harvard, Notre Dame Garcia- Lopez, German’s Simon Gruel and if you could ask all 32 contestants at T Bar and West Point. Benedikt Dorsch and young Americans such M, they would not want to be any other place The winners of DTA’s Al G. Hill Sr. Award as 17- year-old Donald Young and the winner but Dallas that week. These players are here and the MCB Special Achievement Award of the Challenger (and my personal favorite) because they love tennis – the $520 for a are wonderful role models for any young Robert Kendrick.