Newsletter of the Senior Tennis Players Club, Inc. May 2009 New STPC officers Tennis Events The April meeting of the STPC Board was the start of By Bob Busch a year with new officers and three new Board Pro Leadership members. This group of over 12 people will be the Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, currently ranked #1 ones that guide the organization for the next 12 and #2, provide professional tennis with exceptionally months to be responsive to the needs of its members. great leadership. Both provide unsurpassed leadership The officers were elected unanimously and constitute with their hard work, strong passion for the game, the Executive Committee: sportsmanship and clean character. They are great President: Charlie Robbins examples for the youth in our sport. They always treat Vice President: Rod Johnson each other and other opponents with great respect. Secretary: Joan Thomas With this leadership, tennis is not experiencing the Treasurer: Marv Schneider many problems reported daily in professional baseball, The whole board is listed on the web site as well as in football and basketball. each issue of this newsletter (p. 2 masthead). Feel free Nadal Wins Indian Wells to contact them about your concerns, your questions, Rafael Nadal easily won his second BNP Paribas Open or your thanks. The club has always operated with in three years with a 6-1, 6-2 win over Andy Murray in many volunteers, and can only succeed if you and mid-March. In the women’s final Vera Zvonareva others choose to continue this tradition. defeated defending champion Ana Ivanovic 7-6, 6-2. In the semifinals Murray defeated Roger Federer 6-3, Captains—your help please! 4-6, 6-1 for the fourth time in a row. Nadal beat Andy The next issue of Senior Tennis Times will contain the Roddick 6-4, 7-6 in the other semi-final match. final summer schedule. Please report changes: Bollettieri • Minneapolis area to Rod Johnson at 763-588-2107 Nick Bollettieri, probably the world’s most famous or E-mail him at [email protected] tennis coach at 77 years of age, continues to attract top • St. Paul area to Thue Rasmussen at 651-917-0075 talent. The IMG Tennis Academy in Bradenton, or E-mail him at [email protected] Florida, recently signed Hyeon and Hong Chung from South Korea. The Chung brothers are 12 and 15 years Humana helps Dow tourney old and have recently won major international Humana has supplied very nice trophies for the tournaments for 12-and-under and 18-and-under in winners of the Jack Dow Tournament. The trophies Florida. Bollettieri is credited with developing will be on display during the tournament. We thank champions like Maria Sharapova and Andre Agassi. Humana for their generosity, and hope we can He is also a current member of the Board of Directors continue to have their help with this great event in of InnerCity Tennis in Minneapolis. future years. Fastest Growing Sport Recently reported sporting goods statistics seem to indicate that tennis is the fastest growing sport. After Upcoming Events years of relatively slow growth, tennis participation is Annual meeting & captain’s luncheon up 43% since 2000, including almost a 10% increase in May 16, 2009, Town & Country Club 2008. Tennis was one of only four sports to Details and signup on page 12 experience an increase during the study period. The St. Boyer-Hughes tennis clinic Paul Harding athletic director recently reported that June 1, 2009, Reed-Sweatt over 60 students were on the school tennis teams. I’m Details and signup on page 6 (Tennis events—continued on page 11) Senior Tennis Players Club, Inc. Politics in our newsletter one individual’s view? A nonprofit corporation, P.O. Box 5525 Hopkins, MN 55343 Following are brief comments. I received — Joan Thomas On the web: www.seniortennismn.com other comments from Bill Cosgrove and Needless to say, I wasn’t at all Senior Tennis Times The Senior Tennis Times is published ten Gary Gibson, both of whom made the offended by the so-called “politics” times annually by and for the members of point that though tennis isn’t political, all in the March newsletter and I the Senior Tennis Players Club, Inc. writing (including tennis writing) is wonder how many members Club Founder: Jack Dow inevitably political. Though I find the topic were. You rarely have any statements Board of Directors fascinating, this will be the end of it. in the newsletter that can be President: Charlie Robbins........952-934-0209 construed as political, so let it pass. Vice President: Rod Johnson....763-588-2107 This morning I asked the seven Secretary: Joan Thomas...........651-483-9808 members of my very Republican — Connie Metcalf Treasurer: Marv Schneider........952-975-1895 Friday morning tennis group what Mr. Ed: I personally found the sexist New Members: they thought [about the Cosgrove efforts at humor by Mr. Perry in the Dottie Gardner.....................612-827-4918 Renewing Members: article] and to a person they thought April issue to be just as tasteless as Ronnae Wagner..................952-938-5785 it would be a shame to “whitewash” the political efforts by Mr. Cosgrove Events Directors: our newsletters. They thought the in March. However, if we oldsters Carol Brant...........................612-627-0464 amount of interest and discussion have learned anything, it ought to be Mary Ann McGuire..............612-929-2038 this article has generated is a good tolerance. I suggest that the Tennis Minneapolis tennis schedules: Rod Johnson........................763-588-2107 thing. I personally believe that Times does not need to be spiceless, Tournaments director: articles of this nature do not need to homogenized or just a statistical Mark Mudra..........................952-833-1469 be contentious. It’s the reader’s record, and that we might stop Paul Joyce .................................952-927-8782 reading it if it were. Let’s try to laugh Steve McCue..............................651-216-8029 choice whether or not to make an Shirley Pratt..................................651-291-1493 issue of it. Some readers were tolerantly at the other guy’s warped Other positions offended but how many readers sense of humor. Haha! Advisor: Mary Kaminski..............612-781-3271 chose to read it with an open mind —Dave Brink St. Paul tennis schedules: and recognized that it was simply Thue Rasmussen...................651-917-0075 Director of Training: Roger Boyer Ass’t Director: Percy Hughes....612-866-1102 As a non-profit organization, the Senior Tennis Play- Percy’s email: [email protected] Newsletter Editor and Webmaster ers Club gratefully accepts donations, memorials and David Sommer estate gifts. 3657 17th Avenue South Minneapolis, MN 55407-2805 Phone: 612-276-1313 David’s email: [email protected] Mission Statement Advertising The primary purpose of the STPC is to provide ten- Send by email or USPS to the newsletter nis playing opportunities to people 50 and older for editor by the 15th of the month for publica- tion the following month. Please send all their mental, physical, and social well-being; and to payments to the newsletter editor. support the growth of tennis. Ad rates (first month/additional months): Full page (7.5x10)...............................$110/90 Half page (7.5x4.9)................................85/65 Quarter page (3.7x4.9)..........................60/40 Newsletter Submissions Eighth page (3.7x2.4)............................40/25 4-line ad (members only)............................10 2-line ad (members only) First three months: To help make the newsletter as correct as possible, please free, then $5/issue. submit all items in writing only, by mail or email. The dead- Strip ads: $40 first two inches; $12 each line is the 17th of the month for publication the following additional inch. Membership information changes, month. All material submitted for publication is subject to newsletter delivery problems, etc., editing. Enclose self-addressed stamped envelope if you can be made by writing Senior Tennis Play- want materials returned. ers Club, P.O. Box 5525, Hopkins, MN 55343 or email to Ronnae Wagner: Send your submissions to: David Sommer, 3657 17th Ave- [email protected] nue S, Minneapolis, MN 55407-2805. Membership total: 1384 Email: [email protected]. May 2009, Volume 22, Number 4 Opinions expressed in articles or letters are those of the au- thor, and do not necessarily represent views of the news- letter editor or the Board or officers of STPC. Page 2—Senior Tennis Times/May 2009 Our wonderful editor, David Sommer, will have the Percy’s tennis rhythms outdoor schedule posted in this newsletter. Tom By Percy Hughes Bauman, back from winter teaching in the South, will Well, my fellow teammates, did we all have his class at Tartan Park, St. Paul, 9:00-10:30 AM, use good common sense with those Tuesdays, starting May 5th. All of our classes are listed beautiful chocolate eggs? That’s in this issue (p. 4)—thank you, David. something pretty hard to do at Easter As always I remind you about fresh strings, good tennis time, huh. Unfortunately, I seemed to shoes, a visor or cap, and sun glasses that work for you. be at the wrong places too often to Naturally, we always have fresh tennis balls (boy, I’m really use good control. Shame, shame, Ol’ Perc. Being like a broken record, aren’t I?). I hope to see everyone around family sometime can get you into too much at the annual meeting and luncheon. Meanwhile, please “goody eating.” remember, no foot faults! Outdoor Tennis time is here, and we’re pretty much set —Percy for our club’s outdoor classes in the Twin Cities area. Tennis on weekends Tennis for beginners For those of you interested in playing a pickup type of Kate Tucker, who joined STPC in September 2006, is game on Saturday and/or Sunday afternoons, we will in her second year as a captain.