Volume 3, Issue 3 USTA Eastern

September 2014 On The Ball: News From LI Kids’ Enjoy Summer Fun

The USTA Long Island Club to run a Kids Tennis Region takes its Festival on the Club’s GOT NEWS? commitment to beautiful grounds. introducing tennis, the Email us at: lifetime sport, to Many kids’ events ustaonlongisland children very including Play Days, fairs, seriously. festivals and more are @gmail.com held throughout the year. To accomplish our For information on goal of reaching kids upcoming programs in Coming Soon throughout our your area, please visit community, Regional Board programs and summer camps www.longisland.usta.com and click members and other volunteers were Join the local tennis com- converged on Baldwin High School on Calendar. busy this past summer and early fall for a day of fun, food, friendship, munity at these upcoming to bring fun tennis learning events prizes and t-shirts. events. For details, visit to kids across the Region. www.longisland.usta.com. In August, we worked with the In July, we hosted the Annual LI Kids’ members of the Inwood Country Rally Day in cooperation with the Baldwin Tennis Club. Hundreds of kids from tennis 9/27: Lido Beach Festival by the Sea

10/18-19: Nassau County Girls HS Tournament @ Eisenhower Park

10/31-11/3: NY State Girls HS Noah Rubin Offers Advice for Juniors Tournament in Albany Long Island’s Noah Rubin had quite the to where I am today, while staying in Regarding today’s juniors, Noah says: summer on the tennis court, first the New York area. I had no need to go 11/9: Eastern College Show- winning the Wimbledon Juniors to any academy in Florida or “For younger kids only two pieces of case Tournament, signing to play tennis at somewhere else internationally. This advice. If you are trying to become the and then allowed me to have the most normal best player you can be, never lose 1/30-31, 2015: Eastern Tennis playing in the Men’s Draw of the U.S. childhood as possible. I truly believe sight of why you started, because you love it. If you do not love it there is no Conference Open. that played a major role in my career.” reason to play. And also, make sure Noah spoke to “On the Ball: News from that the day you have no desire to get 5/6/2015: 25th Annual LI LI” about growing up playing tennis on out of bed, that is the day you work Region Awards Dinner!! Long Island and offered advice for up- that hardest.” Words to live by from a and-coming local juniors: local champion who is sure to continue to have a bright future in Men’s tennis. “I was very fortunate and lucky to have all the resources needed to get On The Ball: News from LI

Page 2

LI Region Grant: Bringing Tennis to Our Communities Summer Camp for Among the highlights of the USTA One of the high points of the Long Island Region calendar are the Annual Merrick Street Fair was Girls community events in which we the support of the Calhoun High School Girls Tennis Team, participate each fall. whose players came down to Girls Inc. of Long Island Regional volunteers enjoy setting up the train station parking lot to used a USTA Long Island mini courts and showing the basics to Region grant to help run its the many children and second annual summer others who pass by tennis camp at Central Islip during local street fairs High School. LI Region and festivals. 2014 has grants are designed to help been no different as the organizational members to LI Region has promote and develop tennis participated in several participation. great events with more on the schedule. Girls Inc., the local affiliate of a national group, Freeport PAL Kids’ Day reaches out to girls ages 5 not only saw many new volunteer. Additional community Volunteers are always appreciated tennis players visit the courts at Cow events this fall include the MacArthur Meadow Park, but also brought out and welcome at these events. To help, High School Play Day and Bellmore local government officials who please email your name and phone Family Street Festival in September and number to showed their support for local tennis. the Lido Beach Family Festival by the Joining the fun were Nassau County [email protected]. Legislators Laura Curran (D-Baldwin) Sea (9/27). and David Denenberg (D-Merrick). JTT All Stars Shine -18, inspiring them to be strong, smart and bold Junior Team Tennis (ages 8-18) has been growing across Long Island, as evidenced by the number of teams and play- through programming that ers participating. LI Teams did well at the Winter Sectionals played this past June. Finalists included World Gym Blue is girl-centric and girls only. The organization’s (14U Intermediate) and Island Grinders (18U Advanced). Three LI participants received the Donny Dudley Sportsman- Tennis and Wellness ship Award: Torin Bograd (Huntington), Alexander Benanti (World Gym) and Jayne Gree (World Gym), while World Summer Camp provided Gym’s Blue Team took 3rd place in the Banner Contest. At the Summer Sectionals in August, LI teams placed second in one week of tennis lessons two categories: World Gym (14U Intermediate) and Ducks (10U Intermediate). and matches. Participants also learned about college, Local clubs or organizations currently fielding JTT teams include: Garden City, Huntington Indoor, Point Set, Eastern scholarships and careers Athletic Blue Point, World Gym, PB Tennis, Hicksville Community Tennis, Suffolk County and received information on mindful eating, sports Junior Tennis League, Sportime Lynbrook and nutrition and living a Robbie Wagner. healthy lifestyle.

For more information on USTA LI grants, please visit www.longisland.usta.com and click on Grant Application. Photos: Pat Mosquera Volume 3, Issue 3 Page 3

Manhasset Teens Spread Joy of Tennis Eastern College A group of Manhasset High School “We have collected over 120 rackets tennis players collected gently used and $1,300 in donations to date,” Matt Showcase equipment and launched a free tennis says. The cash was used to purchase clinic for children 10 and under this additional rackets, USTA 10-and-under summer. They also donated nets and other equipment for the The USTA Eastern Section equipment to a needy tennis program Kings County Tennis League. will host its annual Eastern in Brooklyn. College Showcase on Sun- “We are Manhasset High School and day, November 9 at the Saw Matt Holweger says he heard about USTA tennis players looking to spread Mill Club in Mt. Kisco. the Kings County Tennis League last the joy of tennis to children in need on fall and wanted to help the Bedford Long Island and the New York tri- This event is designed to Stuyvesant-based group while also Manhasset/Great Neck EOC summer state area,” Matt says. “Our goal is to help high school juniors and learning from that organization’s program. His online research led him provide local children with the ability seniors learn about the example and creating a tennis clinic in to Kids Serving Kids, a nationwide to experience and benefit from the college tennis process and his own neighborhood. organization that collects and skills learned through the game of connect with college coach- recycles tennis rackets for under- tennis. By collecting and recycling es. Its also an opportunity Holweger, a senior, says the Brooklyn served youth. He founded the group’s gently used tennis rackets, we can for college coaches to group inspired him to launch his own Long Island chapter, enlisted some provide the tools needed on a cost recruit and get exposure equipment collection program and friends and began collecting rackets free basis.” for their tennis programs. start a clinic to benefit the non-profit and planning for a summer tennis Adventures in Learning/the program. Colleges that have partici- pated in the past include LBTC Hosts 3rd Annual Charity Tournament Southern New Hampshire University, Vassar College, Long Beach Tennis Center (LBTC)’s 3rd 4.0), men’s singles (4.0), mixed dou- LBTC and its owner/CFO Ellen Siddiqui Queens College, Connecti- annual charity tennis tournament was bles (6.0, 7.0, & 8.0), men’s/women’s have been supporting CMBC for many cut College, Johns Hopkins a big success in August, raising more open singles, men’s open doubles, years including offering low-cost University, SUNY Oneonta than $8,600 to support the work of mixed doubles open draws plus raf- tennis lessons to family members of and SUNY New Paltz. the not-for-profit Cure Mommy's fles. those undergoing breast cancer. LBTC Breast Cancer (CMBC). CMBC provides is working to grow the event and financial assistance to those in need Local winners include: (Men's 40s expects to host the Fourth Annual who are suffering through breast Singles) Rashid Malik, (Men's 4.0 Sin- CMBC Charity Tennis Tournament in cancer. gles) Leonid Kaznakov, (Men's 3.5 early August 2015. For more infor- Doubles) Thomas Mavroudis/Anthony mation on participating in next year’s The nine-day tournament attract- Cristi, (Women's 3.5 Doubles) Chris- event or to donate to CMBC, please ed more than 200 area high school, tine Cornelius/Lisa Landau, (Women's visit www.longbeachtenniscenter.com. college and adult players as well as 4.0 Doubles)Karen Levine/Jane Burke those from outside of the re- and (Mixed 3.5 Doubles) Maria Gonza- gion. Events included a Cardio Zone, lez/Adam Moramarco. women’s/men’s doubles (3.0, 3.5 and

For more information please visit www.longisland.usta.com and click on Calendar.

Around the Region...

US Open Highlights: Congratula- letter winners and 5 of the tions to Scott Lipsky, originally top 6 singles players as they from Merrick, and his doubles look to win their fourth con- partner Rajeev Ram on reaching secutive America East Cham- the semifinals in Men’s Doubles. pionship. The men return 9 Kudos also to Julia Elbaba of letter winners and will look to Oyster Bay on reaching the finals improve on one of their best in the USTA's first American Collegiate Invita- season's in years." … Recognizing tional played at the US Open. Elbaba is a stu- HS Achievements: USTA LI Region dent athlete at the University of Virginia… Board Vice President and High Onward and Upward: Best wishes in college School Tennis Coordinator Mike to Cory Seltman of Dix Hills and Claudia Ruiz Pavlides is compiling a list of past New York State and Nassau/Suffolk In Memoriam County High School Champs in singles and doubles, If you can help Charles H. Hurme, 101, USTA LI add to that list, please email Region Tennis Player of the Year [email protected] with the 2010 of Glen Head, both of whom won USTA Serves students’ names, high school, event and year. scholarships. Cory received the Rosalind Julia Baker, wife of longtime LI Walter Scholarship while Claudia is the recip- On to Nationals: Good luck to two local USTA Region Board member Mack Baker ient of a College Education Scholarship… League teams advancing to nationals: the 18 College Forecast: Stony Brook University’s & Over Women’s 3.0 from Eastern Athletic Roy Mac Millan, father of LI Re- Seawolves Tennis Team is starting off their Blue Point captained by Jennifer Suh McCor- mack and the 18 & Over Women’s 4.0 from gion Board Member Kathy Miller new season on a high note. Says Head Tennis Sportime Kings Park captained by Michelle Coach Gary Glassman: "The women return 6 Stoerback.

USTA Eastern Long Island

Like us on Facebook: USTA Long Island We are committed to the promotion and growth of tennis, the "lifetime sport," for people of all ages and abilities to play and enjoy the game. To subscribe to On the Ball: News from LI, Through the efforts of volunteers, USTA staff and strategic partners, we please send your email address to: are dedicated to the highest standards of integrity, honesty and ethics in developing tennis programs in local communities throughout Long Is- [email protected] land. Our mission will be served by having our youth, our adults and corporate partners enjoy the "sport for a lifetime."

Visit us on the web at: On The Ball: News From LI is published quarterly by the USTA Eastern Long www.longisland.usta.com Island Region. Written and produced by Jacki Binder. Edited by Michael Pavlides. Founded by Daniel Burgess.