Dec./Jan. 2009 Publisher/Editor Richard Vach [email protected] Assoc. Editor/Art Director Shawn Barton Advertising Sales Vice President, Sales & Marketing Janice Gendreau [email protected] Sales Associates East Coast Region Jean McGrath [email protected] FEATURES Central Region/Orlando Alan Connery 5 Former Gator Champ Giving Back at UCF [email protected] Stepanie Nickitas helped the Florida Gators to two national championships. Now she is on the coaching end, hoping to emulate her legendary former coach and South Region/Miami applying her experience at the University of Central Florida Angela Famiglio [email protected] 7 Tears and Cheers at the Annual Meeting USTA Florida puts a bow on 2008 at its Annual Meeting & Volunteer Appreciation Contributing Writers Weekend in Clearwater, where an emotional awards ceremony honored volunteers Jill Neuharth, Gary Shepherd, Tori Townsend 4 Letter from the Editor 24 League News Photographers John Moreno Photosport.com, USTA Florida 5 North Florida News 25 College News Consultant 7 South Florida News 26 Volunteer of the Month Philip Alia, Vivid Media Concepts Vol. 2, No. 1. Play Tennis Florida Magazine is free to USTA 10 Around the Court 27 Quick Shot Florida members. Play Tennis Florida Magazine is published 10 times a year. Contents copyright (c) Play Tennis, LLC unless 12 Tennis on TV 28 Junior News otherwise noted; post-office registered United Tennis Asso- ciation Florida Section Inc. No part of this publication may 30 Quick Shots be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means 14 USTA Florida electronic or mechanical without written permission of the President’s Message 32 Junior Rankings publisher. Play Tennis Florida Magazine is not responsible for statements expressed by contributing writers or by advertis- 34 Adult Rankings ers. All manuscripts, artwork and photography must be ac- 15 USTA Florida companied by a self-addressed stamped envelope or will not 2008 Awards 38 January Trn. Calendar be returned, and the magazine cannot be held responsible for unsolicited materials, nor for advertising claims or any 40 Florida League Contacts individuals or organizations listed in the publication. PLAYTENNISFLORIDA.COM Indemnification of Publisher: In consideration of publication COVER SHOT of an advertisement, the advertiser and the agency, jointly Florida’s source for tennis news is and separately, indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the Former pro MaliVai Washington (left) and www.PlayTennisFlorida.com, where magazine, its officers, agents, and employees against expenses USTA Florida President Donn Davis you’ll find the latest in local, state, (including legal fees) and losses resulting from the publica- compete together during the pro-am at the tion of the contents of the advertisement, including with- national, international and pro USTA Florida Annual Meeting & Volunteer out limitation, claims or suits for libel, violation of right of news, in addition to the most recent Appreciation Weekend. Photo: Tori Townsend privacy, copyright infringements or plagiarism. features from the print version of Got something to say? Letters to the Editor can be e-mailed Play Tennis Florida magazine. ABOVE to [email protected] with “Letter to the Players compete at Quickstart as part of the Editor” in the subject line. Got tennis news? E-mail Also sign-up for the free weekly Regional Team Challenge at the USTA [email protected]. Play Tennis Florida e-newsletter. Florida Annual Meeting & Volunteer WWW LAY ENNIS LORIDA COM Appreciation Weekend. Photo: Tori Townsend .P T F . First Volley Tennis Strong Entering 2009 f you enjoy playing tennis and seeing the sport thrive in Florida, there is nothing like the year-end USTA Florida Annual Meeting I& Volunteer Appreciation Weekend to get you fired-up for volunteering and promoting tennis entering a new year. The awards and stories of achievements and sacrifice are always inspiring. The networking opportunities also always yield new opportunities — such as learning about a pilot program for combining PAL (Police Athletic Leagues) with Jr. Team Tennis. Other 2008 achievements and news coming out of the annual meeting: • USTA Florida remains financially USTA strong even in these tough times due to prudent financial Florida maneuvering and belt-tightening; continues • Tennis participation at the recreation level is still beating all other to recreational sports by 30% growth (golf is the second-closest with use 2% growth); • USTA Florida reports it has never 90% had better quality volunteer leadership and staff base; of its • The Play Tennis specialty license annual plate (available now!) is expected to bring in long-term revenue; budget • The USTA Florida Schools tennis program (now in 45 counties) to received the FAHPERDS statewide service award for creating directly tennis opportunities; • The new USTA Flex League is support increasing play, and has rolled out tennis in six Florida cities; • The QuickStart program was rolled programs out to ease children and adults into tennis; in the • USTA Florida continues to use 90% of its annual budget to directly community. support tennis programs in communities; • A new USTA Florida Volunteer Leadership Program was initiated to cultivate volunteer leaders to meet Florida’s strategic, operating and multicultural recreational tennis objectives; • More tennis players took to the courts last year than any time in the past 15 years, according to the Tennis Industry Association. This issue’s South Florida section gives a closer look at the annual meeting and the impact of Florida's tennis volunteer corps, which USTA Florida looks to increase in 2009 (with your help). In the mean- time, Happy New Year, and wishing you a healthy and fruitful 2009. 4 | Play Tennis Florida | Dec./Jan. 2009 North Florida Notes Destin’s Alexa Guarachi has signed ACES to play tennis for Alabama, and will be the seventh generation in her family to be part of the Crimson Tide. Florida State junior Jean-Yves Aubone won his second career USTA Futures title in Hammond, La., upsetting the No. 1 and 4 seeds and defeating No. 3 seed Artem Sitak 6-4, 6-0 in the final. Gainesville High School senior Keri Frankenberger has committed to LSU. Orlando resident and ATP pro Robert Kendrick won the Nashville Chal- COLLEGE TENNIS lenger USTA Pro Circuit event in November, besting former NCAA 1996, ‘98 National Gator Champ champ Somdev Devvarman of 1996, ‘98 National Gator Champ India. Carl and Sierra Poske of Ponte Vedra Beach won the Open Nickitas Giving Back at UCF Division of the National Father- By Richard Vach “It was Daughter Clay Court Championships lorida college tennis was good definitely ABOVE: Stephanie at the Jupiter Ocean and Racquet to Stephanie Nickitas, who Andy Brandi,” Nickitas (fourth from Club. It was the third gold ball for after coaching stints at Harvard said Nickitas, right in cap) and the Sierra, who is now in her senior year NCAA Champion and Duke is back in the the only player Gator women’s at Wake Forest. It was the first gold FSunshine State as the coach of the from Florida tennis team celebrat- ball for Carl, the director of tennis at University of Central Florida to return on the 1996 ing their 1996 title. the Ponte Vedra Golf and Country the favor. The Gator alumni made her roster, on her Club. Jenna Doerfler of Winter way back to the University of Florida reason for Park will play for the University of late last year where she was honored choosing UF. “Just his experience level Central Florida in Orlando. Ponte on the anniversary of the women’s and his knowledge of the game, Vedra Beach’s Eric Ernstrom tennis team’s 1996 National Champion- everything about the program in topped Weston’s Arthur Heller in the ship. general. It was highlighted by wanting Men’s 45 final of the USTA Florida The 1996 women Gators team was to work with Andy.” Adult State Championships, while one of the most dominating in colle- Brandi left UF in 2001 with the Jacksonville’s Judy Vermeer took highest winning percentage (91.5%) of the Women’s 35 title. Gulf any college coach with a minimum five Breeze’s Jennifer Pfeifler and Amy “It was definitely Andy years. Currently a partner at the Grossklag of Bonita Springs won the Harold Solomon Tennis Institute in doubles at the USTA Girls’ 16s Brandi. Just his experience Fort Lauderdale, Brandi is the past National Open level and his knowledge of director of tennis for IMG at the Evert Tennis Academy, a past director for the AMELIA ISLAND — the game, everything about Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy, and The Kraft Athletic currently serves on the USTA Florida HITS Club at Kraft Ten the program in general. It board of directors. Acres will add five was highlighted by wanting Nickitas moved on after graduation new claycourts to its to a year on the professional tennis two existing hardcourts, to work with Andy.” circuit that, between injuries and and convert an adjacent building into travel, she found less than appealing. a tennis clubhouse beginning in “It was an interesting transition January 2009. Located along the giate history, compiling an undefeated because I had played a lot of satellites Amelia River, the Kraft Athletic Club 31-0 record and sweeping the NCAA and challengers in junior tennis as well was originally established in 1954 as a team, individual singles (Jill Craybas) as during the summers in college,” recreational and social club by and individual doubles (Nickitas and Nickitas said. “For me with some employees of Smurfit Stone. The Dawn Buth) titles. Nickitas won 24 of injuries — I had elbow surgery right nonprofit group Kraft Tennis Partners, her final 25 singles matches and set a after college — it’s definitely tough a 100+ member group formed by Gator season doubles mark with a 41-1 going out on the pro tour.