THE GAZETTE
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Wednesday, September 18, 2013 z
TENNIS
PROS
Thomas S. Wootton and Walt Whitman coaches Nia Cresham and Jasen Gohn, respectively, agreed. “I think it would help [kids choose to play for high school],” Cresham said. “There are of course certain big, big national tournaments where it’s important for them to go. But they might not feel compelled to go to all the ones they normally would. And if they could use the county tournament, regionals and state toward their ranking, that takes a lot of pressure off.” On the other end of the spectrum, there are some county coaches who arrive for the first day of tryouts wondering if anyone who shows up has ever played an actual competitive tennis match before. That might be the high school initiative’s main focus. The movement is coming from the top, USTA national headquarters in White Plains (N.Y.), and the overall main intent, USTA Chief Executive of Community Tennis Kurt Kamperman said, is USTA’s outreach to engage high school players, in general, nationwide. The fear, he added, is that the USTA junior tournament circuit has become elitist, but that tennis players of all levels, with different goals and futures in the sport, can find something beneficial in tournament play. There are approximately 300,000 high school tennis players in this country that the USTA has not really tapped into, Vona said. An outreach program would make it easy to be part of the family, she added. This movement could be extremely beneficial for the No. 2 doubles player who dismisses himself as a possible USTA tournament candidate, thinking that’s just for the top one or two players on his team. It could be a gateway for players on one of the county’s smaller or weaker teams that just haven’t been exposed to that world — getting involved can take effort and be complicated, Cresham said. This, in turn, could eventually result in a more competitive high school season countywide. Gohn said a little taste of success, a few ranking points from a high school match or tournament, could go a long way in a tennis player’s drive. Kamperman said he hopes to have the start of something in place by the spring high school season. Ideas floating around include tournaments that do
It was harder than he imagined, Bobadilla said. In wheelchair tennis, athletes must master the game and the wheelchair, according to the USTA website. It takes incredible upper body strength and cardiovascular ability, Bobadilla said. Out of physical condition at the time, getting better at tennis and the opportunity to compete in tournaments provided him with the motivation to train. Soon thereafter he linked up with Prince George’s Tennis and Education Foundation instructor Brenda Gilmore, a nationally-ranked wheelchair tennis player in her own right who promotes the sport, especially among youngsters. Gilmore took Bobadilla under her wing and the sport has changed his life, he said, building his selfconfidence to new heights. This year for the first time in his life Steve moved away from home and is living on his own — he is studying graphic design at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Victor agreed that his son is a new person, living independently and more sociable than ever before. People with disabilities are often told what they can’t do, Steve said. He is thankful he found his outlet and now joins Gilmore in demonstrations several times a year at various schools and businesses to expose the public to wheelchair tennis and the opportunities that many wheelchair-bound people might now know exist. Bobadilla said he hopes to compete at the US Open Wheelchair Competition one day. Maybe one day he will be a professional wheelchair tennis player granting an aspiring athlete’s birthday wish. “I just want to tell people to never give up and never think the doors are closed,” Bobadilla said. “There are so many opportunities out there.”
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DEFENSE
Continued from Page B-1 is Montgomery County’s best goalie, possibly the best keeper to ever come through the Falcons’ program. Hinz, of course, made the save, she tends to thrive in those pressure situations, Bruno said. And recent Good Counsel graduate Midge Purce scored on the ensuing punt to clinch the 2-0 victory. “That was a spotlight situation and I think Stu has stepped up in several of those situations,” Bruno said. “A goalkeeper always looks great if she saves a penalty kick, but a penalty kick under those circumstances, that’s about as big as I’ve seen. Immediately after she
RECEIVER
Continued from Page B-1 completed kindergarten and first grade in a single school year, making him younger than his classmates ever since. “I’ve never used that as an excuse, and I never plan to,” Brown said. “... I like it. I like taking it as a challenge.” Despite being so young for his grade, Brown, a wide re-
C L E R G Y
not require USTA membership as well as team tournaments that are USTA sanctioned. Points are not currently being awarded to high school players, but Vona said she is trying to encourage area coaches to use the tournament data management software that gets players’ sent the punt that Midge scores off of, that’s maybe the biggest turnaround in a game that I’ve seen.” Hinz is likely to be tested more often this fall after graduation casualties and illness have left Good Counsel’s defense in a bit of a transitional period — she has already had to come up with 11 saves in four games. But if anyone is going to get a backline in order, Bruno said, it’s Hinz. The University of Michigan recruit has all the physical attributes of a fantastic goalie: quick reaction time, agility and range, among them. But where she soars above the rest, Bruno said, is her ability to organize the defense in front of her and stay in tune with the 10 players on the field ahead of her. “I’m not sure I’ve had a more de-
ceiver and defensive back, has emerged as one of Montgomery County’s most physically impressive players. He claims offers from East Carolina University, University of Delaware, Towson University, Old Dominion University, Monmouth University, Appalachian State University and Eastern Michigan University, and Villanova University and Syracuse University are also recruiting him, but have not offered scholarships.
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Winston Churchill High School’s Katie Gauch could benefit from a new USTA initiative. names and results online to at least start giving them more exposure in the hopes that it will catch on. “I think a lot of high school players don’t realize how many opportunities are out there, even at some of the colleges,” Vona said. “There are a lot of opportunities past the high school years manding goalkeeper, Stu is very exacting in what she wants,” Bruno said. “I think she’s really someone that’s going to help solidify this defense just by her presence and direction. Some goalkeepers talk to talk because they’re told to talk but they have nothing to say. This kid has definitive things to say as the game progresses and the girls pay attention.” Having someone of Hinz’s caliber defending the net also gives players in the midfield and offensive third the confidence to push and take risks, sophomore forward Nia Dorsey said. Playing goalkeeper can be a thankless job. Goal scorers typically get more attention than those defending against them. But Hinz doesn’t fish for compliments and accolades. In fact, she went
Prior to high school, he chose Quince Orchard over Our Lady of Good Counsel, but he had to bide his time before seeing the field regularly. Brown describes becoming a starting safety at the beginning of the postseason his sophomore year, working hard all regular season to prove he deserved a chance. But when Brown became an offensive starter during his junior year, his coaches didn’t have the luxury of going
to stay involved in tennis and we want to work to enhance that experience for them and let them recognize the opportunities that are out there. For players who are already tournament players, this should help stabilize their ranking.”
through nearly the entire 2012 season without surrendering a single goal and didn’t even want to take credit. “Everyone always says, ‘Let’s get a shutout for the goalkeeper,’ but I don’t need credit,” Hinz said. “It’s everyone as a whole. It’s cool, but I’d rather the team succeed as a whole. I love when we get a shutout, but it’s not just me, it’s the whole team. You have to get through 11 players to score.” Defending the net can take it’s toll on a person’s body and Hinz has had to come back from some pretty serious injuries. She missed most of her freshman season with microfractures in her back — she spent three months in a restrictive brace — and recently strained her back (not the same injury) over the summer. But each time she’s seemed
another direction. Quarterback Mike Murtaugh was injured early last season, and wide receiver Matt Choi moved behind center. At that point, Brown replaced Choi as a starting outside receiver. “He became our most trusted receiver,” Klotz said. “... He brought that defensive physicality that he has to the offensive side of the ball. There’s not too many teams that can press him up when he’s playing
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to come back stronger. Probably because of her tremendous work rate, Bruno said. Hinz is on the field doing individual workouts before Bruno gets to practice each day, he said, and her drive is something that rubs off on her teammates. “Her training regime is unbelievable, which pushes all the other girls too,” Bruno said. “They’ve got no choice. ... Let’s face it, you can say ‘Oh, no wonder [Hinz] got all these shutouts [in 2012], she had all these people in front of her.’ But she has a lot to do with that. I think she’s more than just the technically sound and tactically sound goalkeeper. It’s also the way she talks and directs that is a big strength.” jbeekman@gazette.net
receiver. He brings that same aggressive style to offense. Again, I keep coming back how he attacks the ball in the air. Playing safety attacking the ball in the air, he does the same thing on the offensive side of the ball. That ball is in the air, he’s going to go after it.” This season, Brown leads Quince Orchard in receiving yards (135) and receiving touchdowns (three) and is tied for the top spot in receptions (seven).
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He has also demonstrated Mencarini was right to praise him. This summer, Quince Orchard and Richard Montgomery attended a team camp together at Shepherd University. “Every time I saw him, he’s got a smile on his face, he’s shaking my hand, introducing himself to the other coaches on my staff,” Klotz said. “Everybody likes him.” dfeldman@gazette.net