2013 Fall CrossCourt

CrossCourt Fall 2013

missourivalley.usta.com

Fresh Courts Jack Sock and Madison keys help dedicate new courts in their communities

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: • THE SERVE - Victoria Flores • ON COURT WITH - League Captain Carol Waterbury • spotlight on leagues & Net notes • USTA Missouri Valley Summer in Photos

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CrossCourt

FALL 2013

FRESH COURTS

The USTA Missouri Valley publishes CrossCourt quarterly, focusing specifically on the members and events in the section. All material copyright USTA Missouri Valley, unless otherwise noted.

Earlier this summer, Jack Sock and Madison Keys -- USTA Missouri Valley natives and two of the more promising young American tennis players -welcomed the chance to return home and give back to their community.

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THE SERVE

Victoria Flores, a 14-year-old from Fort Dodge, Iowa, competed at the US Open National Playoffs, August 20-23, after winning the Section Championship at the end of June.

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SPOTLIGHT ON: LEAGUES

Lincoln, Nebraska League player Ken Tharp is remembered for his passion both on and off the court.

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ON COURT WITH

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Carol Waterbury discusses her experience as a League captain with CrossCourt.

twitter.com/USTAMoValley youtube.com/user/mvusta facebook.com/USTAMoValley Scott Hanover President Mary Buschmann Executive Director Manon Eilts Marketing Communications Director Emily Steinwart Public Relations and Graphic Design Coordinator

NET NOTES

Get the latest news from all around the USTA Missouri Valley.

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Eli Gieryna Senior Digital Media Coordinator

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Check out photos from events, tournaments and community outreach in the USTA Missouri Valley this summer.

For questions about your USTA membership, please contact USTA Member Services at 1-800-990-USTA, or visit the Membership Center at www.usta.com/membership.

If you would like additional copies for your facility, please contact CrossCourt at the address above.

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Fresh Courts

By Eli Gieryna

The USTA and American Express have partnerned up to renovate tennis courts around the country - including two within the Missouri Valley.

Section natives Jack Sock and Madison Keys were on hand to help with the festivities, and CrossCourt caught up with them to learn about life on the tour and the importance of giving back to their communities.

For professional tennis players, the rigors of travel on the pro tour can become grueling during the course of a long season. With an increasingly wide span of tournaments across the globe, opportunities to reset and recharge are few and far between. So earlier this summer, Jack Sock and Madison Keys -- USTA Missouri Valley natives and two of the more promising young American tennis players -- welcomed the chance to return home and give back to their community.

Sock and Keys visited their hometowns of Lincoln, Nebraska, and Rock Island, Illinois, respectively, as part of the Fresh Courts partnership between the USTA and American Express that refurbishes courts across America. In addition to Sock and Keys, the program visited courts in Sloane Stephens’ hometown of Largo, Maryland this year.

Since the program’s inception three years ago, it has helped refurbish more than 80 courts across the country. This year, the program aimed to tie up-and-coming American players, such as Sock, Keys and Stephens, back into local communities in an effort to grow the game.

Sock: “It’s amazing to be back in my hometown.”

Sock was given the opportunity to choose the local courts in Lincoln that would receive a makeover and he opted for Irvingdale Park. That facility will receive a complete renovation that will include two full 70-foot courts, and two 36-foot courts. The 70-foot courts will feature blended lines for 10 and Under Tennis as well.

“It’s amazing to be back,” said Sock. “A lot of people turned out for this and I have to thank the USTA and American Express for putting this together in my hometown. I love coming back here to see family and friends. This place means a lot to me, so it’s great that they’re doing this program here.”

The groundbreaking ceremony featured brief speeches by Sock, Lincoln mayor Chris Beutler and USTA Missouri Valley executive director Mary Buschmann. Following the ceremony, the 150-plus young players in attendance hit the courts for a clinic with Sock and local teaching pros.

In addition to the Irvingdale ceremony, Kevin Heim of Woods Tennis Center in Lincoln was presented with an award from American Express honoring his contributions to youth tennis in the area. The award carried with it a surprise trip to this year’s US Open.

After his stop in Lincoln, Sock traveled to Cincinnati to play in the Western and Southern Open, followed by Winston-Salem. He then played in the US Open, matching his third-round singles appearance from last year.

The transition to life as a touring pro has been a learning experience, though Sock believes he’s lucky to live that lifestyle.

“It’s life on the road, for sure,” he said. “Airplanes every week, hotels every week. But it’s a great life and I’m very fortunate to be able to play tennis for a living. There’s not much better than when you’re winning and you just have to get through times where there are rough patches and learn from them.”

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Given that, the current world No. 86 relished the chance to visit Lincoln again and spend time with friends and family.

“I was so excited to be coming back home, I was practically shaking on the plane.” said Sock. “With all the travel, sometimes six or seven weeks on the road, you can definitely get homesick at times. So this helps get you regrouped, recharged and ready to compete again. And to be back here for a great cause like this is just amazing.”

Keys: “I am so proud to be here.”

Keys, who grew up in the Quad Cities and played in section junior events before moving to train full-time in Florida around age 11, chose the Hodge Park Community Tennis Courts in Rock Island, Illinois, for her stop. That facility will receive three brand-new tennis courts to help serve the community. Keys herself got her start at the city parks’ tennis courts, at the age of four.

“I am so proud to be here today to help support this Fresh Courts program created by USTA and American Express, and to help support tennis communities like this, especially the one here in Rock Island where I grew up,” Keys told the crowd at the ceremony.

In addition to Keys, other community leaders turned out for the ceremony and to cut the ribbon on the brand-new facility, which now features three refurbished 78-foot courts with blended lines to accommodate youth tennis.

“It is an exciting afternoon here in Rock Island as we proudly welcome home Madison Keys who is here today to unveil a beautiful refurbishment of several of our tennis courts here in Hodge Park,” said Dennis Pauley, mayor of Rock Island, at the ceremony. “One of the great things about the partnership between the USTA and American Express is that they were able to refurbish this park and really help the community and help us accomplish things we might not normally have the resources to undertake.”

After the ribbon-cutting, Keys then took to the court and hosted a clinic with 80 local kids. She conducted several drills before signing autographs and giving tips to the young players.

Now ranked No. 39 in the world, Keys is enjoying her first full year on tour, which has seen her ranking jump nearly 100 spots from 137 at the start of January.

Gary Townswick, of Omaha, Nebraska, was chosen as the designer of this year’s US Open theme art. Townswick, who holds a Master’s degree in illustration from Syracuse University and an undergraduate degree in fine arts from the University of Nebraska, has worked in the commercial and fine arts industries for over 25 years. The founder of GT Illustration & Design, Townswick has won many awards in both genres. He chatted with CrossCourt about this honor.

Q. How did you become involved in the poster design contest?

On Nov. 6th Beth Meyer, the Art Director for the USTA, phoned me and said she had seen some Olympic posters I had done that she really liked. She went on to ask if I would be interested in submitting some sketches for the 2013 US Open theme art competition. I found out that I was one of six artists invited to submit designs to the competition. Needless to say, I was thrilled and quite honored to be considered to be part of such a wonderful event.

Q. What was your inspiration in designing the US Open posters?

The USTA sent out a "design brief "explaining what they were looking for in theme art submissions. They wanted the art to reflect the entertainment spectacle of the US Open, to show that it takes place in New York City, to express the high energy and excitement of the event, and to depict a unique concept or to feature a special element that has not been used before.

And while her travels have taken her around the globe, Keys never forgets where she’s from.

I tried to come up with a unique concept that would reflect the size and scale of the event and meld well with a New York City/ US Open scene. In researching past entries, I ran across a blog that showed Ted Wright's submissions the year he won. He did 16 beautiful full color "ready to go" sketches. . . . so, I did the same.

My first concept just happened to be the moon/sun as large tennis balls.

“Not many people know where I’m from when I drop the name, but hopefully after awhile people will start knowing,” she said. “I always try to say that I’m from the Quad Cities. Whenever I come back, there are always so many people giving support. It’s great to feel loved when you come home.”

Q. What other kinds of things do you design?

I've designed award winning food labels, best selling toys and stickers, Tiki cups, pull tab gaming tickets, corporate logos, editorial illustrations, Christmas ornaments, websites, caricatures and more!

“It’s been a great year for me,” she said. “It’s a little crazy sometimes, but you have to just remember that it’s the sport you love and have fun doing it.”

Q. Who are your favorite tennis players?

I like Venus and Serena Williams. In the past, I enjoyed the play of Bjorn Borg and Jimmy Connors.

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Townswick’s design is the first US Open theme art to feature day and night design. The art was incorporated into 2013 US Open promotional materials and publications, including the official tournament guide and tickets.

the

SERVE

with

Victoria Flores

Victoria Flores won the USTA Missouri Valley US Open National Playoffs Sectional Qualifying Tournament at the end of June to move on to the US Open National Playoffs. At 14 years old, she was one of the youngest to ever compete at the event. Flores is ranked No. 18 nationally in the Girls 14 age group and No. 1 in the USTA Missouri Valley for Girls 16s. She has also won three section Sweet 16 titles (G16, G16 and G12, respectively) and multiple national championships.

Q. Tell us about your experience at the US Open National Playoffs.

A. It was definitely a highlight so far in my career. It was such an honor to play at such a high level of tennis at a pretty young age and to experience what it’s like to be a pro and how everything works.

Q: When and how did you get started playing tennis?

A: I was probably 4 1/2 years old and I would just tag along with my family whenever they would go to the tennis courts.

Q: What’s your favorite thing about the sport?

A: It is an individual sport, but in a way it is also a team sport. I would not be where I am today without my family, coaches and my tennis club.

Q: On-court, what is your best shot?

A: My swing volleys!

Q: Who is your favorite tennis player, and why?

A: Justine Henin because she is a great competitor and I like her game style.

Q: What are your favorite subjects in school?

A: History and math Q: Do you play any other sports?

A: No, only tennis but I used to play almost every sport when I was in elementary school.

Q: On a typical Saturday afternoon, what do you like to do?

A: Play tennis and I usually just hang out with my family and friends.

Q: What would be your ultimate tennis dream?

A: Be No. 1 in the world, win as many grand slams as I can and win a gold medal at the Olympics.

Q: What is in your tennis bag (besides your racquet)?

A: My notebook, tape, towels, grips, strings, hats and visors, extra clothes, sandals, resistance bands, jump rope, tennis balls and a good luck charm monkey.

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from Fort Dodge, Iowa

trains in Overland Park, Kansas

Devoted husband, father, friend and tennis player, Ken Tharp exemplified how love is more than a way to begin a tennis match; it is a way to live everyday life.

Tharp passed away on June 13, 2013, leaving the tennis community to reflect on his life, passion for the game and numerous contributions in the area, both on and off the court.

LEAGUES SPOTLIGHT

By Paige Kauffman

Tharp began playing tennis as a self-taught recreational player while working in Fremont, Nebraska, as a pharmacist. Later, Tharp moved to Lincoln and began playing with United States Tennis Association teammate, Rick Harley.

“We would play singles every Tuesday evening during the winter months while his wife, Bonnie, would play doubles on the court next to us. We began to play doubles in tournaments and on USTA teams,” Harley said. “One of the highlights was when we played together on an USTA team, 4.0 seniors, and won the National in 1992.”

According to Tom Tipton, Tharp’s most recent team captain, Tharp continued to improve his game as he got older because of his love for the sport.

Tharp was ranked nationally for 13 years in both the 60s and 70s age brackets.

“His game was an anomaly because when most players get in their 60s and 70s, their games start to deteriorate, but not Ken’s game,” Tipton said. “He kept getting better and developed more touch in his game until finally his tennis friends said they got ‘Tharped’ every time he would pass them at the net with a short angle shot that nobody could see coming.”

Tharp was a role model for his family and fellow teammates because he embodied the qualities of a good teammate and friend while playing the game. Tipton said Tharp was always positive, both on and off the court, and was always smiling while he played. Regardless of the outcome of the match, Tharp would always congratulate his opponent.

“He was a gentleman both on the court and off the court and had the most contagious smile you would ever want to see,” Tipton said. “If he was playing, you knew he would always give 100 percent and if he was not playing, he was always rooting for his teammates.”

Tennis is more than a way to stay in shape; it is a way to build friendships that extend beyond the courts. “[Rick] Harley, a long-time close tennis friend of Ken’s, and all the team members would play at Rick’s court at least two or three times a week. The most memorable times were the stories and conversations before, during and after the matches,” Tipton said. “It caused all the team members to develop a special bond together that made it fun to compete in many, many USTA local leagues, district, sectional and national tournaments.”

Over the years Harley said he learned to understand how Tharp would handle various situations in difficult matches. This strengthened their friendship and paved the way for them and their wives to find other mutual interests outside of tennis.

“We always had fun. Off the court, the four of us spent time travelling together, finding great places to eat and enjoying many hours talking on many subjects,” Harley said.

In addition to being an avid tennis player, Tharp was also a teacher of the game. Tharp was the boy’s head coach at Lincoln Christian University for eight years, assisted with the Waverly High School girls tennis program where his granddaughter played and taught a tennis course at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Tharp also helped every year in organizing the Fellowship of Christian Athletes summer tennis outing and began a summer tennis program at the Pine Lake Country Club.

Tennis was more than a personal hobby for Tharp; it was something his whole family enjoyed. Tharp and his wife frequently played mixed doubles tournaments and were champions at two National Husband and Wife 120 combined age group tournaments. Tharp’s four daughters also played and he personally trained his grandchildren.

“The family has their own tennis court, so when Ken was not playing competitive tennis, the family was always having family get-togethers like at Thanksgiving, birthdays and other holidays and would always end up having the entire family play tennis shuffle,” Tipton said.

The Tharp family was honored for their commitment to the sport and volunteering efforts in 2011 when they won the USTA Nebraska Family of the Year award. Tharp is a testament to the fact that tennis can foster admirable qualities, pave the way for life-long friendships and offer a way for families to spend time together. Tipton described Tharp as a man of, “unending devotion to his church, family, friends and his tennis. He always had such a positive outlook on everything in his life. Ken was a true friend to all that came into contact with him, which all of his tennis buddies can attest to.”

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[Q+A]

CAROL WATERBURY ON COURT WITH...

By Paige Kauffman Q: How did you find yourself in the game?

A: I’ve enjoyed and participated in a wide range of sports for as long as I can remember. I grew up on the east coast in a suburb of New York City in the days before Title IX. The bad news in high school and college was that we had no varsity sports for women. The good news was that we could participate in as many sports as we wanted. Tennis was one of many for me.

Q: How long have you played tennis?

A: I played a bit as a teen but I focused more on tennis as an adult. When my husband and I moved from the east coast, just outside of New York City, to Iowa, I knew no one. He surprised me with a membership at the local tennis club so I could meet people and make friends. He had no idea what an impact that gesture would have on my life here. That was more than 35 years ago.

Q: How did you first get involved with USTA? A: Our club owner encouraged some of us to organize teams by level and play statewide against other Iowa teams in a new competitive league. It was the Volvo Tennis Leagues. USTA and Volvo worked together as organizer and sponsor. It was the precursor to our leagues today. USTA took it over completely a few years later. As luck would have it, that year our team won in the state, the section, and went all the way to the National Championships in Seabrook Island, South Carolina. Surely beginner’s luck, but I was hooked, to say the least. That was 29 years ago. I’ve been chasing that particular carrot ever since!

Q: How did you become a League captain?

A: After nationals we moved up to the next level and I was asked to captain our team. I captained teams for many years after that until I was asked to become the District Coordinator for Iowa. Choosing to focus on that job, I then left the job of captain to others on the teams.

Board and committee work have followed both at the local and section levels.

Q: What is the most rewarding part of being part of USTA? A: There is no doubt that the opportunity to compete within your level is wonderful, but nothing trumps the friendships you make and the people you meet, both near and far, along the way.

Q: What lessons have you learned from tennis that can be applied to other areas of your life?

A: There are so many. The values of patience, dedication and hard work come to mind. Tennis can lift you up or make you humble on any given day. While there are many life lessons to learn on the court, one is that if today is not your best day, tomorrow just may be.

Q: What do you do when you aren’t playing tennis?

A: Time with family and friends is at the top of the list. Among other things, we enjoy the arts in general and musical theater in particular.

We have had the great honor to have been on stage in several musicals over the years. Most of the talent belongs to my husband and kids but I love it as well.

Q: What future plans do you have for your involvement in USTA? A: That remains to be seen. Giving back to the sport that has done so much for me is not difficult. Right now I am a part of a very hard working USTA Missouri Valley committee that I enjoy and with which I would like to continue working. It’s challenging and everyone is dedicated to the task of getting it right. It’s a great group with which to work.

Any USTA member over the age of 18 is eligible to join a League team and any League player can become a Captain.

If you're interested in joining a League or becoming a League Captain, visit our website at tennislink.usta.com/Leagues.

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Net Notes

News from around the USTA Missouri Valley

Bastables Capture National Family Tennis Championship The best family tennis teams in the U.S. were determined after three days of fun but intense competition among 23 teams from 14 states in six divisions of play at the 2013 National Family Tennis Championships at Sportime Randall’s Island New York City. In the husband/ wife division, Jack and Kim Bastable of Leawood, Kansas captured the championship.

“This was a great environment for a tournament. You could feel the tennis buzz in New York City,” said Jack Bastable. “The level of competition was excellent and it was especially challenging to play so many different teams with different styles.”

After round-robin matches on Friday and Saturday, championship and consolation matches were held on Sunday. The victory was especially satisfying for the Bastables as they reversed the result of their first round match in which they lost to the team of Jonathan & Michele Drucker 6-4, 6-4. In the final, the Bastables were able to top the Druckers in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3.

Conan O’Brien Visits Wheelchair Tennis Players Late-night host Conan O’Brien recently visited with wheelchair tennis players who took part in the 2013 USTA-ITF International Junior Wheelchair Tennis Camp in Mission Viejo, California.

Casey Ratzlaff, a young wheelchair player from Wichita, Kansas, took part in the camp and was among the campers who got to meet O’Brien. Ratzlaff attended the camp on the heels of his trip to Turkey earlier this summer as a member of the United States’ junior team at the World Team Cup, a competition for the best wheelchair tennis players in the world.

The kids visited with O’Brien on the Warner Brothers lot and later enjoyed the day at Universal Studios located in Studio City, Calif. The camp was for players ages 12-18 who live with a permanent disabling condition and use a wheelchair when playing sports including tennis.

This year’s camp included players from 10 different states and six different countries (Argentina, Canada, Chile, Guatemala, Mexico, and the United States). The camp is geared towards fun and camaraderie, while developing tennis skills in these young athletes.

Ratzlaff is in the second row, first on the right.

Kansas City Student Wins Arthur Ashe Essay Contest Jada Robinson of Kansas City, Missouri was one of 10 winners of the 15th annual USTA/ NJTL Arthur Ashe Essay Contest in the Girls 10 and under category. She, along with the other winners, ranging in ages from 10 to 18, were selected from more than 1,800 essays submitted. Robinson, a member of the Genesis School NJTL program, received a New York City travel package with round-trip airfare for herself and a parent/legal guardian, as well as two nights at the Grand Hyatt and President’s Box tickets to the 2013 Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day on August 24.

Nine-year-old Robinson said she enjoys reading books about famous tennis players, such as Arthur Ashe and dreams of one day playing like Venus and Serena Williams. To enter the contest, children were asked to write an essay of 350 words or less, responding to a specific question about Arthur Ashe and his great accomplishments. This year’s question – “If you could follow in Arthur Ashe’s footsteps and ‘give back’ to tennis, what would you do to give back to the game and how would it impact others?” A USTA sub-committee selected the winning essays based on knowledge of Arthur Ashe, message clarity, and writing style.

“Once again, the annual Arthur Ashe essay contest provides an opportunity for NJTL students to showcase their talents through written expression,” said Kurt Kamperman, USTA Chief Executive of Community Tennis. “In its 15th year, the essay contest continues to honor talented students who aspire to follow in his footsteps. This year marks the 20th anniversary of Arthur’s passing, and we are proud that his mission and legacy continues to thrive in NJTL programs throughout the country.”

HAVE NEWS? If you have a news items that may be worthy of inclusion in “Net Notes”, e-mail crosscourt@movalley.usta.com or mail us at CrossCourt, 6400 West 95th Street - Suite 102, Overland Park, Kansas 66212.

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Save the Date: Annual Conference December 6-7, 2013 Mark your calendars! The 2013 USTA Missouri Valley Annual Conference is set for December 6-7 at the Sheraton Hotel in Overland Park, Kansas.

The weekend will feature speakers, meetings and trainings as we join to continue the growth of tennis into 2014. Saturday, December 7, will also feature the annual Hall of Fame and Awards event, where we honor some of our biggest contributors to the game of tennis in our section. Stay tuned for more details!

Fall Calendar of Events Event Date US Open USTA August 28 - September 1 Wheelchair Championships USTA National Semiannual Meeting & Conference

August 31- September 4

BG12-18 USTA MV Futures

September 6-8

USTA MV Adult/Senior Super Doubles September 11-17 League Section Championship I

USTA MV Adult/Senior Super Doubles September 25-October 1 League Section Championship II

BG12-18 USTA MV Futures September 27-29 USTA MV Tennis on Campus Fall Invite

September 28-29

Location

St. Louis, Missouri New York City Tulsa, Oklahoma Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Springfield, Missouri Wichita, Kansas Kansas City, Missouri

Adult NTRP & Open October 4-6 Kansas City, Missouri Outdoor Championship

BG12-18 Indoor October Futures October 18-20 Various Sites USTA Tennis Development Workshop October 31-November 3

BG12-18 November Supers November 1-3 BG12-18 Sweet 16, Segment III

November 15-17

USTA Missouri Valley Annual Meeting

December 6-7

BG12-18 Indoor December Futures

December 13-15

Denver, Colorado Various Sites Various Sites Overland Park, Kansas

Go to missourivalley.usta.com to find the latest events in your area!

Various Sites

y A e l l T a S V U uri o s SUMMER IN PHOTOS s i M Photos from events, tournaments and community outreach within the USTA Missouri Valley this summer.

To view more photos, visit our website at missourivalley.usta.com and click on Photo Galleries.

ALL STARS DAY JUNE 1-2 • OMAHA, NEBRASKA

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI JUNE 18-23

US OPEN NATIONAL PLAYOFFS

JUNE 27 -29 KANSAS CITY, K ANSAS

JULY 5-6 • KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI

S P I H S N O I P M A H C N O I T C E S S I N N JR. TEAM TE JULY 29-31 A M O H A L K O , A S TUL

AUGUST 8-11 DES MOINES, IOWA SECTION CHAMPIONSHIPS

AUGUST 22-25 ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI Two League Section Championships remain for the 2013 season: Oklahoma City September 11-17

Springfield, Missouri September 25 - October 1 Look for photos in the Winter issue of CrossCourt !