Northern Exposure - March 2019

N RTHERN MARCH 2019 WWW.USTA.COM/NORTHERN

Dispatches From the Road Northern Staff Hits the Road For Connections, Conversations

STAFF DIRECTORY

1001 West 98th Street, Suite 101 Bloomington, MN 55431 (952) 887-5001 • (800) 536-6982 Fax: (952) 887-5061

N RTHERN EXP SURE InnerCity Tennis Receives Excellence Team Grant

2017 USTA SECTION OF THE YEAR

MARCH 2019 3

Daniel Borgertpoepping (952-358-3292) Communications Coordinator daniel@northern.usta.com Becky Cantellano (952-358-3284) Executive Director becky@northern.usta.com John Chandler (952-358-3296) Director of Advancement john@northern.usta.com Pat Colbert (952-358-3283) Chief Program Officer and Assistant Executive Director colbert@northern.usta.com Taylor Heltne (952) 358-3287 Manager of TC Area Adult Play taylor@northern.usta.com Carolyn Kramer (701-238-1515) Schools Coordinator/ Tennis Service Representative kramer@northern.usta.com Nancy Lundberg (952-358-3286) Director of Adult Play lundberg@northern.usta.com Zeny McCoy (952-358-3291) Manager of Jr. Team Tennis zeny@northern.usta.com Naomi Sadighi (952) 358-3290 Director of Community Impact naomi@northern.usta.com Kathy Schneider (952-358-3295) Adult Recreational Play Coordinator schneider@northern.usta.com Vanessa Sexton (952-358-3281) Operations Manager vanessa@northern.usta.com Sandy Smith (952-358-3288) Member Engagement Coordinator ssmith@northern.usta.com Mya Smith-Dennis (952) 358-3289 Training and Outreach Coordinator and Tennis Service Representative (TSR) MN & NW WI mya@northern.usta.com

Photo Credit - InnerCity Tennis

Carol Thies (952-358-3285) Adult Matchline Coordinator thies@northern.usta.com

InnerCity Tennis announced it has received a 2019 Excellence Team Grant from the USTA Foundation. It is one of only 14 National Junior Tennis and Learning (NJTL) chapters nationwide to receive Excellence Team Funding.

Funds support Excellence Team programming at Prodeo Academy in North Minneapolis, Bryn Mawr Elementary School in North Minneapolis, and ICT’s indoor tennis center in South Minneapolis.

A total of 29 players ages 6-18 participate in the program, each selected by ICT coaches based on athleticism, tennis skills, goals and drive to play competitive tennis — particularly in college — and character. Participants engage in year-round tennis and fitness training several times a week led by ICT’s certified tennis and fitness coaches following customized development plans. Excellence Team players also receive academic support and are required to participate in community service projects.

Each Excellence Team features a celebrity ambassador to help coach and inspire its players.

ICT’s celebrity ambassador is Minnesota native and former pro tennis player David Wheaton. Several times a year, Wheaton attends team practices and leads off-court sessions on, among other things, setting clear goals, navigating the pathway to tennis and personal success and developing mental focus and endurance.

“Having been around tennis my whole life, I know how important it is for kids to receive quality coaching on a consistent basis and to have opportunities to compete at the highest levels of the game.

These young players have so much potential, and the program gives them the same kinds of experiences and opportunities I enjoyed as a young player,” Wheaton said. “Several people invested time and energy into my life and career, and this gives me the chance to do the same for others.”

ICT Executive Director and David Wheaton’s older brother John Wheaton underscored how these resources help the organization and its Excellence Team players accomplish their goals.

“Thanks to this grant, ICT’s Excellence Team players will receive ongoing training and players will compete in dozens of local, national and even some international tournaments, including the Junior Orange Bowl International Tennis Championships, the world’s most prestigious junior tournament held each December in Miami, FL,” John Wheaton said in a press release.

According to the USTA Foundation, of the boys and girls who join an Excellence Team: • 95% have 3.0+ GPA • 7 players have been ranked Top 10 in the Nation • 96% improve their tennis skills • 98% continue to play frequently • 100% report they will graduate from high school ICT is supported in part by the USTA Foundation and is in its network of 350 National Junior Tennis and Learning chapters. For more information, visit ustafoundation.com/ustaf_excellence_ teams.

Katie Bergmann (952-358-3280) Manager of Jr. Tournaments and National Teams katie@northern.usta.com

Schools

Growing the Game…Grassroots-style USTA Northern’s overriding mission is to grow the game of tennis. Sometimes that means bringing people to the courts but other times it means bringing the sport to the people.

In this case, “people” are kids in school.

Northern staff has been focused on establishing partnerships between schools (usually Physical Education teachers) and a community partner. The idea is that PE or after-school tennis programs get kids excited about the sport, which then allows community partners to offer more opportunity for kids to continue the fun outside of school.

Some of the key ingredients in building these partnerships with schools are the Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE America)-approved K-12 curricula and the free equipment packs for schools getting started.

Carolyn Kramer, USTA Northern’s Schools Coordinator, has been instrumental in laying the foundation between schools, community partners and USTA Northern.

“The Net Generation School Partnership initiative is really popular and it’s pretty easy to see why. Schools that join get age and ability-appropriate equipment at no cost. They get the curricula at no cost. And they get access to trainings so they’re always on the leading edge of how tennis can be taught safely in school,” Kramer said. “They don’t need courts and they don’t need to be experienced players to teach this. The fact that it’s free sweetens the deal.”

4 MARCH 2019

More than 50 schools are currently registered and USTA Northern helped place 1,530 racquets in kids’ hands in the section. Those numbers are expected to grow as the registration process gets smoother and momentum continues to develop.

Sue Tarr is the Coordinator of Minnesota State University-Mankato’s Developmental Adapted Physical Education Program. Her first exposure to Net Generation came at the SHAPE national convention in Boston. A short time later, she was onboard.

“I like the resources and curriculum materials that were made available to me. I also appreciated the workshop that Mya Smith-Dennis (USTA Northern’s Training and Outreach Coordinator) provided to my university students before we used the program activities in my summer disability/sport camp,” Tarr said.

Net Generation physical education lesson plans were created by the USTA and SHAPE America, the leading body for physical education standards in the United States.

“I think the curricular materials are quite helpful. I appreciate that they are linked to the national physical education standards and the equipment has also been awesome,” Tarr said.

While the start of the initiative has been positive for educators, Kramer stressed her excitement to be involved in connecting physical education teachers with local coaches and teaching pros.

“I am very inspired and impressed with the partnerships and enthusiasm this initiative creates, all around our section,” Kramer said.

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Adult Update

NTRP National Championships Over the last few weeks, select USTA Northern players have been receiving Golden Tickets, letting them know they’ve earned a spot in the 2019 NTRP National Championships. The 18 & Over Singles and Doubles tournaments will be held at Academia Sanchez-Casal in Naples, FL, home of one of the most well-known tennis academies in the world.

Since some adjustment from snowy Minnesota to sunny Florida may be required, Academia Sanchez-Casal will be offering pretournament tune-up clinics for all registered players to adapt to the climate and the clay courts. More information can be found on the tournament homepage in TennisLink.

The 50 & Over Singles and Doubles Tournaments will be held on hard courts at the Surprise Tennis and Racquet Complex in similarly sunny Surprise, AZ. USTA Northern’s full listing of qualifying players and alternates for the NTRP National Championships is below. Congratulations to everyone on punching their (golden) ticket to this amazing event!

18 & OVER

50 & OVER

SINGLES

SINGLES

3.0 Men – Jason Benda 3.5 Men – Dan Thompson 4.0 Men – Jan Prihoda 4.5 Men – Chad LaTour 5.0 Men – John Janssen 3.5 Women – Sindhusha Kasinadhuni 4.0 Women – Jennifer Jorgenson 4.5 Women – Kaitlyn Dennis 5.0 Women – Victoria Bravo

3.0 Men – Peter Lafferty 3.5 Men – Paul Kotz 4.0 Men – Matt Bartell 4.5 Men – Craig Ballentine 3.0 Women – Ginger Bigbie 4.0 Women – Mia Robillos 4.5 Women – Virginia Kuberski

DOUBLES

3.0 Men – Carl Bigby/Dan Edwardson 3.5 Men – Riley Stahley/ Rob Stahley 4.0 Men – Jan Prihoda/ Andrew McIntyre 4.5 Men – Daniel Gunderson/Luke Bogdanowicz 3.5 Women – Elizabeth Temple/Jodi Kruse 4.0 Women – Claire Reilly-Allen/Melanie Mudge 4.5 Women – Dana Hansen/Susan Marshalla

Photo Credit: ig-@themudgekins

DOUBLES

3.5 Men – Mike Hicks/Paul Holten 4.0 Men – Charlie Klein/Aaron Rosenbery 3.5 Women – Teresa Postma/Lisa Bennett 4.0 Women – Virginia Kuberski/Martha Shannon 4.5 Women – Christine Dummermuth/Sarah Meredith Photo Credit: Riley Stahley

ALTERNATES 18 & OVER SINGLES

3.0 Men – Ron Filstrup 3.5 Men – Derek Fermstad 4.0 Men – Andrew McIntyre 4.5 Women – Rachel LaTour DOUBLES

3.5 Men – Kyle Syverson/Jeff Craig 4.0 Men – Derek Fermstad/ Lucas Tesh 4.0 Women – Yuliya Grassby/Angie Cutler

6 MARCH 2019

Photo Credit: ig-@themudgekins

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Adult Update

Congratulations to the 65 & Over 6.0 Men on a National Invitational Championship Title!

USTA Northern 65 & Over 7.0 Men Place Second at National Invitational

2017 USTA SECTION OF THE YEAR

MARCH 2019  7

Junior Tennis

Junior Tournament Q & A How do I find tournaments?

Go to tennislink.usta.com. In the dropdown Tournaments tab, click Tournament Advanced Search and specify where and what type of tournament you’re looking for.

Does my child have to play in the same age group in singles and doubles?

Yes, for Levels 3, 4, and 5. Levels 6 and 7 are more flexible.

When does my child age up?

Your child ages up the first day of their birth month when they’re turning 13, 15 and 17.

Can my 10U child play green ball right away for tournaments?

No. Any child 10 & Under must start in orange ball in the Youth Progression Pathway. To get to green, they must earn 20 Stars/Trophies.

How much rest does my child get between matches?

Divisions

All Best of 3 and 5 set matches

Pro set formats

Juniors

60 minutes except 30 minutes in doubles only tournaments*

30 minutes

Red, Orange or Green Ball Tennis formats: The tournament shall offer the players reasonable rest, which in many cases will be no more than 15 minutes.

Players who participate in more than one division are entitled to at least 30 minutes rest between matches in different divisions, unless the Recovery Rule applies in which case the Referee shall offer the player a rest of two hours. *Recovery Rule: The Recovery Rule requires the Referee to offer a player two hours of rest after a singles match that uses a format consisting of the best of three tiebreak sets or more if the player’s next match is singles. The regulation does not apply to short set matches, matches that play a tiebreak in lieu of a final third set, nor to any indoor match that lasts less than two hours.

How are seeds determined for tournament play?

They’re based off the current rankings/standings list from USTA Northern. You would never have an odd number of seeds and the number of seeds is determined by number of players in a draw.

Ex: If there are 16 players in a draw, you would have 4 seeds. If there are 23 players in a draw, you would have 4 seeds. If there are 24 players in a draw, you would have 8 seeds.

How are rankings determined?

Rankings are determined by a player’s six best singles results and six best doubles results.

Singles takes into account 100 percent of points earned and doubles takes into account 15 percent of points earned to give the combined ranking.

How are draws made?

Draws are made inside USTA’s software management system, TDM. Once seeding is completed, all draws are random.

How soon before their match should my child show up?

Your child should be at the site at least 30 minutes prior to their scheduled match time.

8 MARCH 2019

What about between sets?

At the end of each set, there will be a set break of a maximum of two minutes, except for the circumstances below.

Divisions

After 2nd set in best of 3 set match

After 2nd set when Match Tiebreak is played in lieu of 3rd set

X

Boys’ & Girls’ 12-16 Boys’ & Girls’ 18

After 3rd set in best of 5 set match

Mandatory 3-minute rest Mandatory 10-minute period. rest period; however, when play is suspended for 10 minutes or more during the 2nd set, only a mandatory 3-minute rest period will be taken.

Mandatory 10-minute rest period; however, when play is suspended for 10 minutes or more during the 3rd set, only a mandatory 3-minute rest period will be taken.

In Junior divisions, no player shall practice during any rest period between sets. (See USTA Regulation IV.C.7.)

Coaching is not allowed during a 2-minute set break. Coaching is allowed during any 3-minute or 10-minute rest period.

If you have any additional questions, contact Katie Bergmann at katie@northern.usta.com.

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Junior Tennis

January Junior Level 3 Results 18s Baseline Tennis Center

14s Life Time Eden Prairie

BOYS SINGLES

BOYS SINGLES

1st Place: Maxim Zagrebelny def.

Varun Iyer 5-7, 6-3, 6-1 3rd Place: Bjorn Swenson def. Joe Mairs 6-4, 6-3

1st Place: Max Exsted def. Matthew Fullerton 7-5, 4-6,6-4 3rd Place: Emmanuel Alex def.

Konner Gunwall 6-1, 6-3

BOYS DOUBLES

BOYS DOUBLES

1st Place: Joe Mairs/Gavin Young def.

John Kasner/Maxim Zagrebelny 6-0 3rd Place match results unavailable

1st Place: Nolan Ranger/Matthew Fullerton def. Emmanuel Alex/Hank Trondson 6-4 3rd Place: Collin Beduhn/Max Exsted def. Jayho Hong/Dylan Pham 6-2

GIRLS SINGLES

1st Place: Karin Young def. Zoe Adkins 6-2, 6-0 3rd Place: Madeline Suk def. Arlina Shen (withdrew due to injury)

GIRLS SINGLES

1st Place: Sarah Shahbaz def. Reegan Mullaney 6-2, 6-0 3rd Place: Ashwika Thotakura def.

Paige Sargent 6-4, 6-2

GIRLS DOUBLES

1st Place: Zoe Adkins/Karin Young def. Aili Hietala/Delaney Schurhamer 6-1 3rd Place: Kathryn Mulvey/Eesha Varma def. Lauren Ferg/Madeline Suk 6-2

16s Life Time Lakeville

GIRLS DOUBLES

1st Place: Annika Munson/Sarah Shahbaz def. Reegan Mullaney/Paige Sargent 6-3 3rd Place: Niyathi Bhupatiraju/Ashwika Thotakura def. Molly Austin/ Lily Eigner 6-2

BOYS SINGLES

12s Life Time White Bear Lake

1st Place: Gavin Young def. Sujit Chepuri 6-0, 6-1 3rd Place: Bjorn Swenson def. Oskar Jansson 7-5, 6-3

BOYS SINGLES

BOYS DOUBLES

1st Place: Allen Gong/Oskar Jansson def. Bjorn Swenson/Sujit Chepuri 6-3 3rd Place: Zachary Leslie/Luke Westholder def. Tyler De Boer/Jayho Hong 6-2 GIRLS SINGLES

1st Place: Karin Young def. Zoe Adkins 3-6, 6-3, 6-0 3rd Place: Nore Ann Heinitz def. Nicole Snezhko 6-4, 6-2 GIRLS DOUBLES

1st Place: Zoe Adkins/ Isabella Suk def. Sonia Baig/Lauren Splett 6-3 3rd Place: Annika Munson/Sarah Shahbaz def. Nicole Ridenour/Paige Sargent (withdrew due to injury)

2017 USTA SECTION OF THE YEAR

1st Place: Kaleb Ngwendson def. Tej Bhagra 6-2, 6-3 3rd Place: Carter Magistad def. Brandon Pham 2-6, 6-4, 1-0 (3) BOYS DOUBLES

1st Place: Tej Bhagra/Brandon Pham def. Noah Hong/Maddox Lundell 6-4 3rd Place: Tarun Gopalakrishnan/Quinn Martini def. Bode Campbell/ Andy Norman 6-3 GIRLS SINGLES

1st Place: Ancele Dolensek def. Isabelle Einess 6-4, 3-6, 1-0 (8) 3rd Place: Emmeline Wang def. Zoya Hasan 6-0, 6-2 GIRLS DOUBLES

1st Place: Ancele Dolensek/Emmeline Wang def. Isabelle Einess/ Alekhya Gottemukkula 6-4 3rd Place: Zoya Hasan/ Aarti Prochnov def. Claire Loftus/Aoife Loftus 6-3

MARCH 2019  9

National Junior Level 3 Results Sioux Falls 14s

GIRLS SINGLES

USTA Northern Players Make Mark at National Level 3’s in Sioux Falls

1st Place: Selah Stibbins (Minneapolis, Minnesota) def. Sarena Biria (Leawood, Kansas) 6-1, 6-1 All Northern semifinal match between Selah Stibbins and Zoe Adkins (Maple Grove).

BOYS SINGLES

1st Place: Oskar Jansson (Minneapolis, Minnesota) def. Bryson Cook (Sewickley, Pennsylvania) 6-2, 6-2 BOYS DOUBLES

1st Place: Oskar Jansson (Minneapolis, Minnesota)/Emmanuel Alex (St. Paul, Minnesota) def. Bryson Cook (Sewickley, Pennsylvania)/ Astro Pilipovic (New York, New York)

GIRLS DOUBLES

Sarah Shahbaz (Ham Lake, Minnesota)/Selah Stibbins (Minneapolis) def. Annette Robertson (Valencia, California)/Navya Vadlamudi (Plano, Texas) 6-2

Tennis on Campus Border Battle Minnesota captured the second annual USTA Northern Tennis on Campus Border Battle against North Dakota on Jan. 19-20 at Courts Plus Community Fitness in Fargo, ND. The Minnesota side included the University of Minnesota, Minnesota State University-Mankato, Winona State University (A and B teams) and Gustavus, facing a North Dakota team built from the University of North Dakota, Valley City State University (A and B teams) and North Dakota State University (A and B teams).

Consisting of seven rounds, the scoring format is based around total games won, handing Minnesota a narrow victory, 524-513.

Showcasing the tightness of the contest, each state had three teams in the top six of winning percentages. The University of Minnesota and the Winona State A team shared the top spot with a 62.5% winning percentage.

The organizer of the event, Erik Kringlie, said the tight contest made for an exciting event and a thrilling final day.

10 MARCH 2019

“We had a great second annual Border Battle with some very exciting tennis and the winning state being determined by the last match of the day between UMN Gophers and UND A, with Minnesota coming out on top,” Kringlie said.

Plans are already being made for next year’s tilt; Kringlie said the courts have been booked for January 18 – 19, 2020, and the countdown is on.

“Overall it is now North Dakota 1 and Minnesota 1, so we should have a great 3rd Annual Border Battle in 2020!”

A few fun stats from the weekend: Teams: 10 (7 unique) Players: 68 Tennis Balls Used: 156 Pizzas Left Over: 0 Total Matches Played: 25 Total Sets Played: 125 Total Games Played: 1037

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Team Challenge

Road Trip USTA Northern’s goal has always been to build and foster relationships with the people who make an impact on the game in their local communities. After all, they know tennis in their area best! In a section spanning all or part of four states, staying connected has always presented a challenge. Usually, technology helps bridge the gaps but sometimes the old ways work best.

At the end of January, four members of USTA Northern’s staff took a weeklong road trip through North Dakota and South Dakota to introduce new staff members, put names to faces and continue building the relationships with facilities, Community Tennis Associations and school districts that help grow the game. Meetings took place at facilities, coffee shops, hotels and more. The Northern section may cover a huge area of land, but making sure everybody is included is a central pillar of our collective success.

Despite brutally cold weather during their swing through the Dakotas,

Northern staff took away plenty of positives from the trip.

“We heard a lot of best practices that we can bring to other communities. Sharing what works best is a huge part of building long-term success and that’s what we’re after so it was really good to hear,” said Tennis Service Representative Mya Smith-Dennis. “And we know that something that works for one community might not work for another one so it’s great having more ideas and more things to try.”

The personal touch of meeting people face-to-face has Northern’s Junior Tournaments and Rankings Manager, Katie Bergmann, ready for another road trip soon.

“It was honestly amazing to meet people in person and spend time talking to members of our section like this. I’m in contact with everyone over email and over the phone but having an opportunity to sit down and chat is unique and we all really appreciate them taking the time to share their thoughts and hear from us.”

The Roadtrippers/2019 Polar Vortex Veterans: Katie Bergmann Manager of Junior Tournaments and National Teams

Pat Colbert Chief Program Officer

January 26 2:00 p.m. Choice Health and Fitness, Grand Forks January 27 10:00 a.m. Courts Plus Community Fitness, Fargo January 28 1:00 p.m. Capital Racquet and Fitness Center, Bismarck 4:00 p.m. Mandan Community Tennis Association, Bismarck January 29 12:00 p.m. West River Community Center, Dickinson January 30

Zeny McCoy Manager of Junior Team Tennis

Mya Smith-Dennis Tennis Service Representative

10:30 a.m.

12:00 p.m.

2:30 p.m.

5:30 p.m.

January 31

Arrowhead Country Club, Rapid City Rapid City Park and Recreation, Rapid City Rapid City Area Schools, Rapid City Rapid City Park and Recreation, Rapid City

2:30 p.m. Sioux Falls Sports Authority, Sioux Falls February 1 9:00 a.m.

Huether Family Match Pointe, Sioux Falls Sioux Falls Country Club GreatLIFE Sioux Falls Sioux Falls Tennis Association

9:00 a.m. Tennis Center of the Black Hills, Rapid City

2017 USTA SECTION OF THE YEAR

MARCH 2019 11

Bruce Gullikson

To Get Better I Always Need to Play Better Players...Right?

There are many myths in all sports and tennis is no exception to the rule. There are a great many commonly held beliefs about strokes, strategy, fitness, footwork and more. A lot of these beliefs aren’t true but most believe they are. One of these ideas is that in order to get better, you must always play and practice with better players. Let’s examine that idea a bit more indepth and see if it’s actually the case.

Pop quiz: What do Staubili, Dragon and Fabianno all have in common? Other than the fact that most people are likely not familiar with these players, they all have been practice partners with a fair player from Switzerland named Roger Federer. Does Federer ever practice with the very top players? Certainly he does during tournaments but not always. In the preseason, he is usually practicing with someone who is not a top 100 player...but why?

Federer and his team choose practice partners for a variety of reasons: perhaps a super consistent player if he wants rhythm, or a lefty if he expects to face some in a tournament and sometimes it’s someone with an exceptional shot - but he focuses on what he is practicing and not so much with whom he is practicing. The results of this approach seem to have been pretty effective over the years.

Johan Kriek, a former top 10 player and 2-time Grand Slam champion said his game really took off between the ages of 17-19, at a time when he didn’t play any top junior tournaments. Instead, he said it was the first time he worked with a very good coach and he took the time to develop his game. He had a very effective pro career after that.

“Those are pros. Certainly it cannot apply to me.”

Again, often times a misconception.

“If i join the top group, I will become or my child will become better because they are hitting and playing against better players.”

This is one of those statements that seems to make sense until you think about it. First of all, if you’re the weakest player, why would better players want to hit with you? How does hitting with you benefit them? If you’re not developed enough athletically or stroke-wise, you’re most likely going to get injured or lose confidence; neither of which is beneficial to anyone’s development.

Being A Better Practice Partner In his brilliant book, “If I Am The Better Player Why Can’t I Win?” Alan Fox made it clear. If you only play better players, the only thing you learn how to do is lose - not a trait most people want to develop.

No matter what endeavor a person chooses, you must have some success from time to time to stay motivated and work on developing to your full potential. Does this mean you should never practice with better players or look to play matches or tournaments with them? Of course not. But focus more on what you bring to the table i.e. maximum effort, attention to detail, being task-focused, staying positive and being coachable than what other people are bringing to you.

12 MARCH 2019

When the great Magnus Norman was in Minneapolis a couple of years ago, he did some demonstrations with two fine local players: Lucianno Battaglini and Jeff Adolph. Norman ran them through several drills and he made the comment that his player, 3-time Grand Slam winner Stan Wawrinka would have no issue practicing with either Jeff or Lucianno despite the fact that, while they are exceptional local players, they’re not on the tour and they’re not trying to be.

Why is that?

It was because of what they brought to the table: intensity, a willingness to listen and they hit well enough that even Stan, above their level, could have a productive practice with them if the situation ever occurred.

Remember, if you’re in a group or team practice, there is always one player who’s the strongest and one who’s the weakest and everyone else is in between. If you’re clearly the strongest player, try to work on your consistency, help the other players so that you get a workout and still address your needs like strengthening a weaker shot or improving your movement.

If you’re the weakest player, pay attention to what is going on and if you do not understand something, ask questions instead of trying to fake it. Hustle as hard as you can and stay positive; that’s what most people are looking for in practice partners. Also, focus on learning and not on winning in practice. Healthy competition is productive for all but if one becomes too competitive, they’ll be tempted to tweak rules or practice conditions to win which makes them undesirable to practice with.

20/60/20 In my opinion the best ratio for development is 20/60/20.

20% challenge yourself with better players 60% play and practice people at your level 20% play with players a level below to work on new skills and to keep balance and perspective These ratios aren’t carved in stone but are a good starting point and can certainly be tweaked. Take an honest look at your game: How fit are you? Do you have major or minor technical deficiencies? Do you play with strategy or just wing it? Do you work with a coach, pro or mentor? What are your goals and objectives?

Is it easy hitting with someone you may be stronger than? Probably not, just as it is not easy to hit with someone who is clearly better than you. Focus on practicing better and not worrying as much about those with whom you are practicing.

As of this writing, Radu Albot of Moldova won the men’s singles title in the Delray Beach tournament. While not an expert on the geography of Moldova, I’m guessing that Mr. Albot was practicing with players inferior to him most of the time - he is the first male from Moldova to ever win an ATP tournament.

Something to consider the next time you go to the practice court.

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By letsplay.com

Why Kids Should Participate In Team Tennis?

BUILDS CONFIDENCE When playing a sport, children have the opportunity to show their skills, gain greater self-awareness, and enjoy an activity that they love the most.

PROVIDES CONSTANT EXERCISE Most kids have too much screen time and not enough hands-on activity. Team sports commit your child to regular exercise, which helps boost immunity and contributes to overall physical health.

DEVELOPS RELATIONSHIPS Children build friendships with other children and their coaches, which is a great way for your child to expand their social skills and understand expectations.

CONTRIBUTES TO STRONGER ACADEMICS Children who play team sports are more apt to stronger academic achievement. Through sports, kids learn the importance of time management and discipline.

HELPS PUT WINNING INTO PERSPECTIVE This can be a real sore subject for some kids. Participating in team sports gives kids the opportunity to gain an understanding of both winning and losing, as well as recognize the value of every teammate’s abilities in contributing toward a shared goal.

TEACHES RESPECT In team sports, children learn to respect other authoritative figures, such as coaches, referees and umpires, as well as their peers.

ENCOURAGES FAMILY INVOLVEMENT Your child is not the only one who will benefit from participation in team sports. Moms, dads and siblings can practice skills, attend games and cheer each other on, providing a bonding opportunity for the whole family.

WHEN YOUR KIDS TAKE PART IN TEAM SPORTS THEY DEVELOP:

Friendship and camaraderie Cooperation and teamwork skills Social interaction skills Team goal-setting skills Respect for teammates/ opponents/officials A sense of belonging/ team membership Physical skills Self-esteem and self-concept

QUESTIONS? Contact Zeny McCoy at Zeny@northern.usta.com or at (952) 358-3291.

Leadership skills Appreciation of different abilities Self-discipline, patience and persistence Resiliency through positive and negative experiences.

Images by Capsula Vita

Community

Bold Ideas in Cook County Parents and kids in the Northern section face more challenges in staying active than most of the rest of the country. It’s nothing new, but a lot of the time, tennis falls by the wayside in the winter months due to a lack of access to indoor courts.

Enter Charley Darley, a 72-year-old pro in Cook County who is seeing success in his winter programming at the Cook County Community YMCA in Grand Marais. While the typical image of tennis training is on a court with the sun beating down, Darley emphasizes skills that can be used across activities.

“In general, when we teach, we really stress athletic skills and movement skills. There’s a lot of emphasis on footwork, balance, quickness. We train racquet work as well but we work a lot on those movement skills that apply across the Photo Credit-Cook County board in sports,” Darley said.

Teaching a broad range of ages requires numerous creative approaches to keep classes engaging. For the youngest burgeoning tennis players, Darley swaps balls out for balloons and works on the basics of catching and throwing, kicking and running.

“I’ve done this for a long time, using balloons or big balls. Balloons are great, the kids can hit them around at that age,” Darley said.

But part of the continued success of the program is having parents buy in and emphasizing the true purpose of the class remains a focus.

“It includes working with parents to just get across the idea that they’re there to serve the kid and not coach them to be superstars.

Make it your kid’s activity. It’s theirs, not yours.”

As kids get older, they run more movement-specific drills with equipment like hurdles made out of PVC pipes, forcing the players to lift their knees and kick their heels, developing a more efficient stride.

From one-year-olds with balloons, to young players building athletic skills for use in tennis and other activities, or to adults getting interested in wall practice sessions to build control and get exercise while having Darley there to guide them, the programming in Cook County has something for everyone.

USTA Northern Director of Community Impact Naomi Sadighi credits Darley’s creativity with building a good model for overcoming adversity and keeping programming fresh year-round.

“Charley really understands the passion for the game and for being active in general comes from environments like this. It’s a bottom-up approach that’s healthy and sustainable year over year,” Sadighi said.

“He’s an asset to his community but even beyond that, the more people exercise their creativity in getting kids and parents involved and keeping them involved, the better off the game and its players will be all around our section.”

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While Darley has seen progress in the summer in the couple years since he arrived, he acknowledged there is a long way to go to build an extremely strong program and retain the momentum through the winter.

Along with all the success outdoors in the summer and the growing impact at the YMCA in the winter, Darley is forging a new path through his outreach to the Oshki Ogimaag Charter School in Grand Portage.

It started as a one-hour class on a single Saturday with 18 kids from the school across three pickleball courts. The class went well, Darley said, and served as a good introduction to the game.

It was popular with the kids too.

This coming school year, Darley intends to travel to the school once a week, going up for PE periods for grades 1-3 and 4-6.

“The kids we worked with in the one-time class will be the ones we’re working with for the PE periods. We’ll be helping to supply them with equipment too,” Darley said.

In Darley’s eyes, benefits of building this particular bridge go far beyond the sport itself.

“Making these connections is how we help the kids connect with each other and have a good experience when they’re young. Working with disadvantaged or low-income communities is a big emphasis for our program.”

Developing these opportunities takes time and resources so the more hands on deck, the better. USTA Northern Tennis Service Representative Mya Smith-Dennis will be heading to Cook County to provide Net Generation instruction for grade school and high school PE teachers so tennis can reach more kids in school.

“When we talk about growing the game, sometimes that’s a little abstract. Obviously it’s about getting racquets into more hands but where do we find the future players to grow the game? This is how we do it,” Sadighi said. “We have these conversations, we try new things with new people. Charley’s doing that and the results are already there.”

All of the effort points to a continuation of a proud tradition of tennis in the region.

“There were a lot of families who played tennis and had kids who played and did real well at the state level and then there’s been a bit of a drop off,” Darley said. “I came up a couple years ago and got things rolling again. We’re starting with the youngest kids to build that new wave.

There’s a great tradition up here, we’re just looking to rev it up again.”

To find out more about the Cook County Tennis Association’s efforts, visit their website at playtenniscookcounty.org.

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Scholarships & Grants USTA Northern knows the impact grants and scholarships can have on a community’s capacity to provide programs for tennis players and grow the game. As part of its commitment to maximizing this impact, USTA Northern and the USTA offer a variety of grants and scholarships.

A new grant is being introduced in 2019: The AdoptA-Community Grant.

USTA Northern aims to support communities around the section to grow the game through technical assistance, staff support, faceto-face time in the community, financial support and more. This year, Northern will “adopt” one community looking to overcome a barrier that will allow them to further develop their tennis communities.

This community will have access to all USTA Northern staff as appropriate and will work with the Impact team to find solutions to the identified problem and create a roadmap to success.

Since this is the pilot year, USTA Northern will accept a wide range of requests and will select the grantee based on need, community makeup and ability to meet the proposed goals.

USTA Northern Director of Community Impact Naomi Sadighi created the grant and emphasized the benefits of its fluid nature.

“We left the application and criteria purposefully broad. I expect it to adapt over time as we see what works and what doesn’t,” said Sadighi.

“That’s a real asset right now. Staying connected and providing support for the community that receives the grant is going to teach everyone a lot about how to be as effective as possible going forward.”

Similarly, the grant continues USTA Northern’s mission of building bottom-up momentum. By providing the resources of section staff and financial support, the community will be able to apply its local knowledge to aggressively pursue its goals and grow the game.

“The pros, the providers and the players know their communities best and the more we can support them and provide some assistance – whether that’s technical or financial or something we haven’t even thought of yet – the greater the overall impact,” said Sadighi.

While 2019 marks the debut of a new grant, more established ones

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like the Community Tennis Grant, USTA Public Facility Funding Grants, Blended Lines and Conversion Grants and more will be available.

But the USTA and USTA Northern’s grant infrastructure is only half of the equation. Helping build better facilities, more access to courts and the population of players in a community is critical; similarly, helping aspiring tennis players reach their full potential is a major focus for the section.

There are three scholarships available specifically from USTA Northern for Junior players: the Tennis Camp Scholarship, the Entry-Level Tournament Scholarships Award and the Junior Tennis Scholarship.

USTA Northern Tennis Camp Scholarship Awarded to a player age 13 or younger who demonstrates a commitment to tennis, the player must receive an endorsement from his/her tennis coach to be considered. The recipient receives a scholarship to attend a camp located within USTA Northern.

USTA Northern Entry-Level Tournament Scholarships Award USTA Northern offers scholarships for youth age 10-14 who reside within the section to play in USTA Junior Tournaments. Scholarship funds can be used for Level 7 or Level 8 tournaments. Youth playing high school tennis are not eligible to apply due to MSHSL bylaws.

The scholarship covers the entire cost of the tournament entry fee and will be paid directly to the tournament director.

USTA Northern Junior Tennis Scholarship Juniors age 10-17 are eligible to apply for a USTA Northern Junior Tennis Scholarship. This form works for the Tony Stingley Diverse Player Scholarship, the USTA Northern Junior Tennis Scholarship and the new USTA Northern College Scholarship.

For more information on any of these scholarships or as additional opportunities become available throughout the year, contact Naomi Sadighi at naomi@northern.usta.com.

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What’s Your Call Have you ever had a dispute with a fellow player over a call on the court that you couldn’t settle? Maybe you’re just curious about how some scenarios, from the common to the ridiculous, are resolved.

From USTA.com.

Question: I hit a really high lob that hit the ceiling light and came down to bounce on my opponent’s side of the court. My opponent stopped playing and said he won the point, but I think since it landed in his court, it should’ve been played. Who is correct?

Answer: Unfortunately, this isn’t a nothing but net circa 1990s Michael Jordan commercial where everything is in-play. When playing indoor tennis, permanent fixtures such as lights and ceiling fans are not fair game. Once a ball hits one, the ball is ‘out’ and the person who hit the ball loses the point. Save those trick shots off the water cooler to the ceiling fan for the warm-up. (ITF Rule 2) Question: Does the length of a tiebreak game determine who serves at the start of the next set? If someone wins a tiebreak, 7-5, versus a 15-13 tiebreak, does it change?

Answer: Luckily, no matter the length of the tiebreak game, you just need to remember who received at the very beginning of it. If you (or your team) were the receiver for the first point of the tiebreak, you become the server for the first game of the next set. So go forth and play long tiebreaks; just remember who received first. (ITF Rule 5) Question: In a league match, my doubles partner and I were struggling to get in a rhythm. After losing the first set, we switched the serving order and got into a groove. After going up 3-0, our opponents noticed the change and said it was illegal to switch the serving order.

Were they correct?

Answer: If only wiping the slate clean in life were as easy, we would

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do it every day. Luckily, in tennis, you get to wipe the slate clean at the beginning of every set. That’s why you see so many great comebacks after teams lose a 6-0 in the first set. At the beginning of every set, including the 10-point match tiebreak, you can switch the serving order of doubles partners so you were correct in changing strategy at the start of the next set. The new rotation then continues until the end of that set. (Rule 14).

Question: During a rally, I was pulled off-court and in a moment of desperation, I threw my racquet at a return. Amazingly, the ball hit the racquet and went back over the net for a winner. My opponent said that it was an illegal hit and that I lost the point. Is he correct?

Answer: We wish we could give you the point for style. It certainly sounds like a contender for one of the best shots of the year. Unfortunately for you, your opponent is correct. If you are not holding the racquet when the ball hits it, you lose the point.

This rule can be found in the Friend at Court under the ITF Rules of Tennis #24, Player Loses Point.

Question: In the first game, our opponents hit a wide shot that my partner, who is a wheelchair player, hit a good return after the second bounce. Our opponents started to celebrate thinking it was a winner and did not make an attempt to return the ball. They argued that they won the point because the ball bounced twice. What is the bounce rule when able-bodied players play doubles with wheelchair players?

Answer: Your opponents just got a lesson about celebrating a victory before the point was over. When playing together, able-bodied players must remember that ball is not out of play until it bounces a third time if it goes to the wheelchair player. BUT... don’t get any ideas about able-bodied players getting extra bounces. The wheelchair tennis player is the only one allowed two bounces if needed and the able-bodied players must adapt.

Question: During a match, my opponent broke his strings returning a first serve fault. Luckily, he had a backup racquet which he ran over to get. When he returned, we weren’t sure if I was now serving a first or second serve. What is the proper procedure?

Answer: Your opponent was lucky he had a back-up racquet. He must have been a Boy Scout growing up. Whenever there is a delay between a first and second serve, caused by the receiver, the server is allowed a first serve. This delay could be anything from washing out a contact lens to clearing a ball from court or like in this scenario, exchanging a broken racquet.

This rule can be found in the Friend at Court under the ITF Rules of Tennis #23 The Let. MARCH 2019 17

Getting to Know...

Kathy Vang 1. What do you do at USTA Northern and how long have you been here?

I am the Administrative Assistant for USTA Northern and I have been here for about 2 months.

2. What is your background in tennis?

A lot of my family members play tennis and that’s how I got into it.

I played tennis for Harding Senior High for 3 years.

3. So far, what’s your favorite part of the job?

Staff tennis! Kidding, I love that there is always something new to learn. I am really passionate about learning new things and I consider myself very fortunate to work in a field that is always changing and growing.

4. What’d you do before this, what are your goals here?

I worked as an administrator in the Marine Corps for 5 years.

My goal is to expand my professional knowledge and training. It is important to understand that learning never stops, even after you’ve earned your degree.

5. Who’s your favorite men’s and women’s tennis player?

Roger Federer and Serena Williams.

6. What’s your go-to shot under pressure?

Backhand slice.

7. Have you been to any Slams? If not, which one is first on the bucket list?

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I have not, but the first one on my bucket list is the Australian Open.

8. Which shot do you do everything to avoid hitting?

If possible, my serve (honestly, I just need to work on it).

9. What non-tennis hobbies or interests do you have?

I enjoy long quiet hikes, wearing Lululemon while doing outdoor yoga, singing in my car, late night drives, and good beer.

10. You can go to a tennis tournament with any person, living or dead, BUT you have to watch the ENTIRE tournament with them too. Who do you pick?

My sister because even if the tournament wasn’t very interesting we’d still have a really good time.

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Volunteers

Committee Structure 2019-2020 COMMUNITY IMPACT Community Tennis Association Committee Chair: Jessie Daw Joshua Connell, Michael Ile, John Pickett, Janet Gunderson-Powers, Rebecca Johnson, Sadie Reiners Grants & Scholarships Committee Chair: Alex Scheglowski Sara Hong, Lisa Proepper, Briana Rademacher, Wyatt McCoy, Matt Boughton, Marcia Bach, John Hammargren, Joshua Connell

MEMBERSHIP & MARKETING Awards & Recognition Committee Chair: Jay Pfaender Scott Boyer, Marcia Bach, Chris Dummermuth, Dave Gunderson, Heather Landrus, Bob Larson, Pat Smith Marketing & Development Committee Chair: Justin Gaard Ed Andrist, Kaitlyn Dennis, Dan Edwardson, Kayla Flynn, David Nelson, John Niedfeldt-Thomas, Pat Smith, Debbie Vorpahl

PROGRAMMING Officials Committee Chair: Christopher Grant Sandy McCleod, Brian Rusche, Patrick Ledray, Jill Hofacker-Williams, Kevin Allan, Kay Conway, Aaron Peck Grievance & Sportsmanship Committee Chair: Larry Baill Felicia Raschiatore, Dave Fishbaine

JUNIOR PLAY DEPARTMENT Junior Tournaments & Rankings Committee Chair: Mary Park Matt Boughton, Mason Hemmer, Ben Maes, Anne Gorde, Kathy Alex,

Brandon Kuether, Felicia Raschiatore, Kayla Flynn, Tricia Moorhead, Mark Vellek Junior Player ID & Development Chair: Steve Tacyl Craig Gordon, Danny Kantar, Ben Maes, Clay Sollenberger, Viet Pham, Mark Vellek, Kevin Plank, Mark Muntifering, Justin Jennings, Felicia Raschiatore, Diana Bukajeva Junior Team Tennis Committee Chair: Matt Boughton Sara Hong, Spencer Jones, Brandon Kuether, Jon Pickett, Briana Rademacher, Sadie Reiners, Lisa Salo, Clay Sollenberger, Oliver Summers

ADULT PLAY DEPARTMENT USTA League & Tournaments Committee Chair: Jim Marolt Rick Lassow, Timothy Magnuson, Leslie Nicholson, Kim Wolson, Mason Hemmer, Helen Gunther, Cami Czeck, Kay Conway, Becky Johnson, Molly Breunig Self-Rate Appeals Committee Chair: Mary McDonald Helen Gunther, Leslie Nicholson Medical Appeals Committee Chair: Natasha Petry Annie Burton, Hilarion Woronzoff-Dashkoff Tennis on Campus Committee Chair: Erik Kringlie Pending additions Tennis in Your Park Committee Chair: Carter Bayne Aaron Peck, Pam Boorsma, Karl Monson, Kaitlyn Dennis, Jackie Dutot, Chris Bushaw, Anne Gorde, Larry Baill, Debbie Vorpahl Board of Directors First Row L-R: Scott Boyer, 1st Vice President; Julie Whitaker, Treasurer; Kathy Lundberg, Section Delegate; Liz Hamburg, President; Susan Kringlie, Vice President; Matt Boughton, Secretary Second Row: Scott Sundstrom, Bill Stelle, Jessie Daw, Dipu Rahman, Marcia Harris, Justin Gaard Third Row: Dave Fishbaine, Barry Dobson, Andrew Holm Not Pictured: Pam Boorsma

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