Leslie Pfeiffer, Executive Director of the Arkansas Tennis Association, Resigns Effective 12/31/11

AT A RECENT NORTH LITTLE ROCK PARKS AND RECREATION COMMISSION MEETING on APRIL 18, 2011:

Leslie Pfeiffer, Executive Director of the Arkansas Tennis Association, stated that she would retire on December 31, 2011. She reported that the Burns Park Tennis Center expansion is finished that includes twelve (12) 36'tennis courts for eight (8) and nine (9) years olds, and events have expanded to 80 per year. The National Site Meeting group is visiting the Burns Park Tennis Center, looking for a location to have the national league championship in 2013. She thanked the commission and said it had been a great year.

Commission Member Jeanne Hyde made a motion, seconded by Commission Member Bruce Waller, to accept and file this report. All
voted aye and motion passed unanimously.
Commission Member Vicki Stephens thanked her for their work and coming to the meeting.

Job Opening @ USTA Arkansas- Executive Director Position

Position Title: Executive Director

Position Description
The Executive Director serves as the chief operating officer of the Arkansas Tennis Association (ATA).Overall, the Executive Director is responsible for achieving the overall mission of the ATA:  promote and develop the growth of tennis in Arkansas.  In order to achieve this mission, the Executive Director works
closely with the ATA President and Executive Board, and directs and supervises the employees of the ATA in order to implement and operate programs designed to increase all aspects of tennis within the State.  Within Arkansas, the Executive Director works with outside entities including the Arkansas Tennis Patrons Foundation, community tennis associations and tennis professionals to develop and enhance tennis programs in the State.  In addition, in partnership with the City of North Little Rock and through the Facility Manager, the Executive Director oversees the operations of the Burns Park Tennis Facility.  
The Arkansas Tennis Association is one of nine state associations within the USTA Southern Section.  The ATA Executive Director is expected to develop professional relationships with the Executive Directors of the other USTA Southern districts and to work closely with USTA and USTA Southern staff with the objective of growing the game of tennis in Arkansas.   

Major Duties
1. Manage and supervise ATA staff to insure that goals and objectives established by the ATA Executive Committee and Board of Directors are met.  Included under this duty are the responsibilities for maintaining ATA employee records (e.g., leave requests, compensation records,etc.), recruiting and training new staff, and annual performance reviews.
2. Conduct the financial management of the ATA in order to assure that the monetary and physical assets of the ATA are safeguarded.  Duties include development of the annual budget, recording of PBIF numbers, and oversight of ATA investments.
3. Inform the President and Executive Committee of activities of staff and other components of the ATA.  Provide administrative support to the Executive Committee, Board of Directors and other ATA Committees.
4. Act as a liaison between the ATA and our parent organizations, the USTA and USTA Southern, as well as Arkansas Community Tennis Associations (CTA).  Duties include attending semi‐annual and annual meetings of both the USTA and USTA Southern, other National and Sectional meetings and workshops that are deemed relevant to ATA operations, and periodic visits to Arkansas CTAs. When appropriate, work with the Arkansas Tennis Patrons Foundation on joint projects.
5. Support and serve as referee for ATA sponsored tournaments.  Currently, these tournaments include three Adult League mid‐season tournaments, eight Adult League State Championships, and the Junior Team Tennis State Championship.  
6.Oversee the operations of the Burns Park Tennis Facility.  Duties include direct supervision of the Facility Manager and Director of Tennis, preparation and regular review of the budget and financial status, and working with the City of North Little Rock to insure that the Burns Park Tennis Facility is meeting its goals and objectives.

Specific Position Requirements
Baccalaureate Degree (e.g., B.A., B.S or equivalent) or higher/or suitable work experience
Experience in business setting ideally at a managerial level
Experience in tennis management (e.g., tennis facility manager, CTA management, tennis professional,staff in an USTA office), USTA Membership

Application Details
Applications including a resume, a letter of interest, and a list of up to five individuals who can serve as references should be sent to Larry Cornett at searchcommittee@arktennis.com.  Email submission is preferable, however application materials may also be sent to:  Arkansas Tennis Association, 2024 Arkansas Valley Drive, #302, Little Rock, AR, 72212.  Applications will be reviewed starting July 15, 2011 and will be accepted until the position is filled.  For more information about the Arkansas Tennis Association, consult the website, www.arktennis.com.

The ATA is an Equal Opportunity Employer.  Applications from women, members of underrepresented groups, and persons with disabilities are encouraged.  

Ryan Hudelson and Mary Wright Capture the 2011 Arkansas Junior Qualifying Tennis Championships

Ryan Hudelson (pictured right) of Little Rock won the Boy's 18s title with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over William Campbell of Little Rock and Mary Wright of Hot Springs defeated Lindsey Liles of Little Rock 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 for the Girl's 18s title in the Arkansas Junior Qualifying Tennis Championships at Burns Park in North little Rock, Arkansas. Other divisional winners include

Boy's 16s- Taylor Cramer of Texarkana, Tx
Girl's 16s- Tiffany Tang of Rogers

Boy's 14s- Jake Jacoby of Little Rock
Girl's 14s- Jacqueline Carr of Bentonville

Boy's 12s- Max Mendelsohn of Little Rock,
Girl's 12s- Tatum Rice of Hot Springs,

Boy's 10s- Eric Richardson of Jonesboro
Girl's 10s- Evelyn Maurras of Jonesboro

*** See comments for other results

Kaitlin Ray of Little Rock Signs with Tennis Powerhouse UCLA Bruins

As an energetic youngster growing up in Little Rock, Ark., Kaitlin Ray had several sports competing for her attention. One of them was tennis. But soccer and gymnastics were a lot of fun, too.

It took a few years, but Ray became serious about tennis. When that happened, at age 11, her enormous potential in the sport began to materialize.
The blue-chip recruit, who signed a scholarship in November to play tennis this fall at UCLA, emerged as a top junior in Arkansas. However, Ray didn't want to just be the best junior player in Arkansas. Achieving that objective would require a significant change.

"Little Rock is a great place to grow up, but it's not a tennis mecca," said Ray, who began playing tennis at age 4. "It was getting hard to find top players to play against."

Ray would soon learn there was a tennis mecca that could help her become a better player - the Smith Stearns Tennis Academy in Hilton Head Island, S.C. She began training at Smith Stearns in the first semester of her sophomore year in high school and has not regretted making that move.

"It's been a good decision for me," Ray said. "It was hard to leave my family and friends. (Smith Stearns) is such a positive environment and the staff is unbelievable. It's been the best two years of my life."

Under the tutelage of coaches B.J. Stearns, Billy Stearns and Jolene Watanabe, the 5-foot-5 Ray began taking her game to a higher level.

"All the coaches have been helpful, teaching me shot selection and strategy," Ray said. "They've really helped me to hit a bigger ball and you need that as you go higher."

Ray, 18, hit a lot of big balls at the recent USTA Regional Tournament Segment in January at Mobile, Ala., winning five straight matches to capture the Girls' 18 title. That championship, along with other excellent tournament results, helped Ray reach the top 25 nationally in USTA Girls' 18 singles and become a prized recruit.

Ray believes the skills she gained in soccer and gymnastics helped her on the tennis court.

"I loved both of them," Ray said. "They provided me with balance and were a good foundation. I quit gymnastics right when the routines were starting to get dangerous."

In exploring college options, Ray was faced with more choices. UCLA was on her list, as were top schools like Vanderbilt, Notre Dame, Georgia Tech and North Carolina. Eventually, the chance to play for Stella Sampras Webster at UCLA was too good to pass up.

"When I visited UCLA, I fell in love with the coaching staff," Ray said. "Coach Sampras Webster and Rance Brown are dedicated to their program and they want you to get better in college."
Playing tennis in California won't be anything new for Ray. She has played the Easter Bowl in Palm Desert four times and the National Hard Courts in San Diego twice.

Ray plans to continue training at Smith Stearns through September, a few weeks before the start of her freshman year at UCLA. Then she will join one of the nation's best college programs for women's tennis.

By: TennisRecruiting.Net & Keith Kropp

St. Vincent Tour de Paul USTA Pro Circuit Men’s Tennis Tournament Begins April 4th

The St. Vincent Tour de Paul USTA Pro Circuit Men’s Tennis Tournament runs April 4 -10 at Pleasant Valley Country Club in Little Rock. This is the 31st year the tournament has been held in Little Rock, and is the only USTA Pro circuit professional men’s tennis event in Arkansas. St. Vincent has been the title sponsor for 27 years. There are several tennis related events including a dinner for players and fans to meet as well as Men’s, Mixed and Junior Pro AMs.

The tennis tournament includes social and tennis events throughout the week that are attended by approximately 200 people. Over 400 spectators watch the tournament over the 10 day period at Pleasant Valley Country Club. Tennis players from all over the world visit Little Rock to play in this USTA Pro circuit event.

The St. Vincent Tour de Paul Tennis Tournament has been selected as the recipient of the Arkansas Tennis Association (ATA) “Special Tennis Event of the Year award for 2010” as well as the USTA Southern Region Special Event for 2010.

The price for spectators to view this event is at a very affordable rate- FREE!!!

Mid-Season Team Tennis Tournament Starts March 11th at Burns Park Tennis Center

Arkansas League Mid-Season Tennis Tournament starts next Friday at Burns Park. Phone batteries are hot and emails are zipping back and forth as the captains plan their strategies and form their lineups. The local police have ticketed many tennis players during this time of the year. Let us know of any interesting tennis-related stories or team predictions circulating!!!!!

The Racquet Club of Memphis Hosts ATP & WTA World Tour Pro Tournament February 11-20

The Racquet Club of Memphis is the only private club in the world to host a professional ATP Men's and WTA Women's combined indoor tennis event. The 2011 Regions Morgan Keegan Championships and the Cellular South Cup will be played February 11-20, 2011. For tournament details please visit www.memphistennis.com or call (901) 765-4401.

2011 Players Already Commited
Andy Roddick, Fernando Verdasco, Gael Monfils, Lleyton Hewitt, James Blake, John Isner, Juan Martin del Potro, Mardy Fish, Sam Querrey, Tommy Haas & Melanie Oudin

Congratulations to our 2010 Champions
Men’s Singles – Sam Querrey
Men’s Doubles – John Isner / Sam Querrey
Women’s Singles – Maria Sharapova
Women’s Doubles – Vania King / Michaella Krajicek

Quality Tennis Lessons/Programs Across the State of Arkansas

If you are interested in learning "The Game of Tennis", Tennis Camps/Clinics/Programs are offered across the state of Arkansas.

Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced tennis lessons are available for adults and juniors including Quick-Start Tennis Programs.

Below is a short list of quality tennis instruction programs for all ages in alphabetical order of the cities in which they are located.
City/ Contact Name /Phone Number

Cabot / Chuck Cavin / 501-570-6755

Conway / Chuck Cavin /501-570-6755

El Dorado /Eric Sixby /870-814-5122

Fayetteville/ Jake Shoemake/ 479-204-1009

Hot Springs / Ronnie Bran /501-624-2153

Jonesboro /Gary Jones /870-932-6556

Little Rock / Chuck Cavin / 501-570-6755

Maumelle / Chuck Cavin / 501-570-6755

Texarkana / Billy Power / 903-244-4061

Top-Ranked Arkansas Adults & Juniors in 2010 Year-End USTA National Rankings

Kevin Hickey, Ray Pascale, Doug Stursma, Jan Coester, and Karen Graham achieved the highest USTA National Rankings for Arkansas Adult tennis players. Both, Ray Pascale of Pine Bluff and Kevin Hickey of Ft. Smith reached #13 in the Men's divisions followed by Doug Stursma of Bella Vista at #19, and Jan Coester of Lincoln at #47. In the Women's divisions, Karen Graham of Van Buren ranked #43.

Maxwell Mendelsohn, Jake Jacoby, Kaitlin Ray, and Tatum Rice achieved the highest USTA National Rankings for Arkansas Junior tennis players. Kaitlin Ray of Little Rock led all juniors with a #32 national ranking along with Maxwell Mendelsohn of Little Rock at #128, Tatum Rice of Hot Springs at #170, and Jake Jacoby of Little Rock at #199.

Below is a list of all nationally ranked Arkansas tennis players and their divisions:

Men's 40s
Rank Name City State Points
13 Hickey, Kevin Fort Smith AR 1250

Men's 50s
Rank Name City State Points
125 Cavin, Chuck Little Rock AR 144

Men's 55s
Rank Name City State Points
13 Pascale, Ray Pine Bluff AR 1329
19 Stursma, Doug C. Bella Vista AR 1097
109 Collazo, Mel Little Rock AR 210

Men's 60s
Rank Name City State Points
76 Duffel, Stephen G. Little Rock AR 458
109 Beauchamp, David Fayetteville AR 264

Men's 70s
Rank Name City State Points
47 Coester, Jan W. Lincoln AR 598

Women's 60s
Rank Name City State Points
43 Graham, Karen D. Van Buren AR 269

Boy's 12s
Rank Name City State Points
128 Mendelsohn, Maxwell Lawrence Little Rock AR 892

Boy's 14s
Rank Name City State Points
199 Jacoby, Jake Little Rock AR 771
251 Cramer, Taylor Texarkana TX 676
446 Mathis, Christian K. Mountain Home AR 410
662 Talbert, Matt Hot Springs AR 253
747 Terrell, Branch Little Rock AR 206

Boy's 16s
Rank Name City State Points
448 Crawford, Austin Maumelle AR 443
701 Colton, S. Riley Little Rock AR 253
811 Olaya, Julio R. Little Rock AR 202

Boy's 18s
Rank Name City State Points
246 Hudelson, Ryan Little Rock AR 718
354 Martinez, Mario Maumelle AR 554
568 Adams, Grant Texarkana TX 331

Girl's 12s
Rank Name City State Points
170 Rice, Tatum Brooke Hot Springs AR 786
589 Darter, Alye Rogers AR 237
605 Rice, Thea Hale Hot Springs AR 227

Girl's 14s
Rank Name City State Points
219 Carr, Jacqueline Ariana Bentonville AR 722
299 Jackson, Katelyn Roland AR 587
363 Tang, Tiffany Rogers AR 477
477 Tarwater, Annie Texarkana TX 356
562 Metcalf, Emily Ann Jonesboro AR 292

Girl's 16s
Rank Name City State Points
254 Wright, Mary Hot Springs AR 672

Girl's 18s
Rank Name City State Points
32 Ray, Kaitlin M. Little Rock AR 1708
595 Liles, Lindsey Little Rock AR 283

Top-Ranked Arkansas Juniors in 2010 Year-End Southern Tennis Rankings

Zachary Humphries of Maumelle and Thea Hale Rice of Hot Springs achieved the highest ranking among Arkansas Junior Tennis players in the 2010 Year-End Southern Junior Rankings. Humphries reached #4 in the Southern Boy's 10s division, and Rice ranked #5 in the Girl's 10s division. Below is a list of the Top-200 ranked Arkansas Juniors in the Southern Section of the USTA.

Boy's 10s
Rank Name City State Points
4 Humphries, Zachary Maumelle AR 1780
8 Chakka, Anil Little Rock AR 1559
19 Wood, Andrew White Hall AR 1184
35 Lupinek, Brandon D North Little Rock AR 881
37 Barnett, Wesley Little Rock AR 873
66 Johnson, Conner Nicklaus Hot Springs AR 544
81 Lundstrum, Isaac Lee Fayetteville AR 463
89 Rogers, Foster Harrison Little Rock AR 442
106 Schach, Quinn Fayetteville AR 380
109 Frey, Maximilian Y. Texarkana AR 370
159 Light, Scott Jonesboro AR 246
189 Copeland, Chase Jonesboro AR 187
193 Richardson, Eric Jonesboro AR 180

Boy's 12s
Rank Name City State Points
10 Mendelsohn, Maxwell Lawrence Little Rock AR 2897
73 Ney, Marshall Smith Rogers AR 1365
80 Chakka, Anil Little Rock AR 1260
87 Hill, Jack Henry Hot Springs AR 1157
91 Kauffman, Spencer Hot Springs AR 1147
98 Humphries, Zachary Maumelle AR 1112
102 Simpson, Jef Jonesboro AR 1088
108 Clark, Griffin Rogers AR 1036
117 Harrison, Hunter Matthew Little Rock AR 935
127 Chikkala, Srikar Bentonville AR 827
136 McKee, Davis Jonesboro AR 751
142 Mitchell, Mason Ray Jonesboro AR 699
171 MacKey, Connor Jonesboro AR 561
177 Joshuva, Richard Bentonville AR 535

Boy's 14s
Rank Name City State Points
7 Jacoby, Jake Little Rock AR 3018
56 Mathis, Christian K. Mountain Home AR 1633
58 Talbert, Matt Hot Springs AR 1546
61 Deluca, Dylan Joseph Bentonville AR 1515
113 Brandon, Trent Little Rock AR 922
125 Chakka, Kiran Little Rock AR 823
190 Morse, Michael M. Rogers AR 549

Boy's 16s
Rank Name City State Points
57 Olaya, Julio R. Little Rock AR 1750
75 Cramer, Taylor Texarkana TX 1522(pictured right)
96 Jacoby, Jake Little Rock AR 1206
118 Churchill, David Reed Fayetteville AR 996
121 Guy, Cole Chapman Pine Bluff AR 980
124 Sheppard, Jordan Bentonville AR 952
159 Henry, Kyle Fayetteville AR 712
161 Shah, Varun Bentonville AR 702
183 McCollough, Matt Cabot AR 625
187 Terrell, Branch Little Rock AR 610

Boy's 18s
Rank Name City State Points
36 Martinez, Mario Maumelle AR 2123
37 Hudelson, Ryan Little Rock AR 2101
45 Adams, Grant Texarkana TX 1961
92 Campbell, William B. Little Rock AR 1282
117 Rowden, Jon Mark Greenbrier AR 1034
157 Hodous, Robert T. Fayetteville AR 778
176 Crawford, Austin Maumelle AR 680
177 McReynolds, Caleb M. Bella Vista AR 668

Girl's 10s
Rank Name City State Points
5 Rice, Thea Hale Hot Springs AR 1864
17 McKee, Maddie Jonesboro AR 1064
23 Hafner, Cameron Jonesboro AR 901
31 Doshier, Claire Harrison AR 824
43 Roper, Hunter Jonesboro AR 730
104 lucas, margaret porter LITTLE ROCK AR 331
105 Magness, Anna L Fort Smith AR 330
114 Allen, Eva North Little Rock AR 312
128 Worsham, Shelby Little Rock AR 265
132 Loflin, Ally L. Jonesboro AR 252

Girl's 12s
Rank Name City State Points
12 Rice, Tatum Brooke Hot Springs AR 2902
57 Rice, Thea Hale Hot Springs AR 1603
70 McAlexander, Morgan R. Jonesboro AR 1387
80 McAlexander, Bailey D. Jonesboro AR 1232
98 Baker, Emma MeiYuan Bentonville AR 1004
117 Ward, Kami Rave Hot Springs AR 791
141 Gamberini, Hannah Hot Springs AR 644
157 Pressley, Madelyn Claire Fort Smith AR 582
188 LaFrance, Katie Perdue Little Rock AR 438
190 Shah, Kruti Bentonville AR 435
196 Clemmons, Polly Hot Springs AR 415

Girl's 14s
Rank Name City State Points
12 Tang, Tiffany Rogers AR 3102
25 Carr, Jacqueline Ariana Bentonville AR 2297
39 Jackson, Katelyn Roland AR 1972
41 Metcalf, Emily Ann Jonesboro AR 1938
43 Tarwater, Annie Texarkana TX 1875
99 Darter, Alye Rogers AR 1201
107 Beaver, Alexis Fayetteville AR 1146
110 Lanier, Laura Little Rock AR 1140
156 Tang, Katherine Rogers AR 746
160 Edwards, Kayley S. Fort Smith AR 715
179 Glendenning, Rachel Lake Hamilton AR 640
181 Flynn, Teah Lorraine Farmington AR 638

Girl's 16s
Rank Name City State Points
32 Wright, Mary Hot Springs AR 2462
146 Randolph, Trinity Little Rock AR 923
157 Beetstra, Margaret A. Little Rock AR 869
174 Swanson, Kelly M. Little Rock AR 789
176 Tang, Tiffany Rogers AR 780
192 Pearce, Lindsy Fort Smith AR 706

Girl's 18s
Rank Name City State Points
12 Ray, Kaitlin M. Little Rock AR 2815
52 Liles, Lindsey Little Rock AR 1792
101 Brandon, Darby Little Rock AR 1315
130 Rowden, Ali Greenbrier AR 1049
162 Andersen, Amy Rogers AR 731

Arkansas Adult Tennis Year-end Rankings for 2010

The Arkansas Adult Tennis Year-end Rankings for 2010 have been posted. Below is a list of the rankings for each division.


Men’s Open Singles
Rank Player's Name City State
1 Arnoud Krijt Little Rock AR
2 Eric T. Sixbey El Dorado AR
3 Elliott Simmons Little Rock AR
4 Robert Allen Cain North Little Rock AR
5 Jason Diggle Jacksonville AR
6 John C. Hoffmann Conway AR
7 Robert Schuurmans Little Rock AR
8 Bobby Emerson Little Rock AR

Men’s 4.5 Singles
1 Julio R. Olaya Little Rock AR

Men’s 4.0 Singles
1 Lee H. Mesaris Maumelle AR
2 Braden J. Eads Fort Smith AR
3 Patrick L White Hot Springs Village AR
4 John C. Hoffmann Conway AR
5 Scott Deer Fort Smith AR
6 Adam H Buescher Fayetteville AR
7 Derek Jon Nordentoft North Little Rock AR
8 Brian N. Kelley Maumelle AR
9 Keith M. Fletcher Pine Bluff AR
10 Ryan N. Oyos Little Rock AR
11 Jeffrey Bahng North Little Rock AR
12 Scott G. Sudbury Little Rock AR
13 Reginald Q. Brown Jacksonville AR
14 Joe M. Sivley Little Rock AR
15 Andrew A. Willis Bentonville AR
16 Paxton Keith Crawford Plumerville AR

Men’s 3.5 Singles
1 Steven W. Tullos Hamburg AR
2 Travis Z. Rowan Little Rock AR
3 Matthew M. Mazzoni Jonesboro AR
4 Brooks R. Coleman Little Rock AR
5 Don Dobbins Jacksonville AR
6 Paul D. Kroger Little Rock AR
7 Richard Webb Hot Springs AR
8 Rodney Sullins Alexander AR
9 William S. Baxter Little Rock AR 10 Michael J. Castens North Little Rock AR
11 Jeff Franzetti Little Rock AR
12 Shep A. Wilbert Stuttgart AR
12 Fred A. Penny Malvern AR
14 Terry Murray Little Rock AR
15 Paxton K. Crawford Plumerville AR
16 J.J. Meadors Bryant AR

Men’s 3.0 Singles
1 Charles McGee Little Rock AR
2 Robby Patterson Jonesboro AR
3 Ken Richards Hot Springs Village AR
4 Barrett Petty Conway AR
5 Andrew J. Thompson Benton AR
6 Guilford Marion Dudley Benton AR
7 Marcus McNeice Mabelvale AR
8 Jay Adrian Baxter Little Rock AR
9 Michael Roetzel Little Rock AR

Men’s 2.0 Singles
1 Dan Griesse Fort Smith AR
2 TJ Stiga Fort Smith AR
3 Timothy Schmelzer Fort Smith AR

Women’s 3.5 Singles
1 Wende L. Walraven Little Rock AR
2 Jennifer L. Gernat Little Rock AR
3 Evelyn Brown Jacksonville AR
4 Michelle Taylor Little Rock AR
5 Kimberly Moros Little Rock AR

Women’s 3.0 Singles
1 Melissa Kaufman O’Connor Little Rock AR

Women’s 2.5 Singles
1 Robyn Webster Sherwood AR
2 Sarahbeth Turner Cammack Village AR
3 Angela Carole Johnson-Grimmett Paron AR
4 Laura E. McKinney Little Rock AR
5 Andi K Chappell Cabot AR

Men’s Open Doubles
1 John Doohan /Peter L. Doohan Fort Smith AR
2 Adam R. Brown/G Berry Brady Little Rock AR

Men’s 4.0 Doubles
1 Scott Deer/Braden J. Eads Fort Smith AR
2 Stuart Adrian Jones/Brent Birch Little Rock AR
3 John C. Hoffmann/Abhishek Shrestha Conway AR
4 Richard L. Fincher/Chris M. Collins El Dorado AR
5 Robert Schuurmans/Jerry Stokes Little Rock AR
6 Duwayne Anderson/Jay Davidson North Little Rock AR
7 Charles Hartsell/Joseph Hickey El Dorado AR
8 Brandon Kiker/Michael Anderson Benton AR
9 Craig Edwards/Michael Anderson Little Rock AR

Men’s 3.5 Doubles
1 Danny Howard /M Landon Luzader Bryant AR
2 Eric Harrison /Jeffrey Bruce Holiman Little Rock AR
3 Robby Patterson /Matthew Mazzoni Jonesboro AR
4 Seth Harder /Landon Davis Little Rock AR
5 Jerald N. Todd /Carl Brown Little Rock AR

Men’s 3.0 Doubles
1 Michael J Roetzel /Michael Justin Castens Little Rock AR

Women’s 4.0 Doubles
1 Cindy T.Eoff /Donna Devine Little Rock AR
2 Janelle Fureigh /Judy L. Furnish Little Rock AR
3 Deborah Benson /Rebecca Gilbreath Little Rock AR
4 Michelle Toliver /Sharon A. Adkins Little Rock AR

Women’s 3.5 Doubles
1 Melanie E. Bobo/Stacy Campbell Arkadelphia AR
2 Melissa ann Overton/Lori Ann Uekman Benton AR
3 Lisa L Sanderlin/Mechelle Winslow Greenbrier AR
4 Jennifer L. Gernat/Kim Gaither Little Rock AR
5 Paula B Aultz/Lynette Bowersock Little Rock AR

Women’s 3.0 Doubles
1 Teri C. Todd /Stephanie Michelle Blair Little Rock AR
2 Saba Koja /Crystal Phelps Little Rock AR

Women’s 2.5 Doubles
1 Geralyn Marie Applegate /Julie Annne Powell Little Rock AR
2 Melanie Love /Julianna Carol Barnett Benton AR
3 Angela Johnson-Grimmett /Laura McKinney Paron AR

Mixed Combo 8.0 Doubles
1 Wyatt Miller/Catherine Edwards Little Rock AR
2 Melanie E. Bobo/Jay Davidson Arkadelphia AR
3 Melanie A. Harder/Brandon Kiker Little Rock AR
4 Chris M. Collins/Debra L. Wilson El Dorado AR

Mixed Combo 7.0 Doubles
1 Lori Ann Uekman/Paul R. Bowersock Benton AR
2 Melissa Ann Overton/Danny Howard Benton AR
3 John Mathison/Erica Eldridge Conway AR
4 M. Landon Luzader/Stacy Campbell Leola AR
5 Lisa L Sanderlin/Jason H Sanderlin Greenbrier AR
6 Teri C. Todd/Jerald N. Todd Little Rock AR
7 Kimberly Lynn Babb/Dennis Ellington North Little Rock AR

Mixed Combo 6.0 Doubles
1 Jennifer Ellen Fielding/Chadley Dean Uekman Little Rock AR
2 Eric Harrison/Lynette Bowersock Little Rock AR
3 Tim Jernigan/Tracy L. Hand Little Rock AR
4 Jennifer Baltzley/Drew Baltzley Little Rock AR
5 Dale Adam Aldridge/Stephanie Michelle Blair Little Rock AR
6 Shemeka Joy Strong/Travis Z. Rowan Maumelle AR
7 Lori Ann Uekman/Chadley Dean Uekman Benton AR
8 Daniel Barnett/Julianna Carol Barnett Little Rock AR
9 Valla Seel/Chuck Seel Little Rock AR
10 Jerry Keith Williams/Mystie Jaggers Williams Little Rock AR

Will Campbell and Lindsey Liles Capture Arkansas Junior Tennis 2010 Year-end #1 Rankings

Will Campbell and Lindsey Liles (pictured right), both of Little Rock, captured the 2010 Year-end Arkansas Junior Tennis #1 ranking in the Boys 18s and Girls 18s divisions respectively. Below is a list of the Top-5 Arkansas Juniors in each division.

Boys 18 Open Combined (Tentative)
1 William B. Campbell Little Rock AR 1972
2 Robert T. Hodous Fayetteville AR 1717
3 Grant Adams Texarkana TX 1455
4 Forrest Scott Hickey Greenwood AR 1424
5 J. P. Devincenzo Proctor AR 1379

Boys 16 Open Combined (Tentative)
1 Jordan Sheppard Bentonville AR 1741
2 Julio R. Olaya Little Rock AR 1584
3 Varun Shah Bentonville AR 1561
4 Weldon Murry Texarkana AR 1462
5 Cole Chapman Guy Pine Bluff AR 1461

Boys 14 Open Combined (Tentative)
1 Christian K. Mathis Mountain Home AR 1838
2 Dylan Joseph Deluca Bentonville AR 1790
3 Trent Brandon Little Rock AR 1683
4 Jake Jacoby Little Rock AR 1656
5 Daniel Joshuva Bentonville AR 1638

Boys 12 Open Combined (Tentative)
1 Marshall Smith Ney Rogers AR 2477
2 Hunter Matthew Harrison Little Rock AR 2021
3 Griffin Clark Rogers AR 1959
4 Spencer Kauffman Hot Springs AR 1887
5 Jack Henry Hill Hot Springs AR 1847

Boys 10 Open Combined (Tentative)
1 Andrew Wood White Hall AR 2456
2 Wesley Barnett Little Rock AR 2049
3 Brandon D Lupinek North Little Rock AR 1847
4 Conner Nicklaus Johnson Hot Springs AR 1670
5 Anil Chakka Little Rock AR 1388

Girls 18 Open Combined (Tentative)
1 Lindsey Liles Little Rock AR 2555
2 Darby Brandon Little Rock AR 2045
3 Tiffany Tang Rogers AR 1255
4 Amy Andersen Rogers AR 1198
5 Allison Nicole Grahl Fort Smith AR 1165

Girls 16 Open Combined (Tentative)
1 Mary Wright Hot Springs AR 1611
2 Julia E. Lefler Hot Springs National Park AR 1483
3 Lindsy Pearce Fort Smith AR 1421
4 Pratheepa Ravikumar Rogers AR 1372
5 Rebecca Harrington Jonesboro AR 1210

Girls 14 Open Combined (Tentative)
1 Emily Ann Metcalf Jonesboro AR 2287
2 Tiffany Tang Rogers AR 2002
3 Laura Lanier Little Rock AR 1603
4 Annie Tarwater Texarkana TX 1566
5 Katherine Tang Rogers AR 1563

Girls 12 Open Combined (Tentative)
1 Morgan R. McAlexander Jonesboro AR 2295
2 Bailey D. McAlexander Jonesboro AR 2105
3 Tatum Brooke Rice Hot Springs AR 1843
4 Kami Rave Ward Hot Springs AR 1806
5 Hannah Gamberini Hot Springs AR 1648

Girls 10 Open Combined (Tentative)
1 Abigail Minton Benton AR 1947
2 Hunter Roper Jonesboro AR 1823
3 Claire Doshier Harrison AR 1810
4 Cameron Hafner Jonesboro AR 1559
5 Emma MeiYuan Baker Bentonville AR 1549

*** Comments 1 thru 10 include top-50 players in each division

Vacations at IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy Make a Fun Winter Getaway

IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy offers an excellent way to escape the winter along with the fun of improving your tennis game. Conveniently located in Bradenton, Florida, IMG Bollettieri is near the metropolitan area of Tampa where you can enjoy their busy nightly entertainment style or you can enjoy the quiet beaches near Sarasota including the world famous, whitest sands of Siesta Key Beach.


IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy has a variety of vacation/lesson packages- Weekend Getaways, Weekly Lesson Plans, etc. Any day at around 10am, you can catch the major tour pros such as Jelena Jankovic, Tommy Haas, Maria Sharapova, Max Mirnyi, Ryan Harrison, Kei Nishikori, and Xavier Malisse honing their skills and preparing for their next match. Nearby, you will also find Pat Harrison drilling the pros ranked 100-300 who are trying to make their next move on the tour. Just south of the proshop are the indoor courts where Nick Bollettieri regularly enforces the stroke mechanics into the eager minds of juniors looking to gain an edge in their tennis game.


When the winter blues start to set in, think about heading to Florida and discover the fun tennis environment that IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy has in store for you!

Visit: www.IMGAcademies.com for more information.

Photo- Ryan Harrison(above right); Nick Bollettieri(left)


Article & Photos submitted by:
Chuck Cavin, our freelance writer

SPECIAL REPORT: Arkansas Tennis Association (ATA) Ranks Last in USTA Memberships

The Arkansas Tennis Association under the direction of Leslie Pfeiffer ranks last in USTA membership of the Southern Section. At a recent Southern Sectional meeting, the ATA produced the lowest number of USTA members among the 9 state region. In fact the ATA had a decline in membership of almost 8% (Adults-down 2%,Juniors-down 20%), while the Executive Director Leslie Pfeiffer has continued to pay herself almost $90,000 and consumed almost 12% of the total ATA budget (highest among the 9-state Southern Section).

State.Total USTA Mbrs..Adults...Jrs,...Growth%
1.GA.......55,498......40,861..14,587...-0.44%
2.NC.......35,224......25,790...9,371...+5.46%
3.SC.......24,417......19,657...4,727...+0.31%
4.LA.......14,831......11,677...3,136...+2.74%
5.AL.......14,394......10,658...3,714...+3.03%
6.TN.......13,360.......8,933...4,346...+2.25%
7.MS.......12,760.......9,108...3,640...+4.81%
8.KY........9,551.......6,214...3,317...+7.59%
9.AR........7,532.......5,363...2,156..(-7.94%)

(NOTE: Total Members=Adult + Jrs + Unknown Members.)

Leslie Pfeiffer, the executive director, has orchestrated an effort to deceive the USTA Arkansas tennis members by inflating the total revenue of the ATA by commingling the funds generated by the NLR Burns Park/ATA agreement and the funds generated from the USTA membership, grants, program fees. Thus, the ATA has shown a revenue increase each year, even though membership continued to decline.

Instead of using the excess revenue to promote and grow the game of tennis thru a grassroots effort of providing access to tennis courts/programs in growing communities statewide, Leslie Pfeiffer has wasted the monies by increasing her own pay and office staff including hiring children of Board members such as Joe Murphy and Randy Jackson. How many more office workers does Pfeiffer need to sit around on their rearends firing emails across Arkansas saying, "WE NEED MORE JUNIORS SINCE WE LOST 20% OF OUR JUNIOR MEMBERSHIP" or "WE ARE LAST IN ADULT MEMBERSHIP"!!!!

Recently, a growing community asked Pfeiffer for a very small grant to make their tennis courts more useful and more attractive to grow the Game of Tennis. Pfeiffer insisted that funds were low for the past 5 or so years while she had been overpaying herself $185,000 over this same period. Adults/children need tennis courts within 15 minutes of where they live, especially for afterschool junior programs. We do not need more money spent at one central location such as Burns Park and the ATA office, since not everyone statewide lives within 15 minutes of N. Little Rock.

Maxwell Mendelsohn and Tiffany Tang Voted Arkansas Junior Tennis Players of the Year by Central Arkansas Tennis Talk

The final votes have been cast by the readers of Central Arkansas Tennis Talk, and the winners of the 2010 Arkansas Junior Tennis Player of the Year Award are Tiffany Tang of Rogers and Maxwell Mendelsohn of Little Rock.

Freshman Tiffany Tang (pictured right), class of 2014 at Rogers High School, won the Arkansas Overall Girl's High School Tennis Championships at 14 years old. Tiffany, who has been playing tennis since she was 4 and started playing competitive tennis six years ago, went undefeated in taking the Overall title and the Girl's 7A Conference High School title. Tiffany also reached #15 in the Southern Girl's 14s rankings.

Maxwell Mendelsohn of Little Rock(pictured lower right), only a 6th Grader at Pulaski Academy, was a giant slayer in 2010. Mighty Max reached #10 in the Southern Sectional tennis rankings in the Boy's 12s division. In Arkansas competition, Max, at the age of 11 years old , took on the daunting task of playing in the Boy's 16s division of the Otter Creek Junior Spring Tennis Tournament.

Not even a teen yet, Max dominated the Boy's 16s by sweeping the title with straight set victories over Drew Dodge of Conway (Round of 16) 6-4, 6-3, Bobby Emerson of Little Rock (Quarterfinals) 6-3, 6-1, Brandon Williams of Little Rock (Semi-Finals) 6-4, 6-2, and Grayson Greer of Little Rock (Finals) 6-2, 6-1. This sheer dominance of an Arkansas Boy's 16 & under event by an 11 year old had to be one of the most impressive feats of the 2010 year.

Arkansas Women's 3.5 Team wins USTA National League Championships in Tucson, Arizona

The Arkansas Women's 3.5 Team representing the Southern Section and captained by Teresa Williams of Little Rock won the USTA National League Championships in Tucson, Arizona. Arkansas/Williams eked out a 3-2 victory over the Washington Women's 3.5 Team representing the Pacific NW Section and captained by Kathy Trisler of Bellevue, WA.

#1 Singles, Washington won, Cathy Habib def. Wende L. Walraven 6-2, 6-4

#2 Singles, Arkansas won, Catherine Piaton def. Harumi Bono 6-4, 6-2

#1 Doubles, Arkansas won, Catherine Edwards/Martha F. James def. Sheri Bennett/Gina Sjolander 6-2, 2-6, 1-0

#2 Doubles, Arkansas won, Mary Kathryn Nelson/Annie J. Turchi def. Leslee Ikuko Kay/Jodi A. Paulson 3-6, 6-3, 1-0

#3 Doubles, Washington won, Kathy Trisler/Becky Chin def. Dee N. Whalen/Beth Wilborne
6-4, 6-3

Team members include Teresa L. Williams, Shannon Taylor, Wende L. Walraven, Annie J. Turchi, Catherine Edwards, Jenni R. Rickman, Dee N. Whalen, Katie Alice Staggs, Catherine Piaton, Beth Wilborne, Jonie D. Burks, Mary Kathryn Nelson, Martha F. James, Jennifer Moline, Mary Carolyn Bailey, Laurie Houff.

Austin Crawford of Little Rock Central and Tiffany Tang of Rogers win the Overall Arkansas State High School Tennis Championships

Austin Crawford (pictured left)of Little Rock Central narrowly defeated Julio Olaya of Pulaski Academy 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 for the Overall Arkansas State High School Tennis Championships in the boy's singles division.
Tiffany Tang of Rogers cruised to the girl's singles division title with a 7-5, 6-2 win over Mary Wright of Hot Springs Lakeside.
In the doubles division, Josh Guy/Cole Guy of White Hall defeated Bishop Bass/ Forrest Hickey of Greenwood 1-6, 6-2, 6-2 for the boy's title. Morgan Saxton/Allie Wilson of Greenwood squeaked by Lindsy Pearce/Lauren Ghahremani of Fort Smith Southside 6-7, 7-6, 7-5 for the girl's title.

The winners of the singles/doubles titles in each conference are as follows:

7A Boy's Singles- Austin Crawford of LR Central
7A Girl's Singles- Tiffany Tang of Rogers

7A Boy's Doubles- Zach Ellis/ Kevin Morris of Bentonville
7A Girl's Doubles- Trinity Randolph/ Darby Brandon of LR Central

6A Boy's Singles- Todd Turner of Lake Hamilton
6A Girl's Singles- Stephanie Gray of Russellville

6A Boy's Doubles- Angelo Caparas/ Rodger Hurt of Jonesboro
6A Girl's Doubles- Emily Lansford/ Katie Branum of Jonesboro

5A Boy's Singles- Will Campbell of Central Arkansas Christian
5A Girl's Singles- Mary Wright of Hot Springs Lakeside

5A Boy's Doubles- Josh Guy/ Cole Guy of White Hall
5A Girl's Doubles- Julia Lefler/ Sarah Kauffman of Hot Springs Lakeside

4A Boy's Singles- Julio Olaya of Pulaski Academy
4A Girl's Singles- Katelyn Jackson of Pulaski Academy

4A Boy's Doubles- Jake Jacoby/ Sean Corrothers of Pulaski Academy
4A Girl's Doubles- Maddie McJunkens/ Nancy Purnell of Nashville

3A Boy's Singles- Trent Brandon of Episcopal Collegiate
3A Girl's Singles- Maggie Beestra of Episcopal Collegiate

3A Boy's Doubles- Casey Shepard/ Michael Pope of Fountain Lake
3A Girl's Doubles- Laura Lanier/ Katie Bridges of Episcopal Collegiate

2A Boy's Singles- Juraj Ugor of Murfreesboro
2A Girl's Singles- Anna Brickell of Riverside

2A Boy's Doubles- Daniel Meador/ Nathan Weir of Union Christian
2A Girl's Doubles- Taylor Boness/ Kyley Campbell of Riverside

Unseeded Mary Dineen upsets ITF Women's 40s World #1 Julie Cass in the USTA National Women's 40s & 50s Clay Court Championships

Mary Dineen of Winter Park, Florida scored the biggest upset of 2010 on the ITF Senior Tennis Tour in the Women's 40s event of the USTA National Senior Clay Court Tennis Championships in Gulf Breeze, Florida. Mary Dineen, a former college All-American but new to the ITF Women's 40s events, defeated ITF World #1 Julie Cass of Austin, Texas 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 in the quarterfinals of the tournament. Not resting on her laurels with her win over Cass, Dineen quickly dispatched of her other opponents enroute to a victory in the finals over ITF World #12 Vesna McKenna of Hollywood, Florida 6-3, 6-4.

In the Women's 50s division, ITF World #4 Diane Fishburne of Charleston, South Carolina defeated ITF World #1 Susan Wright of Grand Junction, Colorado 6-3, 6-1 for the title.

Photo (right): Women's 50s Runner-up, Susan Wright(left) and
Tournament Dr./former Arkansas Razorback Tennis
Star, Brian Sakey(right)

Zachary Humphries and Thea Rice Lead Arkansas Juniors in Southern Tennis Rankings

Zachary Humphries of Maumelle and Thea Rice of Hot Springs are the top-ranked Arkansas Junior tennis players in the Southern Section of the United States Tennis Association. Currently, Zachary Humphries is ranked #11 in the Southern Boy's 10s and Thea Rice is ranked #10 in the Southern Girl's 10s.

Other Arkansas Juniors ranked in the Top 100 of the Southern Section are as follows:

Boy's 18s- #20 Mario Martinez, #47 Ryan Hudelson, #52 Grant Adams

Girl's 18s-#16 Kaitlin Ray, #60 Lindsey Liles, #91 Darby Brandon

Boy's 16s- #25 Riley Colton, #42 Austin Crawford, #59 Julio Olaya

Girl's 16s-#58 Mary Wright (pictured right)

Boy's 14s- #31 Jake Jacoby, #58 Christian Mathis, #82 Daniel Joshuva,#89 Dylan Deluca, #90 Matt Talbert

Girl's 14s-#19 Tiffany Tang, #37 Jacqueline Carr, #47 Emily Metcalf, #56 Katelyn Jackson, #100 Annie Tarwater

Boy's 12s- #13 Max Mendelsohn, #67 Marshall Ney, #94 Jack Hill, #97 Griffen Clark

Girl's 12s-#17 Tatum Rice, #37 Alye Darter, #52 Katherine Tang, #82 Morgan McAlexander, #90 Bailey McAlexander

Boy's 10s- #19 Andrew Wood, #25 Anil Chakka, #40 Brandon Lupinek, #44 Wesley Barnett, #77 Isaac Lundstrum, #81 Connor Johnson, #87 Foster Rogers

Girl's 10s-#33 Claire Doshier, #35 Hunter Roper, #48 Maddie McKee, #66 Cameron Hafner, #99 Anna Magness

The Biggest Losers in Arkansas Team Tennis for 2010

Most of the top news stories in the Arkansas tennis community are the reporting of stellar results by winning teams and individuals. However, the tennis teams that produce the worst results do not get any attention in the press. In honor to these individuals and teams, a Biggest Loser Category has been compiled of the teams/individuals who finished last in their divisions.
The 2010 Winners of the Biggest Loser Award for their division are listed below:

Men's 5.0 Record(0-8)
AR-B/Lyon /Conway captained by Jason Lyon
Team members include Jason Lyon, Kyle Garretson, Chris R. Dussourd, G Barry Brady, Robert Allen Cain, Adam R. Brown.

Women's 4.5 Record(1-8)
Cain/Cain/Little Rock(LRAC) captained by Robert Cain/Andrea Cain
Team members include Andrea Cain, Terri S. Simpson, Lauren Valecillos, Kelli Sanders, Jossie Elizabeth Smith, Stephanie Monet Forte, Tracy McClure, Karen A Henry, Debbie Morrison, Leslie King-Gillispie, Carol L. Mugerditchian, Shuree Shurell Pruitt.

Men's 4.5 Record(0-8)
Robinson/LR(LRRC) captained by Danny Robinson
Team members include Danny Robinson, Fred C. Lord, Robin F. Frazier, Evan Olsen, John Michael Christopher, Mark A. Brown, John Hurst, Tim Bichlmeier, James Richard Olson, Kyle M. Hatfield, Jeff Toliver, Bob Worthington, Duwayne Anderson.

Women's 4.0 Record(0-13)
Cross/Hazelwood/LR (Burns) captained by Irene Cross/Terri Hazelwood
Team members include Irene G. Cross, Brooke Hollis, Jill Madonia Frazier, Terri L. Hazelwood, Janet Ripling Moore, Michelle M. Hastings, Kara L. Ford, Kelly Thessing, Erica Eldridge, Mona Churchwell, Vonda J. Stokes, Cherie Annette Swain, Melanie A. Harder, Sherry M. Stokes, Marnie Dabroski.

Men's 4.0 Record(1-6)
Boland/N. Little Rock(Burns) captained by Dan Boland
Team members include Daniel D. Boland, John Bakalekos, Kyle A. Clem, Joe E. Keeling, Johnny E. Hibbs, Craig Knox, John W. Andrews, Byron D. Curtner, Charlie Kinser, Roger Zifer, Michael W. Loftis, James A. Harris, Alan L. Reese, Doug Lickert, Robert R. Bearden, Francis Lee Hartz.

Women's 3.5- Group 1 Record(1-7)
Mascuilli/N. Little Rock(burns) captained by Kathy Mascuilli
Team members include Kathy L. Mascuilli, Emily C. Andrews-Clark, Crystal Phelps, Mae Abrams, Peggy Healy, Barbara A. Barron, Fumiko Collins, Joy R. Blankenship, Saba Koja, Melissa Cole, Janice Helen Carter, Anna Jeter.

Women's 3.5- Group 2 Record(0-8)
Magee/little rock(LRAC) captained by Kim Magee
Team members include Joely Costello, Kimberly Moros, Samantha R. Crawford, Kirsten Dickins, Amanda Duch Moore, Wendy Y. Lynch, Anne Fulgham Gill, Meritt Harrison, Melissa Bridges, Wendy L. Angel, Robin Lee Frazier, Missy Tanner, Cindy A. Goodwin.

Men's 3.5 Record(0-6)
Baker/Little Rock/OC captained by Marty Baker
Team members include Marty Baker, Danny Needham, Jeffery L. Dunn, Guilford Marion Dudley, Jerald N. Todd, Richard Patrick Cole, Chuck Seel, Carl Brown, David W. Sterling, Sidney Wood, Mike Dodson, Derek K. Jennings.

Women's 3.0- Group 1 Record(1-6)
Winston/Hot Springs(HSHF) captained by Laura Winston
Team members include Laura Winston, Heather Denae Palczynski, Amy Allison Porter, Shanda Elizabeth Nation, Lynette Renee Howell, SHADDA TAPP, Patricia Lynn Young, Linda S. Parker, Lana Thompson Wann, Margaret Signorelli.

Women's 3.0- Group 2 Record(0-7)
Sterka/Conway captained by Sheila Sterka
Team members include Sheila Sterka, Hope Guidry, Marilynn Nabholz, Betsy McClendon, Elizabeth B Spivey, Gloria D. Ward, Alysanne Crymes, Jamie P. Pollard, Danielle Warren, Brandie Martin, Lisa Renee Lollar, Penny Vaught.

Men's 3.0 Record(1-5)
McWilliams/Little Rock(OC) captained by Matthew Jordan McWilliams
Team members include Tim Jernigan, Chuck E. Brown, Jason Reddick Jones, Matthew Jordan McWilliams, Barry Williams, Troy A Stephens, Tim W. Vaughan, Drew Baltzley, Bob Butler, Valeriy Lyzogubov, Paul D. Kroger, Chadley Dean Uekman.

Women's 2.5 Record(0-8)
Battisto/Little Rock(Burns) captained by Cindy Battisto
Team members include Susan Kay Goff, Laura E McKinney, Michelle Lee Crafton, Casey S Moseley, Angela Carole Johnson-Grimmett , Laura Arrington Shafer, Kimble Latrice Talley, Cindy L Battisto.