Saturday, June 9, 2012

Taylor Cramer and Mary Wright Capture the 2012 Arkansas Junior Qualifying Tennis Championships

Taylor Cramer (pictured upper right) of Texarkana won the Boy's 18s title with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Jordan Sheppard of Bentonville and Mary Wright (pictured lower right)of Hot Springs defeated Lindsey Liles of Little Rock 6-1, 6-4 for the Girl's 18s title in the Arkansas Junior Qualifying Tennis Championships at the Burns Park Tennis Center in North Little Rock, Arkansas.

Other divisional winners include ..
Boy's 16s- Jake Jacoby d. Branch Terrell 6-3; 6-2... Girl's 16s- Jacqueline Carr d. Katelyn Jackson 6-0; 6-1...

Boy's 14s- Maxwell Mendelsohn d. Marshall Ney 6-2; 6-2... Girl's 14s- Tatum Rice d. Katherine Tang 7-6; 6-3...

Boy's 12s- Anil Chakka d. Wesley Barnett 6-2; 6-3... Girl's 12s- Thea Rice d. Katie LaFrance 6-2; 6-3...

Boy's 10s- Jackson Davis d. Eric Richardson 4-1; 4-2... Girl's 10s- Clara Parker d. Ashlee Shinabery 4-0; 4-0
*** See comments for other results
Article Submitted by: Chuck Cavin, Pinnacle Tennis Academy

Monday, June 4, 2012

Without Injured Kaitlin Ray, #1 UCLA Lady Bruins Fall to #2 Florida in NCAA Final

Little Rock's Kaitlin Ray (pictured right) played a pivotal role in the UCLA Women Tennis Team's success throughout the entire season. The Lady Bruins with freshman Kaitlin in the starting lineup finished the regular season with a 21-2 record and the #1 seeding going into the NCAA Tournament. An injury to K-Ray forced her to watch her teammates from the sidelines at the NCAA Tournament in Athens, GA. One day after watching an emotional victory by her UCLA teammates over cross-town rival USC in the NCAA Semifinals, injured Kaitlin Ray and her top-seeded UCLA team came up just short in its quest for a national title on Tuesday, suffering a 4-0 loss to No. 2 Florida in the title match at the University of Georgia's Dan Magill Tennis Complex. The loss marks just the third of the season for UCLA, which ends the year 26-3 overall. The win for Florida (27-1) gives the program back-to-back NCAA Championships.
 

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Ineligible Player Should Cause Women's 4.0 Captain Shannon King and Maureen Dickson To Forfeit State Title

Arkansas League Tennis Coordinator & Arkansas Tennis Association employee Maureen Dickson and Women's 4.0 Team Captain Shannon King used an ineligible player in winning the Women's 4.0 League Team Tennis State Championships held at Burns Park this past weekend. Christie Baker Griffee (pictured right and below), a former NCAA D-I player at Samford University, falsified a self-rate application with the USTA League Tennis Committee in order to play Women's 4.0 Team Tennis. Under USTA League Tennis rules and guidelines, a player under the age of 30 and college experience at a Division I school should start playing in league play at a minimum of a NTRP 4.5 or higher skill level rating. Team member Christie Baker Griffee won the deciding match in Little Rock Athletic Club Women's 4.0 team match win over Little Rock Women's 4.0 Team captained by Melanie Bobo & Teresa Williams. With the matches tied 2-2, Baker-Griffee easily won the final singles match 6-0,6-0 to give Captain Shannon King, her teammate Maureen Dickson, and the rest of the team the victory by the final score of 3-2.

In order to play league tennis, Christie Baker Griffee or a teammate familiar with the process had to fill out the self-rate application by falsifying her college level play. Arkansas League Coordinator Maureen Dickson and/or Team Captain Shannon King could have easily guided her through the application process that omitted important information that would have given Baker-Griffee a higher skill level rating.

Did Maureen Dickson (pictured right at the center of the table along with teammate Lisa Nutt seated far right) and Shannon King knowingly sign Baker-Griffee to their team and hold back important information that would have led to her disqualification? Did any of the other team members- Linda Bland, Christina Byler, Kathryn B. Perkins, Lisa C. Nutt, Cindy Pugh, Lauren Speas Slabaugh, Rebecca L. Kinworthy, Joy Wolf, Marti E. Henson, Kerre L. Gilliland, Christi Jeanette Headlee, Sara B. Barnett, and/or Sheffield Duke recognize that Christie Baker Griffee played at a higher skill level than their own level? Please use the comment area below and leave your opinion.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Free Conway Junior Tennis Program begins its Summer I Session on June 12th

The Free Conway Junior Tennis Program begins its Summer I Session on June 12th. This 3-week tennis lesson plan is free for children ages 6-15. Contact Chuck/Cindy at pinnacletennisacademy@gmail.com or call the office at 501-570-6755.

Sunday, May 6, 2012

Lady Razorbacks Tennis Team Receives 5th Straight NCAA Bid

The Arkansas Razorback women’s tennis team is headed to the NCAA Tournament for the fifth straight year and sixth time in the last seven years. They will play Long Beach State (18-5) in the first round as a No. 2 seed in the Los Angeles Regional hosted by No. 1 overall seed UCLA. The winner of the match between UA and LBSU will play the winner of UCLA and Eastern Kentucky. The regional is set to start on Friday, May 11 and run through Saturday, May 12. The team that wins the four-team regional will advance to the final rounds hosted by the University of Georgia. Arkansas head coach Michael Hegarty said that the team was excited about the opportunity to play a very good Long Beach State team. Also representing the Southeastern Conference in the tournament draw is Ole Miss, Alabama, Vanderbilt, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, LSU and Florida, which is the reigning national champion. Team members include Emily Carbone of Lexington, Ky. , Laurie Gingras of Quebec City, Canada, Abby Hayley of The Woodlands, Texas, Kate Lukomskaya of Minsk, Belarus, Catherine Parenteau of Montreal, Canada, and Claudine Paulson of Guayaquil, Ecuador, and Stephanie Roy of Montreal, Canada.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Quality Tennis Lessons/Clinics/Camps in 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

Fayetteville/ Jake Shoemake/ 479-204-1009

Hot Springs/ Ronnie Bran /501-624-2153

Jonesboro /Gary Jones /870-932-6556

Maumelle / Chuck Cavin / 501-570-6755

Texarkana/ Billy Power/ 903-244-4061

Monday, November 14, 2011

Jake Jacoby and Nicole Coopersmith 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 2011 Arkansas Junior Tennis Player of the Year Award are Jake Jacoby of Little Rock and Nicole Coopersmith of Pine Bluff.

Jake Jacoby (pictured upper right), class of 2014 at Pulaski Academy, won the Arkansas Overall Boy's High School Tennis Championships at 15 years old. Jake went undefeated in taking the Overall title and the Boy's 4A Conference High School title. Jake also reached #36 in the Southern Boy's 16s current rankings.

Nicole Coopersmith of Pine Bluff (pictured lower right), only a 7th Grader in Pine Bluff and class of 2017, was the highest ranked Arkansas junior in 2011. Nicole reached #3 in the Southern Sectional current tennis rankings in the Girl's 12s division. In Arkansas competition, Nicole swept thru the Girl's 14s division at the Arkansas Junior Closed State Championships without losing a set enroute to the title.

Friday, October 28, 2011

Jake Jacoby of Pulaski Academy and Tiffany Tang of Rogers win the Overall Arkansas State High School Tennis Championships

Jake Jacoby (pictured right)of Pulaski Academy defeated Cole Guy of White Hall 6-3,6-4 for the Overall Arkansas State High School Tennis Championships in the Boy's Singles division.
Tiffany Tang (pictured below)of Rogers narrowly defeated Lindsey Liles of LR Central 6-3, 1-6, 6-4 to win the Girl's Singles division title for the second straight year.
In the Overall High School Doubles divisions, Kevin Morris/Matt Tabler of Bentonville def Jordan Sheppard/Zach Ellis of Bentonville 6-1, 6-4 for the Boy's title. Allie Wilson/Olivia Foster of Greenwood def Julia Lefler/Sarah Kauffman of Lakeside, HS 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 for the Girl's title.
The winners of the singles/doubles titles in each conference are as follows:

7A Boy's Singles- Reid Churchill-Fayetteville
7A Girl's Singles- Tiffany Tang-Rogers

7A Boy's Doubles- Sheppard/Ellis-Bentonville
7A Girl's Doubles- Ravikumar/Lundy-Heritage

6A Boy's Singles- Austen McDaniel-Jonesboro
6A Girl's Singles- Arielle Butler-Searcy

6A Boy's Doubles- Drew Morgan/Weston McDaniel-Jonesboro
6A Girl's Doubles- Taylor Zane/Kaily Nix-Jonesboro

5A Boy's Singles- Cole Guy-White Hall
5A Girl's Singles- Ali Rowden-Greenbrier

5A Boy's Doubles- Hudgens/Messersmith-Lakeside HS
5A Girl's Doubles- Foster/Wilson-Greenwood

4A Boy's Singles- Jake Jacoby-Pulaski Academy
4A Girl's Singles- Emily Metcalf-Valley View

4A Boy's Doubles- Sean Corrothers/Brett McClain-Pulaski Academy
4A Girl's Doubles- Maddie McJunkens/Nancy Purnell-Nashville

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

3A Boy's Doubles- Bo Turney/Jeff McIntyre-Episcopal Collegiate
3A Girl's Doubles- Laura Lanier/Steele Strauss-Episcopal Collegiate

2A Boy's Singles- Drew Dodge-Conway Christian
2A Girl's Singles- Anna Brickell-Riverside

2A Boy's Doubles- Eubanks/Reeves-Ridgefield Christian
2A Girl's Doubles- Weaver/Wilson-Riverside

Monday, October 24, 2011

2011 ATA Award Winners


2011 Arkansas Tennis Association Award Winners

Hall of Fame
Randy Jackson (pictured right)

The Herschel Friday Award
Ryan Hudelson – Little Rock
Mary Wright – Hot Springs

The Jay Freeman Most Improved Player Award
Matt Talbert - Hot Springs
Lindsy Pearce – Fort Smith

Dr. Ted Bailey Sportsmanship Award
Kyle Henry – Fayettville
Tiffany Tang – Rogers

Henry Doyle Outstanding Senior
Gayle Fowlkes – Conway

Special Tennis Event of the Year
"Oh WATA Night Down Under" - Fort Smith

Arkansas Tennis Professional of the Year
Melissa Kelly - Fort Smith

Victor Sheshunoff Meritorious Education Award
Abby Davis – ARVTA

Barbara Brewer Community Service Award
Skip and Teri King – England / Stuttgart

Junior Tournament of the Year
Match Point – Little Rock

Member Organization of the Year
Arkansas River Valley Tennis Association

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Quality Tennis Lessons/Clinics/Camps in 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

Fayetteville/ Jake Shoemake/ 479-204-1009

Hot Springs/ Ronnie Bran /501-624-2153

Jonesboro /Gary Jones /870-932-6556

Maumelle / Chuck Cavin / 501-570-6755

Texarkana/ Billy Power/ 903-244-4061

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Arkansas Women's 2.5 and Senior Men's 3.0 Capture 2011 Southern League Tennis Championships in Mobile, AL

Two Arkansas League Tennis Teams- Arkansas Women's 2.5 Tennis Team (pictured above) captained by Jennifer Bohnert from Rogers, AR and the Arkansas Men's 3.0 Tennis Team (pictured below) captained by Allen Holmes and Glenn Deckelman from Hot Springs Village, AR, captured the Southern League Tennis Championships in Mobile, Alabama.

Arkansas Women's 2.5 Team- Bohnert/Rogers defeated Mississippi/Biloxi captained by Missy Mitchell 2-1 for the Southern Sectional Women's 2.5 Title. Members of the team include Jennifer Lynn Bohnert, Donna Carol Field, Kim Evans, Kimberly Lynn Chronister, Donna Russell, Leslie Colebank, Becky Alexander, Audrey Elizabeth Byrd,Kim Rose Schaap, Shannon Gordon.

Arkansas Senior Men's 3.0 Team- Holmes & Deckelman/HSV defeated S.Carolina/Beaufort captained by Douglas Brown 2-1 for the Southern Sectional Senior Men's 3.0 Title. Members of the team include Allen Holmes, Ron D. Felger, Jerry Young, Glenn Deckelman, Alan Trippel, James Zancanaro, Charles Edward Willard, Steven C. Wright, Dan Johnson.

Arkansas placed two teams of the twenty teams from the USTA Southern Section who advanced to the national championships of the largest adult recreational tennis league in the world by winning the 2011 USTA League Southern Section Championships.
More than 1800 players on about 200 teams from Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee competed in the tournament. In order to reach this point, teams competed in regular season matches and a state championship. Winners here advanced to play other sectional champions at the USTA League National Championships. Overall, Louisiana brought home the most trophies with five champions and four finalists among the 20 levels played.

Good Luck to these Arkansas teams as they head to Nationals!!!

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Ryan Hudelson and Lindsey Liles Lead Arkansas Junior Tennis Rankings for 2011

Ryan Hudelson (pictured right) and Lindsey Liles (pictured below), both of Little Rock, currently hold the #1 tennis ranking for 2011 in the USTA Arkansas Junior Boy's 18s and Girl's 18s divisions, respectively. Other Arkansas junior tennis players that are also #1 in their age groups include:

Boy's 16s- David Reed Churchill of Fayetteville
Girl's 16s- Tiffany Tang of Rogers

Boy's 14s- Griffin Clark of Rogers
Girl's 14s- Emily Ann Metcalf of Jonesboro

Boy's 12s- Maxwell Lawrence Mendelsohn of Little Rock
Girl's 12s- Tatum Brooke Rice of Hot Springs

Boy's 10s- Andrew Wood of White Hall
Girl's 10s- Evelyn Maurras of Jonesboro



*** See Comments for All Ranked Players


Friday, July 15, 2011

Top Ranked Arkansas Tennis Players in USTA Southern Section

Kevin Hickey of Fort Smith led all Arkansas men tennis players with a Men's 40s ranking of #2 in the Southern Section of the USTA for the first half of 2011. Other Top-5 ranked men players in the South include Chuck Cavin of Little Rock, ranked #5 in the Men's 50s, and Denny Palmer of El Dorado, ranked #5 in the Men's 80s.

Nicole Coopersmith of Pine Bluff led all Arkansas junior tennis players with a Girl's 12s ranking of #4 in the Southern Section. Other Top-5 ranked Arkansas juniors are Jacqueline Carr of Bentonville, #5 in the Girl's 14s, and Tatum Rice of Hot Springs, #5 in the Girl's 12s.

All Arkansas adults and juniors ranked in the Top 200 of the USTA Southern Section are listed below in their respective divisions.

Arkansas Adults

Men's 30s
Bermudez, Raul R.,Little Rock, #15

Men's 35s
Coleman, Michael D.,Fort Smith, #10

Men's 40s
Hickey, Kevin,Fort Smith, #2
Shoemake, Jake, Centerton, #13

Men's 45s
Coleman, Michael D.,Fort Smith, #11

Men's 50s
Cavin, Chuck, Little Rock, #5
Brady, G Barry,Conway, #25

Men's 55s
Stursma, Doug C.,Bella Vista, #14
Pascale, Ray,Pine Bluff, #24

Men's 60s
Duffel, Stephen G.,Little Rock, #14
Back, Larry,Little Rock, #27

Men's 70s
Terry, Michael J.,Blytheville, #24

Men's 80s
Palmer, Denny,El Dorado, #5

Women's 60s
Graham, Karen D.,Van Buren, #6

Arkansas Juniors

Boy's 18s
Hudelson, Ryan,Little Rock,#24
Crawford, Austin,Maumelle,#68
Campbell, William B.,Little Rock,#81
Adams, Grant,Texarkana,#81
Rowden, Jon Mark,Greenbrie,#145
Olaya, Julio R.,Little Rock,#189

Boy's 16s
Cramer, Taylor,Texarkana,#32
Olaya, Julio R.,Little Rock,#58
Jacoby, Jake,Little Rock,#61
Churchill, David Reed,Fayetteville,#88
Guy, Cole Chapman,Pine Bluff,#97
Sheppard, Jordan,Bentonville,#112
Henry, Kyle,Fayetteville,#139
Mathis, Christian K.,Mountain Home,#151
Brandon, Trent,Little Rock,#155
Terrell, Branch,Little Rock,#164
Joshuva, Daniel,Bentonville,#169

Boy's 14s
Brandon, Trent,Little Rock,#84
Chakka, Kiran,Little Rock,#99
Ney, Marshall Smith,Rogers,#121
Kamath, Sameer G.,Fayetteville,#145
Mendelsohn, Maxwell Lawrence,Little Rock,#172
Clark, Griffin,Rogers,#179
Smith, Patrick,Texarkana,#182

Boy's 12s
Mendelsohn, Maxwell Lawrence,Little Rock,#7
Chakka, Anil,Little Rock,#51
Harrison, Hunter Matthew,Little Rock,#56
Kauffman, Spencer,Hot Springs,#59
Humphries, Zachary,Maumelle,#62
Hill, Jack Henry,Hot Springs,#76
Simpson, Jeff,Jonesboro,#82
Chikkala, Srikar,Bentonville,#95
Lupinek, Brandon D.,North Little Rock,#117
Barnett, Wesley,Little Rock,#123
MacKey, Connor,Jonesboro,#146
Joshuva, Richard,Bentonville,#195

Boy's 10s
Richardson, Eric,Jonesboro,#11
Henry, Payne Bryant,Rogers,#23
Osgood, Anakin,Mountain Home,#26
Copeland, Chase,Jonesboro,#39
Clayton, Kyle Arthur,Jonesboro,#50
Rommel, Alec,Texarkana,#54
Frey, Maximilian Y.,Texarkana,#58
Davis, Jackson,Jonesboro,#83
Barber, Jonathan,Jonesboro,#121
Weeks, Steven Douglas,Little Rock,#138
Jett, James,Jonesboro,#149
Brown, Jacob Andrew,Jonesboro,#155
Sanders, Quinn,Texarkana,#163
Osment, Gray,Jonesboro,#174
Greer, Christian,Little Rock,#177
Rouse, Eli,Jonesboro,#186

Girl's 18s
Ray, Kaitlin M.,Little Rock,#13
Wright, Mary,Hot Springs,#47
Liles, Lindsey,Little Rock,#55
Brandon, Darby,Little Rock,#67
Rowden, Ali,Greenbrier,#110
Randolph, Trinity,Little Rock,#156
Borgognoni, Kanda,Lake Village,#187

Girl's 16s
Wright, Mary,Hot Springs,#27
Jackson, Katelyn,Roland,#64
Tang, Tiffany,Rogers,#89
Pearce, Lindsy,Fort Smith,#95
Randolph, Trinity,Little Rock,#130
Beaver, Alexis,Fayetteville,#143
Carr, Jacqueline Ariana,Bentonville,#150

Girl's 14s
Carr, Jacqueline Ariana,Bentonville,#5
Jackson, Katelyn,Roland,#26
Metcalf, Emily Ann,Jonesboro,#31
Darter, Alye,Rogers,#79
Tang, Katherine,Rogers,#116
Olaya, Myrna D.,Little Rock,#139
Glendenning, Rachel,Lake Hamilton,#162
Ward, Kami Rave,Hot Springs,#170
Edwards, Kayley S.,Fort Smith,#183
Rice, Tatum Brooke,Hot Springs,#195

Girl's 12s
Coopersmith, Nicole,Pine Bluff,#4
Rice, Tatum Brooke,Hot Springs,#5
Rice, Thea Hale,Hot Springs,#42
McAlexander, Bailey D.,Jonesboro,#54
McAlexander, Morgan R.,Jonesboro,#57
Baker, Emma MeiYuan,Bentonville,#81
LaFrance, Katie Perdue,Little Rock,#87
Gibbens, Caroline M,Little Rock,#122
Minton, Abigail,Benton,#140
McKee, Maddie,Jonesboro,#143
Roper, Hunter,Jonesboro,#156

Girl's 10s
McKee, Maddie,Jonesboro,#16
Maurras, Evelyn,Jonesboro,#18
Killingsworth, Brooke Elizabeth,Rogers,#28
Hafner, Cameron,Jonesboro,#31
Shelton, Madison,Jonesboro,#58
Richardson, Elizabeth,Jonesboro,#71
Shinabery, Ashlee,Jonesboro,#72
Doshier, Claire,Harrison,#75
McDaniel, Emma Grace,Jonesboro,#115
Bailey, Tirzah Michaela,Texarkana,#128
Hughes, Avery,Rogers,#140
Roberts, MaryKathryn,Little Rock,#148
Ellis, Chole,Bentonville,#189

Monday, June 13, 2011

2011 Arkansas State NTRP League Tennis Championship Results

The 2011 Arkansas State NTRP League Tennis Championship results are in and the Winners are.........

Senior Results-

Men 3.5 Winner: Schaeffer-Harrison/LR/LRAC
Team Members: Robert S. Harrison,Doug Meyer,James Vick,Steven D. Schaeffer,Don Dobbins,Pete Biagioni,Elliot Esmaeilpour,Steven W Jonsson,Randy Abbott,Bobby B. Ring,James Patrick Hamilton, and Robert Porbeck

Men 4.0 Winner: Holmes/El Dorado/EDCC
Team Members: Robert R. Holmes,Charles Hartsell,John Michael O'Donohoe,Paul W. Fisher,Joseph Hickey,Steve Cousins,Dale E. Tommey,Michael David Haire,J. Scott Simpson, and William Miles

Men 4.5 Winner: Sawyer/Monticello
Team Members: Jimmy Sawyer,Albert M. King,Bob Worthington,John P. Sixbey,Chuck Cavin,Baylor C. Guy,Bill J. Bodie, and Fred L. Cooper

Women 3.0 Winner: Britton/JB/3 Oaks
Team Members: Paula Britton,Lori R. Huggins,Deborah Young,Karen C. Lynch,Regina P. Hinton,June Carole Morse,Joann Harmon, and Toni Inboden

Women 3.5 Winner: Schaeffer/LR/LRAC
Team Members: Anita Schaeffer,Debbie Worthington,Julie Sanders,Rebecca A. Reed,Teresa C. Murphy,Susan Toler,Becky A. Marks,Lory D. Palafox,Cindy A. Howard,Holly S. Parker,Paula B Aultz, and Michelle Damon

Women 4.0 Winner: Webb-Palafox/GHS/Burns
Team Members: Lavinia Webb,Karen K. Demott,Judy A. Wiley,Lory D. Palafox,Joy Wolf,Julie Sanders,Diane Bischof,Debbie Kilby,Sara B. Barnett,Jo A. Phillips,Rhea A. Ruggles, and Janet L. Borders

Women 4.5 Winner : Taylor-Fess/LR/LRAC
Team Members: Judi H. Fess,Paula R. Tinsley,Vicki Taylor,Vanessa L. Pruitt, Jill Hairston,Leslye Gibbens, and Cindy Jo Lucas


Adult Results-

Men 2.5 Winner: Nordentoft/NLR/Burns Pk
Team Members: Benjamin Albert Ride,Sujay Kola,Ian Cheyne,Han Y Cho,Cheiko Stewart, and Charles Edwin Ledbetter II

Men 3.0 Winner: Biagioni/LR/Chenal
Team Members: Chris Mcfadden Bridges,Eduardo G. Moros,Russell Owyoung,Derek B Cisne,Bryan J. Turriff,Roger P Purifoy,Joe T Hadden,Jim Garner,Stephen B. Niswanger,Adam W Raines,Sam Carter,Scott Polk,Pete Biagioni,James Patrick Cady, and Mark Benjamin Bridges

Men 3.5 Winner: Bauer/Rogers/SVCC
Team Members: Steven Bauer,David Ray Pollard,Michael Grennier,Lance Harris, Anthony Thomas Hucker,Sean Fraser,Manuel Haro,Jeff Greer,Joseph Gerard Hartsig,Ed Andrew Ozimek,Steven Hinkebein,Jesse Conn,Gregory W Spencer,Steve Phillips, and Beau Sylvester

Men 3.75 Winner:Siguenza/NLR/Henson
Team Members: kevin Michael Curley,Clarence McJunkins,Keith M. Fletcher,Carl Brown,Charlie Kinser,Travis Z. Rowan, and Reginald Q. Brown

Men 4.0 Winner: Cato-Ross/JB/JCC
Team Members: Byron Cato,Chris N. McDaniel,Christopher Rich,Troy Bartels,Danny Marongiu,Jesse S. Burnett,Greg Arnold,Will Hudson,John W. Ross,Denver L. Dudley, and Scott Mixon

Men 4.5 Winner: G.Jones/JB/JCC
Team Members: Gary A. Jones,Matthew C. Edens,John W. Ross,Carroll D. Scroggin,James A. Owens,Daniel Milnes,Aaron Hudson,Mark M. Bacon, and Chandler Harris

Women 2.0 Winner: Cronin/JB/3 Oaks
Team Members:Logan Cronin,Jennifer Ann Ziegler,Sarah Jackson,Donna G. Jones,Christy A. Moery,Kim A. Schoettle, and Stacee Johnson Jobe

Women 2.5 Winner: Bohnert-Colebank/Rogers/PCC
Team Members: Jennifer Lynn Bohnert,Donna Carol Field,Kim Evans,Kimberly Lynn Chronister,Donna Russell,Leslie Colebank,Becky Alexander,Audrey Elizabeth Byrd,Kim Rose Schaap, and Shannon Gordon

Women 2.75 Winner: Garretson - Mtn. Home
Team Members: Leslie A Stephens,Misty Gaston,Jessica L. Jackson,Elly Rumbach,Andi K Chappell,Myla J. Strohbehn, Emily Rose Scheller, and Sara Gotschall

Women 3.0 Winner: Clark/Rogers/SVCC (pictured above)
Team Members: Beth A. Clark,Vera H Huber,Alysia Diane Treece,Biffy Fletcher,Carolyn Dianne Gilmore,Melanie Wells,Paula Kaufmann,Kiki Hoener,Nery D. Iselin,Kathryn Miller, and Jennifer Keefauver

Women 3.25 Winner: Hurst-O'Donnell/LR/LRAC
Team Members: Ashley Hurst,Stacy Lea Nelson,Amie M Simmons,Anna O'Donnell,Margaret A. Minshall,Jennifer Ellen Fielding,Teresa L. Williams,Lori Ann Uekman,Elizabeth Wallace Grotte,Caroline W. Fox and Jenny Ledbetter

Women 3.5 Winner: Decker-Hayes/Bentonville/IND
Team Member: Lacey Hayes,Monica Crosby,Leslie Carol Decker,Allison Ann Ellison,Holly Hasler,Lisa Green,Susanne Decker,Ann Hendrix,Nancy Decker,Michelle Miller Gifford,Kristy Bailey,Vicky Post, and Monica Kelly

Women 3.75 Winner: Pfeil/Bentonville/IND
Team Members: Tara M. Pfeil,Erin F. Peetoom,Jenifer S. Tucker,Michelle Miller Gifford,Susanne Decker,Sheree Sander, and Lacey Hayes

Women 4.0 Winner: King/LR/LRAC
Team Members: Shannon A. King,Cindy Pugh,Melanie E. Bobo,Kerre L. Gilliland,Marti E. Henson,Catherine Edwards,Kathryn B. Perkins,Jill T. McIntyre,Rebecca L. Kinworthy,Griet Salinas,Casey Woodruff,Libby A. Woodruff,Lisa C. Nutt,Maureen Dickson,Sheffield Duke, and Stacy Campbell

Women 4.5 Winner: McColey/LR/LRAC
Team Members: Tamara L. McColey,Judi H. Fess,Mary C. Way,Vanessa L. Pruitt,Diane L. Werner,Vanessa Roper,Jenni L. Orahood,Jan P. Alman,Stephanie Fincher,Elisabet C. Jestice,Montserrat Flore,Mary M. Scharff,Cathy Mackey,Amanda W. Gore,Leslye Gibbens, and Adria Conklin

Sunday, June 5, 2011

2011 Southern Senior Cup- Arkansas Team Results

The Southern Senior Cup was played over the weekend in Huntsville, AL. The Arkansas teams, playing in the Men's and Women's 35-75 age group divisions, felt stiff competition from their opposing teams from the Southern Section. Both, the Arkansas Men's and Women's teams lost in the first round of each division. Below are the main draw results of each Arkansas team:

Women 35s- NC def. AR 3-0
Simona Galik(NC)d Paula Juels Jones(AR) 6-1,6-1
Amy Dillingham(NC) d Brandy Tunnel(AR) 6-0,6-0
Galik/Hollman(NC) d Tunnel/Ladenhoff(AR) 6-3,6-1

Women 45s- AL def. AR 2-1
Cindy Lucas(AR) d Liz Moorman(AL) 4-6,6-1,10-2tb
Patti Randolph(AL) d Sheila Jackson(AR) Default
Upchurch/Thompson d Tarwater/Fess(AR) Default

Women 55s- MS def. AR 3-0
Camielle Soulier(MS) d Bonnie Wettengel(AR) 7-6,6-0
Anne Cooke(MS) d Leslie Jackson(AR) 7-6,6-4
Randall/Thompson d Jeter/Wettengel(AR) Default

Women 65s- LA def. AR 3-0
Peggy Andry(LA) d Barbara Thompson(AR) 6-0,6-1
Jan Pierson(LA) d Margaret Collier(AR) 6-2,6-3
Andry/Pierson(LA) d Potts/Adams(AR) 6-1,6-1

Women 75s- AL def. AR 2-1
Nell Seavey(AL) d Sally Palmer(AR) 6-2,6-2
Anita Larose(AL) d Anita Russell(AR) Default
Sitz/Russell(AR) d Seavey/Larose(AL) 6-4,6-2

Men 35s- GA def. AR 2-1
Martin Kajevski(AR) d Ramon Bernal(GA) 6-3,6-0
Stephen McQuillen(GA) d Eric Sixby(AR) 6-3,6-3
Buerkle/Klebonde d Kajevski/Sixby(AR) 6-3,7-6

Men 45s- SC def. AR 3-0
Anthony Stewart(SC) d Donnie Wallis(AR) 6-2,6-0
Al Cannon(SC) d Thad Beck(AR) 6-3,6-3
Besley/Watkins(SC) d Bailey/Murphy 6-4,6-1

Men 55s- GA def. AR 3-0
Rob Castorri(GA) d Bill Bodie(AR) 6-1,6-1
Tom Smith(GA) d David Beauchamp(AR) 6-3,6-4
Reid/Schnall(GA) d Jackson/Lucas(AR) 6-1,6-2

Men 65s- SC def. AR 3-0
Emile Rasheed(SC) d Bill Eby(AR) 6-1,6-1
Dewey Varn(SC) d David Sherry(AR) 6-2,6-3
Varn/Nitsche(SC) d Bell/Fincher 6-1,6-0

Men 75s- **** No AR Team Competed ****

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.

Saturday, June 4, 2011

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.  

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

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

Thursday, April 7, 2011

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

Thursday, March 24, 2011

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!!!