Tennis' $1.3 Million to Town

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$ Only 1,008 College Matches Next Week – Schedule is an attachment to this issue; story below $

$ TENNI$ E-New$ $

$ Mar. 14, 2009 Vol. VIII, No. 27
South Carolina Tennis 2006 Media Award Winner
Hilton Head Island SC $

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$ Just Part of Tennis’ Annual Impact $

$ $1.3 Million ‘Gift’ from Tennis to Hilton Head Island for 3 Days in May $

$ Hilton Head Island SC (TENNIS E-NEWS) – When the Town of Hilton Head Island, and especially town lodging facilities, restaurants $ $ and gift shops, tally their 2009 take, it just might be appropriate for them to send a thank-you note to the HHI tennis community. TENNIS $

$ E-NEWS has been hard put finding much, if any, promotion of tennis’ impact on the area – even in a crappy economy – like the $1.3 million $ dumped here during the 2008 USTA League South Carolina Senior State Championships. That’s hard to find even in the tennis community. $

$ TAHHI President Jim Purcell reports that $1.3 million figure which came from a University of South Carolina at Beaufort study by its $

$ Lowcountry & Resort Tourism Institute. The study was done at TAHHI’s initiation, trying to show what the 1,000 SC seniors playing here $

$ for only three days meant to the HHI economy. Last year was the fourth year Senior States was hosted by TAHHI … and they will be back $

$ in May and again next year at least. $

$ Given a $1.3 million tag on 1,000 seniors for three days, consider the impact of 2,500 college players, coaches, parents and $

$ fellow travelers here this month for the 24^th year of Spring Break Tennis. That’s 200 college teams each staying about a week. “$5 million $ $ to $7 million on an annual basis is what my math friends say,” Ray Yost, owner-operator of that event reports. Players come from $

$ college campuses that spread from Maine to Minnesota to Mississippi and beyond. The numbers this year were virtually the same as ’08. $

$ Last month’s PTR International Symposium & $25,000 Championships had 750 attendees, including the 190 in the tournament, $

$ PTR’s Peggy Edwards writes. Coming from throughout the country and many foreign nations, these players stayed at least a week. Some of $

$ them will return during the year with groups from their hometown clubs. So 750 PTR attendees (plus spouses) for a week -- $2 million, $

$ give or take a $100,000 or so. This too is an annual event.

$ The same week as the PTR Symposium, the U.S. Tennis Association was hosting a Community Development Workshop. “About $

$ 500 people and they were from all 50 states and five from Canada,” said Marilyn Sherman of Dallas, one of USTA’s presenters at the $

$ workshop. This was a onetime event, but follows a series of USTA conferences and workshops including the USTA national annual $ meeting that brought the top tier officers, board and volunteer leaders from all 17 USTA sections. $

$

$ You can spare us the “Yeh, but golf …..” emails. We acknowledge and welcome golf’s role in our ecomony. It’s just time for $

$ tennis to get its due. And it’s time for the tennis community to scream loudly about it. Ball’s in your court. $

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Free Admission to All Matches

Spring Break Tennis Week 3 Brings Teams from, well, all over the Place

Hilton Head Island SC (TENNIS E-NEWS) – Keep your college banners out, Spring Break Tennis 2009 will play more than 1,000 next week, the third of the four-week event in its 24^th year and attracting more than 200 college teams. Admission is free to spectators.

As in previous weeks, bulk of the teams are from Division III colleges but include some ranked among the top DIII schools in the country. Matches will begin daily at 8 a.m. throughout the Island and on some Bluffton, Beaufort and Savannah sites. Some visiting prep school teams also will be here competing against each other and local schools.

The week’s schedule is attached to this issue and also is available on a daily basis on The Island Packet Sports Page 2. Other information is on http:///www.springbreaktennis.com (use “sbt2009” to get to team and match information).

Madison Square Garden on HBO

100+ Juniors Run Through Drills, Meals in Tennis Night in America on HHI

Hilton Head Island SC (TENNIS E-NEWS) – With E-News apologies for getting late to this story … more than 100 youngsters energized eight courts at HHI Beach & Tennis Resort for Tennis Night in America’s Hilton Head Island segment last week. The event served as registration night for junior programs throughout the island and was sponsored and coordinated by the Tennis Association of HHI, Public Tennis, Inc., Coastal Carolina Tennis Association and Beaufort Tennis Association.

The youngsters, under watchful eye of parents and grandparents, were run through more than an hour of free drills by HHI, Bluffton and Beaufort pros – Gavin Cox, Dom Dimaria, Patrick Mason, McKenzie Mekus, Scott Nichols, Dave Reidmayer, Brett Robertson, Justyn Schelver, Di Seggie, Mike Sutcliffe. Coach Bob Brown of Bluffton High School and PTI was lead coordinator of the event, together with TAHHI’s Jim Purcell. About 20 of the kids were beginner players from the Boys & Girls Club.

“We don’t get a whole lot of opportunities to help junior tennis,” TAHHI President Purcell said, “so we welcomed the chance to do this event.” TAHHI picked up the bulk of the $6,500 tab to carry out the night’s activities. In New York, Kurt Kamperman worked out a $1,000 grant from USTA National. PTI kicked in $300. Shoreline Ballroom waived its normal $3,000 rental for the night. Courts were provided by Spring Break Tennis owner-operator Ray Yost.

Kelly Ruhlin and Linda Evans promoted the Banana Open Junior Challenge coming up May 1-3. Brandon Arent of Van Der Meer Tennis was on hand with a pile of prizes for drawings. PTI’s Treasurer Larry Wiener and board member Dennis Malick were assisting.

Somebody’s credit probably fell through the cracks while waiting to get into E-News, but you get the picture.

Following the drills, the youngsters and parents were trooped to the Shoreline Ballroom and treated to a true kids’ menu of burgers, dogs, mac ‘n’ cheese and the giant screen closed-circuit HBO live broadcast of the BNP Paribas Billie Jean King Cup in Madison Square Garden – Venus Williams vs. Jelena Jankovic in one set, Serena Williams vs. Ana Ivanovic in one set and the best-of-three-set playoff between Venus vs. Serena, won by the younger sister. In the official chair for the night honoring BJK and women’s pro tennis was Hilton Head Island’s Lynn Welch, veteran of many Grand Slam events who was lauded by HBO commentator Mary Carillo and got praise from none other than John McEnroe.

Success of last year’s Roger Federer-Pete Sampras match and last week’s MSG event that turned into a nationwide Junior Registration Night will be followed by an expanded format Mar. 1, 2010. Stay tuned.

Catching Up on Reading Our Mags – Your Assignment Is:

Southern Tennis 2009 – The Yearbook

Hilton Head Island has found its way into several records, as noted on, of all things, the “Do You Hold a League Record?” page (87). Four of the 26 records noted belong to Hilton Head Island players and coordinators. Photos of our Southern team champions are elsewhere in the mag, where also can spot Arkansas team captain Mickey Bearden, former Islander and co-Super Senior founder with Don Grider. South Carolinian Rex Maynard of Belton is president of Southern for two years.

USTA Magazine – April issue

From the skinny magazine that travels in the plastic wrap with TENNIS, you should note that South Carolina’s Lucy Garvin has begun her two-years as USTA president. She’s the third woman to hold the job in USTA’s 128-year history, the second being Judy Levering, now of Hilton Head Island.

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USTA League Senior Standings – as of 3/14/09

Hilton Head Island Leagues

Level players Season Team Leaders as of 3/14/09

SM2.5 4/45 2/11 – 4/9 Sea Pines CC, Moss Creek tied at 3-2

SM3.0 14/162 1/26 – 4/20 Spring Lake Lakers lead at 7-0

SW3.0 12/142 2/3 – 4/21 Sea Pines CC Matchpoints, South Beach Racqueteers tied at 6-0

SM3.5 13/163 1/28 – 4/22 Long Cove Mates, Sea Pines Cardinals tied at 6-0

SW3.5 18/223 2/11 – 4/11 Flight I – Spring Lake Twisted Sisters, Spring Lake Cosmopolitans tied at 4-0; Flight II – Palmetto Dunes Senior Chix in lead at 4-0

SM4.0 7/75 1/27 – 4/21 Port Royal Pirates in lead at 7-0

SW4.0 6/77 2/9 – 4/20 Palmetto Dunes Dames With Game lead at 5-0

SM4.5 1/10 n/a Indigo Run Hogg Doggs

SW4.5 1/9 n/a Indigo Run Golden Bear Naked Ladies

Totals 76/906

Coastal Carolina Leagues

Playing # of Teams/

Level players Season Team Leaders as of 3/14/09

SM2.5 2/19 2/26 – 4/23 Dataw Dynasores, Sun City FBI tied at 1-1

SM3.0 8/97 1/19 – 4/27 Sun City Slickers in first at 7-1

SW3.0 8/94 1/20 – 4/21 Dataw Darlins in first at 7-1

SM3.5 10/118 2/25 – 4/22 Sun City Spin Doctors, Callawassie Islanders tied at 3-0

SW3.5 9/108 2/25 – 4/22 Sun City Madam Butterflies in first at 3-0

SM4.0 3/28 2/12 – 4/23 Sun City Sun Strokes, Sun City Gnats tied at 2-1

SW4.0 3/34 2/16 – 4/20 Springy Girls in lead at 3-0

Totals 43/498

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MISSED THE TENNIS WRITINGS IN HILTON HEAD MONTHLY MAGAZINE? ‘TWASN’T THERE, BUT YOU CAN READ IT BY CLICKING THIS LINK:

http://www.hiltonheadmonthly.com/life-a-style/tennis/96-tennis/604-tennis

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NEW AGAIN IN 2009: Two years ago TENNIS E-News ran a well-received series of excerpts from "The Code, The Players' Guide for Unofficiated Matches". You have asked for a repeat? You got it.

When may a receiver or a receiver’s partner call foot faults? The receiver or the receiver’s partner may call footfaults after all efforts (warningthe server and attempting to locate an official) have failed and the foot faulting is so flagrant as to be clearly perceptible from the receiver’s side.

You too can get a copy of The Code – a complete version or a shortened one – at http://www.usta.com. Go to USTA Shop and publications.

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Upcoming Tournaments/Activity:

Mar. 1-31: Spring Break Tennis 2009 / About 200 college teams in dual matches throughout the Island. See Island Packet for match schedule.

Mar. 28: KidZone Tennis Tournament / Chaplin Public Tennis Center / 12 & Under, 10 & Under, 8 & Under Coed play / Special balls, short courts for each level / Play all day with lunch included / Register at www.kidzonetennis.com or call Patricia Hy 298-4229

Apr. 3-5: 5^th annual DMC Memorial Tennis Championships / Chaplin PTC, HHIHS, VDM Shipyard / USTA-sanctioned Juniors and Adults singles and doubles. Tournament ID# 704107009 for Adults and 704122809 for Juniors. Or call Island Rec at 681-7273.

Apr. 24-26: “BillyBob” Doubles Championships / South Beach Racquet Club / Combined age men’s/women's/mixed / 80 & older, 100 & older, 120 & older, 140 & older, and 150 & older levels / Contact Michael O'Keefe at 671-2215.

May 1-3: Banana Open Junior Challenge / Palmetto Dunes Tennis Center / Novice and championships age divisions / Separate Adult/Child Round Robin / benefit children’s disease research / Call PD at 875-1152.

TENNIS E-News FootNote

ooooO

( ) The Swedish newspaper Nerikes Allehanda reports that a woman charged in a DUI case said that,

( ) although she had been drinking, her driving was not affected because she remembered

(___) to keep one eye closed so as not to be seeing double.

-- News of the Weird in Funny Times

-- Dennis Malick