MARCH 2018
Adult League Dates
hall of fame & awards banquet
baseliner
ISSUE no 7
Oklahoma Coaches Tennis Hall of Fame
USTA OKLAHOMA TENNIS MAGAZINE
Junior Team Tennis Kick Off
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the baseliner march 2018
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COMMUNITY New Edmond Facility Helpful Links CLICK TO GO TO THIS SECTION
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COVER Hall of Fame & Awards Banquet CLICK TO GO TO THIS SECTION
Published by: USTA OKLAHOMA Contributors: Articles USTA Missouri Valley
David Minihan
Casey McKenzie
Mary Jo Tasker Darla Jirousek
 Wikipedia.com tennistheme.com 
 USTA OKLAHOMA President Bill Towler Executive Director David Minihan USTA Oklahoma 1500 E. Danforth Edmond, OK 73034 www.usta.com www.thebaseliner.net 405.312.5252
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ADULTS Adult League Dates How to Join & Self Rate OTCA Hall of Fame CLICK TO GO TO THIS SECTION
Contents
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COLLEGE Catching Up with Morgan Coppoc CLICK TO GO TO THIS SECTION
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USTA Oklahoma
Hall of Fame Inductee:
Doug Boswell
Doug Boswell played high school tennis at Holland Hall in Tulsa. In 1978 he was ranked #3 in Boys 18 Singles and #1 in Boys 18 Doubles in the Missouri Valley Section. He played college tennis at the University of Tulsa and was the #1 singles player his sophomore through senior years.The TU Men’s tennis team won the NIT National Tournament his senior year in 1982. He graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He played professional tournaments in the U.S., Canada, and Europe for two years after college. He was ranked #1 in Men’s Singles in the Missouri Valley multiple years.He won three USPTA Doubles National Championships and was runner-up twice in Singles. In 1985, Doug was ranked #2 Nationally in Singles and #1 Nationally in Doubles for USPTA professionals. He was Vice-President for the USPTA for the Missouri Valley and served on the USPTA National Board. He was Vice-President for Juniors for the Oklahoma District and Chair of the Junior Committee for the Missouri Valley Section. He has been a tournament director for numerous Oklahoma and Missouri Valley tournaments and coached the Tulsa Tennis Area Training Center for many years. He worked at Shadow Mountain Racquet Club in Tulsa for 30 years eventually becoming the owner in 2011. Doug has coached standout players such as David Martin, who played for Stanford and was ranked in the top 40 in doubles; Lindsay Lee, who reached #34 on the professional tour; and Joc Simmons, who won the NCAA Doubles Championships and played in the U.S. Open Doubles tournament.
COVER
Phillip Barnes has been the Duncan High School Boy’s tennis coach since 1984 and the Girl’s tennis coach since 1998. He served as the Head Tennis Pro at the Chickasha Country Club and is currently a PTR Certified Tennis Professional. He has coached many Missouri Valley ranked players including four with top ten rankings and several who were ranked number one in Oklahoma. He has coached 41 players who made All-State; 32 individual State Champions; 27 Regional Champion teams; 10 State runner-up teams;and 7 State Champion teams.He was coach of the West All-State team;the Oklahoma 14 and under team that won the Missouri Valley Championship;and the Girls 2013 National Championship team.He has been a 10-time Region 5 Tennis Coach of the Year; a 5-time Oklahoma Tennis Coach of the Year;and a Missouri Valley Coach of the Year. He was inducted into the Duncan Public Schools Athletic Hall of Fame in 2010.
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USTA Oklahoma 
Hall of Fame Inductee: Phil Barnes
Russell Warner initially played college tennis at the University of Texas at Tyler where he was the Missouri Valley Conference Champion in the early 1980s. He then played for Tulsa University. He is PTR Certified and holds the USPTA Master Pro Certification. He is the Executive Director and Head Tennis Pro at Philcrest Hills Tennis Club in Tulsa. He has run numerous Challenger of Oklahoma Satellite Tennis Tournaments. He has been a league player reaching Nationals in the Open, 5.5, and 5.0 levels. Russel has been President of the Oklahoma District and the USPTA Missouri Valley. He is the author of three books and has been a speaker at the USPTA World Conference and the PTR World Symposium. He is a 3-time National USPTA Top Ten winner of Continuing Education. Russel has also been inducted into the Missouri Valley Tennis Hall of Fame and the USPTA Missouri Valley Hall of Fame.
USTA Oklahoma 
Hall of Fame Inductee: Russel Warner
USTA Oklahoma
Hall of Fame Inductee:
Bernis Duke
Bernis Duke was the Oral Roberts University Tennis Coach from 1967 to 1999. His team’s match record was 563-225 (71.4 winning percentage). He retired in 6th place among NCAA Division 1 coaches in career wins. His teams were undefeated at home during his first five years of coaching. His first team went 24-0 and was ranked in the top 10 Nationally. He was inducted into the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Hall of Fame in 2002. The Oral Roberts University Tennis Center in named for Coach Duke.One of his former players, Peter Van Lingen, reached the third round of the U.S. Open.Another former player, Pekka Salia, reached the third round of Wimbledon.
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$15
Outstanding Diversity Achievement
Youth at Heart
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Facility of the Year
Michael and Anne Greenwood Tennis Center
usta oklahoma awarD winners 2017
The Greens Country Club is dedicated to serve its members and can be seen through continuous efforts to not only accommodate but also to exceed their expectations. Some of The Greens Country Club 2017 Tennis Events not only include Competitive USTA Events, Tennis Socials and League play but also birthday parties, team meetings, junior nights, theme mixers, Pickleball, Food Trucks and even a “Yappy Hour†by their front lawn where our members and their guests enjoy cookouts and drink specials and even bring their pets.When it comes to coaching, the club offers a diverse team of knowledgeable tennis professionals that share a passion for the game and have a desire to help you reach your fullest potential with competition and a fun spirit.All of The Greens tennis professionals are USPTA certified and our extended staff play tennis and are USTA members. Also the entire staff is in the process of joining the Net Generation. In addition, The Greens have also installed state of the art security cameras throughout the indoor and outdoor facility, courts, parking lots and surrounding facility area which insures a safe environment.The Greens are proud of their facility and are committed to provide an energetic atmosphere to promote tennis.
Outstanding Organizations
Member Organization of the Year
The Greens Country Club
Held February 3, 2018 @ Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame
CONGRATULATIONS!!
Built in 2014, the Michael and Anne Greenwood Tennis Center has already provided Oklahoma State's men's and women's tennis programs with an unbelievable home field advantage.The Greenwood Tennis Center, the second major project in Oklahoma State University's Athletic Village, was unveiled in January 2014 with the indoor portion of the complex hosting its first varsity matches. The facility's twelve outdoor courts were opened later that year.The 50,000 square foot tennis center is located just north of Boone Pickens Stadium. The indoor facility houses six tennis courts, along with coaches' offices, locker rooms, and a sports medicine hub complete with a hydrotherapy center. They have also hosted USTA tournaments in multiple age divisions including the recent adult sectional championships indoor due to rain in the area.OSU has hosted numerous collegiate championships including the 2016 Big 12 Championships and 2014-2016 ITA Regional Championships.
Youth at Heart recognizes the value of all people regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender or socioeconomic level. The program teaches tennis and life skills with team work sportsmanship and how to work well with others.Youth at Hearts mission is to provide opportunities that develop character, instill values, and equip youth for success.Youth at Heart is a leader in providing programs in education, recreation and social development to youth in the Tulsa area.Since 1976, Youth at Heart has provided youth living in Tulsa’s socioeconomically challenged neighborhoods a variety of after-school programs including tutoring, character training, youth mentoring, health and fitness training, sports leagues, career exploration, community service and summer camp.
Jordan is a student in the First Serve OKC program. Jordan started playing tennis three years ago through a partnership between First Serve and the Oklahoma City Indian Clinic. He is now 9 years old and winning many of the USTA Smasher's Orange Ball tournaments. In 2017, Jordan has placed in every tournament he has entered: he has won 8 tournaments, placed 2nd in two, and 3rd in one. Jordan also received the sportsmanship award at one summer tournament. Because of his accomplishments, Jordan is being recognized by the OKC Indian Clinic in their monthly "Horizons" magazine. Jordan is one of the most successful students in the after school program because he and his grandmother have taken the opportunity to play in so many USTA tournaments. Jordan is a positive role model for other players in the First Serve OKC program. He is always on time for practices, he listens intently to his coaches, responds well to feedback, and he thrives on competition.
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Outstanding Players 2017:
Alex Han
Gracie Epps fell in love with tennis at 5 years old and hasn’t left the court since. She started playing tournaments when she was 8 years old. She started playing national tournaments at 10. In 2017, she reached #1 in the Missouri Valley in girls 12’s and 14’s. She reached as high as 6 in the nation for girls 12’s and is currently ranked in the 40’s for 14’s.Gracie is the oldest of 6 kids, and she prides herself on setting an example for her siblings. She is the hardest worker her mom has ever known and her passion for the game is unmatched by most 13 year olds. A few of Epp’s accomplishments include a Gold Ball in Girls 12’s Doubles at Easter Bowl in Indian Wells, finished top 16 in 14’s Hard Court Championship in Rome, Georgia, won the Bronze Ball in 12’s singles at Clay Court Championship in Boca Raton, Florida, and finished 2ndin 14’s at the Missouri Valley Summer Sweet 16. If you ever want to know where this enthusiastic, joyful, self-motivated girl is, check the courts. Her love for life is contagious on and off the court.
Jordan Patterson
Male Junior Player of the Year
Female Junior Recreational Player of the Year
Faith Koontz
Faith plays at the Trent Tucker Academy in Tulsa, OK. She is a very hard worker on the court and does not give up without a fight. Faith has a very strong mental strength that has helped her challenge some very tough opponents.Faith plays in 14 Champs. Her junior NTRP is 2.1, UTR is 2.59. Faith played Junior Team Tennis in the spring and summer in 2017. Her JTT team qualified for Nationals. Faith won the sportsmanship award at the Westwood Challenger tournament in March 2017. Faith’s love for the game, her hard work, and her impressive attitude will take her far, not only in her tennis career but in life.
Alex Han is 14 years old, and trains at Tucker Tennis Academy in Tulsa, OK. Alex is a very dedicated, passionate player that does not give up no matter what the scoreboard reads.Alex plays with the same fire and fighting spirit until he walks off of the court, whether he is up 6-0 or down 0-6. Alex has won numerous sportsmanship awards both in Missouri Valley and Nationally. He is a very friendly player and tends to become friends with any opponent he encounters. Off the court, he is very dedicated in his studies, as well as other extracurricular activities. In his spare time, Alex loves to play the piano and dedicates a lot of his time to his mental training as well. Alex is dedicated to the sport and is an extremely hard worker. Han’s accomplishments include #1 in Missouri Valley, #29 in the Nation in B16, Bronze ball in doubles for B14s National Hardcourt Championships in 2017, #1 in Singles and #2 in Doubles for B14s MV Summer Sweet 16 in 2017, and several big wins against highly ranked players.
Gracie Starr Epps
Female Junior Player of the Year
Male Junior Recreational Player of the Year
Chris Haworth is a 5.0 player that has consistently represented Oklahoma tennis at the highest level throughout his tennis career. As a Junior he was ranked #1 in Oklahoma and Missouri Valley in every age group. He was ranked top 50 in every age group nationally with a career high of #7 at boys 18s with 3 National titles. As a junior he also competed on Putnam City North High school tennis team where he captured 3 individual state championships at #1 singles, was named National All-American, National All-American Player of the Year, Oklahoma All-State Player of the Year and posted a 130-5 record. Chris went on to play collegiate tennis at Oklahoma State University on a full scholarship. He competed at every spot on the line up and had multiple wins over Top 25 NCAA Division I singles players. He was named Big XII Player of the Year at #3 singles in 2012. He currently plays on the Greens/ Shanahan 5.0 League Team and remains undefeated without dropping a set in singles. Chris is working towards a professional tennis career and recently obtained his first ATP point. Over the 2017 summer he has boosted his UTR rating to 14.0 and made it into the main draw of 4 Pro Circuit level tournaments. He has defeated 6 Top 1000 ATP players and currently has a 32-7 Pro Record.
Christopher Haworth
Adult Recreational Player of the Year
Tim and Sandy, along with their children, are very active in the Oklahoma tennis scene. Tim, a teaching professional and former NCAA champion, is active in the Youth at Heart tennis program at the local tennis facility, Lafortune Tennis Center. The Youth at Heart program provides transportation, rackets, instruction, snacks, and equipment for disadvantaged youth in the Tulsa area, hoping to promote the love of tennis in these kids. Both wife Sandy, and daughter Quinn volunteer and help promote this program. Son Taylor, a two-time high school tennis State Champion (Bishop Kelley High School 5A) who now lives in the Oklahoma City area, volunteers in that city's " First Serve" program that also helps bring tennis to children in that area who would otherwise not be exposed to tennis.Tim and Sandy play USTA tennis and have been to Nationals at 9.0 mixed twice. They have participated in the National Husband Wife tournament many times and have been ranked 18th in the Nation. Sandy plays in the local women's USTA leagues. Daughter Quinn just moved from orange ball to green ball junior tennis, plays USTA JTT, and participates in local sanctioned tournaments. Quinn, 10 years old, was just featured in the District magazine, "The Baseliner" for her work with the Day Care Center for the Homeless, and organizing, collecting, and distributing baskets of household necessities for the needy. Daughter Lindsey is a tennis state runner up from Bishop Kelley High School 2012, and son Carson placed 3rd at State for Bishop Kelley High School 2016. Carson is the official stringer for the Oklahoma Futures tournament, and a fixture at local tennis clubs. The Leos family contribute greatly to the Oklahoma tennis community through their participation, volunteering, and enthusiasm for all aspects of tennis!
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Nikola Puffinbarger works as a General Pediatrician at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center. Despite 3 active boys, she finds time participate on several different USTA leagues/teams every year which include 3.0W, 3.5W, Women’s 18 and over, 3.0 40 and over, 6.0 Mixed 18 and over, and mixed 40 and over. Further, Nikola participates, in her club events – rearranging her busy schedule and is always inviting her friends to join her! She constantly promotes tennis to her colleagues and involves parents and kids from their schools. Nikola is a tennis cheerleader and the tennis Community is lucky to have her.
Leos/Howard Family
Family of the Year
Nikola K Puffinbarger
Adult Player of the Year
Ron Acebo Jenks Public Schools
Dennis Troyke is constantly promoting Junior Team Tennis at Southern Hills Country Club.Every season he is the first coach to sign up with multiple teams.Not only does he promote the sport and Junior Team Tennis, Dennis is extremely organized for his parents and players throughout the season.He is a tremendous coach on and off the court.In 2016, Troyke had 12 teams participate in Junior Team Tennis with over 100 players.The biggest divisions are always 10 & Under which will continually grow Junior Team Tennis at Southern Hills.
Junior Team Tennis Organizer
Raise Your Racket
Outstanding Individuals 2017:
Dennis Troyke Southern Hills
Outstanding Tournaments 2017:
Hideaway Jr. Mixed Doubles @ "The Case Tennis Center" at LaFortune Park
Ron has been the Jenks High School Coach since 2007. Both his boys and girls teams have been Regional Champions all 10 years. He has led his teams to 5 girls Team Championships, and 2 Boys Team Championships. Both his boys and girls teams were the Oklahoma 2016 State Champions. Jenks High School Tennis has been consistently in the top 3 High School Teams every year he has been coach. Ron is a 6-time winner of the Tulsa Worlds "Coach of the Year" for his teams continuing success. Ron is the 2016 OSSAA Coach of the Year, and the 2016 National Federation of High School Coaches Sectional Coach of the Year. Ron is dedicated to his team’s success and his love of tennis. Ron Acebo also organizes and runs "24 Hours of Tennis" where his teams play sponsored tennis for 24 hours with proceeds going to the Susan G Koman Breast Cancer charity, Cancer patients of Jenks High School.He has had his teams participate in USTA Junior Team Tennis, and serves as coach in that forum.Ron plays on many USTA Oklahoma teams, and has competed in many District and Sectional Championships. He is an excellent coach and wonderful example of spreading his love of tennis through the young people he coaches, and in the community where he lives.
Junior Tournament of the Year
Event of the Year
Outstanding High School Coach
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Junior players loved the casual, fun yet competitive atmosphere this tournament had to offer. Pizza by Hideaway was served on Friday night and music was played.All was included in the entry fee. The tournament used the 21 outdoor Case Tennis Courts with an indoor back up. Player and parent feedback agreed this was the most fun event of the year. The Case Tennis grounds were immaculate with all the needed amenities such as ice and water for both players and spectators. David McCorkle continues to be one of the top tournament directors in the Missouri Valley. His organization and coordination of tennis tournaments is second to none.
The tennis community came together on November 11, 2016 in support of tennis, life skills and educational programs for underserved youth in Oklahoma City, and collectively raised over $80,000. Through this effort, the First Serve OKC program, run by Emmy Tigert has educated over 700 students about the sport of tennis, cultivated an interest in 110 students through summer camp, and invested in 33 students through an intensive after-school program.The Raise Your Racket fundraiser was hosted at the OKC Tennis Center by Luke Jensen. The funds raised were primarily through the "Sponsor A Player" program, where over 50 individuals pledged support for a summer camper or an after school program student. The night was capped off with an auction for two tickets to USTA President Katrina Adams's suite at the US Open. The winning bid was $8,000! Donors Patti and Rob Lewis were joined last weekend at the US Open by First Serve OKC founder, Mark Allen, and his wife, Jennifer.
Dawna Johnston Oklahoma University
De'Vonte' Pittman
Dawna has been a hyperactive participant in OKC's USTA leagues every year since 2011, always playing on a minimum of three teams each year. In 2015 she was a member of 8 different teams, in 2016 she upped that total to 11 different league teams, and in 2017 six different league teams (two 18+ 3.5W teams, one 3.5W 40+, one 7.0W 55+, one 8.0 Mixed, one Tri-Level), one of which won its Area title, claimed the District title against Tulsa, and advanced to the semifinals at Sectionals before being eliminated. Her personal record in 2017 was 18-12, including 1-1 at Districts and 2-0 at Sectionals. In addition to her participation as a League team player, Dawna manages the OU Tennis Club in Norman, which has hosted several indoor USTA-OK Junior events during the winter months of the last 3 years and which Dawna has made available (often on short notice) both to OKC League teams and officials and to Missouri Valley Sectionals coordinators for indoor play during inclement weather.
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Matias Marin is the Director of Programs & High Performance at Tucker Tennis Academy and is a USPTA Certified Professional, USTA High Performance Coach, and an Argentinean National Certified Coach.Coach Matias has attended numerous clinics for High Performance Players and has received awards for his successful track record in producing many high level players at the national and international level.Heis from Rosario, Argentina and has been coaching for 10 years. He graduated with abusiness administration degreefrom Baylor University. As a player, Matias reached a top 50 ITF junior world ranking, participated in the French Open Junior and earned ATP singles and doubles ranking. At Baylor, he helped the bearswinsix Big 12 championships and as aseniorteam captain made school history by winning the 2004 NCAA Team National Championship.He lives in Tulsa, OK with his wife, Georgi, and two children, Martina and Ignacio.
Cindy Ritchie
Matias Marin
Contributor to Youth High Perfomance Program
Contributor to USTA Leagues
Outstanding Official
DeVonte Pittman has donated countless hours to private lesson coaching for the students of First Serve OKC. DeVonte has given over 80 hours in the past year. He often would arrive at the OKC Tennis Center at 7 am to coach two First Serve high school players for an hour before starting his regular lessons at 8:30 am. When asked about his generosity, DeVonte tells the story about how he was given opportunities as a player, and he simply says that he is paying it forward. He gives without expectation, and he offers his best coaching and mentoring. There is no difference in his donated private lessons and the lessons he is being paid for through his employment with OKC Tennis Center. He has a true heart for helping others, and through this, he is making an incredible impact on his community.
Cindy has served the Missouri Valley with distinction for several years now, and deserves to be honored. She demonstrates a positive commitment to excellence unparalleled. She has officiated at USTA amateur and professional events, as well as on the university level. She maintains a busy officiating schedule, traveling countless weekends throughout the year. Continually improving her craft, Cindy hopes to officiate larger events. She is also a private business owner, operating her own photography studio. However, she still finds time to donate time to her local club and officiate even non sanctioned events. Cindy Ritchie possesses the positive attitude, dedication, skill, and high standard of officiating an USTA Official should maintain.
Community Service of Excellence
Boys Sportsmanship
Junior Sportsmanship 2017:
18U: Christopher Dyer
12U: Gracie Epps
14U: Maggie Holcomb
Girls Sportsmanship
10U: Jordan Patterson
16U: Rachel McCorkle
12U: Langdon Tingleaf
14U: Sloan French
18U: Quincy Hicks
10U: Caroline Daugherty
16U: James Stout
Melissa McCorkle is USPTA Professional and Director of Tennis Operations for Tulsa County Park and LaFortune Park Tennis Center. Her numbers do not lie. When you look at the explosive growth of adult league tennis in Tulsa you need to look no further than Melissa. With over 140 teams currently playing USTA adult league tennis out of the LaFortune Tennis Center it has been a truly amazing transformation and renaissance that Melissa has orchestrated from when she started at LaFortune in 2003. As stunning as that number is when you dive in you discover that over 70 new women played USTA adult league 2.5 tennis in Tulsa last year. This is all wired around Melissa’s ability to encourage players at all levels to engage in our game. Melissa has touched thousands of players during her career. No one is more deserving to receive the 2017 USTA Oklahoma President’s Award. USTA Oklahoma's President, Bill Towler stated, "I am proud to have Melissa as a friend. A consummate professional, her commitment and contribution to tennis in our district is nothing short of phenomenal." Prior to LaFortune, Melissa was an Elementary Third grade teacher and High School coach at Metro Christian Academy and Sand Springs Public Schools for a combined 18 years. Melissa led the charge in the transformation the physical changes at the Center. Melissa administers and directs the multiple activities at LaFortune as well continuing to teach on the court as often as possible. Melissa began playing tennis at a public park when she was 9 years old and has participated or coached for the past 46 years! Next time you drop in at LaFortune be sure to thank her for everything she has done and continues to do for the game of tennis.
President's Award
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Curtis richmond MEMORIAL scholarship
Shawnee High School varsity tennis players, Benjamin and Raymond Shankland, were awarded $1,000.00 college scholarships at the USTA Oklahoma Foundation Awards Banquet on Saturday, February 3, 2018, at the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City.The presentation was made by Vance McSpadden, President of the USTA Oklahoma Foundation. Both of the boys were highly recommended by their teachers, counselors, and principal due to their integrity, perseverance, positive attitudes, and leadership skills.They hold after-school jobs, are members of the National Honor Society, are bull riders, and involved in FFA.Because of his vocal talent, Raymond is a member of the Oklahoma State Future Farmers of America Chorus and was chosen as a soloist for the National FFA Chorus in October, 2017. The Shankland brothers are looking forward to attending Southeastern State University in Durant, Oklahoma.Proud parents are Genessa and Christopher Shankland. Varsity senior tennis players may apply for the Curtis Richmond Scholarship.The 2015 scholarship was awarded to Shelbe Fennell of Shawnee. Mackenzie Rains of Duncan was the 2016 honored senior. Curtis Richmond was a gifted athlete from Shawnee who was inducted into the Southeastern State University in 1992 and into the USTA Missouri Valley/Oklahoma Hall of Fame in 2010.Richmond had a high school singles and doubles record of 82-4 and was the 1963 Oklahoma State Singles Champion.From 1963-1967 he continued his tennis career at Southeastern where he played for Hall of Fame Coach Clarence Dyer.He won the Oklahoma Conference Championship in 1967 and was Doubles Champion in 1966-67. He was honored as an NAIA All-American in 1967 and was selected for the 1967 Pan-American Games.Richmond served in the United States Army from 1967-1970, where he served in Vietnam and in Berlin, Germany.He was a member of the 1970 All-Army Tennis Team where he was Singles Runner-up and Doubles Champion.
local mom uses tennis to teach business skills
When Mary Nhin picked up the tennis game in 2010, she had no idea that it would become a tool to teach her boys business skills. “I initially was attracted to tennis for the exercise and of course, the cute clothes,†Mary Nhin said. Mary began competing in recreational USTA leagues where she developed mental aspects of her game. She was so intrigued with the sport that she signed up all three of her boys. Since her boys started the sport in 2015, they are using tennis as a positive outlet and hobby. Kobe Nhin, Mary’s middle son, has gone on to win many tournaments and has achieved a sectional and national ranking. He aspires to play for the University of Oklahoma. Mary said, "I believe the boys are learning how hard work pays off, how to problem solve, and be a leader. They are learning these skills a in a fun way on the tennis court." Some of those traits that can be transferred from the court to business is hard work, problem-solving, leadership, and integrity. “There’s no getting around this one, no matter what industry you are in — hard work is an essential component to necessary business skills,†Nhin said of hard work. From her own personal experience, Mary and her husband worked 14-hour days until they had their restaurant, Nhinja Sushi, running smoothly. “Everyone puts in the grind at different stages of their career,†she said. And tennis players are no different. Kobe Nhin practices sometimes in 30-degree weather to get in his 3-4 hours a day. “When he works hard in practice and then sees his hard work culminate by winning a hard mental and physical match, it shows him that hard work pays off,†Nhin said. “This reinforces that there are no short-cuts in life to achieving your goals.†“Every business needs people who can problem-solve — sometimes in an instant — as in the food industry where problems arise constantly. Also, people that can hear a customer’s issue and patiently resolve it are invaluable. At every level of any business, there are unsung heroes who take ownership of whatever the situation is instead of saying ‘it’s not my job.’ “You could compare a tennis match with the gladiatorial coliseum. Boxers have their corner men with them, but not in tennis. In tennis, you are on your own with several problems — your opponent, the elements and yourself to solve. Your coach, family and friends are behind the fence unable to help you, Nhin explained. “You are all by yourself and must figure things out in a calm, cool manner. Tennis is about accepting what we can control and dealing with it. In tennis, you realize not to focus on those aspects which you have no control over — weather, screaming fans, a bad call, or an upset opponent.†She said, “Businesses also need great leadership. Someone who can see the broader, bigger picture and long-term vision. They see a shopping mall where others see barren land. They see opportunity where others see despair. Leaders are able to plan and work towards a long-term goal. A great leader isn’t concerned about what others are thinking when they are focused on getting things done. They remain steadfast to their goal and allow adjustments to be made to suit the environment. A good leader sees changes before they happen in the market and responds instantly to keep up with the ever-fluctuating market demand. “Tennis players make numerous tactical and strategical adjustments with long-term goals in mind. They realize that learning proper technique initially will pay dividends in the long run even though it may take longer to master. They understand that building a proper foundation is essential for long-term growth. It doesn’t matter if they need extra practice. Hard work is not an issue. Within a tennis match, competitive tennis players are constantly changing their tactical and strategical game adjusting when the need arises. They remain flexible and adaptable to get to their goal. Tennis players aren’t afraid to change tactics and step out of their comfort zone to win.†Nhin said, “Finally, most people and businesses prioritize trust. Business relationships with customers, vendors, and partners operate on this essential trait. Anyone would rather do business with a person who is 50 percent skill and 100 percent integrity over 100 percent skill and 50 percent integrity. Yet, integrity is something that is missing in modern-day society. “Tennis is the only major sport where the non-professional competitive players are the referees. You make line calls and score matches with your opponent on integrity alone. Your ethics and moral character are never more on display then when you are playing tennis. “If you want to know if someone is a good problem-solver, leader or trustworthy, spend an hour or two with them on a tennis court,†Nhin said. Courtesy of www.edmondsun.com
Click here to reach article through the Edmond Sun
Find a pic of Nhin child and place here
JUNIORS
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Advice to Parents of Young Players
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Consistency in coaching is essential. Avoiding going from one coach to another keeps the process and development going. There has to be trust amongst the team – player, coach and parent all have to be on the same page. Changing coaches is like restarting the process. Coaches have different styles, systems and philosophies. Your job is to find one that best fits your child. Try any program for about a week before you commit to that program. Do research! Be sure there is a plan when you start. A developmental plan, two areas of focus and a tournament schedule is essential in the planning. The two areas of focus are to be evaluated every two months and then replaced if they have been achieved. Be supportive and patient with the coach. If you have issues with him or her, discuss them without the child present. Understand where the coach is coming from and why he is doing things a certain way. Give the coach a chance. Parents who are the coaches need to be patient and should not get so consumed that the child only lives, sleeps and eats tennis. Seek help in areas where you might feel you are weak in your knowledge or expertise. I coached my son until he was 15. At 15, I wanted to be his father and not his coach. My role was to give him advice and support when he was training under a new coach. His job was to learn to make decisions and be responsible and accountable for his tennis. Good tennis players are independent thinkers. He now asks, “Why did you not make me do this or that?†My answer is, “I gave you choices; you made the decisions.†Tennis has to be left at the club or courts, not brought home every day. At home, let them have a normal life. They need friends. They need to develop their social skills. They need to build good character. They need to be good students in school. Provide a balance of tennis, a social life and academics. Remember, 99 percent of all players go to COLLEGE!!!! In the process, be sure you do not try to skip steps or cut corners. There are no shortcuts!!!! It takes time! It takes a lot of hard work, sacrifice and dedication by you and them. Set goals and keep the training fresh to keep them engaged and to prevent burnout. A few things to keep in mind: Kids do not always need to practice with someone better. They do not always need to play up in age groups. The ratio of practice should be 25-50-25, meaning 25 percent with weaker players, 50 percent with players of their own ability and 25 percent with players better than them. Does Roger Federer practice with someone better than him all the time? No! He practices with young pros, juniors or college players!!!!!! And 50 percent of the time, they need to experience the pressure of playing with and against their own peers. When choosing to play up, they need to have a 65 percent winning record or better in their age group to justify it. Keeping track of match counts is very important. We do not want them playing 130 matches a year at 12, 13 or 14! It is not the number of tournaments but the match count that matters! Burnout and injuries will occur if you overplay them. One area that we tend to neglect in their training is off-season breaks. Pros take 4-6 weeks at the end of each year to set a fitness base and improve on specific areas. They will follow up with a couple of weeks off before the clay season and a couple of weeks off after Wimbledon. They build in regeneration, fitness, cleaning their games out to be sharp, fit and healthy. In the junior schedule, we could build this in after Winter Nationals, after Easter Bowl and finally after Hard Courts. The pros in the off season at the end of the year do not touch their racquets for a couple of weeks. They focus on physical fitness and mental conditioning. Then comes the tennis. Our ‘99s recently did a six-week-off season where they did not play tennis for two weeks. Jez Green, who was Andy Murray’s fitness coach, supervised the six weeks. His comment was that our juniors are 16-18 months behind in fitness than the Europeans. Why? Because we do not do this! We have to play, play, play! We are very short-minded and short-sighted! Give them responsibility and accountability in their game and preparation. Let them get their tennis bag organized. Let them get their own water, bars and snacks. Let them carry their own tennis bag! We want to facilitate, not incapacitate. Remember, they have to be able to be independent thinkers. They have to be able to take care of themselves out there. They have to learn to survive in the heat of battle. They have to learn to compete and love it. Doing minor tasks builds their confidence and self-esteem. Lastly, be supportive. We tend to forget that they are the ones competing. We forget what it is like to compete. It is the team that gets them prepared, and they are the ones who are playing and competing. We are not playing! We are part of their support group. When they play, we tend to get too emotionally involved. Stay calm and control your emotions. I got too nervous watching my son. My wife was the one who went to tournaments with him. As I used to tell my wife, figure it out. I can sit through a Grand Slam final and not get nervous but cannot stay calm watching him! They will react to you and how you react! They will feel your emotions and nervousness. Stay level-headed and even keel! Show them support, winning or losing. It is easy to criticize from outside. Things are crystal clear when you are outside the ropes. Being in the heat of battle clouds your reasoning and how you perceive things. After matches, give them time to settle down, and yourself, too, before you start discussing the match. Ask questions. Point out things that they did well and things that they need to work on in future matches. Do not be just negative! Give them positive feedback! Let them give you their perspective of what happened out there. They have to be aware of what happened and how they can control that the next time. Win or lose, love them for who they are – your child! Like building a house, we need a good foundation. You build the outside of the house, followed by the inside. It takes time to build a house. It takes a long time to develop a tennis player. Good luck with the journey! Courtesy of www.usta.com
By Andy Brandi
newbie parents
Every week I receive a volume of calls from new tennis parents requesting information on how our junior system works or what is the best path their child should take. Being a tennis coach and parent, I have picked up a few tips that might help your journey with your tennis champion. Selecting a Competent Coach You need to select a coach that not only can teach the technical and tactical parts of the game, but one that understands the junior pathway within USTA, ITF and ITA. Can your coach answer the question, what circuit your child should play? Is your coach making sure your champion is training with the correct ball color and racket size? Stick with your coach. Don't fall into the trap that it is "greener on the other side." Jack Sock is a great example. Currently he is our best American on the ATP tour. He stuck with one coach throughout his entire junior circuit. Jumping from one coach to another, can often do more harm than can be helpful. Changing coaches is like starting over. So, do your research, find someone that fits your child's personality and stick with them. Understand the Junior Tennis Pathway I strongly believe it is the responsibility of the coach to educate you and your child on the junior pathway in the area you reside. However, it is a good idea that you stay up with the current rules and regulations within USTA so you can make wise decisions on what tournaments best fit your child's playing level. Everything you need to know is on www.usta.com, but you can always reach out to your USTA junior competition coordinator for guidance. Understanding UTR Visit www.universaltennis.com and become familiar with the UTR rating system. This rating system is more important than ever now that collegiate coaches all across the country are using this system as a way in evaluating a player and whether they fit into their program. Certain USTA sections and districts are also using UTR as a vehicle within their junior system. Oklahoma uses UTR for their seeding criteria while sections like NorCal uses UTR to group players into draws. UTR is no longer the future of tennis, it is here, and in my opinion, here to stay. Play Junior Team Tennis and School Tennis Some of my best tennis years were when I played collegiate tennis. I loved the team atmosphere. I'm not alone in this thinking. Unfortunately there is a trend within junior tennis that top players are not playing high school tennis because parents believe it is a waste of time or it perhaps takes away from their training. Team tennis provides an alternative to the traditional tournament environment where players can hang with their friends in a non-stressful atmosphere. The only time I would ever endorse players not playing high school tennis is if the high school doesn't allow players to train with their personal coach during the high school season. Sometimes this rule is within the specific high school the player attends or the entire governing body of the state. These are stupid rules that does a dis-justice to the student-athlete. Competing in Your Backyard Don't waste your money on traveling to tournaments out of state until your child can beat the majority of players in your own city and state. Unfortunately you will find a lot of parents that travel outside the state trying to chase points when they can't even beat players that live across the street. Take your time and save your money, there is no rush! Enjoy the Journey Enjoy this tennis journey with your child as it will fly by! I remember speaking to a tennis parent who had two highly nationally ranked players, telling me taking their kids to tournaments were some of the best family memories during their childhood. Embrace this time of your child's life because before you know it, poof!, it will be gone and they will be off to college. David Minihan can be reached at ustaoklahoma@gmail.com
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By David Minihan, USPTA Master Professional
What's in Your Bag? Every player needs a few balls for warm up, band-aids, extra shoelaces, socks, shirt, jump rope and towel. Make sure you have your rackets freshly strung and re-gripped. It is always a good idea to bring an extra set or two of string and grip in case you need it during the tournament.
Properly preparing for a tournament is critical to the success you might have at your next event. It is also important to understand that you have your check list completed when checking in for your match and after the completion of the match.
Hydrate! Hydrate! Hydrate! Before play, drink 12-16 ounces about 1 hour before play begins. Drink fluids often throughout the day begins. Prepare at least 2 quarts (64 ounces) to drink during play. Sports drinks are preferable for long matches or during play in hot weather. -USTA Sports Science
Prior to checking in for your match, make sure you have used the restroom, water jug is full, you have spoken to your coach and your tennis bag is with you and not in the car.
Players need to check in 15 minutes prior to each match throughout the tournament. Don't wait until the last minute to check in!
Preparation and Checking-In at the Tournament Desk
Have your water jug, sports drink, fruit and energy bars prepared well in advanced before each match.
When checking in, inform the tournament director who you are and the event you are checking in for. For example, "My name is Anthony Chang and I'm checking in for Boy's 14s." The tournament director will then assign you to a court or inform you if they are running a little behind.
You have now been assigned to a court and have completed the match. After packing up your bag, it is important that you report directly to the tournament desk, win or lose. Any conversation with your parents or coach can wait after you check back in. Failure to do so can delay the tournament. Confirm the score with your opponent and get your next assigned match time and day.
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JUNIOR TEAM TENNIS SPRING SEASON KICK OFF DAY
Lafortune park tennis center
A great start to 2018 Spring Junior Team Tennis. USTA Oklahoma has 31 teams with over 200 players this season in Divisions 10, 12, & 14 Under! Spring Kick Off in Tulsa was a little chilly and windy but had some great match play and a lot of FUN!
PHILANTHROPY AT ITS FINEST
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QUINN LEOS
BLOG by Quinn
The Day Center for the Homeless awarded Quinn Leos, from LaFortune Tennis Center, daughter of Tim and Sandy Leos with the 2018 Katie Eller Youth Philanthropy Award at Southern Hills Country Club tonight at the Heart of Henry benefiting the Tulsa Day Center for the Homeless.. Quinn is the third recipient of this award. Quinn, Jake Schissel, and Julia and Ben Mudd assisted Quinn in her project! Quinn made an amazing, heart felt speech thanking the Tulsa Tennis Community for the financial support that was given for the project. Quinn collects and assembles housewarming kits for Tulsa’s poor who are moving into homes. Each housewarming kits contains $100 of towels, dishes, pans, and cleaners. Quinn began assembling kits in December of 2016 and has enlisted the help of three other kids including parishioner Jackson Howard The Day Center for the Homeless will award her with the Katie Eller Youth Philanthropy Award. Quinn is the third recipient of this award.
Hi, my name is Quinn Leos and I am 9 years old and I go to Jenks Southeast Elementary. My passions are helping the homeless and playing tennis. I play tennis at LaFortune Park where my dad, Tim Leos, is the head pro! My whole family plays or played tennis! I wanted to do a project called Birthday Party Project (BPP) so I went to the Tulsa downtown Day Center and talked to Sandra Lewis, the head director.  Sandra considered something else, called house-warming kits. The Tulsa Day Center for the Homeless places many homeless families into apartments every month. The housewarming kits are laundry baskets full of things needed to start a home like sheets, kitchen items, and cleaning supplies. All of the items are new. I started collecting some supplies for the kits at LaFortune Park Tennis Center and Philcrest Hills tennis club. I started getting lots of donations and said to myself this does not have to be a one time project lets start doing this every week! My mom took a video of me telling what I was doing and sent it to my teacher, and the next day it ended up on the Jenks Public Schools Facebook! I started getting comments like, “ Oh I will drop a basket down at LaFortune for you†and “ Great Idea I will collect some items!†I was so happy that so many people cared what I was doing to help make a difference in Tulsa! I feel like putting the tennis community together with helping the homeless is a great idea, it’s my two favorite things! I will be accepting donations for the entire year of 2017. One hundred percent of all donations will be spent on the housewarming kits, or you may bring the items and take them to LaFortune Park tennis center. I thank the Tulsa tennis community for all your help and support. -Quinn Leos
"It’s my passion. I love helping other people. It makes me happy."
An in-development Edmond tennis center is the product of collaboration between city and school, for the community and beyond
Teaming Up for Tennis
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Tennis can be a game of singles or doubles, but the new Kickingbird Tennis Center definitely falls into the latter category. A joint partnership between Edmond Public Schools and the City of Edmond, the 28-court facility, 10 indoor courts, 18 outdoor courts, with room for potential expansion, will be located on 23 acres at 15th and Kelley Ave. The facility will also include a clubhouse and locker rooms for Edmond High School students and the public. David Minihan of Edmond Tennis Services is slated to direct the new center. With an expected price tag of around $14 million, the City of Edmond Public Schools will split the cost. The City purchased the land for $2.5 million, with $4.5 million to follow for construction costs, money derived from city trust funds, sales tax initiatives and capital investments. Two bond issues from 2015 and 2017 will fund the $7 million contribution from Edmond Public Schools. The project arose from stadium construction and limited tennis facilities at the three public high schools in Edmond, said Superintendent Bret Towne. "We started talking about doing a district tennis center, and the we asked the City if they might want to enter into a partnership," Towne said. According to Town, the new development drew inspiration from the similarly structured competitive pool at the Mitch Park YMCA, which Edmond schools, the City and the YMCA share. "We only need these courts a limited time during the day, and then they can be used by other groups," Towne said. "It really is all about maximizing the usage of facilities, and not duplicating." The development for the new complex is currently in design, tentatively expected to go out to bid in late spring or early summer. After the bidding stage, construction is expected to take 12-14 months, with a completion date sometime in 2019. Towne said that the project aims to construct several outdoor courts as soon as possible so that Edmond students can begin using them. Following the precedent of the Mitch Park YMCA, the new tennis complex represents a collaboration that's largely unique to Edmond, said Steve Commons, Assistant City Manager of Administration. "The key to this is sharing resources, and the willingness of each party to give a little in its availability," Commons said. "We could have something very special here, and that wouldn't have been possible had we all not been willing to give a little bit." the proposed facility's scale could also make it attractive to statewide or even regional events run by the United States Tennis Association (USTA) Oklahoma branch--the overing body for tennis. "We're incredibly exited about this facility," said Bill Towler, President of USTA Oklahoma. For Towler, the facility's singular purpose of providing space for tennis programming stands out. Towler said that at tournaments, local players would be able t to sleep in their own beds before tournaments at the new complex, while visitors could find Edmond a more compelling destination for tennis tourism. "When you have somewhere that's tennis first - that's where you want to come back," Towler said.
By Ian Jayne
Courtesy of Edmond Outlook
www.outlookoklahoma.com
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Carbohydrates and fats are the primary energy sources utilized during a tennis practice or match. However, carbohydrate and water are the only principal nutrients that need to be consumed while playing tennis. For some players, salt intake during play is important for maintaining fluid balance and preventing heat-related muscle cramps. Even if a player eats well the night before and has a good pre-match meal, after 60 to 90 minutes of intense singles, carbohydrate stores within the body will be significantly reduced. This will generally cause the player’s blood sugar level to begin to drop off. This could prompt lower performance and accelerate feelings of fatigue. Therefore, ingesting carbohydrates during play becomes necessary. Most adult players can burn off up to 60 grams of carbohydrate per hour during play. To offset this, a player can readily get 60 grams of carbohydrate by drinking about a liter (35 ounces) of a carbohydrate-electrolyte drink. Carbohydrate-electrolyte sport drinks can have several distinct advantages over water alone: They a) Provide energy in the form of carbohydrate,
b) Have been shown to delay the onset of fatigue and perception of effort,
c) Increase voluntary fluid intake, and
d) Provide electrolytes that help to maintain mineral and fluid balance. All of these factors are important in maintaining performance, especially when playing in a hot environment (carbohydrates are used faster and a player loses more fluid through sweating). Sport drinks, designed for consumption during play, generally should have a carbohydrate concentration of 5% to 7%. This means, for each liter consumed, a player will get 50 to 70 grams of carbohydrate, respectively. Higher carbohydrate concentrations (i.e., > 10%) slow down emptying of the stomach, which, in turn, delays water and carbohydrate from getting into the bloodstream where they are needed. When a player drinks more than 1 liter (35 ounces) during each hour of play, it is often better to drink a sport drink and plain water at each changeover (usually with an emphasis on the sport drink). Drinking just a sport drink (even if the carbohydrate content is in the 5% to 7% range) in large volumes (e.g., 1.5-2.0 liters/hour) might not be well tolerated, because too much carbohydrate could be ingested. Ingesting a high amount of fructose (via a sport drink or solid food) could also cause gastrointestinal distress, since fructose is absorbed more slowly than other carbohydrates in sport drinks like glucose, sucrose, and glucose polymers. Again, for a quick energy “boostâ€, a small, easily digestible, high-glycemic index snack (e.g., crackers, a plain bagel, raisins, jelly beans, etc.) can be very effective during competition or practice. If a player has a very high sweating rate (e.g., > 2 liters per hour), it may be impossible to avoid a progressive fluid deficit. However, most older adolescents and adults can comfortably drink up to 48 ounces (~1.4 liters) per hour, which can match sweating rates (and thus prevent significant fluid deficits) for most people. Again, if a player is prone to heat cramps, a little salt can be added to their on-court sport drink (about ¼ tsp. per 32 ounces). Coutesy of wwwplayerdevelopment.usta.com
COMMUNITY
Nutrition During Play
STEEL 1960's
LIST OF CAREER ACCOMPLISHMENTS click here
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quick tennis HISTORY 101
GRAPHITE 1980'S +
Greatest Of All Time
ALUMINUM 1975'S
goat
From the first tennis racket, to the first Grand Slam Winners
WOOD
A couple of the best websites I found about tennis history is wikipedia.com and tennistheme.com which allowed me to piece together some of the greatest tennis history facts. The origin of tennis dates back to several thousand years ago with evidence from people playing something that resembles tennis in the ancient Greek culture. The history of tennis started when European monks were looking for entertainment in the 1300's so they developed a game called "Paume" (palm). At that time the ball was struck by the hand, then a leather glove was used, and later they added a handle for effective hitting, which was the birth of the tennis racket. Tennis really took off between the 16th and 18th centuries with the first court being built by King Henry VIII at Hampton Court Palace. The game of "palm" was highly regarded by kings and nobleman. The French players would begin the palm game by shouting the word "Tenez" (Play!). 1873 Lawn tennis was invented by Major Walter Wingfield that can be played outdoors on a lawn. The game called ‘Sphairistike’ (Greek for "playing ball" ) and first introduced it to Wales(UK). This is really where today's tennis developed. 1881The first US Open was played in Newport, Rhode Island. America founded The United States National Lawn Tennis Association (USNLTA) , and in the same year it held its first National Championship. The first winner in the history of tennis US National Championships was Dick Sears. 1896 Tennis was first introduced at the Olympics with six Nations participating in Men's doublls and singles. John Boland from Great Britain wins singles 1897 The French Championships are open to women for the first time, which started a ripple effect for other Championships to open for women. 1919 Suzanne Lenglen won first Wimbedon Title for women. 1930 Wooden tennis rackets improved with laminated wood 1938 Dog Budge was the first tennis player to complete the tennis history of Grand Slam of all 4 Championships in the same year. The New York Times tennis correspondent Allison Danzig uses the phrase ‘a Grand Slam in tennis’, which started the term Grand Slam 1953 Maureen Connelly is the first woman to win all 4 Championships in history of tennis and complete the "Grand Slam" 1962 Rodney Laver from Australia is the first man to win an "open" Grand Slam by winning all 4 Championships in 1962. He won his second in 1969 and is the only player in history to achieve two Grand Slams . Link to list of all Grand Slam Men's Winners Link to list of all Grand Slam Women's Winners 1967 Wilson is the first to reveal the metal tennis racket. 1976 The first Graphite and Fiberglass racket released. 2002 Venus and Serena Williams become the first sisters in tennis history to be ranked #1 and #2 in WTA world rankings list. 2010 John Isner (USA) vs Nicolas Mahut (France) has played the longest tennis match to date at Wimbledon. 6-4, 3-6, 6-7, 7-6, 70-68. 2018 Roger Federer has won an all time record of 20 Grand Slam Titles from 20013-2018 Casey McKenzie, USTA Oklahoma
Juniors: 
https://www.usta.com/en/home/play/play-as-a-member/missourivalley/juniors.html Junior Team Tennis: https://www.usta.com/en/home/play/play-as-a-member/missourivalley/MVJuniorTeamTennis.html Junior Tournaments: https://www.usta.com/en/home/play/play-as-a-member/missourivalley/mvjrdistrictinfo.html Champs and Challenger link: https://www.usta.com/en/home/stay-current/missourivalley/okchampsandchallengers.html Adults: 
https://www.usta.com/en/home/play/play-as-a-member/missourivalley/adults.html 
 Adult Leagues:  https://www.usta.com/en/home/play/play-as-a-member/missourivalley/DistrictAdultLeagues.html Adults Oklahoma: https://www.usta.com/en/home/play/play-as-a-member/missourivalley/DistrictAdultLeagues.html About us (Oklahoma): https://www.usta.com/en/home/about-usta/who-we-are/missourivalley/ustaoklahoma.html About us (Missouri Valley staff): https://www.usta.com/en/home/about-usta/who-we-are/missourivalley/mvaboutus.html Awards: 
https://www.usta.com/ustamissourivalleyawards
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Helpful Links www.usta.com
2018
Tucker Tennis Academy to Georgia
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CATCHING UP WITH...
Morgan was the cover of The Baseliner's first issue in January 2017
COLLEGE
USTA Oklahoma caught up with former top ranked Missouri Valley junior that trained at Tucker Tennis Academy and is now a Freshman at Georgia. Here is a Q & A to let us catch up with her college career. When did you start playing tennis? I first picked up a racquet when I was 3 years old with my mom and I started playing my first junior tournaments when I was 9 almost 10. Favorite player? My favorite player has to be Serena Williams. She just symbolizes so much strength and beauty for female athletes. The way she composes herself on and off the court is like no other. She's a great role model for a female athlete of any sport. How do you like Georgia? I am in love with Georgia as a state and as a university. It's been an amazing experience so far learning how to adjust to college life, living away from home, dealing with a lot of class work and working around my practice schedule. I have made so many new friends in my classes and also through athletics like golf, gymnastics and baseball. 6 weeks in and I can't imagine it getting any better. What is the main difference between USTA junior tennis and college tennis? The main difference between USTA junior tennis and college tennis is that in college your efforts contribute to the success of the team. As a junior, I had a great group of people that were essential for my success including my parents, coaches, friends and teachers. In college, my actions combined with the efforts of my teammates contribute to the success of Cal Women’s Tennis. This team aspect makes match days fun and exciting.  Walk us through a typical day at college? A typical day for college means I have classes and tutoring from 8 to a little past 12. Monday's Wednesday's and Friday's we have 6am runs so I wake up at 5. For lunch, I eat with my team at the Georgia Center because we are provided with free meals. After lunch, we walk to practice and get treatment before or do extra warmup before we start practice at 2. We end hitting around 4-4:30 and then walk to the gym for a workout until 5:30. Then I'll go to get ready for dinner back at my dorm and head back to the Georgia center for dinner with the other athletes. I have mandatory tutoring from 7-9 because I am a freshman at the Rankin Student athlete center. After tutoring, I go back to my dorm and finish up my homework for the night and head to bed hopefully by 11 or 12. Difference between USTA Junior tennis and College tennis? Main difference between USTA junior tennis and college tennis is the team atmosphere. It's been so great having the opportunity to play next to my teammates and having 7 other girls on the team just cheering you on. You're also playing for more than just yourself. You're playing for your university and I think there is a lot to say for that. You earned you're way there so it's very special to play every match. In junior tennis, you play for yourself and I always had a great time with that but in college, you play for yourself, your teammates/coaches and you represent your school. Favorite thing about college tennis? My favorite thing about college tennis is the ability to play individually but also for a team and a school. It's very special to have the opportunity to do that. It's also allowed me to connect with so many people and I still get to travel across the country, which I love. What are some of your best accomplishments in tennis recently? So far this fall, I have won a doubles title with Elena Christofi. We also made it into main draw of All Americans that's located in Malibu, California. It's a very high level tournament and not everyone gets invited so it's a really unique opportunity to have as a freshman.
Morgan Coppoc
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When you are ready to join a USTA team, you will need to apply for a USTA membership.You can go to USTA.com and in the top right corner, you will see the blue tab to JOIN USTA.Current prices are listed below.
If you have a rating and need to find a team, please contact your local league coordinator and let them know! OKC area- Marc Claude’okcustaleagues@gmail.com Tulsa area- Liz Montgomerytulsaustaleagues@gmail.com
USTA LEAGUES How to Join & Self Rate
ADULTS
After getting your membership and membership number, you will log in to Tennislink.usta.com. Once logged in, you will be able to “self-rate.â€This is located under the “Find NTRP Rating Info†heading.You will answer a set of questions and the system will assign you a level. Once you have that level, you are eligible to play leagues. As you probably know, you can play at your level or .5 higher (so a 3.0 player can play on a 3.0 or 3.5 team.) You will use your team number given to you by a captain to join the team through TennisLink. All fees for the season are paid through tennislink.
Congratulations to the Missouri Valley USPTA Award Winners
2018 Tulsa Local Leagues: 18 & over: March – June WOMEN 2.5 - 5.0+ MEN 3.0 - 5.0+ 40 & over: March – June WOMEN 2.5 - 4.5+ MEN 3.0 – 4.5+ 55 & over: May – June WOMEN 6.0 – 9.0 MEN 7.0 - 9.0 65 & over: March – April WOMEN 7.0 – 8.0 MEN 7.0 – 8.0 Mixed 18 & over: April – July 6.0 – 9.0 Mixed 40 & over: March – June 6.0 - 9.0 Mixed 55 & over: June – August 7.0 – 8.0 Tri-level 18 & over: June – August 2.5,3.0,3.5 and 3.5,4.0,4.5 18 & over Women’s Day: August – October, March WOMEN 2.5 - 4.5 New leagues in 2018 for Tulsa 40 and over 2.5 women 18s Mixed 10.0 55s Mixed 7.0 and 8.0 to be played late summer 18-39 Adults beginning in the fall LOCAL PLAYOFFS TulsaWomen’s playoffs– TBD evenings in June @ LaFortune
2018 OKC Local Leagues: 18 & over: April – June WOMEN 2.5 - 5.0+ MEN 3.0 - 5.0+ Mixed 18 & over: April – July 6.0 – 9.0 40 & over: September – November, last matches in March WOMEN 3.0 - 4.5+ MEN 3.0 – 4.5+ Mixed 40 & over:September -November, last matches in March 6.0 - 9.0 55 & over INDOOR: January – March WOMEN 6.0 – 9.0 MEN 7.0 - 9.0 65 & over INDOOR: January – March WOMEN 7.0 – 8.0 MEN 7.0 – 8.0 Mixed 55 & over: June – October 7.0 – 8.0 Tri-level 18 & over: July – October 2.5,3.0,3.5 (Women only) and 3.5,4.0,4.5 New leagues in 2018 for OKC Women Tri-level 2.5,3.0,3.5 18s Mixed 10.0 55s Mixed 7.0 and 8.0 to be played late summer
INFORMATION: Remember that a player may sign up for a league after the season has started up to the second to the last match. Call you local coordinator if you need to add a player after the season is in full swing. The self-rate form is a pop up and is blocked on most apple computers. Check your settings if it doesn’t come up.
SECTIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS Missouri Valley Sectionals 65s – July 13-15 Kansas City, MO MV Sectionals 18s 3.0, 4.0, 5.0 and 55s 7.0, 9.0– Aug 2-5 St. Louis 7am MV Sectionals 18s 2.5, 3.5, 4.5 and 55s 6.0, 8.0 – Aug 23-26 OKCTC and Earlywine 7am MV Sectionals 40s – September 6-9 3.0, 4.0 Kansas City, MO and 3.5, 4.5 Springfield, MO MV Sectionals Mixed 18s – September 13-16 Omaha, NE 7am MV Sectionals Mixed 40s – September 27-30 LaFortune 7am
DISTRICT CHAMPIONSHIPS Oklahoma District 65s – June 9-10(Sunday if needed) OKCTC indoor 11am Oklahoma District 55s – June 22-23(Saturday if needed) OKCTC7 am Oklahoma District 18s – July 14-15 OKCTC 7 am Oklahoma District 40s and Mixed 18s – July 10-12 OKCTC7 am Oklahoma District Mixed 40s – August 18-19 LaFortune 7 am Oklahoma District Tri-Level – October 6-7 LaFortune 9am
ADULT LEAGUES DATES
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Inaugural Ladies Play Day Fundraiser
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Our USTA-OK Tennis Foundation had a clean winner with their Inaugural Ladies Play Day Fundraiser on February 26th at Quail Creek Tennis! They raised awareness for the Foundation along with raising money to help rebuild the tennis courts at NW CLASSEN High School. With the help of Fields and Futures partnership, this tennis dream will be realized for these kids. Huge shout out to Alfie Bacalja, Director of Tennis at Quail Creek Country Club for hosting this event! Thank you to Tina Dobson for sharing her heart for tennis and passion for this project. Other sponsors included; Old School Bagel Cafe, Zoe’s Kitchen, Sugar Beets Baked Goods, USTA-OK, Hello Love Salon & Boutique, Salon & Spa At Springcreek and Tangles Salon. Big thanks to tennis pros, Jay Berry and Juraj Sekera for donating their time at the event! Stay tuned for more tennis events with USTA-OK Tennis Foundation. Please go follow them on Facebook, Instagram and visit their website to see what all the excitement is all about! http://ustaoklahomafoundation.com/
A New Year-full of promise and possibilities. A clean slate, and a fresh chance. And If you play USTA league tennis, a new SEASON! Along with the new season, the new matches, the new chances to test ourselves, also come some new rules--- The USTA has only one new National rule (2.06), the Move Up/Split Up rule. If you have played on a National Championship team, no more than 3 players who were on the roster of any team, can play together within the same Age, Division and NTRP level as that National Championship team. BUT, the team can move up one NTRP level and play together again, and this year, there is NO restriction for crossover between Adult and Mixed Divisions. This new rule applies to players who participated in 3 or more matches during that championship year. The Missouri Valley also has one new rule (14b and c). This rule is for Wildcard teams going to sectionals. It requires that Wildcard teams must be able to field a complete roster, with enough players to fill all courts for all matches played, and plan on advancing all the way to nationals if winning the event. If its found that the wildcard participated without intent to advance to Nationals, the participants on that team won’t be able to play in any USTA league programs for the next year. If you play in the OKC District, there is also just one new rule(2.03A). This rule is about player eligibility. It says that you need only play one match to advance local flight championships. Tulsa has 3 new rules. The first, is that if you need to reschedule a whole match for reasons other than weather, you must contact the Local League coordinator 3 days prior to the match. (Rule #27) The next new rule pertains to local playoffs. If the day team and the night team have identical there is no play off needed (Rule #5). And finally, a player must play one league match to participate in a local playoff (Rule #30d). So here is to a great 2018 tennis season, and when you are asked “are you sure?!†you CAN be sure of the new rules!
Adult League Rule Changes By Mary Jo Tasker 
USTA Oklahoma Vice President
Give back to the Game
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LEARN MORE ABOUT YOUTH TENNIS
Looking for tennis enthusiasts to become certified officials for Junior and Adult Tournaments. Great pay, most tournaments are on Fridays & weekends, work as much or little as you want, & easy to become certified! Contact Dean Richardville at drichardville@cox.net for more information!
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Terry Woodward
Dwight graduated from Northwest Classen in 1967. He received his Bachelor of Science in Education from Southeastern State University in 1971 where he was a 4 year starter on the tennis team. During his college career he was an OIC doubles champion, a 4 time Sigma Tau National team member and his team was NAIA National Runner-Up for 3 consecutive years. Dwight began coaching high school tennis at Northwest Classen in 1971. He then went on to coach tennis and cross country at Northeast High School in 1972. He assisted in the development of hundreds of athletes who have earned ODTA state rankings, sectional and national rankings, High School state champions and named to an All-State team. He has also worked with numerous intercollegiate athletes and some All Americans, as well as a Wimbledon champion. Dwight has served on the board of the ODTA as a board member, award committee chair and sanction & scheduling committee chairman. He has won 3 ODTA USTA awards as well as USTA National Facility of the Year. He developed 4 NCAA Division I head coaches from his program. He co-directed the Rolex Small College Nationals for 2 years and co-directed the NCAA Division II Men’s National Championship for 2 years.He is a 35-year member of the Wilson Racquet Sports Premier Advisory Staff. Dwight has proudly been a part of the tennis industry for over 50 years, during which he has directed and hosted almost 200 events. He is currently directing the Edmond Racquet Club. Dwight lives in Edmond, OK with his wife Cindy. He has one son, Gary.
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Terry graduated from Pawnee High School in 1969. He went on to receive a BA in History from Central State University where he graduated in 1975. Terry began his coaching career as head coach of the McAlester tennis team in 1977, where he coached until 1991.Terry went on to coach Shawnee High School’s boys & girls tennis teams from 1991-2013 where he completed his 36 year coaching career. During his time coaching, Terry lead the McAlester Varsity girls team to a State Runner-up title, and the Shawnee boys Varsity team to 2 State Runner-up titles. Terry coached 25 All State players and 13 individual State Champions. Terry promoted the game of tennis in both McAlester and Shawnee by directing summer tennis programs and taking players to USTA tournaments. He also directed junior and adult USTA tournaments as well as high school tournaments during the high school season. In 1995 he was awarded USTA Oklahoma Junior Tournament Director of the Year. Terry has been a member of the OTCA for 36 years. He served as president of the OTCA from 1990-1991, and also served on the advisory board a number of times. While president, Terry made a presentation to the Oklahoma Coaches Association board that led to tennis being included in the All State games held every year in July. It was the first time in the history of the OCA that girls were included in the All-State games. He was awarded OTCA Coach of the Year in 2007, ODTA Coach of the Year in 2009 and OCA East All State Coach twice. Terry was also named Region 6 Coach of the Year ve different times. Terry lives in Shawnee, OK with his wife Rita. He has two children, Jonathan and Chadd.
The Oklahoma Tennis Coaches Association recently inducted their 2018 Hall of Fame class. The ceremony took place a the Quail Creek Golf & Country Club
3rd Annual Hall of Fame 
Oklahoma Tennis Coaches Association
Dwight J. Nuckolls
Mark graduated from Henryetta High School in 1967. He went on to get his Bachelor of Science in Education from Southeastern in 1973. Mark began his coaching career as the varsity tennis coach at Ardmore High School in 1973. He was there for 2 years be- fore moving to Muskogee where he coached varsity tennis for 4 years. After Muskogee he coached at Henryetta, Altus and McAlester High Schools. While in Ardmore his girls won one State Championship and his boys were State Runner-Up, both in 1984. During his 30 years of coaching, he coached 12 all state athletes and 11 individual state champions. Mark’s love for tennis led him to teaching 8-week programs every summer at each school he coached. He ran ODTA summer tournaments in Ardmore, Muskogee and McAlester for a total of 17 years. Mark helped spearhead the building of 2 courts in Ardmore, as well as helping with 8 courts in Muskogee and 8 courts in McAlester. Mark was also on the committee that rebuilt the Henryetta Downtown Courts. Mark was a member of the OTCA for 24 years. He was awarded OTCA Coach of the Year in 2000. He was also recognized as Regional Coach of the Year. Mark was also named McAlester Teacher of the Year in 2003. He lives in Henryetta, OK with his wife Joan. They have four children, Aaron, Daniel, Rachel and Sarah.
Mark R. Blevins
Mark Milligan
Mark graduated from Putnam City West in 1972. He went on to attend the University of Central Oklahoma where he received hisBachelor’s and Master’s degree in education. Mark began his coaching career for Edmond High School in 1982, where he coached both boys & girls Varsity tennis for 10 years. While coaching tennis, the Edmond Varsity Boys team won 8 State Championships and 2 State Runner-Up titles. His varsity girls won 5 State Championships and 3 State Runner-Up titles. Mark coached 57 individual state champions. Mark has been a member of the OTCA since 1982. He served as president in 1985-1986. In 1986 he was a finalist for National High School Tennis Coach of the Year. Mark was also named Region 8 Tennis Coach of the Year, four different times, Oklahoma Coach of the Year in 1982 & 1989 and was selected as the All State Tennis Coach for the West in 1991. Mark has served on the Oklahoma Restaurant Association Board of Directors from 2009-present. He is the co-owner and President of City Bites Inc. Mark lives in Edmond, OK with his wife Connie. They have three children, Brooke Garriott, Michael Blevins and Ashley Peabody.
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Senator Ron Sharp graduated from Shawnee High School in1970. He received his Bachelor’s degree from Southeastern State University in 1974 where he was a Varsity tennis letterman from 1971-1974. Ron went on to get his Masters in Education from Central State University in 1979 and also received his Doctorate from Kensington in 1989. He has won Teacher of the Year awards multiple times by many different organizations including Shawnee High School, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Masonic Order and Outstanding American Teacher by The National Honor Roll of American Teachers. Ron began his coaching career in 1973 for Shawnee High School. He coached varsity and junior varsity boys and girls at the high school as well as Shawnee Jr. High until 1988. While coaching, he won 6 State Championships and 8 State Runner-Up titles. He coached 51 All State athletes, 43 individual State Champions and 13 All Americans. His boys won 15 consecutive conference championships, and had an impressive record of 303 wins and 7 losses in dual match competition. His girls won 5 consecutive conference championships, with a record of 91 wins and 8 losses in dual match competition Ron was a member of the OTCA for 15 years. Ron founded
the OTCA in 1975 with the assistance of Bob R. Williams of the Oklahoma Coaches Association. He served as interim president of the OTCA from 1975-79, then awarded the first OTCA president in 1979-80. Ron also initiated and chaired the “ Oklahoma All-Star Tennis†nomination and selection committee from 1977-1982. Ron served as the USTA Missouri Valley Oklahoma
ranking committee chairman as well as the District 5 chairman for the National High School Athletic Coaches Association from 1976-1982. He also chaired the All American selection committee for the NHSACA from 1979-1982. Ron was named Oklahoma Coach of the Year by the OTCA 6 times and was named National Coach of the Year in 1979. Ron was elected Oklahoma State Senator District 17 (Shawnee) in 2012, where he currently is serving his 6th year in State office.
Ron Sharp
Estle G. Wall
Estle graduated in 1953 from Capitol Hill High School. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Central State University in 1972 and his Master of Arts degree from The University of Oklahoma in 1977. Estle began coaching tennis at Northeast High School in 1973. He coached at Northeast for 5 years before moving to Moore where he coached from 1978-1998. He coached 9 All State players, 6 individual State Champions and 1 individual State Runner-Up. Estle taught evening tennis classes at Oklahoma City Community College from 1976-1988. He enjoyed working with people of all ages and showing them how to play the game of tennis. Estle also gave private tennis lessons at Dornic Hills Country Club in Ardmore Oklahoma from 1988 to 1996. He taught these lessons twice a week in the evenings. Some of these tennis players were competing in their high school tennis programs at the time, and Coach Wall helped them grow in their mastery of the game of tennis. During this time, Estle also taught Summer Tennis Programs at Earlywine Tennis Center for 15 years. On top of all this, he somehow fit in teaching private lessons in Pauls Valley and Cashion for many students through the years. Estle was a member of the Oklahoma Tennis Coaches Association for 22 years, where he served as president in 1981. He was also awarded Professional Tennis Registry (PTR) certified Instructor from January of 1986 to August of 2012. Estle lives in Moore, OK with his wife Mary. He has four children, Angie Parker, Mike Wall, Chris Wall and Sharon Salyer. He is the proud grandfather of nine grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
“We’re here,†mom said, looking at me from the front seat. I looked out the window. “Oh.†At 6 years old, I wasn’t happy about moving from Ohio to Oklahoma and leaving all my friends behind. I had no idea of how the move would impact my life. Since I was new to Edmond and didn’t know anyone, my parents signed me up for tennis camp. It didn’t take but the first day of camp to realize that I enjoyed the sport. By my second camp, I had found my foundation that would build me as the player I am today. Making friends became easy through all the camps, lessons, and drills I got to participate in. The friends I had made 12 years ago at that second camp, I’m still lucky enough to say that they remain in my life today. Not only do they remain in my life, but I consider them family. Coming to a new state and starting off with no friends was hard at first, but because of tennis I have made so many lifelong friendships. As much as I missed those I had left behind, moving didn’t seem as bad anymore. The summer before sixth grade, I realized something was wrong with my body. It became normal for me to feel light headed, sick to my stomach, and have a hard time breathing. Because of this I wouldn’t be able to finish practice. Not being able to stay out on the court as long as everyone else was heart breaking. After going to countless doctors and after taking all sorts of different pills, we finally decided I needed to be tested for allergies. To my luck, I came back with a few results. Six years ago, the word gluten was such a foreign term in society. For my first year of changing my diet, my meals consisted of salad, salad, and more salad. After that saying I was sick of salad would be an understatement. Around this time Novak Djokovic had just been diagnosed with similar dietary restrictions. His inspirational journey of overcoming food restrictions and becoming the number one player in the world because of it, motivated me. I began to fight my frustrations on the court, determined to prove myself. As my new diet strengthened my body, my tennis game improved. Before I knew it, high school rolled around. Freshman year is a year of “classification,†and luckily for me, I was a part of something. Family was the word I began to associate with our team. Having a support group in high school is a necessity. To my advantage the tennis team was mine and has been ever since. Tennis truly became an outlet for me my sophomore year when anxiety began to sideline me. Feelings of worry, nervousness, and unease disrupted my days at school. Often, I couldn’t focus and sometimes had to even leave the classroom. However, stepping on the tennis court calmed those feelings. As I would hit the ball my worries floated away. Acknowledging this effect, I committed to playing almost everyday to battle anxiety head on and my love for the game grew stronger every day. Junior year I faced my greatest challenge: surgery. More specifically, a complete ACL replacement and partial meniscus tear that put my tennis career on pause. The surgery left me immobile for a week. Even after those 7 days, I still couldn’t be physically active to the same degree I had been used to before my injury. Becoming aware of how long it would take to get back on the court again was devastating. I was beginning to realize just how much I was relying on tennis in my day-to-day routine. Since tennis had become my outlet, once it was taken away I fell into a depression. I am very thankful for the friends and family that I have who have been there for me. My parents especially, they pushed me to stay strong. On one of my harder nights my mom came to talk to me. She knew I had been struggling mentally to find something to motivate me to stay strong. “The court will always be there for you when you get back,†she told me. Her words struck a nerve inside of me and I began to count down the days of my return. I found that my motivation became driven by my return to the court. Knowing that the court would be there when I would get back put my mind at ease. My journey back to the court became easier and each day I pushed harder. Just after seven months of physical therapy I was cleared to step foot back onto the court of which I love so dearly. This moment was monumental and something I would never forget. Having to take a year off the sport you love does leave a hole in your career however, for my final year of high school I have never pushed myself as hard as I do now. Tennis doesn’t just start with love, but integrates lessons such as determination, self-control, and focus.
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tennis doesn't just start with love
By Darla Jirousek, Girls 18 Champs
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High Performance
Champ Rule Change
Registration is now open for the MV Team Event. #400053418 Click here
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BG12-14 MV Team 
Registration
Look for dates for the next EDC Orange Combine to be announced soon!
Junior Team Tennis
Players that reside in one of the 6 other Missouri Valley districts may now play champ tournaments, however they must meet the level-base play rule. Contact ustaoklahoma@gmail.com for more information.
New Cabanas!
Congratulations to Cristian Pensavalle, Director of Junior Programming at Oak Tree, for earning the High Performance Coach certification by USTA Player Development. Cristian is one of two Oklahoma pros with this distinction.
Oklahoma City Tennis Center received another face lift this month as new court cabanas were installed on all courts.
Junior Team Tennis kicks off March 4th. Contact Casey at mckenzie.usta.ctm@gmail.com to learn more!
USTA Oklahoma is a not-for-profit organization that has over 5,600 individual and organizational members. The US Open and pro tennis around the country are part of the USTA, but USTA is so much more. The mission is simple : to promote and develop the growth of tennis by allowing people of all ages and abilities to play the sport.
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USTA has 17 Sections
USTA MISSOURI VALLEY has 7 Districts
USTA OKLAHOMA
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We are USTA Oklahoma!
Text USTAOKADULT to 84483 to receive 
USTA Oklahoma Adult League alerts
Text USTAOKJUNIORS to 84483 to receive 
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