TENNIS E-News *

*A South Carolina-registered service mark *

Thursday, Dec. 09, 2010         Vol. IX,  No.161                          Winner of the South Carolina Media of the Year Award                                    Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

They didn't look like 3.5s, did they? -- see below

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Matt Mullen, "Choice" Tennis Pro ... ooooooops. -- see fact burp below

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Level Deadlines Vary

     You Have a Week or Less To Enter Your Team in USTA Spring Leagues; Roster Filling Comes Later

        HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC (TENNIS E-News) -- Team captains have a little more than a week to register for USTA Leagues, whether in Adult or Senior Divisions. Some have even less time. Pre-registration notifies level coordinators of intention to enter a team for the Spring season that will begin in late January or early February. Once team numbers are set, level coordinators will create the format for play -- single round robin, double round robin, playoffs, etc.

    After pre-registration is settled, team numbers will be issued so captains and players can begin roster signups in TennisLink. A deadline will be set to have a minimum number of players on roster. For most divisions, that will be Dec. 31. A team NOT meeting that deadline will not be included in scheduling for the Spring.

    Teams will be able to add players to their rosters throughout most of the playing season. All levels will complete local league action in time for the May South Carolina District/State Championships.

Pre-Registration Deadlines for Spring Season -- Check with your level coordinator.

USTA SC Annual Meet

     Kinard To Receive State Tennis Official of the Year Award in Myrtle Beach
        HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC (TENNIS E-News) -- In 1991, Terry Kinard was “being a tennis parent” when challenged to “do better than the current officials making bad/poor calls". That was when the Pittsburgh area native took up tennis officiating. On Saturday, he will receive South Carolina’s top honor: 2010 Pete Conklin Official of the Year Award. The presentation, named for the late HHI resident, will be at the USTA South Carolina’s annual awards luncheon in Myrtle Beach.
    In addition, the Mark Hodgin Junior Girl Sportsmanship Award will be presented to Ashley Kitchen of Hilton Head Island.

     Kinard has officiated at the US Open in New York eight years, and has worked national college championships as well as local junior and adult tournaments. He takes special enjoyment from, over the years, working a junior match, then the same player’s college matches and then be on court officiating when that player turns pro.
Family Circle Cup in Charleston is one of Kinard’s regular stops, but he also serves as tournament referee for HHI’s Carmines Junior and the Sun City Senior Doubles Championships. He is certified as an Intercollegiate Tennis Association referee, chair and line official. He has escorted Jimmy Connors and Bjorn Borg to court in the Senior Tour and dodged many booming serves from the current crop of pros.
    In addition to officiating, Kinard is a USTA volunteer, serving as the SC Grievance Committee chairman and as a member of the Officials Committee. Kinard is an active HHI 3.5 player competing on USTA League teams.
    Accomplishment of note: “Batting 1000%” in professional events that use Hawk Eye electronic devices when players appeal his calls.

A 'Monthly' Tennis Lesson

     "Matt Mullen" Wuller, HHI's Favorite Tennis Pro, Has the Riske Sisters in Exhibition Saturday at 2:30 p.m.

        HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC (TENNIS E-News) -- A guaranteed-to-excite tennis exhibition featuring World #116 Alison Riske and her sister/coach Sarah will be staged Saturday at 2:30 p.m. at Sea Pines Country Club. Y'all come.

    Ali Riske, who is at her career high on the WTA Tour, is coached by Big Sister Sarah, who was a four-year all-American at Vanderbilt and played the WTA Tour, reaching a career high of #213 in doubles. The Riskes, originally from the Pittsburgh area, now live on Hilton Head Island. Two other HHI pros will make up the doubles exhibition foursome: Tommy Shimada, previously a World Top 40 doubles player, and Tom Coulton, who holds an international doubles championship with Sweden's Anders Jarryd. 
 

    Matt Mullen, "Choice" Tennis Pro ... ooooooops.

        HHIsland slick mag Hilton Head Monthly frequents its pages with lists of ..., bests of ... and, currently, "Reader's Choice"* of ... HHIsland. The mag lists; readers vote. The mag publishes multipix (usually with ad accompaniment) of top vote getters. To this purpose: Best Tennis Pro (with photo): Matt Mullen. Matt who? Sure looked like Matt Wuller. "Unfortunately that is me (Matt Mullen)", Wuller fessed. "I was in the witness protection program, but now everyone knows my real name!!!" You're kidding, Matt. Right? Lacking any staff tennis voices, the Best of Editors must have been off that day.

    *Picky punctuator: HHM's "Reader's Choice Awards" should catch the eye of some editor (Do editors edit anymore?) or punctuation teacher (Is punctuation taught anymore?).  "Reader's" punctuates that the mag has only one reader. Well, maybe so. Haven't seen HHM's circulation figures lately. At not since it dropped its monthly tennis column. Teacher emails anticipated.  

They didn't look like 3.5s, did they?

     By the Time Sectionals Roll Around, Some Ratings Look Questionable

        HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC (TENNIS E-News) -- In Atlanta, Super Senior season runs January-February. For Hilton Head Island and Coastal Carolina, Super Senior season is September-October. Both samples operate all year on the year-end ratings from the previous November. Things happen by the time Southern Sectional Championships get played. Like new year-end ratings.

    Take the South Carolina and now Southern champion 60s Men's 4.0 Port Royal team. The 4.0 PR guys went into Sectionals with eight 4.5s on the roster, that is, 4.5s in the 2010 year-end ratings. The Atlanta/Roswell team that won Sectionals Sunday had 11 new 4.0s on its roster. That's the system. You play States, Sectionals, Nationals at the rating on which you won the local championship, but next year you're a Benchmark and can't appeal for another year.    

Year-end Deduction

     Need a Tax Credit? PTI Has a Suggestion for You

        HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC (TENNIS E-News) -- Public Tennis, Inc., is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization responsible for the building of the six (6) tennis courts at the Chaplin Public Tennis Center. Also, PTI is responsible for the tennis pros who teach at the Boys' & Girls' Clubs at Hilton Head Island, Bluffton and Ridgeland.

    "Our tennis programs at the various schools help children to overcome the tendency to 'remain at rest'," PTI President Jacque Houck said, "and we hope to help in the reducing obesity and at the same time present a 'lifetime' activity for recreation, health and fun." Contributions may be sent to: Jacque Houck, President, Public Tennis, Inc., 78 High Bluff Rd., Hilton Head Island, SC 29926. For information: 681-3225.
 

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Benefit at Port Royal

     'Play Tennis for Deep Well' Exhibition, Round Robin Set for Sunday

        HILTON HEAD ISLAND SC (TENNIS E-News) -- The Deep Well Project of HHI that aids needy area residents will benefit from a pro doubles exhibition and regular-players round robin that will be held Sunday at Port Royal Racquet Club.

    The 2-4 p.m. event will begin with an exhibition by HHI pros Tom Coulton, Chris Mireles, Shawn Oliver and Royce Silvan. The round robin, which will begin at 2:30 p.m., will be set up by ability levels with the pros joining in as wild cards. At 4 p.m., action will be on two Beat-the-Pros-and-Win-a-Prize courts and will involve competitive games against the pros. Round robin participants also will be able to continue playing on court.

    "All levels and ages can participate," event organizer Silvan said, adding "also juniors who are able to serve and play a normal doubles match."

    All proceeds will go to Deep Well. Donation/contributions are $20 for one player, $30 per couple or $40 for three or more in a family. For non-playing spectators, it's $8 per person, $12 per couple or $15 per family.

    "The goal is to raise at least $500 for Deep Well," Silvan said. Checks payable to Deep Well Project or gift cards from Publix, Wal-Mart, Harris Teeter, Bi-Lo and Target  will be accepted.

    To register for the event, email roycetennis@hotmail.com and specify rating level and number of players included.

The Year-end Ratings are UP!!

        How to find your Year-end Rating ...

    Go to www.sctennis.com, then (on the left column) select TennisLink, then click on "USTA League" photo and you get the League home page. On the right, under "League Players" select "Find a Rating". Then type in your USTA # or name and click on "Go". That's your 2010 year-end rating and the rating at which you will play during 2011. If under Year-end Date, it shows 12/31/09, that is your old rating and the new one has not been posted. 

    Unhappy with the rating? Well, to the right of the Year-end Date, it reads: Appeal rating. If that is NOT there, you can't appeal. If it is, click and follow directions.

    If you want to find the ratings of your teammates, instead of your name or USTA #, input your team number or their names individually. By selecting the dropdowns, you can find out all the new ratings for the entire area. Happy hunting.

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 Southern Super Senior Sectionals stories, photos and videos are on www.southernsuperseniors.com, including a feature

on two of our teams. Check it out.

For Sun City husband/wife player story see: http://southernsuperseniors.com/news_scb_m30_60_husband_wife.html