Author: Adrien Fournier

The Prescott: The Real Scoop

Tennis Talk by Joy Rem

 Our first tennis tournament for our 2024 season is one of our most special, The Prescott Tournament.  It will be held on Saturday, March 16 from 9:00 till 1:00.  The special tournament celebrates Phil Prescott and the amazing contributions he made to our tennis club.  In 1997, he was able to raise over $30,000 from Villagers and then he matched this amount dollar for dollar for a grand total of $60,000 to build courts 5 and 6.  As a member of the tennis club, you are invited to carry on the tradition of honoring Phil and supporting our wonderful Villages Medical Auxiliary (VMA).  Phil was also a long supporter of the VMA.  Your $15 tournament contribution is a tax deductible donation to VMA.

 Please join us in this fun round robin tournament.  There will be yummy food, prizes, and fun tennis.  All levels are encouraged to join as it will be a fun tournament without any pressure.  This is a way of seeing old friends and making new friends.  Spectators are also welcome to join in the fun, but hope you will sign up to play.

 You will be able to sign up on Your Courts or by emailing or calling Joy Rem, jkr1787@gmail.com or 818-620-7642.

The Village Women’s 65 7.0 USTA team played its first home match on Wednesday, February 14.  We fought hard, but came up a little short.  We first split sets, won 1 and lost 1, and the 3rd match on the courts split sets and played a 10 point 3rd set tie-break which alas we lost.  Next home match is Wednesday, February 28.

Arthur Ashe: Tennis ICON

Tennis Talk

By Mary Ringel

February marks Black History Month, an ideal time to honor African American tennis icon Arthur Ashe. Born in Richmond, Virginia, on July 10, 1943, his journey in life was beyond difficult. At the young age of six, he woefully lost his mother due to complications of surgery. Growing up in America’s turbulent 1960s, an era of segregation, he continually battled against restrictions for black athletes. Yet despite devastating obstacles, Ashe rose above life’s circumstances and achieved extraordinary feats during his 49 years.

During his career, Ashe won 45 singles titles, ranking number two in the world at one point. He made history by becoming the first black man to secure singles titles at Wimbledon, the US Open, and the Australian Open. He was also the first black player chosen for the United States Davis Cup team.

Unfortunately, in 1980, he suffered a heart attack and soon retired. Tragically, during subsequent heart surgery, he received an HIV-tainted blood transfusion – a fact only uncovered while undergoing brain surgery years later. Despite this devastating setback, Ashe remained undeterred, immersing himself in work, he began crafting his three-volume masterpiece, “A Hard Road to Glory.” Published in 1988, this influential work highlighted the struggles endured by Black athletes in America. While working on this piece and even after its completion, Ashe chose to keep his health condition private. However, true to his humanitarian spirit, he dedicated the remainder of his life to raising awareness about HIV and AIDS. Unfortunately, due to complications related to AIDS, Ashe passed away on February 6th, 1993.

In 1997, the U.S. Open honored him by naming its new court the Arthur Ashe Stadium in recognition of his status as the first African American man to win the U.S. Open Men’s Championship and his exemplary role as a humanitarian that future champions could aspire to.

With too many achievements to detail here, it’s clear that Ashe used his exceptional skills to break down barriers in the world of tennis, setting the stage for future generations of black athletes. His triumphs are irrefutable evidence that talent knows no color or race; it recognizes only dedication and hard work.

The Prescott Info and Signup

Annual Prescott Tennis Tournament
To benefit the
Villages Medical Auxiliary (VMA)
AND

We Want You! (Seeking Volunteers) - InfectionControl.tips

DATE:  Saturday, March 16th

9:00 AM – 1:00 PM

 

          • Each participant plays 24 games
          • Double Double Switch format
          • We will find a partner for you
          • All levels welcome
          • Yummy brunch, water, soft drinks, music and prizes

Suggested Tax deductable donation: $15.00

    1. Charged to your house number
    2. Signup by clicking the Prescott Signup button below.

THIS IS A FUN TOURNAMENT AND IT IS FOR A GOOD CAUSE IN HONOR OF PHIL PRESCOTT, the driving force for courts 5 & 6

 Any questions contact:

Joy Rem, Tournament Chair, jkr1787@gmail.com

Cheryl Diltz, Co Chair,  capecod0415@gmail.com

The Prescott SIGNUP

An Exciting Year of Tennis

An Exciting Year of Tennis – 2024

Tennis Talk by Mary Ringle

Let’s start with the Grand Slams, the most coveted titles in the sport. The Australian Open served us well in January; hopefully, you caught some of the excitement on ESPN. The next Grand Slam will be the French Open (Roland Garros) starting May 20th, on clay courts, followed by Wimbledon’s prestigious grass court tournament in England between July 1st -14th. The Grand Slam season ends with the US Open on August 26th, which wraps up coincidentally on my birthday (September 8th)! What better way could there be to celebrate?

The Masters 1000 series is critical for players who want to move up in rank. Across the calendar year, men and women play nine tournaments that can offer significant ranking points and prize money. The games are hosted on various continents, on various court surfaces minus the grass court.

The Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) Finals bring together the year’s top eight men’s singles players and doubles teams in a thrilling climax of the season. Known for its high-stakes intensity, this event will determine who will take the coveted number-one ranking for the year. The format has a round-robin play followed by knockout stages. These games are scheduled throughout the year. The ATP 250, ATP 500, ATP Masters 1000, and finally the ATP Finals make tennis a year-round sport.

Similarly, the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) Finals brings together the top female players battling to secure their spots. Mirroring the format of the ATP Finals, the WTA Finals are the grand finale of the women’s tennis season.

This year, the Olympic Tennis Tournament will be held on the clay courts at Roland Garros in Paris, beginning with the Paris Olympic Games on the first weekend of the competition. Men’s and women’s singles preliminary matches start on July 27th. The women’s singles final is set to be played on August 3rd, while the men’s singles final is set for August 4th.  Doubles competitions will be held for men, women, and mixed teams between July 27th and August 4th. You won’t want to miss these final matches that determine who will take home the gold.

Let’s not forget the Paralympics Tennis Tournament. Designed to mirror its Olympic counterpart, this tournament brings together athletes with physical impairments or disabilities. Their extraordinary skill and determination result in riveting matches that display triumph over adversity. Wheelchair tennis is played at all four Grand Slam tournaments, including the grass court at Wimbledon.

VTL [Tennis League] is coming back. YAY!

Tennis Talk
by Roy Pennington and Betty Olsen
The Villages Tennis Club is once again offering an organized tennis league for all members. The Villages Tennis League (VTL) spring session will commence in mid-March and continue for about 10 weeks.

Play will be mixed doubles, and matches will primarily be on weekdays during the early afternoons. A few matches will be scheduled on weekends to provide an avenue for those employed to have an opportunity to play. Teams will consist of players of varying skill levels, but matches will be organized such that play will be between players of similar abilities; thus, competitive.

So it is time to find that racquet buried in the back of your closet, lace up the sneakers, and join other Tennis Club members and friends on the courts. Don’t miss out.

Registration is simple and will remain open until late February. Teams will consist of enough players that you will not be asked to play every match. A sub list will also be available for those that are undecided about their playing availability. To register or to obtain additional information contact one of the committee members: Peggy Seidel, Jim Murphy, or Roy Pennington.

On Wednesday, January 17, President Ruth Liu held a transition Tennis Club Board meeting with outgoing and incoming board members to kick off our 2024 year.  Ruth served delicious  pizza since we met at 5:00pm.  Thanks Ruth.
We need the following volunteers to help with our 2024 calendar of events:  Scheduler board member (Akiko and Matt are moving.), chairman for the Bocce Bash/BBQ in June, chairman for Mixer in July, plus volunteers to help with committees.  Get involved

2024 TC Schedule

STOP!!! GET YOUR CALENDAR OUT BEFORE READING. I’M WATCHING !!!

Tennis Talk

By Betty Olsen

Now that we have turned the page (still using a paper calendar) and 2024 looms with blank pages, I am printing the Tennis Club’s 2024 Calendar of Events for you to put these dates NOW in your 2024 calendar.

-Prescott/VMA Tournament/lunch Saturday, March 16 9:00-1:00

-Open House/Jump Start Tuesday, March 26 1:00-4:00

-Rossmoor, April, April 20th, Saturday, Rossmoor 9:00-1:00

-Scholarship Tournament Saturday, April 27 9:00-1:00

-Scholarship Dinner Saturday, April 27 5:30-?

-Golf Tournament/dinner Sunday, May 19 5:00-8:00

-Bocce Bash/BBQ/General Mtg Sunday, June 9 3:00-7:00

-Mixer Tournament/dinner Friday, July 19 5:00-8:00

-Men/Women Doubles Tournament Saturday, Sept. 7 8:30-1:30

-Sunday, Sept. 8 9:00-1:30

-Mixed Doubles Tournament Saturday, Sept. 28 8:30-1:30

-Sunday, Sept. 29 9:00-1:30

-Awards Banquet Sunday, Sept. 29 5:30 to ?

-Rossmoor Tournament/lunch Saturday, October 19 9:00-1:00

-Holly Jolly Party/General Mtg Sunday, Dec. 8 5:00 to  ?

Legends about Legends

View this email in your browser
By Phyllis and John Mueller for Publication 01/05/2024

When you ask old members to write an article, you will get old news and memories from the past! In 2003, a miracle happened to the Tennis Club in the form of a Women’s Senior 3.0 Team  who made it all the way to USTA Nationals in Scottsdale, Arizona. Captain Ruth Stiasny, and her team of 14 made it through the regular season as winners. They then won  the Northern California regionals in Napa and qualified to represent Nor Cal in the Arizona Nationals. 10 members of that team made the trek to Arizona . The four members that did not go were: Lynn Leonard, Jean Peters, Rayna Kelley and Marianne Pellegrini.  Many fans and Villagers followed and had a great time doing “fan support.”

Our accommodations left a bit to be desired but the price was right. We had free breakfast and a great Happy Hour which made up for the sad rooms. All of us ended staying there and the togetherness added to the fun.

As we recall, it was around September of 2003 and was warm. The players had schedules and we watched all games but also had time to play golf and sightsee.  Since they started winning everytime they played, we were is a state of  great excitement.  Our local Tennis Pro and Coach Ken Dehart showed up one day to watch! They worked quite a lot with him before they went to Arizona.  All of a sudden they were in the Semi-Finals and lost for the first time to a team from Monroe, Louisiana who ended up winning the whole Tournament! The Village team then played the other Semi team and won ending  up in 3rd Place!  We were all  ecstatic!

The amazing thing is that out of the 10 players, 9 still live in the Villages and only one, Marilyn Jacobs has moved to the Terraces in Los Gatos. Each player received a Pewter Plate which they proudly display and one turned it into a clock!  We were able to , on short notice, find 5 players for a 2023 photo!

If you run into any of these ladies, remind them that you know what they were doing 20 years ago!

Recent TC Amendment

Amendment to Tennis Club Rules

Last Tuesday the Tennis Club Board of Directors passed an amendment to the Villages Tennis Club Rules Section V. – USTA and Interclub League Play. As required in Section X. – Amendments, all 10 members of the Board in attendance voted to approve, representing more than 2/3 of the total Board membership of 13, as laid out in the Tennis Club Bylaws.

The new rule states as such:
“if needed to field a team, a Villages USTA team may have up to six non-Villages members.In addition, a joint or “reciprocal” team between Silver Creek Valley CC or other nearby country or racquet club will be allowed by sharing home court surfaces, one team hosting 3 and the other 2 home matches in a given 10-week USTA season. Opposing teams will host the other 5 weeks. Each joint team will supply players for each of the 10 matches, but not necessarily in equal number. There will be a captain and co-captain as usual, chosen from the team as a whole, including 1 from each club.”

According to Section X of Tennis Club Rules, amendments are to be voted on by the Board of Directors and then prior to implementation 30 days notice must be given to TC members. This message through our communications director serves as notice that this change will take effect 30 days from today, January 4, 2024.

This amendment was prompted by considerable interest expressed by members in potential cooperation with nearby clubs, such as Silver Creek Valley Country Club, to share teams hosting 2 or 3 matches at each of the two clubs during a 10-week USTA season. It is anticipated that teams of various levels for men and women and mixed doubles play, in daytime hours, could be formed under these changes to our rules. It is expected that The Villages will maintain equal or majority membership on all teams.

XMAS Message from the Muellers
By Phyllis  and John Mueller for Publication 12/22/2023

2023 marks the end of our 51st year of having the Villages Tennis Club available to us. We again anticipate our visit from Santa to celebrate the holiday season. His Reindeer love to rest under the Eucalyptus trees and munch the grass. The Elves hang out in the Bistro while Santa sometimes changes shoes and hits a few with locals. If he makes it on Sunday, he can play with the “music” drop in!  He for sure will measure beards with his cousin from Canada! (Initials A.F.) .

It again has been a great year for the Tennis Club. Almost 300 members continue to play in Tournaments and the Rossmoor challenge twice a year has been in existence for over 35 years!  Golf and Bocce Tournaments balance out our exercise routine. Jumpstart has been a great program for re-entry of new tennis players. Having a Pro available adds to our expertise!  Our members really clean up for the Holiday Dance and “Trip The Light Fantastic.”

2003 was a big year for the Tennis Club!  Wendy Ferguson started the Scholarship program with Silver Creek High School and 20 years later is has developed to many more Scholarships awarded each year. Donations fund this program! Silver Creek tennis teams come every year to play with members of the Tennis Club.

Also in 2003, our 3.0 Senior Women USTA League made it all the way to Nationals in Arizona.  They came in 3rd in the Nation!  This was the 3rd USTA Senior Team from the Villages to play at the National level. The other two teams from the Villages who went to Nationals were the 3.0 Men’s teams who played during the 90’s!

So lets give a great thanks to all the involved members who participate and support this great Club of ours. Lots of work goes into a great organization! This great sport has given all of us the satisfaction and enjoyment that we put into it.

As Santa “lifts off” lets say a great “CHEER” for another great year!

The Holiday Party and Meeting

Tennis talk

By Betty Olsen

It was a magical evening at the Tennis Club Holiday party at the clubhouse Sunday, Dec.3. The clubhouse was decked out in full holiday mode enhanced by Tony Loiacono’s donated balloon creations and Tina Parsley’s donated individual center pieces. A big shout out to Linda Dumont and her committee for providing us with such a fun kick-off for the holiday season.

Randy Shaw, outgoing president, called the tennis club meeting to order to vote on the incoming Tennis Club Board members for 2024. They are: President-Ruth Domingo, Vice-President-Gene Mariani, Treasurer-Tina Parsley, Secretary-Roy Pennington, Master Scheduler-Akiko, Communications-Don Clarke, Social/Hospitality-Nancy Domingo and Andrea Alvarez, Tournament Director-Karen Hillis, Membership-Cheryl Diltz, Court Manager-Marty Funcell, Members-at-Large-Jamie Dickson and -Lolivic Shaw, Past President-Randy Shaw. (See photo.)

Randy also acknowledged 2 of our senior, senior members and we all sang Happy Birthday to Art Lind-97 and Delores-95. This seems to document that tennis is good for your health.

Following the meal, the dance floor became crowded as the DJ provided the music. What a fun way to end 2023 and to look forward to lots of TC plans for 2024.