EPD Spotlight

From the desk of Lisa D. Williamson:
2006 Team Tennis Championships
At West End Racquet, swim, & Fitness
Allentown, PA

VALLEY FORGE, PA. – Can’t find anything to do on a hot summer day? Not a problem for these kids. Fifty youngsters on six teams competed in the Eastern Pennsylvania USTA Jr. Team Tennis 18-and-under District Championships Sun., July 9, at the Westend Racquet Club in Allentown, Pa.

Westend snagged first place and will advance to the USTA Middle States Section Championships in Princeton, N.J., July 28, playing against other 18-year-olds from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and West Virginia. Westend is coached by Renee Lentz, and the team members include Bobby Zerwick, Cameron O’Donnell, Samir Lakhani, Andrew Schwepfinger, Sam Greene, Pattie Muething, Samira Lakhani, Nicole Devine and Michelle Perez.

The Fromuth Slammers, coached by Craig Cronrath, came in second. Team members include Ashley Karli, Patrick Reedy, Courtney Hawkins, Mark Keith, Lauren Ertel, Jackie Kramer, Katie Ertel and Danny Malloy.

Six teams participated for a total of fifty participants. Teams represented all areas of Eastern Pennsylvania. Coaches were Craig Cronrath (Fromuth Slammers and Fromuth Aces-Reading), Renee Lentz (Westend-Lehigh Valley), Joe Romano (Pocono), Mike Balutanski (Valley Tennis-Wilkes-Barre/Scranton) and Don Arbaugh (MMI-Hazleton).

Barbara VanBuskirk was the championship tournament director, and Eastern Pennsylvania’s tennis service representative Bruce Kisthardt provided assistance and support. Results of the championship can be seen on the USTA.com Team Tennis link.

Participants, parents, and coaches were treated to lunch and drinks. Many thanks to Fernando Perez and the staff of Westend for providing such a beautiful setting and well-maintained courts for the event.

The USTA Jr. Team Tennis district championships for kids ages 14 and under will be held Sun., July 16.

USTA Jr. Team Tennis has become very popular in Eastern Pennsylvania, with leagues for all abilities from Ralleyball (for beginning players) to fall, winter and spring leagues for intermediate and advanced players. Anyone interested in finding out more about Jr. Team Tennis should contact Bruce Kisthardt at 610-706-0940 or bkisthardt@msn.com.

The USTA is the official governing body for tennis in the United States. USTA Middle States, one of 17 USTA sections throughout the nation, encompasses Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey (exclusive of a 35-mile radius around New York City) and northwestern West Virginia. A nonprofit organization, USTA Middle States, which is more than 80 years old, is primarily volunteer-driven.

For more information on USTA Middle States and its events and programs, please contact Lisa D. Williamson at 610-935-5000 x235 or williamson@ms.usta.com.

ARCHIVE 2001

Laura Nork recently
received her
PTR certification.

Winners! Frank Velazquez, Jermaine (Giant) Smith, and Kevron Bennett… All 3 of these young men train at Adams International Tennis Academy in Allentown, PA. This September Frank began his studies at St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, having received a full scholarship. Frank is from Aruba. Giant played 3 tournaments this summer including the Atlantic City Open where he made it to the quarter finals in the men’s singles open division, the Bedford Tournament in New York where he also made it to the quarter finals, and the Harrisburg Open where he made it to the semis. "Giant" also plays Davis Cup tennis for Jamaica. Kevron won the boy’s 18 doubles in an ITF World Junior Ranking Tournament held in Jamaica. He is a native of Jamaica.

Rising Star, Jill Saunders, age 10, won the USTA "Little Mo" sectionals held at the Philadelphia Cricket Club in April. She earned her way into the finals by surviving the qualifying rounds to beat Erica Kurtzmen of Wynnewood in the quarterfinals and Kiara Smith of Philadelphia in the semis. Jill went on to the USTA regional in Chicago on July 13. She came in 3^rd, which qualifies her to compete in the nationals, which will be held in Texas in October. To add to her accomplishments, Jill won the girl’s 12’s at the Princeton Junior Tournament and also the girl’s 12’s in the Upper Dublin Intermediate Tournament played at the Sports Center in Ambler, PA. In August, Jill won the girl’s 12’s at the Ted Zeller Memorial Eastern PA Junior Tournament held at the Westend Racquet Club in Allentown, PA. In September she won the Sectionally Ranked girl’s 12’s at the Team Shark Junior Open held at the Sportsplex in Feasterville. She defeated Theresa Stangl of University Park. Stangl is ranked 27^th in the Middle States. Jill trains at. Adams International Tennis Academy in Allentown, PA and is coached by Bill Adams. She is the daughter of Jim and Judy Saunders of Kempton, PA.