September Newsletter

Court Status: Progress continues! City has been working on landscaping, storage building is completed, and practice wall construction has begun. Special thanks to John White for his time & efforts!
A fundraiser was organized to pay for the storage building. As of Sept. 1st, we have exceeded our goal with a grand total of $4230 received in donations. A tremendous thank you
to ATA members! We appreciate your generous donations, your supportive comments, donations from out-of-town members who visit only a few weeks each year, your time, effort, and thought from so many who have stepped up to make this happen.
If you were unable to make a contribution, it is not too late! Excess funds will support ATA wish list which includes shade structures, improved bleachers on northern courts (southern courts will be covered by remaining capital outlay funds), and improved lighting on 2 courts. Contractor Brad Drotts expressed his appreciation for the opportunity to work on this project. Also thanks to Sandy Sanchez who helped with decisions and who designed and built the ATA sign and clock, and to Gail & Greg Richardson for their medical kit donations.

















ON THE CALENDAR:
Sept 4 : Marita and Robert Farewell Play Day, 9:00. Meints are inviting everyone to their home following play for traditional potato salad and bratwurst
Sept 18: 6:00 Pot luck at Nicholsons; courts celebration & Meints send off; bring a dish to share and your favorite beverage.
Oct. 6: ATA Board meeting at noon; all members welcome
Oct. 9-10: 2010 Otero County Closed Tourney; entry forms attached; entries due 10/3
Oct. 10: ATA pot luck & annual meeting; elections for new board
Nov 6: Roswell/Alamogordo exchange in Roswell; Steve Schuster is coordinating
Nov 13: Nov. play day turkey shoot & lunch at Morgan’s

ATA Board vacancies: Three members of the ATA board are scheduled to go off the board in October. Neil Bottger, Sabine Fahl, and Evelyn Genta are ending their terms. If you are interested in serving on the board please contact any board member. Elections for new members will be at the annual meeting on Oct. 10. (A host is needed for this pot luck event; contact a board member if you would like to host).



World Team Tennis??? A world team tennis league is being currently being organized in Las Cruces with play possibly split between Las Cruces and Alamogordo. League play will run from Oct. 15 to Jan 15, and does NOT require USTA membership. Alamogordo will be sending at least one 3.5 team, and maybe more depending on interest. Contact Steve Schuster by Sept. 15 if you are interested.

Senior Olympics:
Due to a reporting oversight, last month's newsletter failed to include that Faye Stokes, long time ATA member from Roswell, and her partner, Bill Rapp, also from Roswell, placed 1st in the Mixed 75 Doubles State Senior Olympics competition in Las Cruces late last July. Congratulations Faye & Bill!

Aug. Play Day: What a great day in the mountains! Harold Waggoner organized nearly 30 players in a team format onto only 4 courts, but waiting for play in the mountains was pleasurable. Following play and lunch at the park (delivered by Cross Eyed Moose Restaurant), Waggoners hosted home made ice cream at their home. Thanks to Cathy & Harold Waggoner for hosting this popular play day.


Lisa & Terry Marquardt are enjoying homemade ice cream on Waggoner’s rumble seat. High scorers were Sabine Fahl, Pat Morgan, Diane Gustafson, & Grady Nicholson.

WELCOME new members! Three new members joined ATA recently. Janet & Joe Santackas recently moved to Alamogordo from Boston. Rebecca Sunjka lives in Cloudcroft. See you on the courts!

ATA web page: http://alamogordotennis.blogspot.com/

August Newsletter

Court Status: Much progress has been made this month! Final figures for remaining capital outlay funds are about $15K and these funds have been earmarked for 2 bleachers on the southern courts, 2 practice walls, and landscaping. Construction has begun on the storage building and practice wall construction should follow completion of storage building. Court benches have recently been placed. Some of the items still remaining on the wish list include upgraded bleachers for northern courts, shades for bleachers, and improved lighting and electrical. Special thanks to John White for his time & efforts!

A fundraiser is currently going on to raise funds to pay for the storage building. As of Aug. 2, $2130 has been pledged or received so we are over half way there. If you are still considering making a donation, please consider that this building will be used for the many items that ATA members are currently storing in their homes—things like the tourney desk and supplies, court water jugs & tables, mid school tennis rackets & supplies, blower and tools to clean off courts, etc. etc. This building has been needed for several decades and will be a tremendous help to those who run our many tennis events. If you have not made a donation, you can still send a check to ATA,
P. O. Box 684, Alamogordo, NM 88311 or give to Neil Bottger by Aug. 9.



















John White shows practice wall sample to John Genta. John W. developed this foam-filled wall concept which has been approved by both USTA & Renner Const. co.










Construction has begun on ATA storage building. This 10 X 12 ft. building is being constructed with cement board siding & shingled roof. Double French steel doors with bolt locks through metal bars should provide a secure & attractive building.

ON THE CALENDAR:.
Aug 14: Aug Play Day, 9:00, Cloudcroft courts; hosted by Harold & Cathy Waggoner. Orders will be taken for lunch in the park, with ice cream at Waggoner’s after lunch.
Aug 17: Mid School Tennis Begins, 5:00-6:30; volunteers needed!
Sept 8: ATA Board meeting at noon; all members welcome
Sept 4 : Marita and Robert Farewell Play Day, 9:00. Meints are inviting everyone to their home following play for traditional potato salad and bratwurst.
Oct. 9-10: 2010 Otero County Closed Tourney

Middle School Tennis: ATA will again team up with NMSU-A to offer 4 weeks of instruction to middle school students, Tues & Thurs, Aug. 17 thru Sept. 9, 5:00-6:30. Carl Jones has agreed to be the lead instructor again this year. ATA members will be needed to help with instruction, so please consider coming out, even if you can only volunteer for a few times.

Do you have any old tennis balls that you can donate? A Tularosa teacher has requested these for her classroom chairs, and they also may be used for the mid school program. Please give to Evelyn, or bring to a mid school session. Thanks!

Senior Olympics:
Thank you to Grady Nicholson for organizing the Sr. Olympics tennis for Otero Co. this year. Results are:

Men's 75 Singles-Tom Springer 1st (lost only 1 game in 2 matches)
Men's 70 Singles-Bob Schreiner 1st/Grady 3rd
Men's 70 Doubles-Bob S & Grady 2nd
Women's 70 Doubles-Nell & Faye Stokes 2nd
Mixed 70 Doubles-Grady & Nell 2nd

July Newsletter

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Court Status: Discussions are continuing on the tennis court wish list. Alamogordo is still waiting for final cost figures from the state which will determine if additional monies remain from the capital outlay, and will allow submission of USTA grant for possible additional funds. ATA priority items include a storage shed, practice wall, bleachers, and benches. Everything is taking time, but we are hopeful to see some benches on the courts in the near future.

ON THE CALENDAR:.

Aug. 4 : ATA Board meeting at noon; all members welcome

Aug 14: Play day hosted by Harold & Cathy Waggoner, Cloudcroft courts; 9:00, bring chairs & water. Following play, lunch will be ordered from Cross-eyed Moose and eaten at park then everyone is invited to Waggoners for Harold’s famous homemade ice cream.

Middle School Tennis: ATA will again team up with NMSU-A to offer 4 weeks of instruction to middle school students, Tues & Thurs, beginning mid August. Carl Jones has agreed to be the lead instructor again this year; Evelyn Genta is organizing again. ATA members will be needed to help with instruction, so please consider coming out, even if you can only volunteer for a few times. Keep an eye out for more information on this worthwhile program.

July Play Day was hosted by Anke & Carsten Witak. On July 10, five courts of players competed with great tennis and super weather. Thanks Anke & Carsten!!!

Cameron & Joy took 1st place with Nori & Cathy coming in 2nd. Past President, Pien Latham, now in Idaho with family

New members: Natalie Young, played with the AHS team and is now attending college in Arizona. Nathan Goldfein has just relocated to Alamogordo from Tijeras, NM. Welcome!!!

June Newsletter

Court Status: ATA President John White was asked to mediate a meeting in Santa Fe recently to resolve spending issues between Renner and the City of Alamogordo. Final determinations can now been made which will allow the state to pay Renner. It also will results in final calculations of the total cost of the project. Thus the city can move forward with the USTA grant procedures and any unspent monies can be used to tackle the wish list. This list includes high priority items such as a storage shed, practice wall, and benches. Both the city and the state are struggling with budget issues, so once we know if additional monies are forthcoming, some of the items on the wish list can be addressed. This will take some time.

ON THE CALENDAR:.

July 3: Play day hosted by Anke Witak, 9:00, Oregon Courts

July 7 : ATA Board meeting at noon; all members welcome

ATA Scholarship was awarded to AHS senior Chelsea Moose. Thank you to Sabine Fahl for presenting this scholarship to Chelsea at the tennis banquet. Congratulations Chelsea!

June Play Day ended up being an informal play day with a couple of courts of players in the cool pines of Cloudcroft. Lunch followed at Dan & Gina Tisdale’s restaurant, the Cross Eyed Moose. Thanks to John White and Gina Tisdale for snacks and set-up.

Gina & friend/June Play Day LCTPA/ATA exchange organizers, Candy & Evelyn

Las Cruces Exchange: 45 players from ATA and LCTPA competed on Sat. June 12, for the coveted trophy. Las Cruces players enjoyed our new courts and ATA provided lunch following play. ATA emerged victorious with total games won at 103 to 83, matches won 9 to 7. (There was a little miscommunication and miscalculation regarding scoring procedures). This competition has been going on since 1990, with ATA now leading in wins at 12 to 11. Las Cruces will want to win that trophy back next year! Special thanks to Candy Guimmo, LCTPA, and Evelyn Genta & John White, for organizing play. Also thanks to Sabine Fahl & Anke Witak for organizing food & drinks.

ATA web page: http://alamogordotennis.blogspot.com/

Court Status: Board is compiling a wish list of items needed/desired for the courts. We will see what the city is able and willing to contribute. This will take some time.

ON THE CALENDAR:

June 2: ATA Board meeting at noon; all members welcome.

June 5: June Play day hosted by Cathy & Harold Waggoner in Cloudcroft; watch for more info.

June 12: Las Cruces Exchange, 9:00 in Alamogordo; sign up with John White or Evelyn Genta if you want to play, or send email to ATA.

ATA 36th Open Tournament, a HUGE success!!!

Despite a software crash the Thursday before the tournament, despite an unusual spring storm which dumped rain on the courts the morning of the tournament, despite more than expected entries with less than expected time on the courts, Grady and Nell and ATA pulled off a hugely successful open tournament. When the clouds opened up, again dumping rain, 10 minutes after the last ball was hit and seconds after the last empty pottery box was stashed in Nell’s van, it gave us pause to consider that a higher power had a hand in this one. It definitely was a team effort. John White and his truck, Rick Sotak and his potter’s wheel, Linda Gilliland & Pien Latham donating trophies, John Genta refurbishing Junior trophies, Neil Bottger and his accountability, Sandy Sanchez putting up trash bags, Nell’s geraniums, so many who showed up Sat. morning to help clear courts, all contributed to this successful event . . . again. And what a party! Thanks again to Joy and Darryl Gallent for hosting and cooking.

But, after 36 years, how much longer can we expect Grady to continue directing these tournaments? No one can replace Grady. No one wants to try. Perhaps we need to gather a team of committed members to tackle this problem. Food for thought . . .

Grady’s Tourney Write-up:

The ATA managed a very successful 36^th Annual Adult Open last month in spite of a 4 hour late start due to a heavy rain. Eighty-eight players, including 12 youths, representing 12 communities across New Mexico, Texas, Colorado, and Arizona competed in 12 Age group events, 8 non-sanctioned NTRP events, and 5 youth events. As has occurred several years running, unique and very popular pottery, made by ATA’s own Rick Sotak, was given as prizes to the winners and runner-ups. This was the first tournament held on our new courts, and everybody, hometowners and visitors alike, were super happy with the way the courts played (except you couldn’t use “the ball hit a crack” as an excuse). The pre-tourney rain washed off a crust of dust from a recent dust storm and left the courts sparkling.

Local player Cameron Brace-Emmert won the Men’s Open Singles final for the second straight year, defeating Jose Fantauzzi, another local, 6-1; 6-2. Number one seeds Clint Loest and Richard Vickrey, Las Cruces, also won a final two years running, when Men's Open Doubles opponents Robert Jack, El Paso, and Dennis Johnston, Ruidoso, had to retire after losing the first set, 6-2, due to an injury to Jack.

On the women’s side, Lori Robertson, Albuquerque, a 5.0 rated player, won both the Women's Open Singles title and the Women's 45 Singles title, losing only three games in three matches played. There was no Women’s Open Doubles event, but in the Women's 35 Doubles final, the last match of the tournament, Crystal Campbell Messer teamed with local Evelyn Genta, to defeat number one seeds Sabrina Aguilar and Patti Thomas, both of El Paso, 2-6; 6-3; 6-4.

AGE finals results: Men's Open Singles Brace-Emmert, Cameron (1) Alamogordo, NM def. Fantauzzi, Jose (2) Alamogordo, NM 6-1; 6-2. Women's Open Singles Robertson, Lori Albuquerque, NM def. Green, Lindsey Farmington, NM 6-0; 6-1. Men's Open Doubles Loest, Clint / Richard, Vickrey (1) def. Jack, Robert / Johnston, Dennis (2) 6-2; 1-0 Ret (inj). Mixed Open Doubles Stuart, Valerie / Richard, Vickrey (1) def. Green, Lindsey / Loest, Clint (2) 6-1; 3-6; 6-3. Men's 45 Singles Johnston, Dennis (1) Ruidoso, NM def. Herrera, Michael Albuquerque, NM 6-3; 6-0. Men's 60 Singles Springer, Thomas (1) Cloudcroft, NM def. Cleveland, Terry (2) Roswell, NM 6-3; 6-1. Women's 35 Singles Thomas, Patti El Paso, TX def. Garcia, Silvia El Paso, TX 6-1; 6-1. Men's 45 Doubles Jack, Robert / Edgan, Phinney (1) def. Cleveland, Terry / Huebner, Steve (2) 6-3; 7-6(5). Women's 35 Doubles Campbell Messer, Crystal / Genta, Evelyn def. Aguilar, Sabrina / Thomas, Patti (1) 2-6; 6-3; 6-4. Mixed 35 Doubles Freisen, John / Silvia, Garcia def. Esparza, Joe / Reed, Rosanna 4-1 Ret (inj). Women's 50 Doubles Giummo, Candace / Chantal, Spilliaert def. Latham, Pien / Richardson, Gail 6-3; 6-4. Women's 45 Singles Robertson, Lori Albuquerque, NM def. Spilliaert, Chantal Las Cruces, NM 6-1; 6-0.

NTRP final results: Mixed 7.0 Doubles Sabine Fahl / Sanders Paul (1) def. Pien Latham / Steve Schuster (2) 6-4; 7-5. Men's 3.5 Doubles Steve Schuster / White John (1) def. Jason Bolton / Patrick Morgan 6-2; 6-3. Women's Singles 3.5 Anke Witac Alamogordo, def. Susan Bolton Aurora, CO 6-4; 6-0. Men's Singles 4.0 Shane Burns, Alamogordo, NM def. Rick Sotak (1) Alamogordo, NM 6-3; 7-6(3). Mixed 6.5 Doubles Sabine Berger / Robert Meints def. Wolfgang Fahl / Linda Gilliland (1) 6-2; 6-1. Women's 3.0 Doubles Susan Bolton / Morgan Muriel (Nori) def. Bernice McRae / Marita Meints 7-5; 6-3. Men's 4.0 Doubles Jeff Lazar / Jeffrey Murray (2) def. John Genta / Rick Sotak (1) 6-4; 3-6; 6-4. Women's 4.0 Doubles Evelyn Genta / Anke Witac def. Josephine Gallent / Sandy Sanchez 6-4; 6-0.

Youth finals results: Boys' 18 Singles Geary, Mathew Johnathan def. Shoaf, Steel 4-2;4-1. Boys' 14 Singles Moezzi, Andy def. Barnes, Christian 5-4 (4), 5-3. Boys' Doubles Barnes, Christian & Moezzi, Andy def. Gallegos, Aslan & Moezzi, Cody 5-3, 4-1. Boys' 12 Singles Moezzi, Cody def. Gallegos, Aslan 4-1,1-4, 5-4 (7). Girls' 14 Singles Sampath, Megan def. Henderson, Davishia 2-4, 4-1, 5-4 (6).

Senior Olympics: Several local players are participating; state competition is in July.

Roswell Exchange: Well, ATA lost the coveted Alien/White Sands trophy to a team of hot shot Roswell players. We’ll be out to win it back next year.

Thanks to Presidents & Coordinators Hot shot Roswell players and one turncoat

May Play Day: 5 courts of players turned out for play day and to say goodbye to Lathams. Sabine & Wolfgang Fahl and Anke Witak hosted. Thanks!!!

Winners were Gail Richardson, Sabine Berger, Robert Meints, and Lee Gustafson (hiding).

Adios Pien and Darrel. Hasta la Vista!

30 players & friends gathered for lunch following play.

Welcome new members Rick Button! An updated roster is attached to this newsletter for those of you who receive it by email. It includes the latest new members, a few returning members and a few minor corrections.

ATA web page: http://alamogordotennis.blogspot.com/

Party shots!!! (email only)

April Newsletter

ON THE CALENDAR:

April 14: Last day to sign up for Senior Olympics

April 17-18: ATA spring USTA sanctioned tourney. Deadline for entries is April 10. Draw will be Mon. April 12. Bleachers may not be set up, so bring chairs, but please keep chairs off courts to avoid potential damage to court membrane.

April 17: Tourney party hosted by Darryl & Joy Gallant, 7:00; bring a dish to share and your favorite beverage.

May 1: Roswell Exchange at Oregon courts, 9:30. Contact Steve Schuster if you would like to participate in competition to retain the coveted White Sands/Roswell trophy. ATA will provide lunch.

May 5: ATA Board meeting at noon; all members welcome.

May 8: May Play Day, 9:00, Oregon courts, hosted by Sabine & Wolfgang Fahl

Senior Olympics: Local registration is Apr 1-14 ($15 fee) with entry forms available at the Senior Center. There will be men's and women's singles and doubles, and mixed, in each 5 year age division, starting at age 50. The first 6 place finishers in each division will qualify for State (no obligation to go). Registration for State will be in May, and play in Las Cruces, Jul 28-Aug 1. This is a qualifying year for Nationals (Summer, 2011, Houston, TX), Players qualifying for Nationals are not obligated to go. Contact Grady Nicholson if you plan to play locally.

April Play Day: What a turn out! ATA board decorated courts, organized ribbon cutting, and helped provide food. Dale Emmert brought his famous pies and organized the play with all 8 courts filled. High scorers: Gayle Richardson and Darryl Gallent; Sandy Sanchez & Cameron Emmert were 2nd.

Welcome new members, Leeanne & Ronny Smith, from Ruidoso, hopefully will be driving down to join the many upcoming ATA events. Also welcome Dan Tisdale from Cloudcroft; his wife, Gina joined ATA last month, and welcome back, Shane Burns!

Terry Marquardt & Ron Griggs cut ribbon; Nell & Grady receive appreciation plaque

ATA 36th Annual Open Tennis Tournament

Click here to download an entry form for the ATA 36th Annual Alamogordo Adult Open Tennis Tournament