Springer and Crouse-- Senior Champs

Jim Crouse and Tom Springer recently captured gold medals at the National Senior Games in the men's 75 division. The tournament, which brought together seniors from across the nation, was held at the Taube Tennis Center in San Francisco, August 11-14.

Crouse and Springer barely made it out of the opening round, squeaking past Washington's Jim Gard and Bruce Randall in a tight three-setter. Three matches later, the New Mexico duo saw themselves in the final opposite Hawaiian duo Benny Quiseng and Norberto Baysa. Crouse and Springer saved their best match for the final, and cruised to a 6-2, 6-1 victory for the title.

It was a good weekend for Springer, who also captured the Men's 75 singles crown. He received an injury walkover in the first round, then breezed through four more rounds, including a 6-3, 6-3 victory over Roger Hing (Fountain Valley, Calif.) in the final.

Springer lost just 18 games in eight total sets in singles.

October 2009 Closed Tournament Entry

Click here to download the October 2009 Closed Tournament entry form.

September Newsletter

ATA President Steve Schuster has been communicating with city personnel regarding the tennis court project. Steve reports: I spoke with Matt McNeile and Stephen Thies. Mr McNeile assured me that the courts would be bid and built before the High School season starts (late Jan). He also assured me that Mr. Balderama could put his bid package together in less than two weeks. He also stated that there was a zero chance of losing the grant money as the City can show that the funds are encumbered and the bid process is underway (they have already filled out a grant survey put out by the State). We have till 5/11 to spend the money. He did throw me a curve ball when he said that the courts would be completely torn out (by City personnel) and we would build from scratch. I asked and was assured again that that no City expenses would be charged against the grant funds.

ON THE CALENDAR:

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

No Oct play day

Oct. 3-4: SENM Open Tourney, Roswell. Contact ATA board member or Faye Stokes for more info.

Oct. 10th-11th: ATA Closed Tourney

Oct. 24: Roswell/Alamogordo exchange; put this date on your calendars. Details are forthcoming.

September Play Day was hosted by Diane and Lee Gustafson. Perhaps a record number of players turned out, filling seven courts in a team tennis format. “Team Roger Federer and Serina Williams” composed of Tom Roll, Judie Francis, Cameron Emmert, and Pien Latham, was the winning team taking home Diane’s homemade prizes (check out Cameron’s boxers). Thanks for a super play day, Diane and Lee!

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A special ATA Board sponsored play day was held on Aug. 13th to discuss Tuesday & Thurs. Open Play. It was decided to set a timer and rotate play every 30 minutes to insure mixing of players. System seems to be well liked and running smoothly, but players are reminded to please rotate immediately when time is called.

Mid School Tennis program is up and running. ATA has teamed with NMUS-A again, offering a middle school tennis program from Aug. 25^th to Oct 1^st. Sessions are on Tues. & Thurs. from 5:00-6:30. Carl Jones is the lead instructor with a dozen ATA members also volunteering to assist with instruction. Twenty-seven mid school players have signed up and the enthusiasm on the courts is beyond description. One parent said, “I can’t believe how these kids are out there hitting and playing, and having a blast, after only a few sessions!”

New Member: Please welcome new ATA member, Dub Brown. Dub splits his time between Cloudcroft and Huntsville, TX, (Contrary to rumor, Dub was NOT the warden there). Welcome Dub!

Chihuahua exchange is a no-go for September. Pat Morgan is checking to see if Thanksgiving weekend would be a possibility. Pat needs to know if there is sufficient ATA interest for a Thanksgiving trip. Contact him if you are interested.

ATA closed Tourney, Oct. 10-11. Forms are attached with pertinent information. Please get your entries in to Grady Nicholson by Sunday, Oct. 4th, 6:00 pm.

Also, remember that the annual ATA meeting will be held on Sunday, Oct. 11 and two new board members will be elected. Steve Schuster and Joy Gallent will be going off the board. If you are interested in serving on the ATA board, please give your name to Steve, or any board member. More info on the annual meeting in the Oct. newsletter.

Please note the attached article on the 2009 National Senior games. ATA members Tom Springer and Jim Crouse won the 75 doubles title. Congratulations Tom and Jim!

Check out the ATA web page: http://alamogordotennis.blogspot.com/

Thanks to Dale Emmert for keeping this up and running.

August Newsletter

Court Status: We continue to see no progress. Please call or write your city commissioner and ask them to move forward on our tennis complex!

ON THE CALENDAR:
Thursday, Aug. 13: Special ATA board sponsored Thursday Play Day. Come on out by 9:00. We’ve got something special planned to help promote T/Th open play. Be there!
Aug. 22: Mid school training session for volunteers, 9:00 Oregon Courts
Sept 2: ATA Board meeting at noon; all members welcome
Sept. 5 Play Day, hosted by Diane and Lee Gustafson. Play starts at 9:00 at Oregon Courts
Oct. 3-4: SENM Open Tourney, Roswell. Contact ATA board member or Faye Stokes for more info.
Oct. 17th-18th: ATA Closed Tourney: Get this date on your calendar; more later.
Oct. 24: tentative Roswell/Alamogordo exchange















August Play Day was hosted by Robert and Marita Meints. Six courts of players played HOT tennis on a hot Aug. day. Robert put together an INTERNATIONAL Play Day where players played for a country. Italy took first, and Great Britain took second, with John & Evelyn Genta representing Italy, and Anke Witak and John White representing Gr. Britain. Mients hosted a bratwurst luncheon following play. Thanks for a wonderful time, Marita and Robert!


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Mid School Tennis program is planned again this fall. ATA will team with NMUS-A again to offer a middle school tennis program from Aug. 25th to Oct 1st with instruction for the first 3-4 weeks and organized play to follow. Sessions will be on Tues. & Thurs. from 5:00-6:30. Carl Jones has volunteered to be the lead instructor. ATA volunteers will be needed, so if you are interested in donating some time to youth tennis in Alamogordo, please give your name to either Carl Jones or Evelyn Genta by Aug. 20th. Carl will offer a training session for volunteer coaches and helpers on Sat. Aug. 22nd. Interested mid school players can sign up with NMSU-A community ed. Ph. 439-3842. Cost to students will be only $40 which includes a t-shirt.


New Member: Please welcome new ATA member, Brian Grace. Brian comes most recently from Albuquerque. See you on the courts Brian!
http://alamogordotennis.blogspot.com/

July Newsletter

Court Status: On June 12 ATA new court committee members (Steve, Grady and Linda) met with Ed Balderama, development project leader, regarding plans for the Oregon courts.
First the good news. We will have courts, however this is City priority number three behind the ninth street bridge and the water treatment plant so it will be fall before it goes out for bid. We will have the old courts until at least Nov 1. This means no interference with the fall tournament or the middle school program. The courts will be laid on top of the old and as a consequence transitions will have to be made on courts 1-4 where you exit, which means the bleachers will have to be brought up to ADA standards (no cost estimate). In an effort to defray costs the City will tear down the old fence and do as much prep work as possible. The City is not allowed to charge any of their expense against the grant money. All of this will be bid in an ala carte way to allow us to go as far down the list as $475,000 will take us. Priorities are:
1. Eight courts rebuilt in post tension concrete.
2. New fencing, the posts will be a total loss as they are set in concrete but the cross pieces and fabric have some value (reuse any of the old that is in good shape)
3. On the Oregon street side of courts 5-8 cut away the fence between light poles, about 60', move the bleachers into that gap. Similar to what we have now on courts 1-4.
4. Widen courts 5-8 by 10' to allow 24' between courts, this would leave the possibility of a low fence between courts, also means relocating the 4 eastern light posts. Courts 1-4 can not be widened because of parking on one side and water/sewer lines on the other.
5. New lights.
6. Shade over the on court benches.
7. A lockable storage building for all our stuff. Tom Springer has a lead on two 10 x 20 buildings from the Forest Service.
8. A concrete pad to be used by the tournament Directors so they don't have to stand in mud. Submitted by Steve Schuster, ATA president

ON THE CALENDAR:
August 1: Don’t miss Aug. Play Day, hosted by Marita & Robert Meints at 9:00. Robert has an INTERNATIONAL play day planned. Tennis will be followed by Bratwurst and German Potato salad lunch at their home. Their pool will be open and ready to use so bring your swim suit.
Aug. 5: ATA Board meeting at noon; all members welcome

Las Cruces Exchange in Las Cruces on June 27th was geat fun for the sixteen ATA players who attended. LCTPA provided lunch. ATA won lots of door prizes, but unfortunately Las Cruces players prevailed and took the trophy. Current record now is:
ATA-11, LCTPA 11, so next year will be a tie breaker.

LCTPA president takes the trophy from ATA president











Fourth of July Play Day was hosted by Anke & Carsten Witak. Players filled 6 courts and enjoyed good play and fabulous food. Thanks Anke and Carsten!!









Winners were Diane Gustafson, Pien Latham, John Genta, and Steve Schuster.
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Also thanks to Joy and Darryl Gallant for hosting an ATA swim/dinner/karaoke party. If you’ve not been to a party at the Gallant’s, you don’t know what you’re missing. ATA members like to “ham it up” and their karaoke provides a stage for everyone. With Joy’s cooking and Darryl singing Elvis, this was a party to remember.














Mid School Tennis program is planned again this fall. ATA will team with NMUS-A again to offer a middle school tennis program from Aug. 25th to Oct 1st with instruction for the first 3-4 weeks and organized play to follow. Sessions will be on Tues. & Thurs. from 5:00-6:30. Carl Jones has volunteered to be the lead instructor. ATA volunteers will be needed, so if you are interested in donating some time to youth tennis in Alamogordo, please give your name to either Carl Jones or Evelyn Genta by Aug. 20th. Carl will offer a training session for volunteer coaches and helpers on Sat. Aug. 22nd. Interested mid school players can sign up with NMSU-A community ed. Ph. 439-3842. Cost to students will be only $40 which includes a t-shirt.

ATA DVD’s are still available for purchase. This DVD is a superb presentation of ATA history and activities. Thanks to Harold Waggoner for putting this together. It’s a real buy for only $5. See Neil Bottger if you are interested in purchasing one.


Ladies: Are you interested in a singles ladder?? If enough ladies express interest, a ladder may be organized beginning in Aug. Give your name to either Bernice McRae or Evelyn Genta by the end of July if interested.

Don’t forget about the ATA web site!! http://alamogordotennis.blogspot.com/
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35th Annual ATA Open

Tennis Association Hosts its 35^th Annual Open.

The Alamogordo Tennis Association saw its largest player turnout in several years for its 35^th Annual Adult Open tournament, 18 and 19 April. The 89 players represented several cities in New Mexico, Texas, Colorado, and Arizona, and included one individual from New City, NY. There were 12 events sanctioned by the US Tennis Association, and 11 non-sanctioned events. Several people that played in the 1^st Annual tournament, 1975, also played in this tourney. Grady Nicholson was the tournament director for both tournaments. The tennis association held a dinner party Saturday night, attended by 65 people, in recognition of the 35^th tournament.

Unseeded local player Cameron Brace-Emmert won the Men’s Open Singles final, defeating Steve Katz from New City, NY, 6-0, 6-0. Number one seeds Clint Loest and Richard Vickrey, Las Cruces, defeated Steve Huebner, Roswell, and Dennis Johnston, Ruidoso 3-6; 6-2; 6-3 in the Men's Open Doubles final.

Other event finalists in the sanctioned events were: Men's 45 Singles Steve Huebner (1) Roswell, NM def. Michael Herrera (2) Albuquerque, NM 6-2; 5-7; 6-4. Men's 55 Singles Dennis Johnston (1) Ruidoso, NM def. Kaz Dziamka Albuquerque, NM 6-0; 6-3. Men's 60 Singles Robert Jack (1) El Paso, TX def. Thomas Springer Cloudcroft, NM 6-2; 6-3. Men's 70 Singles Bill Fangio Carlsbad, NM def. Robert Schreiner Alamogordo, NM 6-0; 6-2. Men's 45 Doubles Steve Huebner / Johnston Dennis def. Darryl Gallent / Barry Lawshe 7-6(2); 5-7; 7-6(4). Women's Open Singles Elizabeth Chase (2) El Paso, TX def. Emma Riggs Alamogordo, NM 2-1 Ret (em). Women's Open Doubles Alexa Gallardo / Miranda Yolanda def. Elizabeth Chase / Linda Gilliland 6-1; 6-2. xMixed Open Doubles Jose Fantauzzi / Emma Riggs (1) def. Alexa Gallardo / Robert Jack (2) 1-6; 6-2; 6-3. xMixed 35 Doubles Yolanda Miranda / Edgan Phinney def. Elizabeth Chase / Robert Jack 7-5; 7-5. xMixed 60 Doubles Carolyn Satterlee / Robert Schreiner def. Bill Rapp / Faye Stokes 6-2; 6-1.

In the non-sanctioned finals-NTRP Men's 4.0 Singles Rick Sotak Alamogordo, NM def. Edgan Phinney El Paso, TX 5-7; 6-3; 1-0(5). NTRP Men's 3.5 Singles Virgil George (1) Alamogordo, NM def. Rudy Trujillo (2) Glenwood, NM 6-1; 6-4. NTRP Men's Open Doubles Jeff Lazar / Murray Jeffrey (1) def. Steve Schuster / Rick Sotak (2) 6-4; 6-3. NTRP Men's 3.5 Doubles Robert Meints / John White def. Patrick Morgan / Wolfgang Peterson 6-3; 6-4. NTRP Women's 4.0 Singles Alma Villanueva High Rolls, NM def. Helena Loest Las Cruces, NM 6-2; 6-2. NTRP Women's 4.0 Doubles Cindy Carey / Lois Whitmire def. Josephine Gallent / Alma Villanueva 6-3; 6-2. NTRP Women's 3.5 Doubles Sandy Sanchez / Witac Anke def. Marita Meints / Cathy Waggoner 6-4; 6-3. xNTRP Mixed 8.0 Doubles Gail Richardson / Steve Schuster (2) def. Silvia Garcia / Edgan Phinney (1) Wo (inj). xNTRP Mixed 7.0 Doubles Marita Meints / Meints Robert def. Muriel (Nori) Morgan / Patrick Morgan 6-1; 6-2. yBoys' 14 Singles Cameron Riggs Alamogordo NM def. Cody Moezzi Alamogordo, NM 6-2; 6-3. yGirls' 14 Singles Karli Raggio HAFB, NM def. Megan Sampath Alamogordo, NM 6-1; 6-0.

April Newsletter

Court Status:
A critical city bond election was held on March 10th. Question 3 which would have provided funds for rebuilding the Oregon courts was defeated with 975 voting for, and 1361 against. After the defeat, tennis players met with city officials and asked them to again review the parameters of the capital outlay funds. It appears that the wording can be construed to allow building the tennis complex at the current Oregon tennis court site.
Special thanks to city official Maureen Schmittle, and to the ATA members who met with the city.



ON THE CALENDAR:
April 18-19: ATA Spring tourney; this year is the 35th year ATA has conducted this USTA sanctioned event. (No April play day) Registrations and dinner RSVP’s are being accepted now
May 2: May Play Day, hosted by???
May 6: ATA Board meeting at noon; all members welcome

ATA roster is being updated and will be attached with Apr. or May newsletter. Please double check your information and let Evelyn or Neil know if anything is incorrect.

High School Scholarship: High School Seniors interested in applying for the 2009 ATA scholarship need to submit a short essay to the ATA Scholarship Committee. This will be due by April 15th and can be turned into the High School counselor’s office. Contact Linda Gilliland or Neil Bottger for more information.

Grady and Nell ran the high school tournament again this year on March 6th. Seven high schools participated with Hobbs and Silver City sharing 1st and 2nd, with Alamogordo taking 3rd. Thanks to all who came out to lend a hand.

Grady & Nell at the HS tournament board













March Play Day hosted by Darryl and Joy Gallent

March Play Day: Two dozen players braved cold temperatures to join in for April play day. Joy and Darryl Gallent provided warm drinks and muffins, pizza and other snacks to help the players stay warm and happy. High scorers were Steve Schuster and Diane Gustafson, with Pat Morgan and Sabine Fahl in 2nd place. Thanks Joy and Darryl!!


Volunteers Needed:
Court repairs: Upcoming work days will be scheduled to patch and fill cracks on courts in preparation for the ATA tourney on April 18. Watch for emails on this.

35th Tourney: ATA board and committee members have been working hard in preparation for this special tournament. You should have already received your entry forms and your dinner invitation. Early registrations and RSVPs would be appreciated.
Also special donations (prizes or funds) are welcome.

Roswell/ATA Exchange—March 21st
Eighteen players from Roswell joined ATA players for the first bi-annual Alamogordo/Roswell Exchange which included ladies, means, and mixed doubles. When all was said and done, the match scores were 8 to 8, so games were counted. Games results totaled 154 for Alamogordo, and 153 for Roswell. It just doesn’t get any closer than that! Special thanks to Harold Waggoner who designed and arranged for the traveling trophy, which ATA keeps until the next exchange in the fall when Roswell will host in their attempt to win back the trophy. Thanks to Steve Schuster and Terry Cleveland for their efforts in organizing this event.

ATA & Roswell presidents receiving trophies from Harold Waggoner traveling trophy

Senior Olympics are approaching with local competition the end of April, State competition the end of May in Las Cruces, and National competition in August in San Francisco. To be eligible to play, you must be 50 or older. Pick up entry forms from Jean Duncan at the Sr. Citizens Center. Local event requires $10 entrance fee.

ATA joins Alamogordo Chamber:
Ribbon cutting ceremony on March 19th.