Sunday, January 24, 2010

Campus Showdown Results

Yesterday, we hosted our first 1 day campus showdown, an event sponsored by the USTA and ITA meant to provide competition for our college players, exposure to college for high school/junior players and strengthen ties between the college and community.

Having participants from both the Whitman varsity and club tennis teams along with players from Lewis and Clark State College (ID), local women's open level players, and junior players from Washington, Oregon and Idaho it was a great event.

The one set format with compass draws (everyone plays an equal number of matches) was outstanding and there was some wonderful tennis with Abby Farrell besting Whitman alum and current assistant coach Katie Oost in a tiebreak for the singles final.

In doubles, Whitman duo Elise Otto and Divneet Kaur got a scare in the semi's going down 3-0 to the local women's duo of Laura Cummings and Susan Anfinson before recovering to win 6-4. In the final, Elise and Div broke at 2-2 and never looked back to win 6-2, taking the title against a great high school doubles team from Kennewick, WA. Ali Welch and Demie Warner are the two time Washington 3A doubles state champions and they played some great tennis all day long.

Full singles results can be seen at http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AnHvUcRNTH_FdG44RUQ2d1hubW9wZlhnWTFtVTFwRGc&hl=en

Doubles results are at http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AnHvUcRNTH_FdFN1bFlYMndiWWYtaGdZQmJnOXJCWVE&hl=en

Thanks to everyone for coming out to play and for those who watched. We are now even more geared up to start our season at home Feb 12th vs UPS and Feb 13th vs PLU and then LCSC.

Best wishes,
John, Katie and the Whitman Tennis Team

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Sunshine, Tennis, Fitness and Fun

Welcome to 2010!

We have been treated to two days of brilliant outdoor tennis, I was going to take photos, but we were enjoying practice so much I couldn't even let myself grab a camera.

Our start to the year began before school with 5 players volunteering a week of their break to teach tennis to 42 local youth players in our annual Winter Tennis Camp. It was so much fun for all and such a joy to see great players be great teachers of the game.

Practicing in the sun has me as excited as ever and many of the women will compete this Saturday in a one day USTA/ITA campus showdown, a tournament at Whitman to bring together both Whitman campus members and outside players to play on campus.

Today was also a big assessment day, with fitness testing right out of the gate. I know we'll continue to get faster, but our fall strength has paid off with the team averages for sit ups and push ups going up from last year at this time.

We are speedy as well with Whitman records being recorded by Elise Otto in the beep test (a crazy soccer endurance test, Elise got a 14.5), Kate K-P in the overhead medicine ball throw at 267 inches, and Alyssa Roberg in our agility test at 26.87 seconds. Still, no one dethroned recent graduate and assistant coach Katie Oost in the 20 meter sprint with her average time of 3.50 seconds last Spring.

Keep in touch and now that we've started I'll be updating the blog much more frequently.

Best,
John

Saturday, January 2, 2010

Campus Showdown Jan 23rd!

Happy new year!

We are kicking off the new year at Whitman with the following event on Jan 23rd. If you are unfamiliar with the showdown concept, the usta website is great

http://www.usta.com/USTA/Global/PlayerDevelopment/CollegeTennis/Information/538403_Campus_Match_Play.aspx

and it is a wonderful chance to get some matches in a draw with junior and college players. Please pass this on to anyone who might be interested and you can contact me if you have questions or want to enter.

USTA/ITA One Day Campus Showdown at Whitman College

Date: Jan 23rd 2010

Women’s Open Singles and Doubles Tournament

Start time: Singles at 9am, doubles to follow

Tournament Director: John Hein

Entry Fees: $10 for singles; $5 for each doubles partner ($15 per player for both)

Entry fees payable to: “Whitman Women’s Tennis”

Contact John Hein at 509 527-5262 or heinj@whitman.edu to enter

Match format: 1 set to 5 games with tie-break at 5-5.

Compass draws for singles and doubles.