Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Giving Thanks

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL!

While Walla Walla sits in a gentle blanket of snow this week, our Whitman students have the week off and most have returned to their homes or left campus with friends for the week. 

Before leaving, however, men's Coach Jeff Northam came up with the terrific idea to get everyone together and enjoy great food and company.  Jeff stepped up big time with a smoked turkey, two beef briskets, and so much locally caught and smoked steelhead that everyone feasted.  With a bevy of sides and desserts to go along with the main courses, everyone had great food and enjoyed the fireside couches of the Whitman alumni house for our feast.

You can check out photos on our team flickr page here.

I want to wish all the best to everyone out there in the extended Whitman tennis family, may you enjoy time with each other and travel safely.

John

Monday, November 15, 2010

Fall ITA Rankings: Two Whitties in the top 20

If you don't check the ITA webpage as religiously as I do, then you won't know that these rankings actually came out a couple of weeks ago, but the 'off season' feels very busy and full of excitement this year at Whitman.  Part of that excitement stems from the strong showing we had at the top of our lineup in the Fall USTA/ITA regional and national championships.

By making the semi's in singles, Alyssa is currently ranked 12th in the West region, and a strong quarterfinal showing in a deep Northwest field puts Elise at #18 in the West. 

While as a doubles team, Elise and Alyssa placed in the top 8 at nationals, there were no national individual rankings because it is near impossible to compare everyone around the nation based on a single tournament.  Still, our duo has moved up 2 spots from their end of season finish last year from #6 to #4 in the West and gained terrific experience with some of the top teams in the nation in Alabama.

Congrats to Twitch and Sho'Po for a great fall, I am so happy with the work that every single person on the team has put in, this fall season I had more requests than ever for individual work outside of practice, which keeps me on court with my team where I love to be.

Coach