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The STC Times 1
Dedicated to the health and enjoyment of SaddleBrooke Residents
Volume 1, Issue 8 September 2015
STC’s LABOR DAY
TENNIS SOCIAL
What better way to celebrate the end
of summer than to have mixed doubles
tennis matches in the morning followed by
a terrific lunch consisting of hamburgers
and hotdogs, all cooked on the Tennis
Center grill?
That’s how we
did it this year.
Almost 70 players
participated in the
matches. Then more
than 100 members
and guests enjoyed
goodies from the
grill, chili, dips,
chips, and drinks on
our shaded patio beneath fresh breezes
from ceiling fans. The party was colorful
and cheerful in the tradition of tennis
parties at SaddleBrooke.
Our club is deeply appreciative of
every member who volunteers to make
these events possible and successful. Not
surprisingly, Debbie McGeehan served as
overall Chair; Joyce Wantuck served as
food coordinator, while the Tennis
Coordinators included George Collins, Carol
Eisenbraun, Riley Jackson, and Melanie
Murphy.
Now, on to the good part: Richard
Wantuck and Randy Zimmerman grilled the
hamburgers and hotdogs to culinary
perfection. The entire membership thanks
the STC for providing all of the makings
including buns, utensils, plates, cups, tea,
and lemonade. Our
thanks go out loud and
clear to all the
members who provided
the sliced tomatoes,
lettuce, onions, nuts,
chips, dips, desserts,
ice cream, and every
delicious accoutrement
that made the party
more than perfect.
A special summertime thanks goes to
Gary Greenbaum, Chad Stettler, and Kathy
Majer who served ice cream to everyone.
There were plenty of toppings available for
the “sweet-creation” types as all manner of
sundaes were seen briefly before being
eagerly consumed.
Clare Collins, Sue Case, Loretta
Edgerton, Stephanie Thomas, Kathy Majer,
Mary Zimmerman and Geri Sandilands
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The STC Times 2
handled all the food for the entire party.
Judie Renfrow expertly handled the check-
in desk. Thank you for your efforts. And
thanks to Frank Valenti, Rufus Renfrow and
Kent Naugle for the hard work involved in
setting up the tables and chairs that were
situated so perfectly around the patio.
One of the
highlights of the day
was the celebration
(just a few days
early) of the ninety-
third birthday for
June Buntain who was
an active tennis
player until just a
few years ago.
June’s daughter, Bonnie, presented her
with a lovely birthday cake while those in
attendance serenaded June with a chorus
of, you guessed it, “Happy Birthday”!
Look forward to our Happy Hour
New Members & Volunteer Appreciation
event on Friday, October 23rd, the Sadie
Hawkins Day Afternoon Social on Sunday,
November 15th and the STC Christmas
Dinner Dance on Saturday, December 12th.
There could also be a couple of “surprise”
special events that are rumored to be “in
the works”. Join us and enjoy the kind of
friendship shared by tennis players who
are fortunate enough to live in
SaddleBrooke. �
STC LADIES AT EL PASO
The Southwest Sectionals were an awesome experience for everyone on
the STC Ladies team. There
were a few
"bumps in the road" such as 95
degree heat on the very first
day. Then it rained on the
second day. And there was more.
One of our players came
down with a flu bug and had to go home. Another player got lost prior to
one of the matches. There was more. USTA changed the format on the third
day by requiring pro-set, no-ad scoring.
“Enough,” we said. Nevertheless it was a great experience, much fun, and
everyone did a fabulous job on the
court and while cheering for their teammates. That’s what Ladies Tennis
is all about at STC. Our first match on Friday was
against Himmel, the team we
originally beat in
play-offs to earn the right to go to
Sectionals in El Paso. Even though
these were very tough matches,
we won two of the three courts. The
second match was against Southern
New Mexico. Once again we took two of the three courts.
On Saturday, under the threat or rain, we managed to play one match
that we lost to Greater El Paso by a
very close score. After that play was suspended until the next morning.
Saturday night was party time for our
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The STC Times 3
players. More than 120 people attended even though it was moved from the
outside patio to the 5th floor garage. Still great fun!
USTA had to change the Sunday format to eight game pro-sets with no-
ad scoring to make sure we got off the
courts by noon. The match scores you see in Tennis Link are a USTA
conversion of eight game pro-sets. In other words, we may have won 8-4, but
Tennislink will show it as 6-3, 6-3 win. Our first match on Sunday was
against CAZ, a very powerful and talented team. During the season they
had a 12-0 record, and they had a 5-0 record at Sectionals. They lost only two
sets during the entire weekend. We lost all 3 courts to them. Consistent
with the ideal of competitive club tennis, CAZ was super tough and was
made up of very nice ladies.
During our last match we gave it our all and won three
courts. We were neck-in-neck with
Himmel and Greater El Paso. But in the
end we eked out the other two teams and came in a very respectable second
place. Given the competition in El Paso, we are very proud.
Here are some memorable moments from the tournament:
� The USTA tournament director and volunteers did a fabulous job under
some weather challenges. � Himmel and our team supporting
and cheering each other, forming a good bond with those ladies
� All of the ladies on the teams were
very nice, gave fair line calls, and exhibited great sportsmanship.
� The 79 year old lady who did a round of tai-chi before every match, then
stood at the back line, lobbing every ball. (Sometimes is not how hard
you hit the ball, but just getting it back in!) Amazing and frustrating!
� The awesome power and kindness of the CAZ team that came in first!
There was a little confusion about who came in second. The result was
that our team had already left when we were called back to accept our
second place awards. And get this.
The entire CAZ team waited another 15 minutes for us to come back so
they could give us hugs and congratulates.
� And of course, just the wonderful ladies on our team who all made this
possible! We are proud of our accomplishments.
Thanks to all for the support from the SaddleBrooke Tennis Club and our
many friends! �
Coordinator Focus – Jon Chase Jon Chase has served the
SaddleBrooke Tennis Club as a coordinator for eleven years. His tenure illustrates the value our club places on this important job. Our unique Organized Play program cannot function without dedicated coordinators who run the computers to arrange games and make
reservations every week of the year. Without this service, players would have to arrange their own games. We would rarely have the opportunity to meet new players and make new friends without the hard work of Jon and the other coordinators.
Jon, who suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon last December, looks
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The STC Times 4
forward to returning to the game. Tennis has been a major interest since he moved to our community seventeen years ago. During that time he has watched SB develop and
mature as has STC itself. He notes that membership has also experienced maturation and turnover with the ongoing years. Through it all, he has fostered personal interchange with hundreds of players. That’s understandable because he is a great conversationalist who has the ability to make members feel at home in their own club. He has always provided a personal touch that makes it so pleasant to see a familiar face on our way to the courts.
Thanks, Jon, for the wonderful part you play in making the STC such an enjoyable part of our SaddleBrooke experience. �
STC Trivia From the August issue: “What major STC
event took place on November 7, 2009? A: Serve ‘Em Up For Charity Tennis
Event �
TENNIS TIP: You Don't Need
Topspin Groundstrokes This is a funny one because this is a
shot you definitely need for singles.
But for doubles, the concept of hitting
high looping shots from the back of the
court is a no-no. Here's why: Shots
traveling deep to the back of the court
with topspin become a nice easy volley
either for the opposite net player, who can
poach it, or for the oncoming volleyer.
If you possess a sharply dipping topspin
shot that you can angle or put at the feet
of the opposition, then you are OK. But if
all you have is the singles-like
groundstroke, then you are in trouble.
Also, if you can't get the ball to dip at
the feet of an oncoming player you will only
be presenting them with a volley or mid-
court ball that they can hit on the rise and
make life difficult for you.
You also need to consider whether the
extreme grips often used for topspin
groundstrokes may give you a problem when
and if you need to change grips while
coming to the net to volley or half volley.�
NOTE: October Scramble days will be Thursday the 15th for the men and
Friday the 16th for the women. �
Social, Competitive, and Fun!
C A L E N D A R O F E V E N T S
October 23 – Happy Hour New Member – Volunteer
Appreciation Event
November 15 -- Sadie Hawkins Day Event
December 12 – STC’s Christmas Dinner Dance
December 31 – New Year’s Eve Tennis Social