August 9, 2009

If you are free at 10:30/10:45ish on Tuesday, August 11th, please join us at the Club to thank our friendly City Youth Employees and wish them well – this is their last week at the Club. Cindy Paulding, caipirin@aol.com, will bring a fruit platter, plates, forks and napkins for all to share. If you care to bring something, feel free, but it is not necessary.

On Saturday, August 8th, the Albany Tennis Club hosted a fundraiser to benefit the Community Hospice in memory of Stan Majerowski. It was a beautiful day for tennis. There were 16 participants in the ladies doubles bracket. Brooke Strauss defeated Nell Fodera and Kim Faniff in one semifinal and Cinderella Paulding defeated Kerry Strnad and Lynn Strnad in the other semifinal. In a very exciting final match Strauss and Robitaille defeated Paulding and Nakai. There were 12 participants in the men’s doubles bracket. Min Ho Lee and Young Ki Kim defeated George Schlottner and Bill Collins in one semifinal and Ernest Kovacs and Alan Chen defeated John Eaton and Bruce McBride in the other semifinal. In a great final match Chen and Kovacs defeated Lee and Kim, 6-3. There were 8 participants in the mixed doubles bracket. In a thrilling tie breaker Marylee Trudeau and Ofer Barpal defeated Nicole Fuller and Ray Koloski, 14 – 12. Thank you to all who participated.

Larry and I considered what kind of event would the members appreciate and enjoy and we hatched the idea of the member/guest events. With an increasing number of participants I think they were enjoyed by a significant number of the members. I am glad that you enjoyed them and the Club’s efforts were well spent. To continue the momentum we have developed we thought that two singles events would round things out. See below for the men’s and ladies’ singles event in August.

The Jim Conley Tournament has been postponed until August. Stay tuned.

Members are asked to submit any guest fees and/or guest passes before playing. Your compliance with this would be appreciated.

Some repeats for those who may have missed them last week –

1. Be sure to lock your bike up. If you do not have a lock please bring it in and put it in the back by the shed.
2. The locker room / bathroom is locked at 7:30 pm each night. It is unwise to leave your clothing in the locker room.
3. Please remember to put the umbrellas down when you are finished playing. Put the umbrellas down if the wind picks up while you are playing.
4. Sometimes due to the result of rain we have courts unavailable. But the sun comes out and we all want to play. We like to have as many players enjoy their tennis as possible. Doubles matches can accommodate twice as many players as a singles match. So there may come a time if there are courts out of commission and you are playing singles that you might be asked by the attendant to share your court with two other players.

Thank you for your understanding.

Upcoming Events

The Albany Tennis Club will be having a men’s singles event on Sunday, August 16 at 1 pm and a ladies singles event on Sunday, August 23 at 1 pm. Each event will have an upper bracket and a lower bracket if there is sufficient participation. Free to members, $15 per play fee for non-members. E-mail me to register.

The Albany Tennis Club is offering a junior tennis camp August 17 through August 21 and an adult tennis camp August 24 through 29 from 1 to 4 pm. The instructor will be Tom Bain. The summer camp is a concentration of informative instruction and supervised play designed to transition a player quickly to the next level. The combination of instruction and play provides players a well rounded instructive atmosphere by which they can see improvement more rapidly. Our goal is to have lots of fun while encouraging the players to learn as much as possible. The cost is $150 for the 15 hours / 5 days of instruction. Let me know if you have any questions.

The Tri County Tournament is September 5 – 7. It attracts many players from within and outside the area. Brackets will be available for members to participate. Let Larry Y. know that you are interested in playing – lyakubowski@yahoo.com.

Weekly Schedule

• Monday Night Singles Night – at 5:30 pm
• Hit with Ed – Monday and Thursday at 6 pm, Saturday at 1 pm
• Bernice’s Ladies League - Tuesday and Thursday at 9 am
• Community Tennis – Tuesday and Friday, 6 pm, Saturday, 1 pm, Sunday, 2 pm
• Group Lessons – Tuesday at 5 pm and Sunday at 1 pm
• The Men Who Play in the Morning - Wednesday and Friday at 9 am
• Wednesday Night Men’s Doubles League – at 5:30 pm
• Junior Night – Friday at 6 pm
• Pizza Night – Friday at 6 pm

Enjoy your tennis,
Ed
438-8846

Albany Tennis Club – Where everyone knows your name!

This is reprinted from last year by request –

Ode from Court 8

Sarah, Elaine, Ann and Marge
15-love, 30-love, 40-love, it is fate
But no one has love for lonely Court 8
When was the last time we had a date?

Richard, Rick, Tony, Manuel, Ron, John, Larry and Bob
I’m out here spring, summer and fall
But no one comes or gives me a call
Try Court 8, you’ll have a ball.

Mary Lee, Pat, Jackie and Pat
I’m the wettest, muddiest of all
Big puddles from heavy rains that fall
I didn’t shrink, I’m not too small.

Mark and Steve, Dennis and Bob
I’ve been treated with calcium chloride
It makes me thirsty and cracks it does hide
You like singles, why not give me a ride?

Andrea and Michael, Sue and Don
Some mixed doubles on 8 before the snow?
It’s tournament time, that’s when I know
Someone will have to give me a go

Mel and Bob, Herb and Richard and guest Pete
The gentlemen who can not be beat
Carolyn and Don, Nancy and Ray
If you play on me you make my day

Glenn and Joe, Steve and Joe, man
Oh, do you have a beer, man?
Tony and David, Ray and Dave
Hey, with you, what’s the motta?

Alan and Jose, Bill, Bruce and Stew
They say one is the loneliest number
But not while Court 8 can only slumber
Look at Court 8 – it’s a beautiful umber.

Karol and Myrna, Bob and Mike, Asieh too
When it comes to maintenance I’m the last
Retrieve your mis-hit and retreat fast
Why not put other courts in your past?

Chris, where are you? Joseph and Dennis
Group Lesson $10 and Community Tennis
All the activities – am I just a menace?
Playing Court 8 isn’t a penance

Frank and Mimi, Diana and Pietro
Get the machine out and give me a roll
You must think that I am a great big troll
Please play on me, make it your goal.

Ester and Terry, Vickie and Ann
So gather your groups two by two
Do I play Tuesday or is it you?
We could play on 8 and now let’s follow through.

Tom and Paul, Bob and Darlene
Sometimes you get hurt and don’t come around
Rehabilitate the knees, shoulders and hit my ground
Please get better and come on “back” when you are sound.

Eileen, Mary, Claire and Iva
One hits the ball, the other hits back
I’m ugly and pitted and have many a crack
My weeds are huge, give the ball a whack.

Michael and Mike, Greg and John
Remember your summer loves of 2008?
If you had some memories of 8 it would be great
How about a Court 8 tennis date?

Sorry Howard and Mary, Jeff and Sue
If you would love me I would be true
Sure they play softball right next to me
Cover your head for a foul ball or three.

Craig and John, George and Kirby
Maybe you would like me if I wore a derby
We all like our doubles, some singles too
I have red topping and I’m missing you.

Before you go to places sunny
I’ll try to attract you with Court 8 honey
Come on back and give me a try
You’ll have more fun than money can buy.

(My apologies to Walt Whitman and Theodore Geisel.)