BELTON:
After a $335,000+ remodeling cost, the Belton Train Depot & Museums, including the SC
Tennis Hall of Fame, held its Grand Opening on Sunday, March 25, 2007 from 2:00 - 5:00 PM.
Museum tours, homemade hand-cranked ice cream, a strolling barbershop quartet, a diesel engine
train for adults and children to climb aboard and take photos, and much more was available. The
event was free to the public.
The Wachovia Palmetto Championships were held on June 5 through June 11. Over 500 junior
players participate in this tournament. A highlight of the week was the awarding of the Dunlop
Scholarship to Will Guzick of Greer. This $1,500 scholarship is provided each year by Dunlop,
and this year's recipient was announced at the 18's party on June 7.
CLNTA:
The Clinton-Laurens-Newberry Tennis Association, in conjunction with the Laurens City
Parks and Recreation, hosted a junior tennis camp the week of July 30 through August 3.
Participants enjoyed a pizza party at the end of camp. On Thursday of that week, Todd Norton,
SC’s TSR, demonstrated the Quick Start Tennis Program.
A new CLNTA 2.5 Fall Ladies team has formed with beginners and some who have not played
in many years. These ladies are very excited. They have been getting out on their own just hitting
together in singles pick-up games. They recently had their first doubles clinic, as most had never
played doubles before. The 2.5 CLNTA team comprises the following members: Julie Childers,
Aprille Hoogstraal, Amy Hopkins, Jenny Mitchell, Lynne Todd, Eloise Verdin, and Lynn
Weirick (Captain).
CLNTA (GATA) 5.5 Senior won State Championships for the third year in-a-row and are now
advancing to Sectionals to try to win it for the second year in-a-row.
The CLNTA wraps up its tenth year in existence. Elections will be held in November with the
founding President, Martha J. Wilder, rotating out of office.
COLLEGE:
Presbyterian College welcomes their new women’s coach, Tyler Davis. Tyler replaces Bobby
McKee who left PC after 26 years to become the Director of Tennis/Head men’s and women’s
tennis coach at Lenoir-Rhyne College. Davis comes to PC from Limestone College where he has
served as the head men’s and women’s tennis coach for the last three seasons. The CarolinaVirginia Athletics Conference women’s tennis Coach of the Year in 2006, Davis led the men’s
and women’s tennis teams at Limestone to national rankings the past two seasons. Limestone was
the only institution during the time period in the CVAC to have both the men’s and women’s
teams nationally ranked
GREENVILLE:
Five Upstate youngsters were among the top seeds in the Prudential C. Dan Joyner C. Realtors
SC State Closed Junior Clay Court Championships held at the Greenville Country Club. The
top seeds included Zachary Rigsby of Simpsonville, Benjamin Barnette of Spartanburg, Spencer
Brown of Spartanburg, Ivey Welborn of Anderson, Marissa Trumbull of Anderson.
Free tennis clinics, sponsored by the Greenville-Spartanburg Interurban Tennis Association,
were held July 28 at Gower Park in Greenville. The summer clinics began more than a decade
ago as an outreach project aimed at Upstate youth who otherwise might never get a chance to
play tennis. Now the youth represent a variety of ethnic and economic backgrounds. No one is
turned away. John Griggs, who spearheads the drive to keep the clinics going, reported that the
GSI-TA welcomes donations of tennis balls and used racquets for use in the clinics. Call him at
864-297-9060.
A new corporate team tennis league has started at Fluor Corporation last week. At last count
there were 162 registered for the program from 4.0 down to beginners. They were given UPTA
Something Fun t-shirts, instructional clinics and lots of encouragement. Clinics are continuing
the next two weeks.
This is the news release that was put out:
DUNLOP AND FLUOR TEAM UP TO GROW TENNIS IN THE UPSTATE
-- Local Sports Manufacturer Helps Sponsor Tennis Wellness Program --
GREENVILLE, SC, October 2, 2007 – Dunlop Sports Group Americas is pleased to participate
in Fluor Corporation’s development of an internal Tennis Wellness Program at its Greenville
campus. As a corporate sponsor, Dunlop will be contributing a variety of products and other
materials to the effort.
With two newly resurfaced tennis courts on its campus and over 2500 employees, Fluor hopes to
develop a complete tennis program that will eventually compete with other local corporations.
The United States Tennis Association (USTA), has also granted money to fund the program.
Dunlop – a legendary international corporation known for its leading edge sporting products -has its American headquarters and distribution center located near the heart of downtown
Greenville. It welcomes such an opportunity as Fluor’s tennis program to engage its neighbors
and community.
“We’re pleased to be a part of this great initiative,” said Steve Hall, Dunlop’s Director of
Marketing for Racquet Sports. “We hope to see many more local companies in the Greenville and
Upstate area follow Fluor’s lead and develop similar programs.”
“The recognition and support of such an accomplished tennis manufacturer as Dunlop sets us off
on the right foot,” said Ron Dottorelli, Fluor Team Tennis Coordinator. “Dunlop is a great partner
and we look forward to many years of working together to grow tennis and wellness in the
Upstate.”
About Dunlop Sports Group Americas
Dunlop Sports Group Americas, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Dunlop Slazenger
International, Ltd., is known worldwide by sports enthusiasts who value quality and performance
in their sporting goods equipment. Headquartered in Greenville, SC, the company’s product line
spans tennis racquets and tennis balls; squash racquets and balls; Carlton badminton racquets and
shuttles; golf balls, golf accessories and golf clubs. International endorsers include tennis legend
John McEnroe, former world squash champion Jonathon Power and three-time world long-drive
golf champion Sean Fister. For further information phone: 800.768.4727.
NORTHWEST AREA DIRECTOR’S REPORT
Submitted by: Martha J. Wilder
October 24, 2007