In This Issue:

Morgan Run Tennis Adventure: May 23-25 USTA Block Party: May 17 Upcoming Friday Night Socials Member Guest Mixed Doubles: June 14 Mixed Doubles Round Robin Welcome New Members! Friday Night Recaps

Doubles Clinics Coming Interclub Wrap-up USTA Leagues Save The Dates Members Page Challenge Court Rule Change Ten Years of Tennis The Loop

MORGAN RUN TENNIS ADVENTURE - MAY 23, 24 AND 25

Time is running out to go on this long awaited trip! As this newsletter is printed we already have thirty people signed up, with only twelve members of SMTC! We are sure you want to be part of this trip! Details were in the last newsletter, so will just mention that this trip includes two cocktail parties, interclub with Morgan Run, dinner Sunday night, tennis Saturday and Monday am. Joan Ello has arrangements for a no-host dinner Saturday night at a nearby restaurant. Come on and join the fun...we only have a few rooms left!

Click here for the entry form.

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USTA BLOCK PARTY - MAY 17

This is the third annual Block Party, which is free to everyone. Santa Monica Tennis Club is the host for this event and is supported by city of Santa Monica, and the USTA; along with Tennis Patrons of Santa Monica; Samohi Booster Team; Santa Monica College Tennis Team. Wilson racquet products and Head/Penn will exhibit and demonstrate their products. We will also have city dignitaries attending. We will have cardio tennis, doubles' clinic and a speed gun to try your serve against. We will have a Membership booth and we need volunteers to help with the decorating, in the membership booth and general signups, etc. so please plan on helping with this community event...email me your availability. Marg10s@earthlink.net. Thanks.

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Upcoming Friday Night Socials:

May 15 - DESPUES CINCO de MAYO

One of our most popular former members, David Ullum gave all of the Friday night social events last year a name, do we are taking the easy way out and using them again this year. The next Friday night social will be May 15th at Reed Park @ 7 o'clock. Please send your entry form to Marguerite Jorgensen, 560 E Channel Rd., Santa Monica, CA 90402 (entry form in this newsletter). Bob Shubert reluctantly agreed to assist with this one. We are limited to twenty-four people so please send your entry in early! Remember you do not sign up with a partner and this is a round-robin so you change partners and courts each time! It is a great way to spend an enjoyable evening for the paltry sum of $12 (including drinks, snacks, and tennis balls).

Click here for the entry form.

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June 12 - June Gloom Friday Night

Once again, another Friday night - same as the Despues Cinco de Mayo - the only difference is that I need a volunteer to help check in. Twenty-four people are needed to make this even - same price $12 - please send in entry blank to Marguerite Jorgensen.

Click here for the entry form.

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MEMBER/GUEST MIXED DOUBLES TOURNAMENT - JUNE 14

This popular tournament in previous years was very successful…you play with your same partner each match and you can play with a club member or you can bring in a guest and play with them. We will try to have two divisions of 3.5's and 4.0's and if there is enough interest, we will add the 4.5's. Trophies will be awarded and the price also includes a cocktail party and snacks after at Bill Nissley’s house, 1122 Chelsea Avenue, Santa Monica. The price is $40 per team. Bill Nissley is the Tournament Director for this event, so please get your entries in early.

Click here for the entry form.

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MIXED DOUBLES ROUND ROBIN

Jim Castagnola is the Director of this popular event and he would like it to start soon...so far he needs more 3.5 teams..or for that matter he could add more 4.0 teams. Jim has a couple of 3.5 men that are looking for partners, so please contact him about who they are. The fee is only $10 per person, you arrange your own matches at a time convenient for your team. With summer rapidly approaching, it would be better to get started right away because of vacations, etc. Send your entry to Jim Catagnola, 1310 Venice Blvd. #11, Venice, CA 90291, Phone 310-827-6734. Event will start May 15th Prizes to the top teams.

Click here for the entry form.

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Welcome New Members

• Anderson, Karin  310-995-3098  3.5
• Floriano, Tony  818-694-8669  3.5
• Haskins, Jennifer  323-229-4914  3.0
• Hill, Randy  310-717-8186  3.5
• Iida-Klein, Akiko  650-863-4592  3.0
• Johnson, Wade  310-508-7407  3.5
• Knight, Stephen  310-289-2200  3.5
• Nave, John  310-751-6212  3.5
• Plank, Ross  310-493-5050  3.5

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FRIDAY NIGHT SOCIAL AFFAIRS - RECAP

Belated St. Patrick's Day:
We commenced with this one on March 20th...slowly at first...had a struggle to get twenty people to play, but thanks to my friends, we came up with enough to make an even match.

Quite a few people did not turn in their score sheets, however, from the ones that were turned in, Sue Moore was first with 24 games and a visitor, Catrien Vilamil, was second with 23 games. Bob McGuire was first with 26 games. (If I have this wrong, I am sure some of you will let me know).

April Showers:
Well, warmer weather prevailed to bring people out, willing to play! We even had a waiting list for this event. On April 17th, twenty-four people came ready to play and I had everything ready...except the numbers and letters in envelopes! Gwendolyn Coleman jumped in and gave everyone a number/letter and we were off. Shirley McClaine was the big winner with 30 games, followed by Mary Sunshine with 25 games, (there were three ladies tied with 21 games..so there were decided winners on one side). Keith Donahue had 28 games and John Nave (a new member) came in second with 23 games. As per usual, a majority went to El Cholo's to commiserate/gloat or just plan enjoy the company. I want to thank Bill Nissley for volunteering to help by collecting the money and getting people onto the courts. We had several teams participate of our newer members, Dina and Charles Crump and prospective members, Karin Anderson and John Nave; also Mel Donalson, Wade Johnson and Stephen Knight were new members who participated!

Thanks to everyone who played…it's a really fun evening.

- Marguerite Jorgensen

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Doubles Clinics Coming!

USTA Grant has been approved for $1,000 to be received in May so we will have more double's clinics as soon as this can be arranged on our schedule. They will be held on Saturdays and the date will be announced with plenty of advance notice.

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Interclub Wrap-up

MOUNTAIN GATE INTERCLUB - March 29th
Well, I thought that we had fielded strong teams…but again Mountain Gate "whipped us" soundly! We had twelve winners, but Mountain Gate had twenty-four! We had twelve teams, four each of 3.5's, 4.0s and 4.5s. We played men's/ladies' doubles and mixed doubles. It was a nice day and we had a good lunch at a very nice facility…courts, balls, opponents and lunch all included! So, next year we have to be double-tough. Thanks to all that participated and to Kris Jordan, Mountain Gate Activity Director.

MARINA CITY INTERCLUB - April 3rd
This was the second time we had journeyed to this facility...with the same results! More losers than winners! We did have a pleasant "no-host" dinner with a table we could all sit together. Oh well, next time. Thanks to Rick Grant for allowing us to play!

PACIFIC PALISADES INTERCLUB - April 26th
Al Chang, President of Pacific Palisades Tennis Club, had asked for a rematch…so it was arranged that we would have six teams of 3.5's and 4.0's. It was not a problem on our side, but three of Al's team members failed to show, so Geoff Egginton volunteered to play, which made up one team, however we were missing one full team. Gwendolyn Coleman volunteered and a nice young man was looking at our bulletin board and he said that he used to be rated #5 in Louisiana High School league, that he had played in college, but was just starting to practice...so I 'drafted' him..I did not get his last name, but his first name was Dinh. We will see more of him and look out…he is going to return to form! We do not have official scores; however, SMTC won all of the matches. Among the winners were: Sue Moore and Stephen Knight; Carol Katz and Ron Elmer; Floresita Lopez and Chris Clarke; Mary Sunshine and Bob McGuire; Carrie Gold and Mike Sparno; Joe Thigpen and Marguerite Jorgensen. Again, thanks to all that participated! Especial thanks to Katherine Spetner (playing for PPTC) for furnishing the prizes.

- Marguerite Jorgensen

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USTA Leagues - Men/Women

USTA League matches are being held most every weekend...some matches are successful and some are not, but it is a great group of people and bringing in new members. Thanks to Diane Brooks for promoting this for us.

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SAVE THE DATES:

• Toluca Lake interclub - July 18th
• Anniversary Tournament - July 12 at Ocean View Courts - Mixed doubles.
• Friday nights - the third Friday of each month

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MEMBERS PAGE:

Finally, the sign up board is back up. We were tired of waiting for the City to paint...which will probably happen in the fall now, so we have the board up, with clip boards and all we need is the name on the board. Also, the poster board at the entrance to the courts has been moved and cleaned up.

Last newsletter, I asked for members to send me articles and I am happy to announce we have two members who have written articles, Lou Bock, our Lifetime Member and Allison Starcher. Thanks very much and also would appreciate future participation!

We have so many new members that we are updating the Membership page again on the web. Nice to have enthusiastic people come join our 81 year old organization.

Millie Christie is still recovering and hopes to be back by next September.

Board Member, Brana Hall, has taken a leave of absence from the board due to needing more time to be able to play because of her back. She is a valuable member of the board and we miss her.

Remember, this is your page so send in what you would like to see or say!

- Marguerite Jorgensen

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CHALLENGE COURT RULE CHANGE:

Challenge Court:
When only one pair is signed up on the Challenge Court and waiting to play and two pairs are currently playing - Should the winning team have completed two consecutive matches, that team shall be deemed eligible to play one additional match so as not to reward the losing team with another round of play.

This was approved by the Board of Directors on April 6, 2009.

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Ten Years of Tennis

by Allison Starcher Ten years ago I decided that I wanted to find a better option than the gym for getting some exercise and socializing with like-minded people. On a whim a friend suggested we take a group tennis class offered by the city of Santa Monica parks and recreation. I hadn't really played since junior high school but the price was right and although I never considered myself athletic I was game for a new experience. It turned out I wasn't awful and one class led to another and an addiction was born. Not for my friend though-her racquet is gathering dust in a closet or sold for cheap at a garage sale. On the other hand my mother witnessed my escalating love for the game and expressed a tentative desire to learn. She wondered if, at 64 she was too old to learn a new sport. I immediately signed her up for the senior class, loaned her my racquet and dragged her to the courts. She's a shy person and I could feel her fear at not only trying something new but at doing so in front of strangers. Her first few attempts at hitting the ball were met by calls of "home run" by the jovial teacher. These errant shot left her scurrying off the court telling me she couldn't do it. In a role reversal from my tear filled experiences with childhood sports I told her to "stop worrying and get back on that court. Just finish this one class and then you are free to quit if that's what you want to do." She turned around reluctantly and of course things went better. The ball started to fall in and as we left that day she was smiling and looking forward to the next class.

For both of us, tennis has been far more than exercise. We both play doubles 3-4 times a week for the social interaction, the competitive satisfaction and the physical challenges tennis offers. In 2001, when by father passed away tennis was a bridge from grief and loneliness back into life. The men and ladies in our tennis groups come from many different backgrounds but they are all players on the court. The social lessons have been a revelation. I've learned that you won't like everybody all the time and they won't always like you but for 2 hours you can enjoy yourself anyway. Live in the now and leave the last bad shot or perceived bad call in the past. Although I do love to win, wonderful long rallies with great shots can be even more satisfying. Don't get me wrong it's often hard for me to behave but if I want to be asked to play I know that I need to try and get along!

There is just enough socializing but not too much. You don't have to call up and ask someone to get together because each week at a specific time you have a place to be and something to look forward to doing. My mother pulled me aside one day and said "Thank you so much for encouraging me to take up tennis. It changed my life. I don't know what I would have done without it." We're both different people on and off the court because of this simple elegant game-more outgoing, confident and patient and in better physical shape. We rarely play together but when we do I realize how similar our games are. We favor our backhands, run down everything and get mad at ourselves when we miss a shot. Although we rarely play together and are often better opponents than partners, tennis has also helped strengthen our relationship.

My mother has proven to me that it's never too late to take on a new challenge and at any age, I will have this fabulous game in my life-these first ten years are only be the beginning.

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The Loop

Whenever someone says they have to practice they may be practicing to remain at the same level. Would you guess that 90% of all tennis players in the US might be 4.0 or below?? Obviously tennis is a social event.

Working 20 years at the Reed and Ocean View courts, I observe that a small percentage of the teachers may coddle a pupil instead of giving him the instruction to go to 4.5 or better. Some will allow a low backswing on the forehand. That means the pupil will never learn to hit the ball on the rise with best technique.

What is the reason for the loop?? First of all the loop starts with the racquet moving behind the shoulder, loading the shoulder just before the bounce and, because of the loop, being able to strike the ball shoulder high, chest high, above the waist or waist high.

The final footwork is timed to the loading of the shoulder so that you may encroach on the ball. The elbow stays bent on the load. Sometimes you have to take another one or two steps while the racquet is descending as it is more important to get your right foot closer to the ball than to get set and reach for the ball with the left foot stretched out across your body. For a tough shot, the "next level" is continuing your run in the middle of the swing to get behind the ball-see Nadal,etc.

Biggest problem is that the bounce plays "everybody". The ball will bounce and then the backswing will start. Not good as you often back up giving your opponent more time to return to the middle of the court. Instead use the bounce as a reference to have the racquet already moving behind you so that the shoulder is loading and your final footwork is happening.

Without the loop you will retreat on the ball to hit everything waist high. With the loop you can step up to the ball and hit early on the rise. The forehand loop is imperative for all good players. The forehand is your money shot.

For 4.5 and above players, at the bottom of the loop they will whip their hand and arm so that the wrist comes into play and adds power. The best footwork is Agassi 45 degrees - not wide open-which allows hips and knees to create a longer body flow and hit through a longer zone.

I can get you to Wimbledon---but you'll have to buy a ticket-like me. Good Hitting!

- Lou Bock

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