The spirit of sportsmanship, goodwill and creativity are alive at the USA Team Tennis Southeast Regional Championships. The evidence: A charming essay written by one of the players…

A little information about my TEAM XYNZ
By Paul Sanders

USA Team Tennis has really meant a lot to me. Every Friday I come home from school and I wait for Ms. Dolly to call me and tell me when she is taking me to practice. Once we get there, there are always many people walking around just waiting for Ms. Dolly or Ms. Ruth to assign them a match and a court to play on.

My team is really nice and just a great bunch of people. Aside from just practicing at tennis we also hang out aside from tennis. We are all really good friends and enjoy tennis as one of our passions. Our captain Ms. Clyne is very caring and responsible. She is very nice and treats each of us like we are her children.

Me and my team can't possibly say how much we enjoy having Ms. Clyne as our captain and how lucky we are to have someone that cares and enjoys driving us to practices and tournaments and worrying about us and cheering us on. Ms. Dolly, our league leader as a whole is also very caring and dedicated. She takes her own time to call each one of us and tell us when and where to go for practice.

Ms. Dolly is one of the nicest people me and our whole team has seen. We really care about her and enjoy having her. The people that play on my team all are very nice too. When we go to tournaments we also cheer each other on and talk a lot about our competition. Our dinner outings and other activity outings at tournaments are really fun as well. I have enjoyed being on my team for a number of seasons and continue to keep competing on that team.

“Brian’s Buddies” Named for Recovering Friend

Brian’s Buddies of Melbourne, Fl. representing the USTA Florida Section is competing this weekend with more than just winning on their mind. Their team is named in honor of Brian Kuell. Brian is a 16-year-old who has Fanconi Anemia and underwent a bone marrow transplant the day the team won their opportunity to play in the regional championships. The team wanted Brian (an avid tennis player in high school and in USA Team Tennis) to know that they are all fighting this terrible disease with him. Brian is currently 50 days post transplant, out of the hospital and doing well. The team sent Brian and his parents “Team Brian” tee shirts to wear in the hospital. The Space Coast Tennis Association had six teams compete in Lakeland this year and all of them sported “Brian” tee shirts! Hearts, spirits and minds will be with Brian’s Buddies and with Brian too during each hard fought match.

Team "Brian's Buddies" from the USTA Florida Section

Macon, Ga. Team has strong bonds forged in Tennis

The GA Macon Mayhem team from Macon, Ga. representing the USTA Southern Section, have played tennis together at John Drew Smith Tennis Center for many years. The growth and development of the junior tennis program began with the recruitment of these tennis players to the first Junior Tournament Club at JDSTC back in 2003. The kids met twice a week to train with a variety of coaches. The JTC program has grown over the past few years and as the tennis ability of the players improved, there was a need to move them to a higher level as more beginner students joined the program. In the past year, they have advanced to the Elite Junior Tournament Club where they train twice a week in a more rigorous program under the guidance of Juan Farrow, a former professional tennis player.

As their tennis ability grew so did their friendships. Team members attend both public and private area schools and are diverse in both ethnicity and career goals. Yet, their love of tennis has brought them together in a bond of friendship that enables them to think and play as a team and to support each other both on and off the courts.

Their common goal for many years has been to win the Southern Section Championship and have the opportunity to play in the Southeastern Regional Championship tournament. This trip is a fulfillment of their shared vision and dream.

Many of the players will be graduating from high school and moving on to another chapter of their lives this academic year, but their memories of the tournament, their tennis club and their friendships will last a life time.

The GA Macon Mayhem team from Macon, Ga. representing the USTA Southern Section

Raiders of the lost coach?
When Diana Keffer coach of Team Raiders from Amarillo, Tx. representing the USTA Texas Section says she “doesn’t know a thing about tennis” she’s exaggerating slightly. However, to say that she is a bit lost from time to time might be somewhat accurate. A newcomer to tennis Diana ambitiously took on the challenge of coaching a team in a USA Team Tennis league. Well, she must be doing something right, because she found a way to coach her team to the Regional Championships! “Their teamwork is evident by the fact that the only time they play together is during USA Team Tennis matches”, stated Keffer. Now the team, and coach Keffer, have a chance to attain even higher ambitions by performing well at Regionals. Good luck Amarillo!

The bright-eyed and bushy-tailed Team "Raiders" from Amarillo, Tex showed up early Sat. morning ready to take care of business. This team photo was taken at 6:55am when it was still dark!