Southern

Cy King on North Carolina, Rick Limpert on Holiday Gifts

Ron Cioffi | December 17, 2020


Dec. 17, 2020
Over the span of his long career, few has left a longer and more important path in promoting tennis in North Carolina than Cy King. He served as the USTA Southern Tennis Service Representative for North Carolina for 14 years, following up a 30-year career as the City of Raleigh Tennis Director. In 2004 he was inducted into the North Carolina Tennis Hall of Fame. Rick Limpert is a nationally known tennis and technology writer. He previews great holiday gifts for tennis players. Our Health Benefit of the Week focuses on tennis balls, which are highly unlikely to transmit COVID-19. We also highlight Dream Court of Montgomery, AL, and junior Collier Jones, of North Little Rock, AR.
 
Dec. 8, 2020
We’re talking junior tournaments with two experts in USTA Southern. Explaining COVID-19 changes to the 2020 junior schedule and the upcoming national 2021 format is Director, Junior Tennis & Player Development Maria Cercone. Our long-time volunteer, Jonathan Barth, chairs our Junior Competition Committee and adds important comments on junior events and his work as Kiawah Island Golf Resort Director of Tennis. In our Junior Spotlight is McKenna Wheatley, of Madison, MS.
 
 
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Nov. 19, 2020

Talking Tennis Southern Style highlights two tennis writers … one best known a tennis player and coach. Roy Barth, author of Point of Impact (available on Amazon), played on the ATP Tour, was at two-time All-American at UCLA and then went onto a 42-year career as the award-winning Kiawah Island Golf and Tennis Resort (SC) Director of Tennis. He is a member of the Southern Tennis Hall of Fame, along with five other halls. Rhiannon Potkey, who writes for TennisRecruiting.net along with numerous publications, has covered tennis for 22 years. She founded Goods4Greatness, a non-profit that provides sports equipment for low-income children in Knoxville, TN. Our junior spotlight is on Mikayla Person, of Baton Rouge, LA, and the Northeast Arkansas Tennis Association of Jonesboro is also featured.

 

Nov. 5, 2020
Ted Reese founded the Atlantic Tire Championships, a USTA Pro Circuit tournament, and describes the action starting Nov. 9 in Cary, NC. Reese is a USTA Southern Vice President who has propelled tennis in the Research Triangle. Also featured are John Cox of Cleveland, MS and Kyle Burton of Nashville. Cox started the section’s 2027 Initiative, which fosters young volunteers on the pathway to USTA leadership. Eli Stephenson of Louisville is our junior spotlight, Kyle Blackburn contributes out health benefit tip and Public Tennis, Inc. of Okatie, SC is in our organization spotlight.

 

 

Oct. 22, 2020
The most popular tennis program in the world – USTA League – draws more than a half-million American adults. What makes League so popular? What was the reason to put year-end NTRP ratings on hold? What is the plan for Southern Sectionals in 2021? USTA Southern Director, Adult Tennis Chris Walling answers these questions and more. For a grassroots perspective, Graham Bucciantini, the Local League Coordinator for Jackson, MS, gives us a report from the trenches. We introduce our health benefit tip while giving shout-outs to junior Sophia Miller, of Birmingham, AL, and One Love Tennis in Wilmington, NC.

 

Oct. 22, 2020
The most popular tennis program in the world – USTA League – draws more than a half-million American adults. What makes League so popular? What was the reason to put year-end NTRP ratings on hold? What is the plan for Southern Sectionals in 2021? USTA Southern Director, Adult Tennis Chris Walling answers these questions and more. For a grassroots perspective, Graham Bucciantini, the Local League Coordinator for Jackson, MS, gives us a report from the trenches. We introduce our health benefit tip while giving shout-outs to junior Sophia Miller, of Birmingham, AL, and One Love Tennis in Wilmington, NC.Oct. 8, 2020

Our podcast features one of the USTA Southern staffers: Claire Bartlett, Tennis Service Representative for Tennessee. Bartlett was an outstanding junior player and competed for the University of Florida and the University of Virginia. She hosts a video podcast on Youtube called Me and My RacquetPage Love, of Nutri Fit Sport Therapy, serves on the USTA Sport Science Committee and guided ATP and WTA players with their nutrition. Also featured are junior standout Elliott Parker, of Nashville, TN, and the Acadiana Community Tennis Association in Lafayette, LA.

 

Oct. 5, 2020
In a special episode, we welcome USTA, Director, Player Development Martin Blackman, who talks about the 2020 US Open along with the rising American pros and top Southern talent. Since 2015, he has been responsible for identifying and developing the next generation of world-class American tennis players. Blackman, who won the USTA Boys’ 16s National Championship in 1986, went on to become a member of two NCAA Championship teams at Stanford University. He continued his play at the ATP level from 1989 to 1995, reaching a career-high of No. 158.


Sept. 10, 2020
With the COVID-19 pandemic hitting tennis pros, facilities and other industry professionals hard, USTA Southern stepped up and decided to share more than $800,000 to those affected. The Southern Cares initiative has sent an average of $876.55 to 917 teaching pros, facilities, organizers, tournament directors, officials, media and others in nine Southern States. USTA Southern President & CEO Bonnie Vandegrift, along with our podcast’s audio producer/teaching pro Kyle Blackburn and Charlotte Tennis Association’s Carla O’Connor, talk about the impact of the grants. Also featured: junior William Wimberly, of Summerville, SC, and Family Biz Builder NJTL, of Tunica, MS.

 

Sept. 24, 2020
Eric Voges 
is a long-time mainstay of Chattanooga, TN, tennis. He has a 33-year history as varsity tennis coach of McCallie School. He leads USTA Tennessee as president after many years of volunteering in various levels of the USTA associations. Voges played tennis at the University of Tennessee. Sue Hites, of Atlanta, played professionally after earning a tennis scholarship at the University of San Diego. Currently she works as the ACEing Autism Program Director after a long-term coaching career in California. Also featured are junior Seena Cuddapah, of Marietta, GA, and the Ashland (KY) Tennis Center

 

August 27, 2020
With the US Open starting this month, Irina Falconi - who rose to No. 63 in the world - talks about the tournament and her Tennis.com podcast. Current WTA professional Falconi won the WTA 2016 Bogotá singles title, appeared in three WTA doubles finals and reached the round of 32 at the US Open and Roland Garros. The Portoviejo, Ecuador native attended Georgia Tech for two years under coach Bryan Shelton. Hosted by Sam Crenshaw. Also featured: junior John David McCrory, of Lafayette, LA, and volunteer and USTA Georgia Executive Vice President Mark Botsch, of Atlanta.

 

August 13, 2020
Noted sports author Robert Weintraub of Decatur, GA, talks about his new book: The Divine Miss Marble: A Life of Tennis, Fame, and Mystery. Alice Marble, who was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame, won the US Open singles, doubles and mixed titles each four times, along with six Wimbledon crowns. Also featured: junior Evan Duggal, of Lexington, KY, and volunteer and USTA Georgia President Ashley Massengale, of Atlanta.

 

July 30, 2020
This episode focuses on Kentucky with Lexington WTA’s Tournament Director Jon Sanders. Signed up for the newly formed event in August are Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Sloane Stephens, Victoria Azarenka and Coco Gauff. Also interviewed is former NBA and University of Kentucky basketball star Kyle Macy, who is now a tennis coach and top-level senior player. Also featured: junior Masaki Posey, of Union City, GA, and volunteer James McKissick, of Greenville, SC.

 

July 16, 2020
USTA Past President Katrina Adams
 is the featured interviewee. Among more than a century of USTA presidents, she is the only person to have played professional tour tennis, is Black and served two terms. In an extensive interview, former Atlanta resident Adams talks about recovering from COVID-19, the upcoming US Open, the NJTL she runs in Harlem in New York City and other topics. Hosted by Sam Crenshaw. Also featured: junior Nicholas Heng, of Madison, AL, and volunteer Anna Mercer-McLean, of Wilson, NC.

 

July 2, 2020
This episode's guests are USTA South Carolina Past President Ernie James, who talks about growing tennis in his hometown of Florence along with his passion for officiating. Dr. Dale Yake of PT Solutions, of Atlanta, updates us on the current COVID-19 situation and the great health benefits of playing tennis. We highlight junior Anna Kay Johnston, of Little Rock, AR, and volunteer Courtney Dugas, of Lafayette, LA.

 

June 18, 2020
Alison Riske
 and Monica Puig talk about playing at the Credit One Bank Invitational in Charleston, SC. Nashville's Riske is ranked No. 19 in the WTA Rankings and Puig, of Puerto Rico, is best known for winning the 2016 Olympics Singles Gold Medal. They discuss getting through the break in tennis due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Also featured are junior Aspen Wooten, of Eads, TN, and volunteer Brian Pillar, of Fort Smith, AR.

 

June 4, 2020

This week's guests include USTA Southern Adult League Chair Helen Martin, of Columbus, GA, who talked about her love for USTA League and the cancellation of the 2020 league sectionals. Charlotte, NC's Kelly Flouhouse, a dedicated wheelchair tennis player and advocate, is also interviewed. We highlighted junior Coy Simon, of Charleston, SC, and former USTA Kentucky President Rainey Johns.

 

May 21, 2020
The debut episode features NCAA Chief Medical Officer and USTA Vice President Dr. Brian Hainline. In an extensive interview, Hainline focused on shepherding sports through the COVID-19 pandemic, playing tennis safely, collegiate sports and the health benefits of tennis.

 

Talking Tennis Southern Style covers tennis in nine Southern states and is hosted by longtime tennis TV & radio personality and sports journalist Sam Crenshaw. The podcast will feature interviews with leading tennis players, organizers and volunteers covering issues within USTA Southern and relating to tennis in our area. Talking Tennis Southern Style is the official show of USTA Southern, the largest section of the United State Tennis Association and represents 25% of the national members.


 
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