Should we start with the incredible year our teams had; or perhaps the fact that we lost the Inaugural Landings Cup by one measly point? How about the record turn out that we had for the Club Championships? There are many ways we could begin to recap Gulf Harbour’s 2008-2009 tennis season, but perhaps we should begin at the beginning.
Committee Brings Curran on Board
The impetus for a season that was stellar by most accounts was the Tennis Committee’s selection of one of the premier instructors and players in Southwest Florida, Mike Curran, as the new Director of Tennis & Fitness. It didn’t take Mike very long to instate a new staff of professionals, in addition to our beloved Joel Hampton, who has been an Assistant Teaching Professional at Gulf Harbour since 2006.
T.A. Niles (Head Pro), Laurie Martin (Pro Shop Manager) and Gerry Jimenez (Maintenance Technician) all have been added to the Gulf Harbour tennis staff since Mike’s tenure as Director began. If the reports from the vast majority of tennis members are any indication, the additions have been a plus for the tennis program.
2008 – 2009 Tennis Season Sizzles
The tennis program itself has been as active this past season, in some regards, as it h
as ever been. Record numbers participated in October’s Team Boot Camp and in the Club Championships this spring. Team clinic participation also was tremendous, and according to Bronze team captain Effie Parker, “We’ve never had clinics like this before. It has been a great new experience for our team.”
Over two hundred members participated in the three Club Championship events (see pix here). Of course many of the same individuals participated in the different events, but the turnout was admirable. Although there were participants who weren’t thrilled with all elements of the events, the vast majority appeared to enjoy the experience.
One satisfied customer was Dr. Anthony Cupaiuolo, who wrote in response to the publishing of the draws, “You really did a great job in getting the information out in such a timely manner and devising a format designed both to attract as many players and to insure as competitive matches as possible.” It would probably be fair to publish some of the less than positive comments as well…but why not end the season on a positive note?
Team Triumphs
Perhaps one of the most notable happenings this season was the performance of Gulf Harbour’s teams,
particularly our ladies' teams and our USTA teams. Of the thirteen Lee County Women’s 
Tennis League (LCWTL) teams fielded this past season, 10 finished among the top-five in their divisions, and two ladies teams, the 3.5-Minus Drop Shots led by Diane Russ and the 50-Plus Gold Team led by Norma Schuyler, won their divisions.
Gulf Harbour’s five USTA teams also acquitted themselves quite well this past season. The 7.0 Super Senior men led by Ron Graham won the State Sectionals on 
April 16-19 in Daytona Beach and will represent Florida (and Gulf Harbour of course) at the National Championships next spring. Our 7.0 Super Senior ladies, captained by Judy Schafft, won their local division and also played at sectionals this past weekend. They fell short of winning their flight and playing in the championship match by two sets.
Our Men's 50-Plus 3.5 Men's team, also led by Ron Graham, won its region and will represent Gulf Harbour at the State Sectionals April 30 through May 3rd. Our two USTA Mixed Doubles teams finished second in their divisions. In sum, all five USTA teams at Gulf Harbour finished in the top two!
Although the men’s teams representing Gulf Harbour in the 50-Plus Men’s League of Lee County didn’t fare quite as well as the some of the women’s and USTA teams, they represented us quite well. Of the five teams that participated, four finished in the top-five. The one Gulf Harbour team playing in the Men’s 70-Plus League of Lee County finished third in its inaugural year of existence. In all, 20 of Gulf Harbour’s 24 teams finished among the top-five of their divisions, an accomplishment worthy of accolades!
Inaugural Landings Cup
Additional evidence that Gulf Harbour’s tennis program is among the best in the are
a is the performance of those who represented the Club in the Inaugural Landings Cup event. A team of twelve individuals (two men’s doubles, women’s doubles, and mixed doubles) represented Gulf Harbour in the eight-team event. When the final ball was struck and the scores tallied, Gulf Harbour had fallen one game shy of claiming the Cup.
Program Strong Year-Round
Other tennis events, such as the Fourth of July Firecracker event, the Halloween Mixer, and Davis Cup all had significant participation from tennis members, indicating that the strength of Gulf Harbour’s tennis program is not merely seasonal, but all year round! Over 120 members attended the year-end Tennis Celebration Banquet at season’s end, bringing this year’s tennis cycle for a number of members to a memorable close.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that there are some who are not thrilled with the efforts of the new tennis staff. However, we believe those are few in number and there are those who have expressed their appreciation of the staff’s efforts. One such member, Jackie Jewel wrote, “You are bringing so much fun to GH. I really am happy you are there. Almost everyone I know thinks that you guys are doing an exceptional job and making us enjoy tennis again at good old GH! Thanks for your fun and enthusiasm.” We hope to keep the fun and enthusiasm flowing through the summer.
Post Season Tennis
Although a good portion of our tennis membership may be heading north this time of year, an essential component of the tennis program’s core remains at Gulf Harbour, and the beat will continue throughout the summer. Tim Baldwin’s Wimble-Ryder, tennis-golf combination event is up next on Saturday April 25, and only 12 spots are still open (Click here to register). Our Memorial Day Tennis Event on May 25 is likely to generate as healthy a turn-out as one will find at any Southwest Florida Club this time of year. It is this elevated level of member commitment and participation that makes the energy we expend as a staff entirely worth the expenditure.
Men's Intramurals
Men's intramural competition is coming down the homestretch, with Eddie Dance's Ball Busters leading the way with 70 points after four weeks of play. Don Pitts' The Great Zazus are in second with 51 points, followed by Bill Crouch's When in Doubt Call it Out with 33 points, and Jim masiello's less than vigorous Team Viagra bringing up the rear with 14 points. With only two weeks left to go, it appears as though the Ball Busters will claim the intramural title this year.
Junior Tennis
For Gulf Harbour’s youth, if numbers allow, there will be a junior camp and USTA Junior Team Tennis (JTT). The junior camp and JTT will provide a venue for juniors who are looking for fun tennis competition during the summer.
Junior Team Tennis begins June 6 and run for four weeks. Players who play at least two matches will be eligible to participate in the JTT Sectionals in Lakeland July 31 thru August 2.
Gulf Harbour’s junior camp will begin July 6 and run through August 14. Other summer events will include our July 4th Firecracker and the Labor Day Tennis & Party event on September 7.
Looking Forward to Next Year
As a new addition to the tennis program, I would like to express my immense gratitude to the multitude of members who have welcomed me into the fold. I’m especially grateful for Amy Ciarrocchi’s muffins, Jan Bloomhall’s pies, Marianne MCElroy’s cookies, Meg Jacobs’ cookies and quiche. Gulf Harbour may not win every league division, but we would certainly win any bake-off among the clubs. Thanks for your efforts ladies!
I would also like to express my deepest gratitude to Mike Curran, the best Director of Tennis one could hope to work for, to Joel for his incredible positivity no matter what, to Laurie the owner of the sweetest pro shop smile in Southwest Florida, and Gerry, the hardest working court maintenance technician around. I’m looking forward to a successful summer and to contributing to an even better season in 2009 – 2010!
Committee Brings Curran on Board
The impetus for a season that was stellar by most accounts was the Tennis Committee’s selection of one of the premier instructors and players in Southwest Florida, Mike Curran, as the new Director of Tennis & Fitness. It didn’t take Mike very long to instate a new staff of professionals, in addition to our beloved Joel Hampton, who has been an Assistant Teaching Professional at Gulf Harbour since 2006.
T.A. Niles (Head Pro), Laurie Martin (Pro Shop Manager) and Gerry Jimenez (Maintenance Technician) all have been added to the Gulf Harbour tennis staff since Mike’s tenure as Director began. If the reports from the vast majority of tennis members are any indication, the additions have been a plus for the tennis program.
2008 – 2009 Tennis Season Sizzles
The tennis program itself has been as active this past season, in some regards, as it h
as ever been. Record numbers participated in October’s Team Boot Camp and in the Club Championships this spring. Team clinic participation also was tremendous, and according to Bronze team captain Effie Parker, “We’ve never had clinics like this before. It has been a great new experience for our team.”Over two hundred members participated in the three Club Championship events (see pix here). Of course many of the same individuals participated in the different events, but the turnout was admirable. Although there were participants who weren’t thrilled with all elements of the events, the vast majority appeared to enjoy the experience.
One satisfied customer was Dr. Anthony Cupaiuolo, who wrote in response to the publishing of the draws, “You really did a great job in getting the information out in such a timely manner and devising a format designed both to attract as many players and to insure as competitive matches as possible.” It would probably be fair to publish some of the less than positive comments as well…but why not end the season on a positive note?
Team Triumphs
Perhaps one of the most notable happenings this season was the performance of Gulf Harbour’s teams,
particularly our ladies' teams and our USTA teams. Of the thirteen Lee County Women’s 
Tennis League (LCWTL) teams fielded this past season, 10 finished among the top-five in their divisions, and two ladies teams, the 3.5-Minus Drop Shots led by Diane Russ and the 50-Plus Gold Team led by Norma Schuyler, won their divisions.
Gulf Harbour’s five USTA teams also acquitted themselves quite well this past season. The 7.0 Super Senior men led by Ron Graham won the State Sectionals on April 16-19 in Daytona Beach and will represent Florida (and Gulf Harbour of course) at the National Championships next spring. Our 7.0 Super Senior ladies, captained by Judy Schafft, won their local division and also played at sectionals this past weekend. They fell short of winning their flight and playing in the championship match by two sets. Our Men's 50-Plus 3.5 Men's team, also led by Ron Graham, won its region and will represent Gulf Harbour at the State Sectionals April 30 through May 3rd. Our two USTA Mixed Doubles teams finished second in their divisions. In sum, all five USTA teams at Gulf Harbour finished in the top two!
Although the men’s teams representing Gulf Harbour in the 50-Plus Men’s League of Lee County didn’t fare quite as well as the some of the women’s and USTA teams, they represented us quite well. Of the five teams that participated, four finished in the top-five. The one Gulf Harbour team playing in the Men’s 70-Plus League of Lee County finished third in its inaugural year of existence. In all, 20 of Gulf Harbour’s 24 teams finished among the top-five of their divisions, an accomplishment worthy of accolades!
Inaugural Landings Cup
Additional evidence that Gulf Harbour’s tennis program is among the best in the are
a is the performance of those who represented the Club in the Inaugural Landings Cup event. A team of twelve individuals (two men’s doubles, women’s doubles, and mixed doubles) represented Gulf Harbour in the eight-team event. When the final ball was struck and the scores tallied, Gulf Harbour had fallen one game shy of claiming the Cup.Program Strong Year-Round
Other tennis events, such as the Fourth of July Firecracker event, the Halloween Mixer, and Davis Cup all had significant participation from tennis members, indicating that the strength of Gulf Harbour’s tennis program is not merely seasonal, but all year round! Over 120 members attended the year-end Tennis Celebration Banquet at season’s end, bringing this year’s tennis cycle for a number of members to a memorable close.
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that there are some who are not thrilled with the efforts of the new tennis staff. However, we believe those are few in number and there are those who have expressed their appreciation of the staff’s efforts. One such member, Jackie Jewel wrote, “You are bringing so much fun to GH. I really am happy you are there. Almost everyone I know thinks that you guys are doing an exceptional job and making us enjoy tennis again at good old GH! Thanks for your fun and enthusiasm.” We hope to keep the fun and enthusiasm flowing through the summer.
Post Season Tennis
Although a good portion of our tennis membership may be heading north this time of year, an essential component of the tennis program’s core remains at Gulf Harbour, and the beat will continue throughout the summer. Tim Baldwin’s Wimble-Ryder, tennis-golf combination event is up next on Saturday April 25, and only 12 spots are still open (Click here to register). Our Memorial Day Tennis Event on May 25 is likely to generate as healthy a turn-out as one will find at any Southwest Florida Club this time of year. It is this elevated level of member commitment and participation that makes the energy we expend as a staff entirely worth the expenditure.
Men's Intramurals
Men's intramural competition is coming down the homestretch, with Eddie Dance's Ball Busters leading the way with 70 points after four weeks of play. Don Pitts' The Great Zazus are in second with 51 points, followed by Bill Crouch's When in Doubt Call it Out with 33 points, and Jim masiello's less than vigorous Team Viagra bringing up the rear with 14 points. With only two weeks left to go, it appears as though the Ball Busters will claim the intramural title this year.
Junior Tennis
For Gulf Harbour’s youth, if numbers allow, there will be a junior camp and USTA Junior Team Tennis (JTT). The junior camp and JTT will provide a venue for juniors who are looking for fun tennis competition during the summer.
Junior Team Tennis begins June 6 and run for four weeks. Players who play at least two matches will be eligible to participate in the JTT Sectionals in Lakeland July 31 thru August 2.
Gulf Harbour’s junior camp will begin July 6 and run through August 14. Other summer events will include our July 4th Firecracker and the Labor Day Tennis & Party event on September 7.
Looking Forward to Next Year
As a new addition to the tennis program, I would like to express my immense gratitude to the multitude of members who have welcomed me into the fold. I’m especially grateful for Amy Ciarrocchi’s muffins, Jan Bloomhall’s pies, Marianne MCElroy’s cookies, Meg Jacobs’ cookies and quiche. Gulf Harbour may not win every league division, but we would certainly win any bake-off among the clubs. Thanks for your efforts ladies!
I would also like to express my deepest gratitude to Mike Curran, the best Director of Tennis one could hope to work for, to Joel for his incredible positivity no matter what, to Laurie the owner of the sweetest pro shop smile in Southwest Florida, and Gerry, the hardest working court maintenance technician around. I’m looking forward to a successful summer and to contributing to an even better season in 2009 – 2010!
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