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If you are new to Hilton Head Island, you may not know that spring begins the last week in January – at least for the 1,500 tennis players competing in the USTA League 2009 “Spring Season.”
And the spring tournament and spring social seasons are not far behind.
The Adult and Senior team spring schedule literally is in full swing, weather or not that Yankee groundhog sees his shadow.
The Tennis Association of HHI annual meeting/dinner/dance is set for Feb. 4 at Hilton Head Island Beach & Tennis Resort.
Celebrating its 28th anniversary, TAHHI will present its three annual awards: Dick Stitt Volunteer of the Year, Stan Smith Boys Sportsmanship and Kerry Melville Reid Girls Sportsmanship. Each carries a $500 grant. Information has been mailed to members, but also is available at tahhi.org.
Special Olympics gets an early season start as well. The Hilton Head Island Middle School athletes have been training for their first major tennis event of the year on Feb. 4. They will host the Challenge Cup, now in its eighth year as an annual competition against Beaufort Middle School. Twenty-four athletes will compete in volleys, ground strokes and serves. The team scoring the most points gets to keep the cup for the entire school year in their classroom. Beaufort won last year. For information, contact Myron Meister at (843) 342- 6236.
The Feb. 6-8 weekend will open the tournament season with the Palmetto Dunes Resort Tennis Classic, featuring men’s and women’s singles and doubles in rated divisions 2.5 through open. The National Multiple Sclerosis Society will be beneficiary of the event. Count on Tournament Director Jackie Reynecke to come up with a jazzy players’ party. For information, contact Palmetto Dunes at (843) 785-1152.
By the time the final match point is won in the PDRTC, the USTA Leagues will have their across-the-board full schedule operating in what, of course, is another record year.
“Can You To p This?” was a radio quiz show back in the last century, but it has been the mantra of HHI area league tennis from Day One.
The ’09 season takes the next step into the split of leagues between Hilton Head Island and the ‘cross-the-bridge Coastal Carolina Tennis Association. The fall Super Senior season was the first for CCTA – a sort of practice run for the eventual complete split this year.
Growing numbers of players prompted The Split and this season accents the decision. In the combined ’08 spring season, 172 teams competed. That number grew to 178 this year – 56 in Adult (age 19 through 49) and 122 Senior (50 and older). Biggest increases came in the Men’s and Women’s 3.5 and 4.0 levels, pushed by the sizeable number of players bumped up a rating level in the year-end 2008 ratings.
The USTA League formats run throughout the year – Adult and Senior in the spring; Mixed Doubles early summer; Combo late summer; Super Seniors in the fall. As if that was not enough, the ’09 season will add a new format: Super Senior Mixed Doubles, dates of which are to be determined.
To get involved in the USTA Leagues, check at any of the racquet clubs or go to tahhi.org.
Despite a seven-day-a-week schedule of league matches, weekend tournaments continue to find a niche among our tennis-hungry crowd. The ‘09 first U.S. Tennis Association-sanctioned weekender will be the Valentine’s Day weekend Daufuskie Island Adult Championships Feb. 12-15.
Tournament Director Ron Gwyn is retaining the same format of men’s and women’s singles and doubles (no mixed) played in 40 through 80 age divisions and rating divisions 3.0, 3.5, 4.0. Tournament entry and details are online at usta.com under TennisLink, using ID No. 704105609. For more information, contact Gwyn at (843) 384-0553.
The tennis-teaching world will come visiting Feb. 16-22 for the annual Professional Tennis Registry International Symposium and $25,000 Championships at Van Der Meer Shipyard Racquet Club. PTR members from around the world will compete in the prize-money tournament that is open free to spectators. Tournament players can go online for information using ID No. 704102409.
The symposium will feature a week of workshops, on-court demonstrations and special ceremonies honoring its outstanding members. The how-to-teach sessions will range from advanced players to wheelchair competitors to kids. A tennis trade show also is open to the public on its final day. For symposium information, including special rates to HHI area residents, go to ptrtennis.org or call the PTR office at (843) 785-7244.
The short but very busy month will wrap up with two tournaments the same weekend. From Feb. 27 to March 1, the Van Der Meer Men’s and Women’s Open Series No. 1 will be played at Van Der Meer Tennis Center, with top players from HHI and the Southeast competing for cash prizes in singles and doubles. Spectators are admitted free. For entry/other information, contact Justyn Schelver at (843) 785-8388 ext. 119.
Feb. 27-March 1 also will find the Fripp Island Spring Clay Court Championships playing at Fripp Island Tennis Center. Go to usta.com and TennisLink, using ID No. 704132009 or call (843) 838-1504. For a complete 2009 HHI tennis schedule, email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .
Take a Tip From…
…outside the court. Virginia Beach tennis pro Dave Howell about gave up trying to teach me the spin serve. Then he took me off court and made me stand behind the fence. “Now serve into the court,” he said. So I’m standing 6 feet from a 10-foot-high fence. How many ways can you say “Hit up on the ball?” After moving to Hilton Head Island, I encountered pro Edward “Woody” Wood leading a student around the back fence. “Now serve the ball into the court.” If you can find no other way to get yourself to hit up on the ball, just go behind the fence. Ignore the stares. It works.
