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Marching into Spring Break
Tennis balls already are flying as we roll into March Fool’s Day, with the big hitters in the finals of the Van Der Meer Men’s and Women’s Open Series No. 1 and age-and rated-division Fripp Island Spring Clay Court Championships concluding.
Sunday, March 1 also is the start of the month-long Spring Break Tennis 2009 that will attract about 3,000 college players here for dual matches. Some 3,500 singles and doubles matches will be played during the month and all are open free to spectators.
With HHI Beach & Tennis Resort as its headquarters, SBT draws teams from throughout the country but mostly from the Northeast and Midwest. Lots of parents travel with the teams, taking advantage of seeing their offspring in action and enjoying all of the HHI amenities.
The daily match schedules appear in The Island Packet and can be found on springbreaktennis.com (password: sbt2009). You can contact SBT owner/operator Ray Yost at (814) 456-0157 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .
The island’s 2009 non-sanctioned tournament schedule continues March 6-8 with the 26th annual “Luck of the Irish” Doubles at Palmetto Dunes Tennis Center. Men’s and women’s doubles and mixed doubles will be played in rated divisions 2.5 through open.
Matches begin on Friday morning and continue into the night. Count on Tournament Director Jackie Reynecke throwing a big players’ party. Finals day Sunday will welcome back Daylight Saving Time that arrives in the middle of the night. For information, call Palmetto Dunes at (843) 785-1152.
The 2009 Special Olympics National Invitational Tennis Championships will run March 9-11 with Van Der Meer Shipyard Racquet Club as headquarters. Sixteen area athletes will be among the 125 competing in the event that has grown from regional to national status. Volunteers are always needed to assist on court and with meal service and details. Contact Julie Jilly of the Professional Tennis Registry at (843) 785-7244.
As the Spring Break intercollegiate matches run through the end of the month, HHI and Coastal Carolina leagues will continue their record-breaking season that carries through April and into the South Carolina championships on the island in mid-May. The deadline for adding to team rosters is March 15, so you still have a chance to get on a team. Check any racquet club or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .
After unsuiting from the island’s St. Patrick’s Day parade, eight teams of HHI and Coastal Carolina seniors will have a parade of their own, heading to the Birmingham, Ala., suburb of Pelham, March 20-22 for the 2008 Southern Sectional Super Senior League Championships. Yep, 2008 because teams competing will be champions from last fall’s playoffs in nine Southeast states that make up the Southern Section.
The rollcall of HHI and CCTA teams heading for Pelham: In SS 60s, Men’s 3.0 Sun City Court Jesters, Men’s 3.5 Long Cove Super Retreads, Women’s 4.0 Port Royal Senior Moments and Men’s 4.0 Port Royal; in SS70s, Women’s 3.0 Sun City Golden Girls, Men’s 3.0 Sea Pines Imposters, Women’s 3.5 Port Royal Killer Bees and Men’s 3.5 Indigo Run.
The 60s Men’s 2.5 Moss Creek Raging Bulls and Super Senior 75s Men’s 3.0 Sea Pines Country Club won S.C. championships but won’t be advancing because no other state has entered teams in their categories. For complete information, schedules and scores, see
southernsuperseniors.com.
Balancing all that senior and super senior play will be a new kid on the block … literally. March 28 will mark the KidZone Tennis Tournament No. 1 at Chaplin Public Tennis Center. The all-day tournament for youngsters will use the USTA’s new Quickstart Tennis format in USTA-sanctioned coed categories of age 8 & Under and 10 & Under. The youngsters will play on short courts with specialized balls tailored to age levels. For information and to register, go to
kidzonetennis.com or contact Patricia Hy-Boulais at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
or (843) 298-4229.
Local players will mark month’s end with the March 29 Tennis Association of HHI Spring Social at Palmetto Dunes. Limited space is available, so early registration is necessary. Information will be mailed to all TAHHI members. That info and registration is available on tahhi.org.
Islanders checking their date book for next month will have an eye on the April 11-19 Family Circle Cup on Daniel Island, Charleston. With defending champion Serena Williams, sister Venus and Jelena Jankovic as early entrants, the 36th year will show off most of the women’s tour Top 10. Tickets, including group rates, are available at familycirclecup.com.
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 ...
Ben Hale, tennis director of Country Club of Hilton Head, who says that whether you are Dora Dropshot or Roger Federer, unforced errors can wreck your game. The problem, Ben says, is trying shots you don’t have or can’t do well. “Don’t overhit” was his first tip to reducing those errors. “Play within yourself. Play within your comfort zone. Play your style. Stay in the moment, not like Federer at the end of the Australian Open final.” .
