GACTA Middle School Tennis League Completes its Fifth Season
By Anne Koterba
This spring, the Gainesville Area Community Tennis Association (GACTA) sponsored the fifth season of its no-cut GACTA Middle School Tennis league, which provided 100 local middle school students, from beginner to advanced players, an opportunity to play tennis in a team format for their middle school. The season ran during the months of April and May following the high school tennis season. Volunteer parent-captains recruited middle school students from seven middle schools under the guidance of Anne Koterba, President of GACTA and coordinator of the middle school tennis program. Both public and private middle schools participated in the program. Local schools included: Jordan Glen, Oak Hall School, Westwood, Kanapaha, Lincoln, Fort Clarke, and Howard Bishop Middle Schools.
As in the previous seasons, a two-day Middle School League Team Championship, with a similar format to the FHSAA District Tennis Championship format, with an emphasis on doubles, was held at the Jonesville Tennis Center. Jordan Glen School “four-peated” as Tournament Champion (22 points), and the Oak Hall School “four-peated” as Tournament Finalist (11 points). Lincoln Middle School finished a close third behind Oak Hall. When asked about the continuing dominance of the small, private, Jordan Glen School, Dave Porter, Director of Tennis at Jonesville Tennis Center and Jordan Glen parent, commented, “Jordan Glen has a well rounded curriculum with rigorous academics, and a strong focus on the arts and athletics. Students grow up playing multiple sports, developing their overall athleticism and confidence. The family-like atmosphere also fosters bonds among the kids on and off the court, which strengthens their teamwork.”
The GACTA middle school tennis program is sustainable because the hard costs are covered by a modest participation fee ($55), local private and public tennis facilities generously provide teaching pros for practices and courts for matches, and parents provide a great deal of volunteer help. The participation fee also generates enough revenue to provide scholarships for students from low-income families, as well as support GACTA’s Aces in Motion tennis outreach program for at-risk youth.
The no-cut feature of the program allows even true beginners, who may never have played tennis before, to experience match play, as GACTA volunteers go on court to help them with scoring and rules.
“We really want the kids to have fun playing for their school, no matter what their level of experience”, said Addison Staples, Executive Director of GACTA. “That’s what this program is really about,” Koterba said. “We just want kids of all backgrounds realize how enjoyable the game of tennis can be, so they will want to go out and play. Although tennis can be an individual sport, we like to emphasize that it can be a great team sport as well, whether playing for your school’s team or playing as a doubles team.”
This year, the Jonesville Tennis Center (JTC), Westside Tennis, Oak Hall School, and the Haile Plantation Golf and Country Club provided courts for match play for the middle school league, and all of these facilities, as well as the 300 Club, “adopted” teams for practices.
For more information on GACTA’s programs, please see www.gainesvilletennis.org or go to Gainesville Tennis or Aces in Motion on Facebook.
Fifth Season GACTA Middle School League
Tournament Results
Finals Main Draw:
Flight 1: Colby Stewart/Leo Asch (JG) def Ethan Cockey/Eric Chen (LIN) 6-3
Flight 2: Christian Mazpule/Nolan Louis (JG) def Stephanie Miller/Alden Laborde(OH) 6-2
Flight 3: Dagney Kaye/Jadon Kennard (JG) def Mac LaBorde/Kate Pickens (OH) 6-3
Flight 4: James Donnelly/Isaac Kaye (JG) def Anna Liu/Mallory Tutton (LIN) 6-1
Flight 5: Liz Arnold/Sidney Washburn (JG) def Adel Acs/Katie Kerensky(OH) 6-3
Flight 6: Lincoln Weaver/Graham Shoemaker (JG) def Sydney Miller/Sophie Miller (OH) 6-0
Flight 7: Graham Louis/Lotus Campbell (JG) def Graham Bernstein/Avery Bernstein (OH) 6-3
Flight 8: Jaden Rosillo/Morgan Tooke (JG) def Davis Beck/Tahsin Nabi 6-0
GACTA Middle School Tennis Tournament Champions
Oak Hall GACTA Middle School Tennis Tournament Finalists
Flight 1 Champions: Jordan Glen’s Colby and Leo
Flight 1 Finalists: Lincoln’s Ethan and Eric
“Hit Away the Nukes” Community Tennis Event!
The Gainesville Area Community Tennis Association, River Phoenix Center for Peacebuilding and Eli Meyer Studio would like to invite you to attend a community event, “Hit Away the Nukes” on Saturday April 18th, from noon-3 pm at Westside Park.
We will be meeting at the Westside tennis courts to hit a total of 16,000 tennis balls, each ball symbolizing one of the 16,000 nuclear weapons still in existence in the world today. Tennis experience is NOT necessary, and all ages are welcome!
We join with Global Wave 2015, a world-wide series of events calling upon governments meeting in New York this April and May to cooperate on a process to abolish and eliminate nuclear weapons. Links to descriptions of our event can be seen at http://www.globalwave2015.org/news-2/2015/4/8/hit-away-the-nukes and http://www.april6.org/en/take-part/upcoming-events/hit-away-the-nukes.html
A video will be made of this local event, and it will be shared on a global platform, so come be a part of the action to “Hit Away the Nukes”.
We hope that you can stop by and hit a few balls! We plan to take a group photo around 1 pm.
For more information, contact Addison Staples, Executive Director, GACTA, at addison@nullacesinmotion.org or text 352-514-9975.
Please note: This is a local event to bring global awareness and not a fundraiser.
2015 GACTA Middle School Tennis
The fifth season of GACTA’s popular Middle School Tennis program starts soon! Team practices will begin around the first of April, with matches likely starting on April 17th. The program is no-cut, open to all levels, and emphasizes fun and sportsmanship. Schools likely participating include:
Kanapaha
Lincoln
Westwood
Howard Bishop
Fort Clarke
Jordan Glen
Oak Hall
For more information, see the Middle School Tennis section on this website or contact Anne Koterba, Middle School Tennis Coordinator, at akoterba@nullaol.com or 352-665-9544.
2014 GACTA Activity Round Up
GACTA Accomplishments and Activities 2014
Overview
- GACTA appoints its first paid staff member, Addison Staples, as part-time Executive Director, effective 1/1/2014.
- GACTA website overhauled (Gainesvilletennis.org) and Aces in Motion website (acesinmotion.org)
- created
- Gainesville Community Tennis calendar developed
- GACTA and Aces in Motion Facebook presence established and maintained
- GACTA sponsors its fourth season of Middle School Tennis
- April 2014: Addison Staples attended the Change the Game conference in NYC
- April 2014: GACTA became a member of Up2Us.
- May 2014: GOWTL (day league) luncheon raffle raises $725 for GACTA.
- June, 2014: GACTA awarded a USTA Serves Grant ($10,000) to expand the Aces in Motion Tennis Outreach program in east Gainesville
- June, 2014: First Constant Contact newsletter sent out to approximately 1100 individuals
- August, 2014: GACTA holds its first annual fundraiser, The Bryan Shelton Celebration of Gainesville Tennis, Past and Present. This event raised over $25,000 for GACTA.
- Established the Dr. John J. Ross Pre-Collegiate Scholarship Fund and the McDonald Scholarship
- September 2014: GACTA was accepted into the USTA Foundation NJTL Capacity Building program
- October 2014: Addison Staples and Anne Koterba attend the Pre-TDW NJTL Capacity Building program in Atlanta
- November 2014: USTA Florida Section Foundation grant award ($7078) for expansion of the Aces in Motion program in new 21st CCLC elementary schools and to establish a Special Olympics tennis program, based at Sidney Lanier Center.
- December 2014: Awarded USTA Foundation grant support of $12,500 to expand AIM programming at Boulware Springs Charter, Pineridge neighborhood and at T.B. McPherson. In addition, GACTA was awarded a $25,000 USTA Foundation NJTL grant to increase the capacity of our organization (expand Executive Director position to full-time and hire a program director.
Activities by Month
January
- Ball machine donated to GACTA for tennis programming at T.B. McPherson
- Aces in Motion partners with EAGY after-school program at T.B. McPherson
- Sidney Lanier outreach program begins
- City of Gainesville installs new benches at T.B. McPherson tennis courts
- Jan 22nd: 21stCCLC elementary school student field trip to UF Men’s Tennis match vs. UNF
- Jan 29th: UF Men’s Tennis Team visits HBMS 21st CCLC tennis program
- 21st CCLC tennis program continues at HBMS and Lincoln Middle Schools.
- 21st CCLC tennis program continues at Idylwild, Lake Forest, Rawlings elementary schools
February
- Feb 8th: First USTA Florida Community Tennis Workshop held in Gainesville
- Reichert House and EAGY after school programs continue at TB McPherson
- Feb 22nd : First TB McPherson Play Day held
March
- March 1st: GACTA was a vendor at the Parent Appreciation Day/Gang Awareness at Rawlings Elementary
- Aces in Motion booth at the JTC Pro Circuit Women’s Futures tournament
- March 10th: UF Mens Tennis team volunteered at TB McPherson
- March 15-16: USTA Florida Team Tennis Challenge @ Jonesville Tennis Center
- March 27th : Village Green Spring Break Play Day
- HBMS tennis team forms and Middle School Tennis team practices begin
- March 30th: UF Women’s Tennis Community Play Day at UF
April
- Fourth season of GACTA sponsored Middle School Tennis matches begins
- Water fountain installed at T.B. McPherson
- After school programming continues at various elementary schools and T.B. McPherson.
- April 22nd: First Kids Count tennis clinic held in church parking lot at Rawlings site.
- April 30th: First Kids Count tennis clinic held at TB McPherson tennis courts
May
- May 7th: First tennis clinic held at NE 31st Ave courts, with Kids Count
- May 7th: Addison Staples presented AIM program at City of Gainesville Public Safety Committee meeting
- May 13th: Tennis clinic with Woodland Park Boys and Girls Club at T.B. McPherson
- May 20th: Racquet Award Day to Reichert House tennis program participants
- May 29-June 1st: GACTA Middle School Tennis Tournament
June
- June 7th: AIM Field Trip to St. Augustine with Addison Staples
- Summer Heat Wave tennis program begins at MLK Center
- Tennis program at HBMS continues, led by Bessie Patterson and Chris McDonald
- 21st CCLC 8 summer tennis program at Terwilliger, Idylwild, Lake Forest, and Rawlings elementary schools (reached over 250 students per week for 6-7 weeks)
- June 29th: GACTA-sponsored Summer Play Days begin at Westside Park, organized by Chris McDonald
- Meetings ongoing with River Phoenix Center for Peacebuilding
July
- GACTA representatives began attending Pineridge neighborhood community meetings
- Meetings ongoing with River Phoenix Center for Peacebuilding
- July 11th: Guatemala trip, led by Addison Staples, begins
- Tennis courts resurfaced at T.B. McPherson and blended lines added to all four courts
- Summer Heatwave program continues
August
- August 5th : Village Green Community Day with GPD (vendor)
- Partnership begins to provide tennis instruction to all students at Boulware Charter School as part of the PE program.
- Expanded partnership with Reichert House, to provide tennis instruction to both elementary and middle school students at T.B. McPherson
- Partnering with Youth Combine to provide once a week tennis instruction at HBMS.
- August 23rd: First Annual GACTA fundraiser held, with successful, sold out Community Tennis Clinic @ DB
September
- Formed second east Gainesville 14 & Under Intermediate Team Tennis team for fall play, T.B. McPherson courts are the team’s home court
- Working with ACT/SAT tutor and PhD student, Sanethia Thomas, to provide tutoring at T.B. McPherson
- Met with new superintendent Owen Roberts to discuss Aces in Motion program
October
- October 1st: Addison Staples attended the Education Form hosted by Plum Creek, entitled, “Preparing Our Youth for Future Opportunities: Our Shared Responsibility”
- October 10th: First Pineridge Aces in Motion Tennis Festival held
November
- 5th: USTA Foundation Capacity Building Convening. Addison Staples and Anne Koterba represented GACTA
- 8th: Addison Staples represented Aces in Motion at the 4WS Network Health Expo at Pineridge
- Nov 22nd: USTA Florida Annual Meeting. One of the original Aces in Motion participants, Keonna Perry, provided a testimonial at the Awards Dinner, explaining what tennis means to her.
December
- December 7th: GACTA 10th Year Anniversary Party and Annual Meeting at the Gainesville Country Club.
- December 12th: GACTA received word that we received $12,500 in grant support from USTA Foundation to expand programming at Boulware Springs Charter, Pineridge neighborhood, and T.B. McPherson after-school program, and $25,000 in grant support from the USTA Foundation NJTL Capacity Building program.
GACTA 10th Anniversary Party and Annual Meeting at Gainesville Country Club
Thanks to Patrick Jenkins, Jacob Birk, and the Gainesville Country Club for hosting the community tennis party! And a big thank you to the area tennis pros, Mike Oransky, Robert Taylor, Jean Vaughn, Sandra Philips, Chris McDonald, and Jason Weiss for making the tennis clinic such a success!
During the GACTA annual meeting, the following officers were elected for 2015:
Anne Koterba-President
Libby Smith-Vice President
Ben Smith-Secretary
Dean Poole-Treasurer
Board members: Jade Park, Elizabeth Patterson, Lee Johnson, Linda Green and Christine Shurtleff
Executive Director: Addison Staples
For more photos of the Community Tennis Clinic, click here.
And to all our volunteers who have made our Middle School Tennis and Aces in Motion programs a reality, thank you!
2014 GACTA Volunteer Recognition
Adults:
- Elizabeth Patterson
- Maurice Willacy
- Jean Vaughn
- Mark Staples
- Nancy Staples
- Bob Gwin
- Don Blair
- Marda Jorgensen
- Kim Horner
- Kevin Banes
- Rod Nagoshi
- Diana Caro
- Bonnie O’Brien
- Bobbie Mehan
Juniors:
- Ben Nagoshi
- Sam Cockey
- Ryan Joo
- Daniel Vaughn
- Aminah Moffett
- Walia Moffett
- Marcela Ifju
- Daniela Ifju
- Austin Edwards
- Davis Washburn
- Lillie Mehan
Middle School Tennis Parent Coordinators 2014:
- Scott Frey and Betsy Fischer
- Tammy Miller
- John Tucker
- Kim Heninger
- Clare Uman and Kikumi Gugel
- Albert Sloan and John Lear
- Elizabeth Patterson
Coaches/Facilities that Adopted Middle School Teams:
- Abdoulaye Toure (300 Club): Lincoln
- Dave Porter: Oak Hall
- Mike Oransky (Westside): Westwood
- Chris McDonald: Howard Bishop
- Robert Taylor (Haile): Kanapaha
Tennis Teaching Pros Participating in the Community Tennis Clinic in August
- Don Blair
- Robert Taylor
- Addison Staples
- Jason Weiss
- Chris McDonald
- Jeremy Beach
- Eli Meyer
- Jeremy Bayon
- Mark Merklein
- Paul Reese
- Dave Balogh
- Patrick Jenkins
- Roland Thornquist
- Maurice Willacy
- Eric Ligman
- Tracey Begley
- Bryan Shelton
- Mike Oransky
GACTA Hosts Successful Fundraiser for Aces in Motion Program
On Saturday, August 23rd, a morning community tennis event at DB Racquet Club and an Evening Celebration of Tennis were held to support the Gainesville Area Community Tennis Association’s Aces in Motion Tennis Outreach Program for at-risk children. The fundraiser, the The Bryan Shelton Celebration of Gainesville Tennis, Past and Present, was very well received by the Gainesville tennis community. The morning and evening events both sold out, and approximately 200 people attended.
In a first for Gainesville, Don Blair of DB Racquet Club recruited tennis teaching pros from almost all the tennis clubs in town (including Fort King Tennis Center in Ocala) to come together and teach in the community tennis clinic. The UF Men and Women’s Tennis coaches also participated in the clinic, jumping on court along with tennis players from the community. Thanks to all the teaching pros who gave up their Saturday mornings to provide the “best Gainesville community tennis clinic ever”!
Following the clinic, an exhibition was held, featuring Roland Thornquist, the UF women’s head coach and Bryan Shelton, the UF men’s head coach, who joined forces to compete against a former UF player, Chris McDonald and Tracey Smith Begley, a former FSU player. Players from the community were then randomly selected to join in friendly tiebreakers with Bryan and Roland. To end the morning session, Bryan Shelton shared his thoughts with the crowd on the importance of the Aces in Motion program.
The evening event featured Bryan Shelton, program directors Addison Staples and Chris McDonald, and participants in the organization’s Aces in Motion program, as well as live music and a silent auction. Attendees could also walk through a display of the highlights of Gainesville’s illustrious tennis history. As a part of the event, the Dr. John Ross Pre-Collegiate Scholarship was established, to honor the memory of Dr. Ross, a long-time Gainesville resident, beloved pediatric neurologist, and tennis advocate and enthusiast.
GACTA Middle School Tennis League Completes Fourth Season
http://www.florida.usta.com/news/tennis_briefs3_florida_flex_league_ms_league_more111/
From USTA Florida Tennis Briefs, June 13, 2014
The Gainesville Area Community Tennis Association (GACTA) sponsored the fourth season of its no-cut Middle School Tennis League, which provided more than 100 area middle school students, from beginner to advanced players, an opportunity to play tennis in a team format for their middle school.
The season ran during the months of April and May following the high school tennis season. Volunteer parent-captains recruited middle school students from seven middle schools under the guidance of Anne Koterba, vice-president of GACTA and coordinator of the middle school tennis program.
Both public and private middle schools participated in the program. Schools included Jordan Glen, Oak Hall School, Lake City, Westwood, Kanapaha, Lincoln, and Howard Bishop middle schools.
“This program is a sustainable one because we cover all our hard costs with a modest $45 participation fee, but we are still dependent on local private and public tennis facilities being willing to provide teaching pros for practices and courts for matches, and on volunteer help from parents,” Koterba said. “The participation fee also generates enough revenue to provide scholarships for students on free or reduced lunch, as well as support GACTA’s ‘Aces in Motion’ tennis outreach program for at-risk youth.”
The no-cut format allows players of all levels to experience match play, with volunteers serving as on-court monitors to help players with scoring and rules. Before each dual match, parent-coordinators work together to match-up players of similar ability.
“We really want the kids to have fun playing for their school, no matter what their level of experience,” said Addison Staples, executive director of GACTA.
As in the previous two seasons, a two-day Middle School League Team Championship, modeled after the FHSAA District Tennis Championship format, was held at the Jonesville Tennis Center to end the season. Jordan Glen School, undefeated in the dual match part of the season, three-peated as tournament champion (15 points), and Oak Hall School three-peated as tournament finalist (6 points).
Lincoln Middle School finished in third place (5 pts). In Division 1 (advanced), Ben Nagoshi/Howard Williams (Lincoln) defeated Ifadare Harris/Colby Stewart (Jordan Glen). After the matches were completed, an awards party was held to end the season. This year the Jonesville Tennis Center, Westside Tennis, and Oak Hall School, as they have in the past, provided tennis courts for match play for the middle school league, and Haile Plantation Golf and Country Club and the 300 Club also “adopted” teams for practices.
For more information on GACTA’s programs, please see www.gainesvilletennis.org or go to Gainesville Tennis or Aces in Motion on Facebook. Photos of the middle school teams are posted on Gainesville Tennis Facebook page.
GACTA Middle School Tennis Season Begins April 25th
Eastside Boys Tennis Falls Short of State Title
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20140415/ARTICLES/140419763/0/search
Published: Tuesday, April 15, 2014 at 11:00 p.m.
Last Modified: Tuesday, April 15, 2014 at 11:39 p.m.
Photo by Suzanne Cockey
The Eastside boys tennis team fell short in its effort to unseat defending Class 2A state champion Pinecrest Gulliver Prep on Tuesday, losing four singles matches and both doubles to the Raiders at Red Bug Lake Park in Casselberry.
Trailing Gulliver Prep’s 19-point total, the Rams finished as runners-up with 12 points, their highest finish since winning the 3A championship in 2000.
“It was a good run for us,” EHS coach Dave Porter said. “Each year we’ve improved, and we need another year to get to Gulliver Prep’s level. I believe with another year we can actually win a state title.”
Eastside advanced four players to singles finals before losing in straight sets to Raiders players, including freshman Benjamin Brandt at No. 2, Maxwell Curtis at No. 3, Hyunsoo Joo at No. 4 and Samuel Cockey at No. 5. Cockey gave Gulliver Prep the toughest match of the finals, pushing Robert Rogue in a 7-6 (1), 7-6 (5) defeat.
“We knew our best chance was to win it in 4 and 5 singles,” Porter said. “I think with a little more experience our guys could have pulled it out.”
In the No. 1 doubles final, the Rams’ top pairing of Curtis and Joo dropped a 6-1, 6-3 match to the Raiders’ Baker Newman and Chase Perez-Blanco, a UF signee, after winning their semifinal match against Tampa Jesuit’s Max Azzarelli and Palmer Evans.
Eastside’s No. 2 doubles team of Brandt and Derek Li also stumbled against a Gulliver Prep pairing, losing a 7-6 (5), 6-1 match to Robert Rogue and Andre Libnic.
A to Z with Peter Slaton
http://www.gainesville.com/article/20140411/ARTICLES/140419966/0/search
Correspondent, Gainesville Sun
Published: Friday, April 11, 2014 at 6:01 a.m.
Last Modified: Thursday, April 10, 2014 at 6:35 p.m.
SCHOOL: Gainesville
YEAR: Senior
POSITION: No. 1 singles, No. 1 doubles
HEIGHT: 6-foot-1
WEIGHT: 165 pounds
Area tennis player I would pay to watch play: My partner (at No. 1 doubles), Jacob Gordon. He’s got a big first serve, and he fights. That one-handed backhand, when he gets in it, is pretty sweet.
Best movie I’ve ever seen: “The Intouchables” (a 2011 French film).
Coach Paul Spradling’s best words of advice for me: “Move your feet, keep the ball in play and stay relaxed.”
Dinner on an ideal night? Leonardo’s 706.
Easiest class or part of my school day: Ms. Paxson’s environmental science.
Feeling I had after winning the District 3-3A title last week in my first year as Gainesville High’s No. 1 singles player: It means a lot. I just felt like it was my time to step up to the plate and perform.
Greatest tennis player in the world right now? Roger Federer.
Hoisting the state championship trophy as an individual competitor at the Class 3A state finals next Friday in Altamonte Springs will take … Focus. That’s going to be the main thing. I’m going to have to work for every point, limit my unforced errors and keep my feet going.
NOTE: Slaton won two state titles as the Hurricanes’ No. 3 singles player in his sophomore and junior seasons.
Interesting thing about me off the court: I’ve played piano since fifth grade.
Joker on the team? Definitely Jake Gordon, without a doubt. He adds funny comments, and he doesn’t laugh at his own jokes, which makes it even funnier.