Mostly great weather, beautiful public facilities, match tiebreaks galore, and 80 State Champion teams from Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee made for a very memorable and enjoyable event for all.
Congratulations to our Champion and Finalist Teams:
| Division | Champion | Finalist | | Adult 5.0 | Lexington, SC
Blair Sims | Bentonville, AR
Kelly Hay | | Adult 6.0 | Columbia, SC
Bob Masella | Goldsboro, NC
Michael Acree | | Adult 7.0 | Russelville, AL
Kevin Strickland | Winston-Salem, NC
Renae Caldwell | | Adult 8.0 | Columbia, SC
Christy Britt | Winston-Salem, NC
Randal Blankenship | | Adult 9.0 | Winterville, NC
Chris Holcomb | Raleigh, NC
Richard McClenny | | Senior 6.0 | Hilton Head Island, SC
Carol Muller | Knoxville, TN
Jerry Carney | | Senior 7.0 | Chattanooga, TN
Deborah Rogers | New Orleans, LA
Bob Roth | | Senior 8.0 | Shreveport, LA
Constance Elliott | Jackson, MS
Richard Rula | | Senior 9.0 | Hilton Head Island, SC
Pat Child | Knoxville, TN
Garry Lowe | |
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Cary’s Mayor Ernie McAllister attended the first day of play at Cary Tennis Park and greeted the players at the superb party at the KOLA Booth Ampitheatre at Regency Park. The players were awestruck at the incredible headquarter facility Cary Tennis Park with 30 hard courts and beautiful expansive landscaping, terraces and bridges.
Kudos to Mary Henderson ( Director of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources), William Davis, (Athletic Program Manager), Linda Smith, (Facility Manager), Sean Ferreira (Director of Tennis), Jonathan Fralick (Head Tennis Professional), Staff Tennis Professionals Daniel Ebert, Jake Lester, and Christy Cook for creating a shining example of a vibrant public tennis facility.
Thanks to Kate Keller (President of the Western Wake Tennis Association which sponsored the party), Robin Jones for media/publicity efforts, and Connie Murphy (Cary Local League Coordinator).
Kate Keller & her up and coming tennis players Thomas, Shannon, Maggie, Ryan assisted the staff at registration; Elizabeth Gardner, Eileen, Bok, Susan Rose, Mike Cargain, Jake & Wendy Lester were site volunteers; Amy Elliott provided balloons for party and took team photos; Katie Lockhart and Daniel Ebert entered results in TennisLink; John and Richard kept the facility in pristine condition; Johnny Hernandez and staff provided tents, flowers, tables and chairs.
Becky Schmidt with KOKA Booth Ampitheatre at Recency Park provided a wonderful setting for the well known Coastline band to get the players into dancing mode after a delicious full dinner.
Tournament sponsors included Town of Cary, Greater Raleigh CVB, Western Wake Tennis Association, Marriott, Embassy Suites, Rudinos, Jonsey’s, Netknacks, and Picnic Works.
Southern’s team to run the event included Dodie Hanchett (Chairman of the Sectional Championships Subcommittee and Adult League Committee member) Referees extraordinaire Pat Staley and Mary Anna Scott from Columbia, SC, Dene Owen (Adult Events Coordinator) and Marilyn Sherman (Director of Adult Tennis).
Special thanks to all of our Captains who give so much extra effort to making league tennis so much fun for so many!
Additional kudos to all who supported our US Open Tickets Drawing to assist a longtime league volunteer affected by Hurricane Katrina. Nancy Vineyard of Knoxville, TN won the US Open Tickets and is extremely excited about her new plans in September next year!
We are looking for league records in the South as we turn the last pages of our celebration of the 25th Anniversary of League Tennis.
In the 2006 Southern Tennis yearbook we will recognize the longest point, longest match tiebreak (we think it is 24-22), most experienced doubles team (170 years combined), etc.
One potential record heard at this event was a player (Chrys Howard, Monroe, LA) who was on 3 state champion teams in 05 (Adult 3.0, Senior 3.0 and Mixed 6.0) and on one sectional champion team (the Adult 3.0). Let us know if you own or know of any other league records!
Many enjoyed the superior play of wheelchair player Bob Masella who with his partner won the deciding court in the Adult 6.0 final.
If you won this weekend, CONGRATULATIONS! If you enjoyed this weekend, WE WON! If you expressed how great it was to get away from Katrina’s or Rita’s aftermath for a few days and PLAY TENNIS, we were very happy to provide that opportunity! Hope to see some of you in Mobile in January for the 2005 BMW Combo Doubles Southern Sectional Championships!