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Watch ATA CP Alum and Princeton Freshman Payton Holden Live

The first ever Hall of Fame Grass Court ITA Invitational kicks off tomorrow, bringing 8 Division I teams together to serve it up on the grass courts of the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island.

ATA College Prep graduate and current Princeton Freshman Payton Holden will be one of 8 Tigers competing in the event starting tomorrow. Our friends at FloTennis are offering live video and extended coverage of the event – click here to check out the action.

Eight teams (4 women’s and 4 men’s) will compete in a flighted singles and doubles round-robin format, playing for individual ITA Ranking Points. Following is a list of participating teams, listed with their national ITA ranking, based on the standings at the end of the 2015-2016 seasons.

Men’s Teams
University of Virginia, No. 1
TCU, No. 3
University of Michigan, No. 25
Princeton, No. 52

Women’s Teams
University of California, No. 2
Oklahoma State, No. 8
Georgia Tech, No. 16
Harvard University, No. 55

Good luck, Payton!!!

ATA’s Lucie Schmidhauser To Be Inducted Into Longhorns Hall Of Honor

ATA’s Lucie Ludvigova Schmidhauser will be one of 13 esteemed former University of Texas student-athletes to be inducted into the Men’s and Women’s Athletic’s Hall of Honor later in October.

“It’s incredibly fulfilling for me to be selected into the University of Texas Athletic Hall of Honor,” Schmidhauser said. “I remember the excitement I felt when I first represented UT as a collegiate athlete. I was so proud to just be a part of UT’s tradition of excellence in athletics, so being selected into this elite circle of athletes is the ultimate honor.”

13 May 1993: Photo Credit: Stephen Dunn /Allsport

The induction banquet for the 2016 women’s class is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 14. The luncheon ceremony will start at 11:30 a.m. in the Lone Star Room of the Frank Erwin Center.

Below is the bio of Coach Lucie from the TexasSports.com:

Lucie Ludvigova Schmidhauser, Tennis (1993-95)
(Pronunciation: lewd-vih-GO-vah SHMID-how-ser)
A two-time All-American and the 1994 Southwest Conference Player of the Year, Lucie Ludvigova was among the catalysts who led the Longhorns to their second NCAA team title in 1995. Ludvigova joined the Longhorns as a junior during the 1993-94 season. She played her freshman season at Midland Junior College and her sophomore year at NCAA Division II Grand Canyon University, where she won the NCAA singles title. Ludvigova made an immediate impact upon her arrival at Texas, and commenced an impressive stretch of tennis that she carried through the end of her collegiate career. In her first semester at Texas, she became the first Longhorn to win the singles draw at the ITA All-American Championships, as she knocked off Georgia’s Angela Lettiere in the final, 4-6, 7-6, 6-2. She went on to claim a second individual national title that semester, as she won the singles crown at the ITA National Indoor Championships. Ludvigova finished the 1993-94 campaign with a 34-6 overall singles record, a mark that still keeps her at No. 5 all-time at UT in single-season winning percentage (.843). League coaches selected Ludvigova as the 1994 Southwest Conference Player of the Year after she helped the Horns win the SWC regular season and tournament titles. Ludvigova helped carry Texas to the semifinals of the team competition at the 1994 NCAA Championships. As the No. 2 seed in the NCAA Championships singles draw, she automatically earned All-America honors from the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA). She also earned a berth into the NCAA doubles draw with Farley Taylor in her junior season. Ludvigova starred on the 1994-95 Texas team that saw six Longhorns earn ITA All-America honors. Once again, UT rode into the NCAA Championships on an upswing after winning the SWC regular season and tournament titles. With Ludvigova at No. 2 singles throughout the NCAA Championships, Texas advanced to the NCAA title match for the second time in three seasons. The Longhorns edged Florida, 5-4, in the final and Texas, with help from Ludvigova, won its second national team title in three seasons. Ludvigova earned All-America status once more with her 9-16 seed in the singles draw at the 1995 NCAA Championships, where she won a pair of matches and advanced to the Round of 16. Ludvigova played two years of professional tennis and returned to UT as an assistant coach from 1998-2001. Today, she is a coach at Austin Tennis Academy.

Ashley Weinhold Earns Spot In US Open Doubles Main Draw

Austin Tennis Academy student Ashley Weinhold earned her way into the main draw of the women’s doubles at the 2016 US Open Tennis Championships in New York City with her partner Caitlin Whoriskey.

“It’s really great to back at the Open,” Ashley said. “It’s always been one of my favorite places to play since Juniors.”

Weinhold has earned 5 doubles titles since the start of 2015, 4 of them with her partner for the Open, Caitlin Whoriskey.

“Caitlin & I have had a lot of success together as a team, especially lately & I believe we deserve to be in this position,” Weinhold said. “It’s going to be her first main draw of a slam experience which is really neat for her. This will be my third time playing women’s doubles here so it’s a little more familiar to me. This one might mean the most, though. I feel like we’re in a great place to play well here. We’re really looking forward to this opportunity. It’s a nice way to cap off our Summer run & an exciting lead into our fall as we try to get into bigger events. Can’t wait to play this week!”

As a junior, Ashley won G18s Nationals in 2007, earning her a main draw spot in the U.S. Open for the first time. That year, she played singles, doubles mixed doubles, junior singles and junior doubles.

Ashley and Caitlin open the tournament against the 10th seeded team of Vania King and Monica Niculescu. The ladies will learn the exact day/time of the match later today. For Ashley, she’s excited to get back into that New York City energy.

“There is a special feeling and buzz you get when you’re here playing on home turf,” Ashley said. “The atmosphere is electric.”

Good luck, Ashley and Caitlin!

20 ATA Players Earn A Spot in USTA National Hardcourts

The USTA Super National Hardcourts tournaments unfolded earlier this month, with a record 20 ATA Academy players earning a spot in the event – a quarter of the entire Academy group.

The biggest junior USTA tournament of the year, the winners in both Boy’s and Girl’s 18 singles and doubles earns a wildcard into the US OPEN Grand Slam in New York City.

“This summer’s nationals has an excellent showing for ATA players,” ATA CEO Jack Newman said. “This was the single highest number of Academy players participating in a super national event since the program’s inception.”

B16&18 took place in Kalamazoo, MI

Leading the way was Erik Kerrigan and Payton Holden, graduates of ATA College Prep for the Boy’s 18. They both ended their junior career with a great last tournament, before heading to University of Chicago and Princeton to start their college careers.

Erik made it the farthest in the tournament of all Texas players, reaching the round of 32 before losing to the #5. Erik then won his 4th rd consolation match.

Payton Holden made it to the round of 64 by taking out the #31 seed 6-0, 6-1 and earning the tournament’s player of the day award. He then made it to the the 4th rd in the consolation.

“Both Erik and Payton finished their junior tennis careers with great playing,” Newman said. “Both hit out on the ball, played their distinctive brand of tennis and competed with poise and vigor.”

Wilson Hamilton, Granville Kaynor and Alejandro Rodriquez all competed in B18 singles and doubles.

Roger Chou was the only ATA player in the B16 singles and he went 2-2.

Harrison Chiu made it the furthest in B16 doubles. Harrison and his partner Harvey Maughan made it to the rd of 16.

“Harrison Chiu created a legendary life story,” Newman said. “32nd alternate, showed up early for sign in hopes of snagging a doubles spot. A boy walks up to the doubles sign in desk and says “my partner broke his toe I need a new one” and Harrison steps up and says “I can play” the boy agrees. And they make it to the round of 16. Legendary.”

B14 took place in San Antonio, TX

Max Schmidhauser competed in B14 singles and doubles. He went 3-2 in singles play.

B12 took place in Little Rock, AR

James Cockrell and Jake Riezebeek competed in B12 singles and doubles. James went 2-2 in singles and Jake went 1-3 in singles.

G16&18 took place in San Diego, CA

Abigail Chiu led the way for G18 in singles and doubles. Abigail made it to the round of 16 in doubles and went 3-2 in singles play. Abigail, a senior this year at ATA College Prep, will attend Dartmouth in 2017. Alex Mjos also played in the G18 singles and doubles where she made it to the round of 64. She will head to University of Southern Florida next fall.

Callie Creath made it the farthest in Girl’s 16s singles going 3-2. Kristin Kerrigan went 2-2 in singles and Georgia Wright went 0-2 in singles.

G14 took place in Peachtree City, GA

Caroline Wernli went 2-2 in singles and 1-1 in doubles play.

G12 took place in Alpharetta, GA

Sasha Malysheva went 1-3 in singles play.

While this was arguably the best ever year for ATA Academy players ever at Hardcourt Nationals, Coach Newman has but one focus in mind: improving.

“In the next few years, we hope to build on both the number of national competitors we send and the distance they go in their events.”

Coach Newman Recommended Article, “How Does Physical Training Increase Your Child’s Tennis Mental Toughness?”

Physically fit players are less likely to feel discomfort than unfit players in the same match. Therefore, fit players are able to place their focus, energy and attention on helpful processes that increase the chances of success. There are other reasons for the link between physical fitness and mental fitness. Physical pain and emotional pain are housed in the same area of our brain. Stronger bodies, stronger brains! Click here to read the full article from Parenting Mentally Tough Tennis by Anthony Ross.

ATACP Senior Abigail Chiu Claims Gold Ball At USTA Clay Court Nationals

The 2016 USTA Clay Court National Championships unfolded last week, with 14 ATA Academy players competing across all age divisions. The standout performance came from ATA College Prep Senior Abigail Chiu, who brought home a Gold Ball for winning 1^st place in Girl’s 18s doubles – her 8^th National Ball overall.

“This moment in particular was the most special feeling I’ve had after claiming a national ball,” Chiu said. “Between it being one of my last ever super nationals and having my mom witness me winning a gold ball for the first time, it was truly rewarding. The acknowledgment I’ve received especially amongst my ATA peers has made this accomplishment feel even better.”

Abigail traveled to the event, hosted in Memphis, TN, with ATA CEO Jack Newman. Following a tough first-round singles loss, Abigail was able to refocus and earn three-straight wins in singles before her undefeated run in doubles with partner Elysia Bolton.

“I have to give a huge thanks to Coach Newman who played a huge part in this,” Chiu said. “He was so encouraging and gave me great motivation throughout the entire tournament. We had a specific ritual everyday that allowed me to stay calm and focused and I really do credit him in the highest ways. I really believe he is the best at what he does and when you get the chance to travel with him one on one, you come to realize why ATA is so special. Of course I also credit my three main coaches: Coach Doug, Coach Brandon and Coach Dio who consistently take care of me both physically and emotionally.”

Chiu also credited her access to two beautiful red clay courts here at here home Academy; appropriately named The Chiu Family Clay Courts.

“The clay courts at ATA have definitely been nice,” Chiu said. “It’s not so common to have clay courts at your home facility; many of my friends have to travel to Florida or other such places to access them but we’re really lucky here. Not every academy can have such nice clay courts and that’s the reason so many kids across Texas come to ATA for better preparation.”

Newman also credits the courts for the overall success of ATA players on the surface recently.

“We had our best clay court performance this year of any years previously,” Newman said. “Having our players start practicing on clay during the year on a regular basis and exclusively after the summer grand slam for sure helped our performance.”

Beyond the coaching, preparation, and court access, Chiu also credits her partner in this event.

“Elysia is also probably the best partner I’ve ever played with. She is an incredible player and I felt that our games really complemented each other well. The last match was actually our most dominating and confident performance and that’s another reason why winning this has never felt better. It was relieving to finish my last clay court nationals with a title and with a match that I will never forget.”

After spending the week with Abigail and coaching her to a Gold Ball, Newman was clear on how she stacks up against her peers on the doubles court.

“Abigail is the best doubles player of her age in the country (IMHO), for the following reasons–very good serve locations, solid returning from both sides, ability to move forward and control volley height and pace, ability to perform formations effectively without fear.”

The natural step after reaching a goal for Chiu and all ATA student-athletes is simple: set another one. Now, she will focus forward on the next steps in her tennis career.

“The next step for me is getting ready for college tennis. I am planning on tweaking my schedule a little bit so that I can experience some higher level tournaments whether it’s lower lever pro tournaments or more collegiate events. I’ve played junior Texas tennis my entire life and I’m ready to see what it’s like against the girls at the next level!”

David Benzel Free Webinar Aug 17

Overcoming Adversity in Sports and Life is the newest webinar by David Benzel and Growing Champions for Life, it is scheduled for Aug 17th at 8pm. Click here to register

ATA College Application & Essay Workshop, Aug 2-5

Dear ATA Seniors:

As the summer leads to its hottest moments, I am sure you are all working toward your end-of-summer goals, making plans for the future, and thinking about what college might look like for YOU. You are about to embark on your last year of high school, and then off to college. This is an amazing time in your life. It is also a very busy time in your life. It is a time of transitioning into young adulthood with new responsibilities. With classes, work, tennis tournaments, college searches, applications, essays, keeping up with responsibilities and chores, you may feel as if you have too little time to accomplish it all during the hours of the day.

Instead of feeling overwhelmed, begin your senior year with less stress. Take some time this summer to knock out your college application and essays.
Register for the College Application and Essay Writing Workshop
Aug 2-5, Tuesday-Friday
10:30am-12:30pm
at ATA College Prep

A course fee of $350 will be billed directly to your ATA account.

You will receive personal attention in completing the Common Application and receive advice and guidance on your Personal Essay. You will also research colleges and gain insight into the best matches based on your personal criteria. This workshop is intended for rising seniors, but rising juniors may also benefit from the college search and writing exercises.

Includes:
Introductory Counseling Session
Personalized Interactive College Search
Crafting an Introductory Letter to Coaches
Review of the Common Application
Selecting Recommenders
Brainstorming Session for Personal Statement & Essays
Practicing Interview Skills for phone and on-campus visits

I recognize many of you will be traveling during all or part of this time, but you are welcome to take advantage of the days you are here and then follow up with private or small group sessions available during the fall.

Remember that all of the work you have invested up to this point is going to pay off and that you are going to find the perfect college experience.

Contact Carol.Hagar@AustinTennisAcademy.com for additional information and to register.

Looking forward!

Carol Hagar
ATA College Prep
512.423.1105

Abigail Chiu in the Doubles Final of Clay Court Nationals!

ATA’s Abigail Chiu and partner Elysia Bolton will be playing in the G18 doubles final of the National Clay Courts Championships in Memphis, TN at 3:30 today. For updates follow Coach Newman on Twitter or on Austin Tennis Academy’s website latest tweets.

Newman Leads Group On College Tour and Showcase

A group of ATA College Prep and Academy student-athletes recently returned from a trip that began with a tour of multiple college campuses and finished with a College Showcase in front of dozens of top coaches.

ATA CEO Jack Newman led the group and served his standard role as grand maestro of the college placement and recruiting process for each ATA player throughout.

“Visiting college campuses allows the ATA students a chance to get a feel for the campus, meet the team and coaches, while giving them perspective to compare other schools against,” said Newman. “The major positive is that these kids become real people to the coaches, rather than a name and a ranking.”

The group visited Wesleyan University, Amherst College, Vassar College and Yale University, which also hosted the showcase.

“On a visit you can fall in love with the campus, or the city and decide that that is school you want to go to,” said ATA College Prep Junior Annika Pandey. “When visiting you get an overall feel of what life would be like as a student there, and that can make or break your decision to attend that school.”

The college showcase itself is designed to give student athletes a chance to compete in front of the top college coaches and academic schools in the country.

“Playing in front of coaches is always a lot of fun for me, you get to demonstrate how hard you’ve worked since the last time they saw you, and you get to showcase the type of energy and competitiveness you would bring to a college team,” said ATA College Prep Senior Alejandro Rodriguez. “I also had a lot of fun hanging out with my teammates at the showcase- I think college coaches took note of how close knit our group was and it speaks to the culture of the ATA program.”

Entrants play 3 singles matches against players of similar level and 2 doubles matches with a random partner.

“I really enjoyed playing good doubles in front of the Dartmouth and Brown coaches, and talking to the Harvard, Cornell, Pomona and Johns Hopkins coaches, among others, after the showcase,” said Pandey. “I also liked hanging out with my ATA teammates in between matches, and having them cheer me on when I played, and when I cheered them on when they played.”

While the student-athletes are doing their best on the court to present themselves as desirable recruits, according to them, the most unrelenting, hardest working member of the trip didn’t hit one ball.

“Coach Newman is the driving force in his players’ college processes,” said Pandey. “He is extremely skilled at his job, and I actually really like watching him talk to college coaches while selling his players. He knows everyone and everyone knows him and regards him with the utmost respect. I truly believe there is no one better than him to help me in my college process. The entire showcase he was talking to me about how to talk to coaches, and introducing me to coaches, hunting them down for me and talking to them about me. I remember after I played my last match, Coach Newman and I went on a mission around the Yale courts for all the schools that are on my list and he knew all of the coaches and introduced me to all of them, effortlessly. I think what makes him good at the college process is his relentless pursuit. From the beginning of the showcase to the end he kept talking to me about getting on Harvard’s radar, and Dartmouth’s radar, which did happen by the end of the showcase, thanks to him. He talked about hunting down the Princeton coach for me the entire showcase, with unrelenting perseverance. He will stop at nothing to sell his players to the schools they want to go to.”

Alejandro echoed Annika’s sentiment about Coach Newman’s leadership.

“Coach Newman is probably the best coach in the country when it comes to placing players at the schools they are dying to go to. He always had at least 5-7 coaches watching everyone’s matches, explaining to them who you are both as a player and a person, and helping to bridge that gap between the player and the coach. He is invaluable because his word has a lot of weight with coaches all around the country, allowing him to really bring ATA players into their radar. There are so many good players out there, but Coach Newman helps you stand out as a player, person, and recruit. So many times I heard coaches say, “we love ATA players”, and he knows exactly how to use that reputation to get the coaches you want recruiting you.”

For Newman, he is not only vigorously working on behalf of each of the players currently on the trip, but also all future ATA players who will soon be in that position.

“It’s very valuable for all the players at ATA, not just the ones who come on the trip because I am constantly talking to coaches about all of our players,” Newman said. “ATA has a very good track record of placing leaders at college tennis programs, coaches know ATA and more specifically they know me very well. My goal has been to build a stellar reputation with college coaches so that my credibility with them is impeccable. That way I can be an honest advocate for our students and help coaches make good decisions in their recruiting process. ATA players are highly sought after by college coaches because of the record of the leadership our students have shown in the past.”

Historically, ATA players have gone on to serve as Captain of over 25 college teams – a number this group and many others are looking to add to soon.

David Benzel Webinar July 21 “To Push or Not to Push”

Join us each month for a live online presentation. The material prepares you for conversations about winning at life, not just sports, with your young athlete. If you can’t join us live, register for the webinar then enjoy the recording when your schedule permits.

To Push or Not to Push – A Parent’s Dilemma
Thursday, July 21^st, 2016 at 9:00 PM EDT

Click here to register

ATA Alumni Pablo Landa Earns BIG 10 Distinguished Scholars Award

Former ATA player Pablo Landa who plays for the University of Illinois was awarded the Distinguished Scholars Award. The award recognizes student-athletes with a minimum grade-point average (GPA) of 3.7 for the 2015-16 academic year. Distinguished Scholar Award recipients must be letter winners in at least their second academic year at their institution. Congrats to ATA Alumni Pablo for his student athlete achievements! To read Illinois full article click here

ATA Players Excel at Summer Grand Slam

Leading every program in Texas, sixty-three Austin Tennis Academy players earned their way into the Texas Summer Grand Slam last week in College Station, including 5 Champ Masters qualifiers.

A number of ATA players stepped up and played their best tennis at the most important state tournament of the year. The impressive results yielded by ATA players included one singles winner, two singles finalists, one third place in singles, one semifinalist in singles, three quarterfinalists in singles, one doubles winner, and five doubles semifinalists.

University of Chicago bound senior Erik Kerrigan won the doubles title and came within two points of winning the 18s singles title. Erik followed up his inspiring performance in the doubles semifinals by an even more dominating and masterful performance in the doubles finals against the highly accomplished team that defeated ATA doubles standouts Payton Holden and Jake Berber in the other semifinals. The morning after securing the doubles title, Erik came within 2 points of capturing the singles title at 5-4 and 6-5 in the second set with a devastating attacking style game that was highlighted by blistering serves, crushing groundstrokes and beautiful touch volleys. Although Erik’s remarkably consistent opponent eventually wore him down in the third set, Erik’s performance at Summer Grand Slam was a storybook ending to a fantastic junior career. In fact, after the updated rankings came out this week, Erik moved up to #2 in the state – his career high.

Following his semifinal finish in doubles, Princeton bound senior Payton Holden ended his stellar Texas junior career by winning third place in singles by defeating in straight sets the #1 ranked player in 18s who recently signed with Florida State.

Another ATA senior who shined at Summer Grand Slam was St. Edward’s signee Chase Bartlett, who reached the quarterfinals of singles by upsetting a player who reached the quarterfinals of the National Hardcourt Championships in Kalamazoo last summer. Chase’s professionalism and calm demeanor impressed the ATA coaches, who looked on as he served out the match at 5-4 in the third set. It was a victory that will remain etched in the memories of those lucky enough to watch the match.

Abigail Chiu had the best performance amongst ATA players competing in the 18s draw, reaching the quarterfinals of doubles as well as singles, where she lost to her future Dartmouth teammate. With the exception of touring pro Ashley Weinhold, Abigail has thus far enjoyed the most accomplished junior career of any female player in the 13-year history of ATA, and the coaching staff at ATA is excited that Abigail has another 11 months to compete in juniors.

Also competing in the Girls 18s, Alexandria Mjos fought her way to the semifinals of the doubles draw, while earning four wins in singles. Both the University of Houston and University of South Florida coaches watched Mjos’ first two singles matches, both of which she won in straight sets.

ATA players also had a very strong showing in the 14s age group at Summer Grand Slam. Max Schmidhauser followed up winning the singles title at the Level 2 National Selection tournament in Wisconsin last month by winning the singles title in 14s at Summer Grand Slam by defeating the #1 seed in the finals in a hard fought three set battle highlighted by his competitive grit and fight. Max benefitted from a “spot on” tactical plan devised by Coach Doug Davis for the singles finals, as well as four months of twice-per-week extra fitness sessions with Coach Josh Rifkin that allowed Max to have “fresh legs” throughout the tournament. Max also had his best ever doubles performance at Summer Grand Slam by reaching the semifinals. Max also earned a nickname during the event: Max ‘The Warrior’ Schmidhauser, coined by family friend and ATA lifer Philip Berber for his warrior-like spirit on the court.

On the Girl’s side of the 14s draw, Caroline Wernli, for the second year in a row, reached the singles finals of Summer Grand Slam in her age group. Caroline’s ability to step up her game in pressure situations makes her a force to be reckoned with. Both of her quarterfinal and semifinal wins were three hour, 6-4 in the third set battles in which she showed incredible mental toughness, determination and passion to compete on the big stage.

The 16s age group had excellent performances from Callie Creath, Georgia Wright and Bailey Forgus at Summer Grand Slam. Callie followed up her 4th place finish in singles at the Level 2 National Selection tournament last month by reaching the semifinals of both singles and doubles at Summer Grand Slam. Callie’s outstanding results can be attributed to her superior fitness, calm and determined demeanor, professional approach to competition and disciplined patterns.

Georgia Wright had her best showing of the year by upsetting the #5 seed on her way to reaching the quarterfinals of the singles draw. Georgia’s level of focus, calmness in between points and superb movement frustrated her opponents and suggest that her results will only continue to improve.

On the boy’s side of the draw, Bailey Forgus, whose ranking was only #62 before Summer Grand Slam, had an inspiring “breakthrough” performance. In the singles draw, Bailey defeated in straight sets the #17 seed in the second round and then upset the #4 seed in the fourth round with a commanding 6-1 in the third set victory spurred on by Coach Newman’s game plan at the split and a large group of Bailey’s ATA teammates enthusiastically cheering him on to victory. Bailey’s breakthrough in the most important tournament of the year in Texas should be an inspiration to his teammates because he consistently shows excellent focus and a strong work ethic at practice, and he always shows up for fitness at afternoon practice and College Prep workouts in the morning. In addition to his outstanding work ethic, Bailey is one of the most coachable students at ATA and has been willing to stick with his attacking all-court game style in practice matches and tournaments even though it has resulted in some short-term setbacks from a results perspective. Coach Newman believes that Bailey’s “willingness to stick to his guns and play his game in the face of failure and defeat over the past nine months was validated last week at Summer Grand Slam when he was able to put all of the elements of his attacking game into play.”

The best performance by an ATA player in the 12s age group at Summer Grand Slam was by James Cockrell, who rebounded from his loss in the Round of 16 in the singles draw by reaching the semifinals of doubles where he lost a tough 3 set battle to the eventual champions. James is distinguishing himself as a great doubles player, as demonstrated by him capturing 3 SCMZ doubles titles this year with his partner.

The results at the Texas Grand Slam tell a lot about the dedication of the ATA players and coaches. But it is the ongoing competitive spirit, the desire to become even better, and the community team support that continue to make ATA the best place to develop and live the sport!

The ATA College Prep Community Honors The Class of 2016

The ATA College Prep community came together earlier this month to celebrate the graduating class of 2016.

Set in the serenity of the Spanish Oaks hills, a few hundred family members and friends of the graduates attended the commencement ceremony. Before Head Coach Doug Davis offered his customary invocation,Director of ATA College Prep Carol Hagar opened the evening and welcomed the guests.

“Over the years, I have witnessed these student-athletes struggle, accomplish, and develop into strong young men and women and it has been an honor to work with each of them. I hope that the lessons learned here will continue to guide them into thoughtful futures and continued transformations. I know they will each add a great deal to their excellent university communities.” ~Carol Hagar

As the sun set behind the trees, the community personally honored and celebrated each graduate. Hunter Bleser, Sofia Burnett, Chase Bartlett, Payton Holden and Erik Kerrigan were each recognized through commemorative video tributes, introduced by two loved ones who know each graduate best, and finished by addressing the audience with a few words of their own.

Continuing a CP tradition, each graduate selected a Senior Legacy Quote that will be installed as pavers in the campus garden. Their selections are below.

Chase Taylor Bartlett will attend St. Edward’s University next fall. His trainer/mentor Dio Miranda and friend Garrett Reiter spoke on his behalf.

“Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass…it’s about learning to dance in the rain.” – Vivian Greene

Hunter Nicole Bleser will attend the University of Virginia next fall. Her grandfather Franklin Cutler and brother Ryan Bleser spoke on her behalf.

“God didn’t bring you this far to leave you.” – Philippians 1:6

Sofia Burnett will attend Washington University next fall. Her friend Sarah Masaryk and trainer/mentor Dio Miranda spoke on her behalf.

“What lies behind us, and what lies before us are small matters compared to what lies within us.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Payton Holden will attend Princeton University next fall. His friend/mentor Philip Berber and his Aunt Renee Pethtel spoke on his behalf.

“But you know, happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.” – J.K. Rowling

Erik Kerrigan will attend the University of Chicago next fall. His friend Aksel Taylan and English teacher Tommy Collins spoke on his behalf.

“The world’s a stage and I want the brightest spot.” – David Lee Roth

After the presentation of the graduates, Christopher Stevens, a Notre Dame Professor, Producer and Entrepreneur, offered the commencement address titled Living The Dream.

“What a thrill to see how every child should be so blessed to graduate. ATA is a very special place and the fine institutions the five graduates will attend this fall is testimony to the quality education they have received. Moreover, the sense of wanting to give back and help those less fortunate than they are seems to run in the DNA of every student. It was truly a privilege to be at the ATA graduation ceremony.”

~Chris Stevens

CEO Jack Newman closed the graduation ceremony by initiating the Passing Of Leadership To The Class of 2017. This tradition of handing off the ATA ball symbolizes the hand off of responsibility for leadership within the greater Academy group for the next year.

A year from now, this group of leaders will look to continue the CP tradition of 100{37ef6ac642fae6f93f343032eb62785d28fa7a25a4a4f0267a12512c541c53a9} college matriculation to some of the top schools in the world.

Congratulations to each of the ATA College Prep graduates of the class of 2016! Check the ATA College Prep Facebook page for more pictures from the evening.

Doug Davis Inducted into the 2016 LISD Hall of Honor

On June 18, Doug Davis and partner Charles Key were inducted into the LISD Hall of Honor. They won the first boys state tennis title for Lubbock ISD and the first state title for Coronado in any sport in 1975.

Davis and Key were 17-0 in their title-winning season. Davis is ranked No. 3 in singles win at Coronado (100).

Davis finished his high school career with a 196-28 record that is 88{37ef6ac642fae6f93f343032eb62785d28fa7a25a4a4f0267a12512c541c53a9} of the matches he played he won!

Congrats Coach Doug!

Play Tennis at Austin Tennis Academy This Summer!

2016 Summer Tennis Training Camps

This Summer, take advantage of the Austin Tennis Academy’s tennis camps to progress at a rapid rate while having fun playing the game. These camps are designed to provide the greatest development of your child’s physical, mental, technical, and tactical performance levels. Sign up now for a full week or a single day!

Sessions

Summer Grand Slam Camp – June 6-10 – (SuperChamp Only)

June 13-17
June 20-24
June 27-July 1
July 5-8 (No camp July 4th – costs adjusted this week)
July 11-15
July 18-22
July 25-29
August 1-5
August 8-12

Times

QuickStart Camp 9:00am – 10:30am (age 5-8)

Morning Camp 9:00am – 12:00pm
Tournament Tough Training Camp 1:00pm – 4:00pm^*

Cost

QuickStart Camp $175/week ($40/day drop-in)

Morning Camp $300/week ($80/day drop-in)
Tournament Tough Training Camp $375/week ($90/day drop-in)

QuickStart Camp

9:00am – 10:30am ($175 per week or $40 per day)
The QuickStart tennis format used by the Austin Tennis Academy gives kids the opportunity to rally a ball over the net and learn to play points as quickly as possible – all in a fun environment. Our coaches recognize the importance of starting kids off well, and with success. The ATA was instrumental in developing this groundbreaking nationwide program and served as the pilot program for the USTA. This program uses the appropriate size racquet, court and ball to allow kids to do more – faster! Suggested Age: 5-8 years old.

Morning Camp

9:00am – 12:00pm ($300 per week or $80 per day)

Players will improve their game by learning fundamental skills, practicing game situations, and improving overall movement. Using the latest techniques and international innovations, players learn valuable athletic skills for tennis and other sports.

Afternoon “Tournament Tough” Camp

1:00pm-4:00pm ($375 per week or $90 per day)
Tournament players will improve their game by using competitive game situations, technical training and point play, as well as movement and flexibility training. This camp is limited to Champ and Superchamp-level. ATA Academy players will be training at this time.

Policies

Registration must be made online.
Payment in advance is required to reserve your slot.
ATA camps are held rain or shine. Indoor sessions are held in the event of inclement weather.
No refunds or make-ups for days missed.
Weekly rate applies to that particular week only (no carryover).
Medical Release and Hold Harmless must be filled out online.
Players may leave credit card on file to cover pro shop purchases, lunch, etc.
Private housing may be available. Email info@austintennisacademy.com to inquire.
Early drop-off and late pick-up is available upon request for $50 per week.

ATA College Prep – Around The Campus, In The Classroom

It is hard to believe… but we are approaching the final moments of the 2015-16 academic year. The students and teachers are well underway preparing for a strong finish to the year, while continuing to improve on the court as they enter the summer months.

Below are a few photos from around campus and inside a few classrooms recently.

The CP students do a group dance for a video message in an attempt to cheer up a fellow teammate who was recovering at home.

The boys work the legs and lungs while Coach Luka keeps track of time. This was one stage in a lengthy and diverse circuit workout to support strength and conditioning.

Coach Lucie leads the group in a Pilates workout during a rainy morning after the circuit workout.

Mr. Collins is guiding the English III/IV students through their final research papers after discussing C.S. Lewis. Each student chose a social problem in Austin and is working to research the issue and offer a solution. They will present their findings to the school at the end of the semester, including the experience of volunteering their time and energy to support their proposed solution.

Mr. Rutherford gets his Chemistry class started. “We’ve been learning about nuclear chemistry, radioactivity and nuclear power, as well as discussing the advantages and drawbacks of nuclear energy production in society,” Rutherford said.

Erik Kerrigan, a CP senior and UChicago commit, helps Josh and Wilson with math homework.

Check back over the next few weeks for updates on the end of the year presentations, graduation and more!

Tournament Results National Open, ATA Open & JTT Sectionals

This past weekend ATA had players competing in National Opens, ATA Open and Junior Team Tennis Sectionals.

Congrats to:

National Open Players:

Max Schmidhauser National Open B14 Singles Champion (pic below)

Abigail Chiu National Open G18 Singles Champion and Doubles Runner Up (pic below)

Callie Creath National Open G16 4th place

Kristin Kerrigan Nation Open G16 5^th place

ATA Open Players:

Alejandro Rodrigues ATA Open B18 Champion

Granville Kaynor ATA Open B18 Runner Up

Haydn Steffes ATA Open B16 Runner Up

Ela Raczka ATA Open G16 Champion

Kailey Chase ATA Open G16 Runner Up

Alex Shedden ATA Open b16 Champion

Nolan Santacroce ATA Open b14 Champion

Blake Tollen ATA Open b12 Champion

Savannah Baptiste ATA Open g14 Champion

Junior Team Tennis Teams:

18U advanced 1st place at sectionals (Hannah Harrod, Alex Mjos, Georgia Wright, Tyler Anson, Kyler Bender, Bailey Forgus and Juan Abboud) pic below

The 18U Dream Team was dominate this past weekend in the state playoffs in Tyler, TX. In 5 dual matches, the team went 179-40 in games won/lost. ATA lived up to its slogan to “Devastate, Dominate!” And we had a pretty good time, as well!! Coach John

14U advanced 1st place at sectionals (Sarah Darbar, Abigail Gordon, Elena Kalogirou, Aaron Darbar, Matthew Gavrilov, Varun Somarouthu) Pic below

12U advanced 2nd place at sectionals (Denver Holden, Adi Iyer, Jake Riezebeek, Cody Schiffman)

10U green ball 5th place at sectionals (Jennifer Jackson, Jacob Golden, Luke Riezebeek, Landon Phillips)

Register for the June 16 Free David Benzel Webinar

Give Your Child Emotional Intelligence for Sports and School is a free webinar hosted by David Benzel- Growing Champions for Life. The Webinar is June 16 at 8pm. Click here to register

Research indicates that emotional intelligence is a better indicator of success than IQ. Join us as we expose the best-kept secrets of how peak performers handle their emotions before, during, and after competition. These life skills work in every area of life!
– Learn three approaches to conquering the fear of failure;
– Discover your role in helping a child gain control of emotions in spite of errors or impulses;
– Give your child a five step plan for growing in emotional maturity.David will connect the key life skills of the lesson with winning on the field, and in life. The presentation slides are loaded with practical information worth saving for future reference.

Also, check out this months article from Growing Champions for Life, “What is Your Sport Parent Approach.”

Click here to read this months article.

3 ATA Players Super in Doubles CMZ

This past weekend we had 3 ATA players Super in the Austin doubles CMZ. Ross Cockrell, Devan Sabapathy, Adi Iyer all qualified in boys 12s. Devan and Adi were doubles partners for the first time and won the CMZ! While, Ross made it to the finals to qualify.

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