Community – Page 8 – AUSTIN TENNIS ACADEMY

Alumni Updates: Alej Rodriguez Checks In From UChicago

Hi Coach Newman,

I hope everyone at ATA is well. Here is a quick update in response to your question on the transition from junior player to college athlete.

To begin with, the freedom one is given in college is much different than the freedom one has as a high school student. Accountability is placed solely on you for virtually every aspect of life, whereas in high school adult figures play a role in most day to day activities you partake in. Because there is no longer a parent or teacher making sure you are doing what you need to do, it is very important to learn how to prioritize your assignments and schedule them accordingly. For this reason, I would advise younger students to find ways to plan their day such as using calendar apps or day planners, as this is a very useful skill to have in college.

In terms of the practice environment, the transition to college from ATA has been very easy. Similar to ATA, the emphasis revolves around improvement as a team and everyone is very encouraging to those they are practicing with. The main difference is that this encouragement is more verbal than at ATA, and I would urge current ATA players to start practicing this type of engagement with those on their court as well as those on courts around them. Every collegiate practice is loud from start to finish, and it is important that you can contribute to that type of atmosphere comfortably and confidently.

I have felt very prepared to face the challenges that arise throughout college life due to my time at ATA and ATA CP, and I am confident current players will feel the same once they begin their collegiate journey.

Best wishes to everyone in the ATA community.

Sincerely,

Alejandro Rodriguez

Alumni Updates: CP’s Chase Bartlett Checks In From St. Ed’s

Coach Newman,

I hope that both you and the rest of the ATA community are doing well. I am emailing you just to give a brief update on how my third semester at St. Edward’s University has gone thus far.

It has been a busy semester, to say the least. I have been taking 18 credit hours but it has been very manageable; I have still hung on to the 4.0. In fact, I’m upset that I still have a 4.0. As busy as I have been the past year, I am growing frustrated and concerned that I am wasting my time as a student-athlete if I do not allow myself to fail. I have become more committed to growing as a person, which I think is only possible if I challenge myself to fall beyond what I am capable of. With that being said, I have decided to attempt to double major in Theology and English and I have picked up a German minor as well. In hopes of completing this, I am planning to study abroad in German this coming summer.

As far as tennis is concerned, I have also seen some improvement. My time at ATA this summer helped me improve a lot. To speak in tennis language, I think my UTR went up at least half a point in the three tournaments that I played. Unfortunately, I had two absolutely heartbreaking losses in Regionals—I worked extremely hard to prepare myself to win that tournament and I ended up losing close matches in the quarterfinals of both singles and doubles. It served as a reminder for me that it is all about the process and not the result; as a player, I prepared the best I could and even did the best job controlling the things that I could control at regionals itself, it just wasn’t enough. It was out of my control. I think I am currently ranked in singles and no. 3 in doubles in the region.

Outside of tennis and school, I have gotten involved in the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), and am one of the two representatives of the tennis team. While I first joined for the intent of having it on my résumé, I am now considering getting more involved in it and trying to make a difference in how the teams at St. Edward’s University interact with each other and how we can impact our community.

As I write, I am in Washington D.C. at the National Student-Athlete Leadership Forum. Out of all three divisions, there are about 460,000 student-athletes in NCAA competition, and only 300 get invited. I am the only athlete from St. Edward’s to attend this year (and I believe that there is only one other baseball player who came from my conference). I have gotten to meet some of the best leaders from the biggest conferences like PAC 12 and Big Ten, as well as many of the leaders from lesser known schools in the country. Let me just say—being a good leader has absolutely nothing to do with your athletic ability. There is nothing that differentiates these students in any way.

I am here until Sunday evening, but if there is anything I have learned thus far it’s that good leaders do NOT have to be good at everything. They do, however, need to be great at doing what they do well. Each of the students I have met this weekend has values that are different than mine and they are proficient in different areas; biologically, their minds work differently and their personalities give them different strengths. However, that is unimportant because they are all exceptional leaders in their own ways. Each and every one of them maximizes what they are good at, and it’s never about them—it’s always about their team and their community. I’m sure I’ll be taught many more lessons over the next few days and I hope to bring them back to my team and the other teams at St. Eds in some way or another.

Regards

Chase Bartlett

Two Weeks Of Winter Tennis Camp At ATA – Sign Up Now!

2017 Winter Tennis Training Camps

This Winter, your child can take advantage of the Austin Tennis Academy’s Winter Camps to progress at a rapid rate. The camps are designed to provide the greatest development of your child’s physical, mental, technical, and tactical performance levels.

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Dates:

Week 1 – December 26th, 2017 – December 29th, 2017

Week 2 – January 1st, 2018 – January 5th, 2018

Times:

QuickStart Camp 9:00am – 10:30am (age 5-8)
Morning Camp 9:00am – 12:00pm (All levels)

Tournament Tough Training Camp 1:00pm – 4:00pm

Cost:

QuickStart Camp Week 1 (Tue – Fri): $140/week ($40/day drop-in)

QuickStart Camp Week 2: $175/week ($40/day drop-in)

Morning Camp Week 1 (Tue – Fri): $250/week ($80/day drop-in)

Morning Camp Week 2: $275/week ($80/day drop-in)

Tournament Tough Training Camp Week 1 (Tue – Fri): $300/week ($90/day drop-in)

Tournament Tough Training Camp Week 2: $375/week ($90/day drop-in)

Quick Start Camp

9:00am – 10:30am
The Quick Start 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
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
Tournament players will improve their game by using competitive game situations, technical training and point play, as well as movement and flexibility training. ATA Academy players will be training at this time.

Policies

Registration must be made online.
Payment in advance is required to reserve your slot. An administrative fee of $50 will be applied for cancellations.
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.
ATA does not offer housing. Private housing may be available. Email info@austintennisacademy.com to inquire.
Prompt pick-up is expected. Early drop-off and late pick-up is available upon request for $50 per week.

2017 ATA Scholarship Shootout – THIS WEEKEND

The 2017 Austin Tennis Academy Scholarship Shootout is THIS WEEKEND! On Friday, the community will convene for an evening of fun including dinner & drinks, silent and live auction items, team announcements and auctions and much more, all at the Sonesta Hotel beginning at 5:30. On Saturday, the Pro-Am Doubles Calcutta tennis tournament will serve it up on the ATA courts bright and early and will unfold through the day.

The entire weekend benefits the Austin Athletic Scholarship Foundation, providing need-based financial aid for the wonderful programming that happens year-round at the Austin Tennis Academy.

To get you excited, here are a few pictures from the doubles action last year:

ATA CEO Jack Newman springs into a kick serve during the finals with partner Bailey Forgus at the net.

ATA College Prep student Callie Creath and partner Chad Loup are all smiles after winning a long point.

ATA College Prep student Juan De Dios Abboud and his father teamed up at line 1 doubles.

Academy player Marcus Sweeney joined forces with his father to create a dynamic duo on the court last weekend.

ATA’s Brian Notis joined forces with his student and Academy player Blaine Kanak for the doubles event.

We hope to see all of you this weekend at the 17th annual ATA Scholarship Shootout!

Josh Hagar talks Glimmer impact, kicks off new campaign

A foundational principle of the Austin Tennis Academy culture is giving back. The staff works to surround all students with opportunities to participate in and contribute to the world around them. Last week, ATA College Prep and recent Notre Dame graduate Josh Hagar joined Academy practice to tell his story of spearheading the Playing For Glimmer Campaign, while urging the next generation to step up and get involved.

“No program I’ve ever been a part of anywhere in the world has something like this where they acknowledge where they are and try to do something to give back,” explained Hagar, who is now playing tennis professionally. “I’m here to talk to all of you about kicking off this year’s campaign.”

ATA has set the goal to raise $100,000 to go towards a new school and 3 new water wells in the villages of Gondar. This is the next step in a pledge ATA CEO Jack Newman made to A Glimmer of Hope about 12 years ago to raise $1 million for those most in need in rural Ethiopia. The campaign recently surpassed $600,000 of the $1 million goal.

Santiago Montoya, an ATA alum and current part of the Glimmer team, explained how every dollar makes a difference.

“Ethiopia is around 100 million people, 80 million live outside of the city. 30 million of those are living on under $1 per day,” Santi said. “Those are the people we are helping.”

By partnering with Glimmer, the community will send 100{37ef6ac642fae6f93f343032eb62785d28fa7a25a4a4f0267a12512c541c53a9} of the money raised to these school and clean water projects.

“The power of clean water – combined with a quality education – means that hundreds of children will have the opportunity to thrive. The projects funded by the Austin Tennis Academy will make an immediate and lasting difference as part of Glimmer’s work in the Villages of Gondar.” – Glimmer.org

After introducing Josh, Coach Newman closed the discussion by again urging each Academy player to consider participating.

“My goal is that everyone has a campaign page,” Newman said. “Whatever the dollar amount you raise is immaterial. I would like each of you to get engaged and do something.”

Take a look at the overall ATA campaign page for this year by clicking here, and scroll through some of the campaign pages started by ATA students towards the bottom.

2017 ATA Scholarship Shootout: Info, Sponsorship Levels, & More!

The 2017 Austin Tennis Academy Scholarship Shootout is approaching quickly! The festivities this year will mark the 17^th annual party and pro-am tennis tournament in support of ATA and the Austin Athletic Scholarship Foundation.

Each year, the community comes together for a fun-filled weekend that raises money to provide need-based financial aid for the wonderful programming that happens year-round at the Austin Tennis Academy.

DATE

Friday, October 27^th – Player Party, Dinner, Silent and Live Auction at Sonesta

Saturday, October 28^th – Pro-Am Team Tennis Tournament at ATA

ENTRY FEE

$300 – 1 tournament entry, 2 tickets to the Player Party

$100 – per person for Player Party only / just watching the tennis on Saturday

$750 – Table of 10 seats at the Player Party / just watching the tennis on Saturday

SPONSORS

Local businesses have the opportunity to support the event as banner sponsors at a variety of levels. This is an excellent opportunity to support the program and families who otherwise couldn’t access it while exposing the wider ATA community to a local brand or business.

Championship Level Sponsor – $3000

3 x 8 Banner with business logo on ATA fences all weekend
4 Tournament Entries
10 total seats at the Player Party
Promotional items at Sponsors table
Recognition on ATA website

Grand Slam Level Sponsor – $2000

3 x 6 Banner with business logo on ATA fences all weekend
2 Tournament Entries
5 total seats at the Player Party
Promotional items at Sponsors table
Recognition on ATA website

Masters Level Sponsor – $1000

3 x 4 Banner with business logo on ATA fences all weekend
1 Tournament Entry
2 Seats at the Player Party
Promotional items at Sponsors table
Recognition on ATA website

Community Level Sponsor – $300

Banner placement with business logo on ATA fences all weekend
Promotional items at Sponsors table

RAFFLE PRIZES

Racquets

Coaches Lessons

Tennis Bags

And more!

SILENT AUCTION –

Lesson Packages

Spa Packages

Coach Newman Dinner

Catered Paella by Cecy Abboud

Ladies Team Clinic with 2 coaches, lunch included

And more! (Anything you or your business would like to offer for an Auction item? Reach out!)

To register for the Shootout tournament and party, please reach out to Deb.Cahill@AustinTennisAcademy.com. For questions or to sign up as a Banner Sponsor, please reach out to Tommy.Collins@AustinTennisAcademy.com.

See you at the 2017 Scholarship Shootout!

ATA College Prep Students Zip Through Orientation

The 2017-2018 school year at ATA College Prep kicked off late last week with two fun-filled days of orientation. Beyond the standard class schedules and syllabus discussions, the time together was packed with everything from Woosh. Bang. Pow., to tangled human knots, to zip-lining through the Texas hill-country. Here are a few pictures from the fun.

Carol introduces the students to the rules of Woosh. Bang. Pow.

After linking each left arm to a teammate’s right arm who was not immediately next to you, the groups worked to untangle the knot of arms.

Callie, Kristin, Sydney and Jordan smile for a picture while secured to the platform at the top of a tree between lines.

Mac and Alex race through the tree tops on the longest line of the day.

Mac, Jackson, Alex, Christian, Harrison and James casually lean off of the platform as they wait for the next line.

Sophia hangs on as she repels through the trees to the next landing.

The students and teachers enjoyed two action-packed days together and are primed and ready for an amazing start to the year. Check back here for regular updates on the action in the classroom and out as the ATA College Prep year kicks off.

ATA Adds Experience, Energy With Coach Shaimaa Elsisi

The Austin Tennis Academy has hired Coach Shaimaa Elsisi as the latest addition to its standout coaching staff, CEO Jack Newman announced recently.

“Shaimaa will be an excellent addition to the ATA coaching staff,” Newman said. “She brings college coaching experience and an incredibly positive, high energy level to practice.”

Elsisi joins the ATA community after spending the past year as the Volunteer Assistant Coach at Baylor University, where she landed after moving from Florida. While in the sunshine state, Shaimaa took the court for Troy University where she competed for the Trojans and earned both her bachelors and masters degrees.

A native of Cairo, Elsisi was one of the top ranked junior players in Egypt before moving to the United States to play college tennis. She helped the Trojans to a winning record each year that she played at Troy.

“Tennis has taught me everything,” Shaimaa said. “Matches have given me mental strength, practice has given me stamina, tournaments have given me social skills, team competition has given me spirit, traveling has given me experience, participation has given me the best friendship…. tennis has given me my soul!”

After serving as a graduate assistant coach for the men’s and women’s teams at Troy, Shaimaa moved on to a head coaching position at Hillsborough Community College where she stayed until relocating to Baylor.

“I am a coach because of my passion for tennis,” Shaimaa said. “I chose to become a coach to give back to the sport, to impact my student-athletes’ lives in a positive way, to help them succeed on and off the court, and to give them the opportunity that my own coaches gave me as a student-athlete.”

That passion she mentions stems from a family full of tennis players including her sister, who is the head coach at Troy, her brother, who coaches professionally back in Egypt, but all started with her father.

Shaimaa, center, pictured with her sister and brother.

“I learned how to walk on a tennis court,” Shaimaa said. “My late father (my favorite person in the whole world) was a tennis coach and he took me to his work every day and I fell in love with tennis because of him! It was our special place! I love tennis and it’s my happy place and every time I stepped on the court in my playing years it felt like it was my first time!”

In addition to being an accomplished tennis coach and player, Elsisi is an exceptional student, earning her bachelor’s degree in sport and fitness management with a minor in recreation and her master’s degree in sports and fitness management with a concentration in sports administration. She now applies this love of learning to her students.

“As a coach, I learn everything I can about every student-athlete—not every individual responds in the same way,” Shaimaa said. “My goal is to learn what motivates them and keeps them engaged to give them the opportunity to develop their skill level in a structured learning environment that constantly challenges them while providing them with both encouragement and support.”

Off the court, Shaimaa loves traveling and visiting family and friends. She enjoys playing golf, softball, watching Disney movies with friend’s kids, and reading about nutrition and health issues.

After her first few weeks around ATA, one thing has stuck out to her that distinguishes this place from the rest.

“It’s culture! I loved it right away and I felt home the minute I walked in and I loved how welcoming everyone was right away,” Shaimaa said. “Everyone is very professional and very friendly. Kids are respectful, and they work hard on and off the court. They have great attitudes and are very coachable. The staff is great and passionate about what they do and they care about the kids on and off the court. It’s definitely a place that I can call home and family! I feel very lucky to be part of the ATA family and I’m very grateful to Coach Newman for this wonderful opportunity.”

Welcome to the ATA community, Coach Shaimaa!!

ATA College Prep Graduation 2017 – Tuesday Night

2017 ATA End Of Year Party

The ATA community came together on Thursday evening at the beautiful Malyshev family home to celebrate a wonderful year of growth together.

With delicious food and drinks, speeches from returning alumni and outgoing seniors, Academy Awards and a slideshow of highlights from the year, the ATA family enjoyed a few fun-filled hours together as the scenic Austin skyline faded into the evening in the background.

Here are the highlights:

ATA Parent Of The Year – Sheri Gorden

ATA Coach Of The Year – Brandon Davis

ATA Most Improved Player Award – Larry Li, Devan Sabapathy, James Burdick, Sydney Marin, Sarah Schaal, and Savannah Baptiste

ATA Mentorship Award – Bailey Forgus and Kristin Kerrigan

The ATA Student-Athlete Award – Caroline Wernli and AJ Valenty

The Spirit of ATA Award – Denver Holden, James Burdick, Abigail Gorden and Claire Wernli (not pictured)

ATA Ambassador Award: Sasha Malysheva, Shriniket Maddipatla, and Synclair Larson

ATA Work Ethic Award: Bailey Forgus, Jett Hampton, Hannah Harrod, Kristin Kerrigan and Alejandro Rodriguez

ATA Competitor Award: Max Schmidhauser, Callie Creath, Harrison Chiu, and Santianna Chrysopoulo

ATA Leadership Award Winners: Abigail Chiu, Kristin Kerrigan, Alejandro Rodriguez and Marcus Sweeney

ATA MVP’s – Alejandro Rodriguez and Alexandria Mjos

Donna Berber of Glimmer Speaks To ATA – See The Video Here

Yesterday evening, Donna Berber, Founder and CEO of A Glimmer of Hope, spoke to the ATA community about her story of exposure and inspiration that led to the creation and growth of Glimmer. She also discussed the role ATA has played in contributing to the impact Glimmer has made so far in rural Ethiopia and beyond.

‘Mrs. Berber’s speech was amazing and inspiring,’ said Juan A, a student at ATA CP. ‘She painted a vivid picture in my mind of the living conditions in Ethiopia and it was really effective,’ said Max S.

In case you weren’t able to attend or if you’d like to see the speech again, here is a video:

ATA College Prep – Guest Speaker Series

Throughout the year, ATA College Prep brings in guest speakers who impact our students with thoughtful words of wisdom and inspiration. Often, the stories they tell spark future studies, compassion for others, and ideas for community service projects.

Recent speakers have included: Dr. Reginald Baptiste (cardiothoracic surgeon) and Mrs. Oksana Malesheva (physicist, first generation immigrant, and entrepreneur). Both shared amazing stories about how they grew into and continue to grow in their chosen life passions.

Last Wednesday in Leadership, ATACP students heard from ATA alumnus, Carla Rosenberg, as she shared some of the lessons she learned from tennis that she utilizes in her adult life as a successful entrepreneur. Listed here are her top 15 lessons.

1. Understanding winning and losing

2. Be coachable

3. Be prepared

4. Be decisive

5. You grow the most when you are uncomfortable.

6. Develop others

7. Integrity

8. The power of adjacency

9. Step up when the occasion arises

10. Produce results

11. Everything sends a signal

12. No one is perfect

13. Be flexible

14. Do the little things really well

15. Visualization

Take a look at her full speech:

Excellence is never an accident; it is always the result of HIGH INTENTION, DETERMINED EFFORT, and SKILLED EXECUTION. ~Carla Rosenberg

ATA Parent & Student Meeting – The College Process

Next Tuesday evening, ATA CEO Jack Newman and ATA College Prep Director Carol Hagar will present an introduction to the college process for the student-athlete and parent. The presentation will begin at 6 pm, finishing with an open Q&A session.

“If you are the parent of a sophomore or junior who would like to play college tennis, or any high age student who is interested in learning more about how the college process works, please join us for an informational meeting,” ATA CEO Jack Newman said.

One of Austin Tennis Academy’s major goals as an organization is to help its players maximize their college choice. Academy and CP students have access to expert resources, services, and guidance to help each navigate the college recruiting and application processes.

“Each year, college-bound student-athletes should assess their goals and associated actions to determine if they are on track to lead to the desired futures,” Hagar said. “We offer educational workshops like this each year for parents and students to learn more and to ask questions about future possibilities.”

ATA has a proven track record of helping players to obtain college scholarships or to leverage their college choice. The community, led by Newman and Hagar, has earned tremendous success at helping players attend some of the most elite colleges and universities in the nation. Recent grads have gone on to Notre Dame, Princeton, Amherst, Pomona College, Claremont McKenna, University of Virginia, University of Chicago, Dartmouth as well as the Air Force and Naval Academies and several more.

We look forward to seeing you on the evening of the 28th in the ATA Fitness Center!

Help ATA’s Georgia Wright Contribute To A Great Cause

Georgia Wright has served up hard work around ATA for years as she has set and reached goals in her development as a high-level tennis player. Now, Georgia is hard at work towards another goal: contributing to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS).

The South Central Austin Chapter of the LLS recently nominated Georgia as a candidate for their 1^st annual Student of the Year fundraising challenge, and she happily accepted.

“I could not be more excited to make a difference in the lives of patients across the country by raising money with family and friends like you for LLS!” Georgia said. “This cause is very close to my heart because my cousin Wendy is a survivor of Hodgkin’s disease.”

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is an amazing non-profit organization whose fundraisers help provide research for blood cancers (Hodgkin’s disease, myeloma, leukemia, and lymphoma). LLS offers support for patients, survivors, their families, and even helps to advance the science behind other cancers through its research. LLS has funded over $1 Billion in research towards a medical cure.

100{37ef6ac642fae6f93f343032eb62785d28fa7a25a4a4f0267a12512c541c53a9} of each dollar donated goes to LLS and is also a vote for Georgia and her team, which is comprised of ATA’s – Callie Creath, Brennan Foreman, Hannah Harrod, Kristin Kerrigan, Steffi Pitts, and Avery Schiffman.

Go to this link to read more about it.

Go to this link to donate and see her campaign page.

“THANK YOU for your support for a great cause and of both me and my Team in this fundraising challenge,” Georgia said. “PLEASE pass along and also feel free to post link on Social media. Super easy to share with friends on Facebook from the donation page.”

College Prep Students Entered In Children’s Business Fair

The Kids in Business class at ATA College Prep introduces students to entrepreneurial practices and processes, business and marketing plans, and allows them to develop their own products for sale. Implemented through project-based learning, students have free-reign of choice and are guided by exploration and careful questioning to redirect.

“Project-based learning is a powerful and enjoyable way to develop metacognitive skills – such as confidence, decision-making, self-regulation, and autonomy – which are known to increase motivation and self-directed learning,” said ATACP Director Carol Hagar.

Products and businesses designed by entrepreneurial CP students:

JAK’S

JAK’S creates colorful spin art on vinyl records. You can design your own by picking your colors or buy a colorful record that is already made. Also, vinyl record bowls will be for sale. They make great pots for succulents! Come help support Austin Pets Alive and get homemade dog treats!

-Jordan, Abigail and Keana

SCS Designs

SCS Designs makes handcrafted colorful decor for your home. We have a variety of decorated letters that you can hang or stand up, painted canvases with inspirational words and coasters with colorful designs. Come out and help us support A Glimmer of Hope with each purchase made!

-Sasha, Caroline and Sydney

ATACP students Abigail, Sasha, Sydney, Jordan, Keana and Caroline invite YOU to visit and shop their stores this Saturday at the Children’s Business Fair at Pease Mansion, 1606 Niles Road, Saturday, October 25th 10:00am – 12:30pm.

Please come out and show your support for this entrepreneurial event. The students have designed, created and will be marketing unique products. You will be amazed!

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.

6 ATA Players Honored at CATA Awards Banquet

On Sunday May 22, Coach Newman introduced Payton Holden at the Capital Area Tennis Association (CATA) junior awards banquet and Payton was awarded the player of the year award. Also, Sydney Gaskamp and Emily Cotton received CATA scholarships, Chase Bartlett and Kristin Kerrigan were ATA’s award winners and Marcus Sweeney was recognized as MVP for the Westlake High School team.

Coach Newman said that, “being able to introduce Payton Holden at the banquet was a great experience for me as many young players from Austin got to be inspired by Payton’s accomplishments. And we got to showcase in front of the entire Austin tennis community what a player from ATA is capable of doing.” The following is what Coach Newman said to introduce Payton.

I have been coaching Payton since he was 9 years old. Here are some interesting stats for you about Payton.

Payton champed up at the Georgetown ZAT in May of 2007, he was 9 years old and 1 month.

He supered up at the Laredo CMZ when he was 10 years old and 6 months.

He won his first SCMZ 4 months later.

In his time as a junior tennis player he has won a superchamp major zone in both singles and doubles in every age group. He has won an excellence tournament in every age group, he has also won the summer grand slam in both singles and doubles.

Since he was 12, he has been ranked in the top 50 in the United States in each age group.

In his career, he has lost 386 junior tennis matches and won 650 junior tennis matches for a total of 1036, not counting this weekend in Houston. That’s 10 year’s of 100 matches per year since he was 10 years old.

He is a phenominal athlete who can make any shot. He had mastered the tweener by the time he was 11. His volley skills are the best I have seen as a coach in 30 years of coaching elite level players.

The thing that separates Payton from many other tennis athletes is his consistency. He has rarely missed a practice or lesson in 8 years of training. His practices are still very high level, high intensity and I believe he will be as successful a college player as he has been a junior player.

Payton could have played tennis for any College or University in the United States, he chose to play for Princeton, furthering both his tennis career and maximizing his college opportunity through being an elite level athlete.

Needless to say I am completely and utterly proud of him.

Finally, if you knew him when he was younger, you know he has gone from being one of the best players in Texas with the shortest hair, to being one of the best, with the longest hair.

Congratulations to all the ATA Winners!!!

ATA Regional Host Site for Oracle/ITA Junior Masters Championships-Powered by UTR

ATA will be a regional host site for the new Oracle/ITA Junior Master Championships, which is powered by the Universal Tennis Rating system. The inaugural Oracle/ITA Junior Masters Championships will take place during the summer and fall of 2016. Austin regional tournament at ATA will take place August 20-21, 2016.

The regional events, for girls and boys, will take place at 12 sites around the United States and will be held in August and September of 2016. The top 16 UTR-rated boys and girls who register in each region will participate in compass draws in those regional events with the winner of both the girl’s and boy’s events progressing to the October 13-16, 2016 Oracle/ITA Masters in Malibu, California – hosted by both the Malibu Racquet Club and Pepperdine University. The regional winners will receive up to a $750 travel/hotel stipend to play in the Masters Championships in Malibu. One woman and one man from each Division I Conference will also be invited to the championships to compete in both their respective singles as well as a mixed doubles competition.

Click here to read more on Oracle/ITA/UTR partnership and more about the tournament and how to sign up.

ATA Alumni Josh Hagar Named to ACC All-Conference Team

Josh Hagar was awarded 3rd all-conference team in the ACC. Josh is ranked nationally 106 in singles and 51 in doubles. He is 12-9 in singles this year playing toward the top of Notre Dame’s line up. Click here to read more

Last 3 Sign: Chase, Davis and Andrea

Chase Bartlett, Andrea Stapper and Davis Meyer all had their signing ceremonies Monday night, which are held in the ATA fitness center. They were surrounded by their friends and families, as well as the ATA community to help them begin their transition to college.

Andrea Stapper signed her National Letter of Intent with the University of Arkansas Fort Smith. She will play tennis for the Lions starting in the Fall. She will compete in the Heartland Conference, which is the same as St. Edwards University’s conference. Coach Brandon spoke on Andrea’s quite nature but at times really funny and can always make people laugh. Andrea thanked her family, coaches, friends and the ATA community for supporting her through her journey at ATA even though she had started ATA a lot later after taking her sister’s spot while she started basic training. She was happy she gave it a try and has really enjoyed her time at ATA.

Davis Meyer signed his National Letter of Intent with Colorado Mesa University. He will play tennis for the Mavericks in the Fall. Coach Segovia spoke on Davis’s journey at ATA and his tennis. Davis thanked his family, coaches, friends and ATA community for sharing good times throughout his experience at ATA. He thanked Coach Segovia for sticking with him during his ups and downs of his career and deciding if he wanted to continue tennis.

Chase Bartlett signed his National Letter of Intent with St. Edwards University here in Austin. He will play tennis for the Hilltoppers in the Fall. Coach Rowe spoke on Chase’s enthusiasm in his lessons and his hard work. Coach Newman spoke on how Chase is a Force Multiplier. He brings everyone up if he is on the court, in the classroom or mentoring others. He has had a 4.0 throughout his time at College Prep and has been one of CP’s greatest students and mentors. Chase thanked everyone for coming and supporting him. When he moved to Austin from Dallas he felt ATA was a family. This is something he did not feel at any other academy. He thanked his coaches, family and friends for being there for him and making his experience great.

Congrats to all three Andrea, Chase and Davis on their accomplishments and their bright futures at their respective institutions!

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