Blog – Page 15 – AUSTIN TENNIS ACADEMY

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.

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.

Coach Newman Quoted in UTR Article

ATA CEO Jack Newman was recently quoted in an article,”The Tennis Coach’s Toolbox” the Universal Tennis Blog about the Universal Tennis Rating system. Coach Newman, has been using UTR for ATA’s practice ladder since August of 2015. Newman describes the process as

“I update my ladder on Mondays. Kids are excited to see their progress, parents are clear how players are distributed in practice (by similar UTR) and coaches get to work with players on the same level. Everyone is happy.”

To learn more about the Universal Tennis Rating System click here to read the entire article

ATA Alumni Morgan Barnhill Named Academic All-League Team

ATA alumni Morgan Barnhill was named to the 2016 Academic All-League team. Student-athletes were voted for and chosen for the honor based on their academic and athletic performances this season in the Summit League Conference. Barnhill, with a 3.8 GPA as a finance major and marketing minor, posted a 14-7 singles record and an 18-2 doubles mark during the season. Click here to read more.

Meghan O’Malley and Gabriella Cusano Win State!

Senior Meghan O’Malley and her partner Gabriella won the class 5A girls doubles state tournament for Vandegrift High School. In the finals, they played a doubles team from Alamo Heights High School and won 6-1,2-6,6-2. Congrats Meghan and Gabriella! To see the rest of the results from the tournament click here.

3 ATA Players Competing at State

In the Class 6A state tournament, Tyler Anson and his doubles partner Brendan (pictured above) will be playing for Lake Travis High School and Roger Chou will be playing singles for Westlake High School. Meghan O’Malley and partner Gabriella will be playing doubles for Vandegrift High School in the class 5A state tournament. Play begins Monday May 16th in College Station click here to follow their results.

Raven Hampton the captain of the Lake Travis team said,” Tyler Anson is a sophomore who has proven himself to be an invaluable member of the team in his first year. This year he has teamed up with Brendan Brown and together they have become an unstoppable force on the court.”

A Few Shots From ATA CP Morning Practice

The ATA College Prep students assemble early each morning to start their day with some tennis. Below are a few pictures from recent mornings. To see many more, check out the ATA College Prep Facebook page.

Current senior and soon-to-be Princeton freshman Payton Holden finesses a forehand volley.

CP junior Garrett Reiter walks to the bench after earning a 7-6 win in a practice set.

CP senior and soon-to-be St.Edward’s freshman Chase Bartlett blasts a forehand as Garrett waits at the net during a game of 105.

Max Schmidhauser connects cleanly with a forehand volley during the same game of 105.

Kristin Kerrigan steps into a forehand volley while teaming up with Megha.

To see many more, check out the ATA College Prep Facebook page.

ATA College Prep Gains All A’s in (re)Accreditation!

June will mark five years since a major milestone in the development of the Austin Tennis Academy. That month, the ATA College Prep program, which at the time was a young community-supported learning environment, earned full accreditation through AdvancEd, the largest accreditation organization and education community in the world with a network of 32,000 private and public pre K-12 schools, colleges and universities. At the time, ATACP was both the youngest and smallest school ever to receive full accreditation through AdvancEd.

“The growth and development as well as the accreditation and reaccreditation of ATA College Prep is a fantastic accomplishment and opportunity for our community. ATA College Prep allows us to impact our students in both their academic and athletic lives in powerful and meaningful ways. Teachers and coaches are focused on high performance as a way of life and students are getting positive, impactful messaging throughout their day. This has led to ATA College Prep college placements that are in the words of one of our evaluators: ‘off the chart’.”

Accredited status eases the process for transfer students moving between accredited schools, while demonstrating that ATACP meets nationally recognized standards for quality and professional practices.

As the status requires renewal after 5 years, ATACP recently went through the evaluation process with AdvancEd. First, through in-depth reporting and data tracking, and next through a two-day on-site visit including classroom visits, and extensive interviews, the evaluators conducted a rigorous review of the school and its systems.

The committee Lead stated that ATACP attained the highest overall scores in all 7 domains received by any school during the year and announced that CP would be recommended for re-accreditation. In example, ATACP scores as compared to National Averages were: High Expectations Environment 3.51 to 2.81; Active Learning Environment 3.43 to 2.94; and Well-Managed Environment 3.4 to 3.14.

“ATACP is committed to continuous improvement which is apparent through our community culture of mindfulness, holistic programming, excellent instructional staff, above national SAT averages, and 100{37ef6ac642fae6f93f343032eb62785d28fa7a25a4a4f0267a12512c541c53a9} graduation rate to 4-year universities. It is very rewarding to gain validation from a national board of experts that our programs, processes and people are exemplary among our peers,” states Carol Hagar, Director of ATACP.

Looking back, many of the goals outlined five years ago after being evaluated – like establishing a permanent school building – have been accomplished. Looking forward, CP leadership has again defined a set of goals that both ensure continuous improvement and confirm that it is creating lifelong learners.

Carol reflects that, “Conquering the stigma often associated with a small independent school or sports academy education has been a challenge. But innovation is often uncomfortable, uncommon and unrecognizable until much later when the stories of change, success and gratitude are told and remembered. Enhancing the overall vision of the Austin Tennis Academy, ATACP is a place where young minds and bodies can reach for excellence, develop a mindful approach to life, and dare to become citizens of significance.”

For more information about ATA College Prep, click here, or contact Carol Hagar directly at Carol.Hagar@AustinTennisAcademy.com.

Coach Strecker Voted Coach of the Year in the All-Heartland Conference

Coach Strecker was named Coach of the Year after leading the Hilltoppers to their eighth-consecutive Heartland Conference Tournament Championship. St. Edward’s finished the season 9-12 overall and 4-1 in conference. Strecker has now won the honor in both years he has headed the program. Click here to read more

Webinar and Article by David Benzel

This month’s message from David Benzel is, “You Are Not the Mistakes You Make.” Geared toward helping parents teach their children healthy attitudes about mistakes. Click here to read more

Also, sign up for this months free webinar “Solve the Mystery of Your Child’s Motivation & Distraction Issues.” This webinar is Thursday, May 19th at 8pm. Click here to register

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!

Hannah and Brennan Win State Back to Back

St. Michael’s sophomores Brennan Foreman and Hannah Harrod won the TAPPS 4A girls doubles state tennis championships for the 2nd year straight, defeating All Saints Episcopal of Tyler in the finals 6-1, 6-1.

Hannah said, “Back to back state champs! Last year going in as freshman I knew we had nothing to lose but this year Brennan and I were extremely nervous and that caused us to have a challenging semi final match. Fortunately our coach calmed us down and we won that match and the next! Playing school tennis is an amazing opportunity because our coach can talk to us on change overs and we have our teammates screaming and cheering for us on the side lines.”

Congrats to Brennan and Hannah!

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