Warrior Women On Verge of Postseason
Well, it was worth the wait. Reinstating a tennis program that had been dormant for the past 18 years, CSU-Stanislaus now sits just five wins away from watching Warriors tennis punch a postseason ticket.
“Knock on wood,” said CSUS women’s head coach Verek Visaraga. “But, if we don’t have any injuries, destiny is in our hands.”
Ranked No. 4 in the D2 West and clinging to the fourth and final postseason berth, the Warriors (7-2 overall, 5-2 in CCAA play) need wins against CSU-Bakersfield, CSU-L.A., Sonoma State, UC-Santa Cruz and Cal Poly Pomona to close the season and to hold onto the program’s first playoff bid since being reinstated.
The Warriors have already defeated four of their final five opponents this season.
“As long as we ride it out, we could be going to BYU-Hawaii in the first round – and in our first year back,” Visaraga said.
An April 18 road tilt against Sonoma State should prove to be the stiffest remaining challenge — CSUS defeated the Seawolves 5-4 on March 20 at home.
“We could put everything on the line in that match against Sonoma State,” Visaraga said. “They played us tough, but with our top three, there are a lot of possibilities.”
CSUS’ Verena Preikschas, Katie Eng and Vanesa Reibstein have dominated the top of the singles lineup in ‘09. Preikschas has lost just one match all season, earning her CCAA Player of the Week honors on three separate occasions this season. She’s also a perfect 10-0 paired with Eng on the top doubles court.
“We’re just blessed with the kids we picked up,” Visaraga said. “People talk about destiny — I can tell you how each kid got here and how it worked out all on its own.”
Preikschas’ road to Stanislaus might be the most surprising.
“Verena was initially supposed to go to Indiana State, but it didn’t work out,” Visaraga said. “D1 has a sliding scale that takes into account your SAT and GPA [scores]. She was one point short of playing for them.”
The Amsberg, Germany import has already committed to a second year with the Warriors, but a third will depend on the program’s progress. So far, so good.
“It’s my job to bring in better players and D1 teams,” Visaraga said. “I’ve already talked to CSUN, UC-Davis, Cal State Fullerton, Cal State Bakersfield, San Jose State, Chino, UOP. I think with some of those we have a good shot at getting something on the schedule for next year.”
As for the possibility of back-to-back postseason appearances in the program’s first two years since being reinstated?
“Let’s just say our top three are currently two freshmen and a sophomore,” Visaraga said. “We’ll be tough to beat.”
YTA Reaches Out to Marin County
Youth Tennis Advantage, dedicated to inspiring inner-city children through tennis and academics, touches the lives of nearly 2,000 kids each year.
In ‘09, that total included 10 Marin County youth. Beginning in the fall of ‘08, the program expanded into the North Bay for the first time in the YTA’s 25-plus-year history with its 11th site, located at the Marin City Manzanita Rec Center.
“Next Fall we may expand into Sausalito as well,” said Loretta Conway, executive director of the YTA. “We only have one tennis court in Marin, with 10 kids coming on a regular basis — it could be 20 if we had more room.”
Expanding on an already successful summer program run by teaching pro Bobby Burton, the YTA partnered with the Manzanita Rec Center to provide a tennis haven for close to a dozen 7- to 13-year-olds.
“It’s not a huge expense for us,” said Conway. “So we added Bobby and a part-time academic counselor.”
The fledgling site may be small, but it isn’t short on ambition. According to Conway, they’ve made it a goal to enter and win the USTA’s ‘09 Arthur Ashe Essay and Art Contest. Inspired by the beliefs of Ashe, the YTA was formed to honor Ashe’s insistence that academic excellence coupled with tennis instruction could be the catalyst for dgfev online casino improving the lives of children and teens who live in poverty.
The YTA, which now boasts 11 sites in all including six in Oakland and four in San Francisco, produced a National Arthur Ashe Essay Contest winner in ‘06.
“It’s a great opportunity for them to learn what a great ambassador he was,” Conway said. “And the winner receives a free trip to the U.S. Open.”
Marin Senior Championships Return
If it ain’t broke, Marin Senior Championships tournament director Susan McShannock says, don’t fix it. The 33rd annual event, co-hosted by Scott Valley, Harbor Point and Mill Valley, will run not unlike the 32nd edition of the National Super Category II did in ‘08.
“We have the same dinners, the same sponsors, the same wine tasting,” McShannock said. “We have a great, great staff and they just know what to do.”
The Championships, scheduled for June 10-14, once again expects upwards of 300 participants competing in men’s and women’s 35-65 singles, doubles and mixed doubles, plus under-100 combo. Mill Valley will once again play host to the semis and finals, plus a Wednesday evening wine tasting event on June 10, plus a buffet and light supper provided by D’Angelos on June 12.
Novato City Championshps at Rolling Hills
Start your engines. The Marin County Grand Prix Tennis Series got the green flag April 3-5 as the Alain Pinel/Novato City Tennis Championships kicked off the series in style with a tournament-record 135 entries. Participation wasn’t the only high point, according to Meridian Rolling Hills Sports Club Director of Tennis Jay Potter.
“The tournaments have become increasingly more visible as more and more businesses are signing up to become sponsors,” Potter said. “We have just about doubled our sponsorships from last year.”
Hosted by the Rolling Hills Club, the Novato City Championships were the first of six Grand Prix tournament events scheduled for April to September. Highlights for the host club included four titles — two each by RHC pro Fern Ruth and two by club member Andy Shotz. Teaming with RHC pro Leora Grimshaw, Ruth won the women’s 4.5 crown 6-2, 7-5, then doubled back to take home the Mixed 4.5 title with RHC’s Russ Sartori, 6-2, 6-3 over fellow members Jeffrey Jauch and Hilary Gamache. Shotz paired with RHC member Randy Poblitz to steamroll to a 6-3, 6-2 men’s 3.0 championship, before joining his wife Kat to double-dip with a mixed 3.0 title, 6-3, 6-4.
No No. 30 for YTA Doubles Fundraiser
The YTA Marin Doubles Tournament at Harbor Point Racquet and Beach Club won’t make it’s 30th annual appearance in ‘09, according to YTA Executive Director Loretta Conway.
“The clubs were burned out,” Conway said. “With the economy the way it was and seven clubs giving us courts – it’s a lot of work.”
The 29th annual event drew a field of almost 200 players in last year and netted more than $40,000 for the YTA – a record for the nearly three-decade-old event. According to Conway, the YTA will attempt to raise the much-needed funds with a pair of smaller events — including a downsized version of the Marin Doubles Tourney at Harbor Point, tentatively set for August.
The San Francisco TC will join the cause as well, with plans to potentially bring back its popular Big Hitter Tournament following the club’s September renovations.
