November 2024 Newsletter

My name is Kristin Montalvo-Milton, and my team is Queens of the Court at Memorial Park Tennis Center. I’ve been a captain for almost five years for various teams throughout Houston, including mixed, men’s doubles and singles league teams, women’s 4.0 singles and doubles, 3.5 doubles and the tri-level and combo levels. My husband Stephen Milton, an active player and captain, and I are tennis members at Westside Tennis Club and the Downtown Club at the Met.

I started playing tennis when I was a kid and realized basketball was not a fitting sport for me. I play tennis for the social relationships, competition and health benefits. I also run, enjoy Pilates and yoga and have attempted to play golf.

The challenges we face in being captains are the complicated scheduling and managing interpersonal conflicts among teammates. But the rewards are the friendships created, the competitive play, the benefits for mental and physical health and the involvement in our diverse Houston community.

Humbly, we are a competitive team. We’ve won our division multiple times throughout the last few years in singles and doubles leagues. Granted, we are now moving up to higher levels of play, so we’re growing. We’ve been to Houston USTA playoffs two summers in a row, and we’ve gotten closer to Sectionals each time. I think having a competitive team has been exciting for myself and my players. We’re going to Sectionals for USTA Combo in a few weeks, so that’s exciting for us! Overall, I admire the teams and relationships I, as a captain, have cultivated over the years. My players are, imo, most importantly, good humans; they’re kind and successful both on and off the tennis court.

My advice for other team captains is to be mindful of individual needs of your players. Have fun! And above all else, be respectful and/or polite to everyone you encounter in our small tennis community.

Off the court, I currently work at the Harris County Children’s Assessment Center. I am a doctoral resident in Psychology and treat children and their families who have experienced childhood sexual abuse and trauma. 

 

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October 2024 Newsletter

My name is Justin Chang, captain of the Summer 2024 Men’s 4.5 Dad Bods team out of Missouri City. I have been the captain of various 4.5 singles teams since Fall 2023 and also captain the Fall 2024 Open Doubles Dad Bods team, all out of LLTC.

I started playing tennis in middle school in Austin, Texas. The pinnacle of my junior tennis career was becoming a USTA boy’s 16 super champ. I stopped playing competitively when I entered college. Many years later, I came back to competitive tennis by joining USTA/HTA leagues in 2022.

I took up tennis because I was a scrawny kid with glasses, unwilling to play contact sports against bigger and stronger kids. Now as an adult with more meat in my belly, I’ll occasionally play flag football, volleyball, pickleball and ping pong. 

I am currently a software engineer working remotely for a company that designs accelerators for AI and scientific computing workloads. Because I work from home, I especially enjoy the tennis camaraderie. There’s truly nothing like blowing off steam from work by enjoying a drink with friends both on and off the courts.

One of the challenges of being a captain is managing playing time. Some want to play every week while others have volatile schedules. It is difficult to balance getting everyone their money’s worth and creating the best lineups. Still, I enjoy being a captain because it’s like playing a board game–making strategic moves and finding potential mismatches with the pieces at your disposal.

On a less serious note, my idiosyncrasy as team captain is to dole out weekly MVP awards to players that stand out. Examples include: making epic comebacks, stepping up as a last minute sub, foiling the opponent’s plan to stack lines, or simply impressing spectators like my wife with tennis moves. Players need not necessarily win their line to earn this prestigious award, and I’m certainly not keeping any record, but this is just one of the many ways I try to create a fun environment for my team.

My wife Rebecca Chua was inspired to learn tennis this year after watching Jannik Sinner win the Australian Open. She joined a USTA 3.0 league this past summer and claims to have betrayed her family of lifelong ping pong and badminton players. HaHa! It’s an understatement to say her previous racket sport experience helped tremendously. We both enjoy tennis and hope to continue playing in more USTA and HTA leagues.

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September 2024 Newsletter

My name is Diem Pham. Growing up, I have always wanted to play tennis.   So about 10 years ago, I decided to take action.  I picked up a racquet, took my first tennis lesson….and fell in love! 

However, as a beginner it was not easy to find people to play with.  Luckily, I met a group of women who were in the same boat.  We decided to form a neighborhood team/league.  We made up our own rules for our league and just had a lot of fun! That was the beginning of my tennis captaining.  Shortly after, I joined HTA/USTA with a desire to play competitive tennis beyond my group of friends.  

Over the years, I continued to focus on creating an environment where players can come to their “happy place.”   I focused on building and/or joining teams with people who love to play competitive tennis but in a fun and supportive environment.  Our teams have had many successful seasons locally as well as advancing to Sectionals and a couple of national appearances.  However, what I always hold most special is the camaraderie on and off the courts.  Win or lose, there is always a nice cold beer (or a “quarter beer” to some of our teammates) to be shared after we walk off the courts. 

Currently, I captain a 55+ mixed doubles team (Ageless Acers) out of Sienna with David Wang as my co-captain.  What really sets this team apart are the players!  Tennis abilities aside, the players are gracious and supportive…all with incredible stories and nicknames!  We are all friends and honestly have as much fun on the courts as off!  

While captaining has its own challenges (i.e. rain makeup), the rewards of building a cohesive team outweigh all the challenges.  Although retired now, I still use skills from the corporate world to develop and organize teams.  Whether in a real match or just a team scrimmage, I would like to think that I help provide the team a “happy place” where they can play competitive tennis and enjoy spending time with friends. 

My advice to other captains is to be kind and relax.  Focus on developing your team, playing great tennis and leading with integrity. The rest will fall into place.  

Of course, none of this would be possible without the support of HTA/USTA.  Thank you to Ann Wilde and Melinda Hampton for your hard work and letting us be a part of this amazing Houston tennis community.

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August 2024 Newsletter

My name is Annie Chau, and I have captained the 3.0 Love and Bagels team out of Lee LeClear Tennis Center since 2023. In 2022 I captained the 3.0 What the Deuce team at Missouri City Recreation & Tennis Center. I occasionally captain a 7.0 mixed team.

I started playing tennis around 2021 during the pandemic.  My husband invited me out to play, but I didn’t start playing until he introduced me to his friends in Sienna.  They encouraged me to play more and eventually convinced me to form my first league team. From then on I have been playing and captaining or co-captaining.

Tennis was my first sport, and I have found that it is a wonderful sport and allows me to exercise. The thrill on the court gives me a sense of motivation to run and do my best. I enjoy going against people and constantly looking to improve.

The biggest challenge to being a captain is ensuring that my players are healthy. A lot of times they want to play and will play through an injury. I want my ladies to enjoy the sport as long as they can because any injury can have a lifelong impact.

Being able to gather a wonderful group of ladies to play with and build friendships along the way is one of the rewards. I am glad to be able to experience the ups and downs of the league with my players. The most exciting memory was my first Sectionals with my team. We were extremely nervous going into our last match, which came down to the last line, and we won it as a team!

I have found that it is important to be organized as a captain. It can get a little chaotic, especially if you have many people on your team. Ask for help. I had my husband and two other teammates to confide in about lineups. Although I did the research and put work into forming lines, it was nice to have second opinions. And get to know your team. It is important that your teammates have similar values and personalities.  It makes the game more fun when your partner is enjoyable on and off the court.

Off the court, I work as an occupational therapist at TIRR Memorial Hermann, specializing in stroke and brain injury population.  It is such a rewarding field to see my patients accomplish goals and reintegrate back into the community doing what they were doing before their brain injury/stroke. Anytime my patients have prior tennis experience, I always try to integrate it in some form (serve practice, ping pong/pickleball) to improve their attention, reaction speed and regain function in their upper extremities. 

Tennis has quickly become a foreseeable passion of mine. I am thankful to my husband and sister-in-law who introduced me to tennis and to the amazing group of ladies who allowed me to captain and play alongside them for the last three years.

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July 2024 Newsletter

My name is Julia Harris Busby, and I captain the CosMetpolitans (ladies 4.0) and Met Magic (mixed 8.0) teams.

How long have you been a captain?  Six years for ladies, more for mixed.

How and when did you start playing tennis?  I started playing when I was 12 at our neighborhood park.  The city offered a program that introduced kids to the game.  It just stuck with my group and we kept playing.  

Why do you play tennis?  Honestly, I started playing because my friends quit playing softball.  Most 12-year-olds want to stay with the pack.  I simply followed my buddies to the tennis courts.  

Do you play other sports?  My biggest love was volleyball, but it became difficult to travel every weekend and keep a solid team together with life getting in the way.  Now I walk, workout, do Pilates and like many other tennis players, I have a love/hate relationship with pickleball.  Not to worry, pickleball will never cast a shadow on my love for tennis.  

What are the challenges and rewards of being a captain?  The challenges are keeping folks happy, motivated and in sync even during the off season.  Even in the off season, we still need to keep the team bond strong.  The reward is seeing how relationships grow and strengthen the team.  Friends play harder for each other.    

Your team’s most exciting memories and/or awards?  Our most exciting memories are going to be the special time we spent together.  I love the meals after matches and the birthday celebrations.  Spending time together even when we don’t have to helps to form good, solid camaraderie.  We are hoping to be able to play in the summer so we have the opportunity to advance beyond the local league level.   

Any special advice for other team captains?  Build a team of not just strong players, but reasonable, reliable and unselfish people who will work together.   Never miss an opportunity to tell them how great they are.  Even if the team suffers a defeat, find the positive.  Let them know their efforts are appreciated. 

Any family members play?  No.  We all grew up playing basketball, football and baseball so my deviation to tennis was just another weird thing the youngest kid was doing.  My mom, a true sports fanatic, recognized my love for the sport and started following the game.  Although she was disappointed that I chose to play tennis and volleyball instead of basketball (the seasons overlapped) she encouraged me to work hard to maximize my potential.  I think I am still doing that.  

Where do you work and what do you do?  I am a happy retiree after 40 years with ExxonMobil.  

If you love the game, respect the game, and that also includes the people.  It presents us with a wonderful opportunity to meet new friends and stay active.  Keep the spirit of the game alive.  

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June 2024 Newsletter

My Name is David Wang. I have been a captain for three years in Houston. In 2023 we had two teams that went to Nationals but did not win:

1. 55+ 7.0 men team-Tennis Bums from Lee LeClear Tennis Center with Co-captain Chuck Stasny. We were fortunate to win the Sectionals by winning all three lines in super tie breakers in the finals.
2. 55+ 7.0 mixed double team, Fun Bunch from Missouri City Recreation Center with Diem Pham as co-captain. We were in second place in the Houston league and luckily got a wild card to play at Sectionals, then won, truly unexpected!

I moved from Taiwan to Delaware at age 16 and started playing recreation tennis for 45 years in Delaware.  Enjoyed USTA leagues and captained five years of 9.0 mixed team. It was much more difficult to be captain in the late 1990s with landline calling players to arrange matches!

In 2011 I moved to Sienna in Houston due to my job. Through tennis I was able to meet many new friends in Houston; at same time, keeping my Delaware tennis friends by visiting yearly.

In 2017 I was diagnosed with lung cancer and had surgery to remove the malignant left lung. The procedure aborted due to the presence of previously undetected small cancer cells on the lung cavity. Fortunately, another doctor was able to find a targeted medicine to suppress the cancer for the time being. It was really lucky to still have my two lungs to enable me to continue playing competitive tennis. I have been to the national championships nine times and to over 30 sectionals.

In 2019 I retired from Formosa Plastics Corporation as Technical Service Manager. I traded my briefcase for a beer cooler and organizing a morning tennis group of over 40 members in Sienna for our twice per week tennis and periodical tennis parties.

I enjoy being a captain, especially having friends as the core group and supplemented with new players. We have weekly team practices to create a cohesive team with the goal of having fun first, then hopefully winning through hard work.

Tennis is the best lifetime sport to extend our life through competitive matches, camaraderie and social gatherings with refreshments (Shiner, Texas beer)) after our team practices and matches. I also believe that tennis helps me fight against cancer, so I play tennis almost daily as my regular exercise.

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May 2024 Newsletter

HAPPY ACCIDENTS

My name is Kelly Griffin and I started captaining, by accident, about 10 years ago. Some friends and I were taking lessons in Bellaire, and some of us were asked to join a fledgling team, but their captain bailed at the last minute, so Lainey Lind and I decided to go ahead and form a team . . . without knowing anything about it! We had just a few days to get enough players, but we managed to form the Pocket Aces 3.0 team. We were so nervous, but it was not that hard after all.

The Pocket Aces had much success both at the 3.0 level and when we moved up to 3.5. After Lainey moved out of state, Heather Watkins became the co-captain. Things kind of fell apart due to COVID, but the team re-emerged as the Racquettes.

I inherited a mixed doubles team that was called Mixed Hitters for a time; it later morphed into the Sweet Shots, and I have been doing that for about nine years. All these teams were out of Lee Le Clear Tennis Center, for the most part.

TEAMWORK

I really enjoy the social aspect of playing doubles with my gal (and guy) pals. Plus, there’s always a close teammate to help you shag balls! We’ve gone on girls’ tennis trip weekends and competed in fun tournaments around the country. What a blast!

Credit goes to my dad for turning me on to tennis when I was about 10 years old. He played while growing up in Peru and I started playing by hitting a ball against my garage door whenever I had the chance. He instilled in me a love for the game from the moment he put a racquet in my hand! My first team tennis experience was in high school in Cleveland, Texas. Small town, small team. The team consisted of just four girls!  I played for the Cleveland Indians all four years.

COURTSIDE CAPTAIN

I’m fond of being a captain because I like the detailed nature of all the admin stuff; not many people volunteer to do it, but I actually enjoy that part of the gig. I try to give everyone a chance to play, regardless of their skill level. Especially challenging is trying to schedule rain makeups, ugh, and getting some players to respond in a timely manner. I can’t imagine what it must have been like before cell phones – call them on a landline?!?

LOVE GAME

Tennis is a game for life, and I hope to play for a long time. I just love competing!  Plus, when I’m on the court, it doesn’t matter what else is going on in my life. I just leave my worries beyond the baseline and have a great time.

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April 2024 Newsletter

Hey there, I’m Becky Nguyen, and along with the unstoppable force of Chris Mickiltz, we captain the tennis powerhouse known as Big Net Energy at South Shore Fitness.  I began captaining over 12 years ago with USTA teams, and since moving to Houston I’ve spent seven years captaining HTA teams. I juggled multiple teams, 4.0 Ladies, 4.5 Ladies, Tri-level and 8.0 Mixed.

My tennis journey began when I was 28 and was hired to coach volleyball and tennis at Space Center Intermediate School. I played volleyball in high school but had never touched a racket.  With just four months to learn the game, I dove headfirst into the world of tennis and instantly fell in love. Volleyball may have been my high school crush, but tennis? Tennis is my forever flame.

Captaining comes with its fair share of challenges, from rain make-ups to keeping the team’s morale high. But the rewards? The adrenaline rush, the camaraderie and the sheer joy of victory. These rewards are sweeter than a perfectly placed drop shot. One of our team’s most thrilling moments was storming the courts at the state championship in Abilene 2021. 

Off the courts, I trade in my racket for a whiteboard as a social studies teacher at Pasadena Memorial High School. But whether I’m spinning rackets or spinning minds, I tell anyone who will listen: 

Tennis is for life, a journey profound,

Everyone can find a place, just ask around.

Tennis teaches patience, in waiting for the right shot,

 And courage to fight, whether winning or not.

 It teaches us grace in both victory and defeat, 

And the importance of sportsmanship is always sweet.

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March 2024 Newsletter

Hi, my name is Joseph Shum, and I’ve been the captain of the LLTC Racquet Knights for 12 years. I captain 18+, 40+ and tri-level teams.

The year 2022 was an exciting year for our players. Our 18+ team reached the finals at Sectionals, and the 40+ team reached the semifinals.

I began playing tennis about 20 years ago in China with friends, and I also enjoy running and working out.

As a captain I am always promoting tennis and trying to bring more people into the sport, especially young people. We meet new friends through tennis and share a healthy and good lifestyle.

When I’m not playing tennis, I develop commercial real estate in Houston with my company Y&K Real Estate.

My dream is to host a tournament with HTA, similar to the Crawfish Tournament in Lafayette, La., and raise a lot of money to improve our Houston tennis facilities and to help young kids learn tennis.

Maybe we can name it the HTA BBQ Tournament in Houston, and I can be the main sponsor!

Another dream is to increase the size of our Houston tennis family so that we can bring in sponsors to host a Masters or premier WTA or ATP tournament soon.

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February 2024 Newsletter

My name is Elizabeth Mooney and I captain the Memorial Park Tennis Titans along with David Crabtree. The Titans were founded in 2003 by Jim Teall.   David is one of our original members and used to play with his mom Ann before she passed away. When I joined the team in 2008, I thought it was so amazing that he played with his mom.  David was the captain until 2015 and I’ve been working alongside him since then.

Most of our players work full-time and use the Sunday league for exercise and comradery.  I’ve been lucky to make some great friendships throughout the years. I also play on a team out of the Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center and a team in Sun Valley, Idaho.

I grew up in Dallas and have played tennis most of my life. I work in telecommunications and have lived in Little Rock, Atlanta, Boca Raton, Pittsburgh and Washington D.C. I currently split my time between Sun Valley and Houston. I am married to Chris and we have one son who is a junior at IMG Academy in their tennis program. When not playing tennis, I enjoy hiking or traveling to Florida to watch my son’s tournaments.

In my opinion, the Houston tennis community is by far the best in terms of teams and opportunities to play on a regular basis. I play tennis not only for exercise but for the social aspect as well. We constantly have new people coming to Houston looking for a team. Memorial Park has been a great facility for us due to its location in the city and their accommodating staff. They are always willing to work with us on makeup matches and the occasional change of time.

I love being a captain for the Titans. Our players are always responsible and courteous to fellow players. We all enjoy tennis and want the best for the sport. My advice for other captains is to just have fun. We aren’t going to win Wimbledon, so relax and be kind.  The Titans have come in second place a few times. Because our players work and travel, it’s sometimes hard to fill the roster each Sunday. There is a balance between having too many players and not having enough while giving enough play time to everyone.

I’d like to say thank you to Ann Wilde and Melinda Hampton of HTA. Thank you for your hard work and letting us be a part of this fantastic Houston tennis community.

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January 2024 Newsletter

Hi, my name is Eric Storey and I captain multiple Houston Zealot teams across multiple age brackets, mostly based out of Homer Ford Tennis Center.

A little about myself: I am the chief underwriter for LSX Capital, which is a venture capital firm that emphasizes buying life insurance policies as part of an investment portfolio for individuals and institutions. I grew up in Kansas City and then moved to McKinney, Texas, in 2000. We moved to Houston (Clear Lake area) in 2007 and we have two kids – one just graduated from UH as an education major. The other is still in college studying computer engineering. We have three dogs and three cats to round out our family. My wife Tamra and I were married in 1996, and she remains the center of my universe.

I grew up admiring the physicality of tennis, and I enjoyed playing tennis as a little kid but quit playing so I could focus on football, baseball and golf. I carried a 2 handicap until I had kids and could no longer devote as much time to golf. I picked up tennis again in 2017 and joined the Pearland Poachers. We advanced to Sectionals that year and I was hooked. I captained my first team the next year. 

In 2020, the Pearland Poachers rebranded into the Houston Zealots. In 2022, the 18 and Over 3.5 Zealots advanced to Sectionals, and we represented Texas at USTA Nationals later that year. This was an amazing accomplishment by a group of hard-nosed, resilient and mentally tough guys who just so happened to love tennis. I was simply happy to be a part of it, and it is an achievement that will be etched in all our memories forever.

Tennis is such a great sport. I particularly love the competitive nature of tennis, but it is also a fantastic way to exercise and meet new people. I am incredibly blessed to have the Zealots in my life as it has also opened a wonderful social network. Along my journey with the Zealots, I have forged some awesome friendships, and I am thrilled to call Milton Brown, Jeff Hechler, Shawn Shoop, Eduardo Aranha, David Mandell, Jeff Kennedy, Chris Trevino, Elie Meyer, Andrea Baldini, Michael Hurst, Caton Fenz and so many others loyal friends. Our group continues to evolve and change, but these guys breathe life into the Zealots. I may be captain, but the Zealots thrive because of everyone.

Of course, none of this would be possible without the support of HTA/USTA. They do an excellent job organizing league play, and it is often a thankless undertaking. I am so glad to be a small part of HTA and USTA. See you on the courts! Look for the Zealots shirts and you will run into someone who knows me.

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December 2023 Newsletter

Hi – I’m Bobbie Glasscock.

I lost my husband to cancer in 1992 (our daughter was five at the time).  A couple of months later a friend (who worked with me at Amarillo College) encouraged me to start running and playing tennis.   I began playing for fun and soon joined her 3.0 team.  A few years later we advanced to a 3.5 team and I became captain of that team.  Our team played through the Amarillo Tennis Center.  That first year of running I completed in 5K, 10K, a half marathon, marathon races as well a100-mile ultra mountain race in Leadville, Colorado. 

In 1997 I married Mike Glasscock.  He also played tennis and ran.  Both of our Amarillo tennis teams were fortunate enough to qualify for Sectionals several times through the years.

In 2007 I retired after 28 years at Amarillo College and became a flight attendant for Continental (now United) Airlines.  This career change moved us to Kingwood.  I did not play tennis from 2007 to 2017.  In 2017 both Mike and I retired and we joined Kingwood Country Club.  I started taking drills and was soon invited to join the HLTA Court Chicks team.   Last December our current captain was invited to join another team and I was asked to captain the Court Chicks.  I was happy to do such.  At the same time, the Court Chicks lost a few players who were retiring from competitive tennis.  Luckily we were able to recruit some new players who are great athletes.  I’m also captain of my USTA 3.0 Goldfish team and play on a 3.5 Goldfish team. 

I love the challenge and camaraderie of tennis.  Many lifetime friends have been made through tennis.  As a captain, I enjoy organizing practices and drills, getting courts and planning lineups.  Our team uses TeamSnap and it certainly makes organizing things much easier.  Of course, the main challenge of being a captain is calling and scheduling rain make ups.  

My daughter and son-in-law also enjoy tennis through the Houston Racquet Club.  In addition to tennis, Mike and I have enjoyed many adventures together.  We both now play golf.  We continued to race long distances until about two years ago.  We’ve hiked the Grand Canyon, Chilkoot trail in Alaska, hiked Kilimanjaro in Africa, walked the 500-mile Camino de Santiago in Spain and have attended Burning Man. I’m also chair of the Barrington (my neighborhood) Landscape Committee and a volunteer for Finishing Touch, a nonprofit that helps those who have been without housing make their new housing a beautiful home with donated furniture and décor.

With HTA, the Houston area offers so many opportunities for tennis.   Kingwood Country Club has been an awesome home club for us.   

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November 2023 Newsletter

My name is Allen Teague and I captain team Old School (because most of us have been playing competitive league tennis for over 25 years) out of a number of places over the years, but home court these days is Memorial Park.  I have been a player captain for almost 35 years here in Houston taking teams to both Sectionals and Nationals at the 4.5 and 5.0 level (played at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows right after the US Open!) at the 18+, 40s and 55s age groups! 

I began playing tennis in middle school and never looked back and will continue to as long as this old body will let it!  I play for the sheer love and competitiveness of the game but more for the life-long friends I have made through the years.  Tennis has given me so many fond memories.  I’ve seen people meet, fall in love and get married from this game.  I have been fortunate to serve as a board member on the HTA Board of Directors and have supported various committees over the years.

To captain a team you just have to know that there will always be challenges, but if you love the game nothing seems too overwhelming.  When you captain a competitive team always be up front and honest about the team’s mission and who will play.  Some may not be happy but they will at least respect your honesty.  For casual social play no rules apply 😊!

I occasionally play tennis with my wife or son when they feel the itch.  I have been in corporate real estate for over 30 years in the oil and gas industry with the last 22 working for Shell Oil Company.

“The older I get, the better I used to be!” – John McEnroe

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October 2023 Newsletter

By Michelle Griffith

My name is Michelle Griffith, the captain of the Cinco Ranch “Drop Shots” 18+ women’s 4.0 singles team.  I’ve been captain for two years, and this is the first time I have ever captained a tennis team!  I love to play singles, and this is the only time I get to play competitive singles matches through the year until the summer season.  Our previous captain (who was amazing) was moving and needed to step down as captain.  I didn’t want the team to break up so I decided to try it out!  We’ve had a successful few seasons, and we all enjoy playing singles together as a team.  We all view it as a time to have fun and improve our singles game, which makes it even more enjoyable.  

I started playing tennis competitively in 2010 when I began dating my now husband Steven.  He grew up playing tennis because his Dad was the tennis pro in Lafayette, La., at Oakbourne Tennis Club.  Actually, both of our dads played tennis together in college at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and were roommates through college.  So I guess we can say that we met because of tennis.  Since then, I’ve been hooked.  I love being able to continue playing sports even as I get older.  I really enjoy the social aspect of tennis and getting to play in fun tournaments with friends who are also teammates!  

Being a captain is challenging especially when I have to deal with unexpected events like the lights on the court not turning on when we show up to play a match or rain delays or injuries, etc.  But overall, my experience as a rookie captain for our singles team has been a lot of fun. 

I’m so glad I have been able to play this amazing sport and I think tennis is just the best. 

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September 2023 Newsletter

I’m Kevin Whitenight, the captain of The Woodlands *second* 7.0 mixed doubles team… The Baseline Mafia. As big as The Woodlands has become, we needed a second team; there are so many people who want to play. The most interesting thing is getting to meet new people from all over the Houston metro area—including world-class athletes. We all share a love of the sport and an even bigger love of WINNING!  My wife always says, “just because we get older doesn’t mean our competitive spirit dies.” My wife and son both play on our team; we’ve made it a family affair.

Being a captain has its challenges–coordinating dates/times/lineups/rain delays/shaded courts/personalities. But it’s been the best experience as a new captain. Honestly, it’s something I didn’t know I would be able to do. But we have an amazing team and an amazing group of people.

I started to play tennis at a young age while watching my parents play.  It wasn’t until high school that I really started playing competitively, placing second and third place in district tournaments. Besides tennis, I also really enjoy playing golf, kayaking, live music and fishing. But no pickleball, not ready to go there yet.

I just recently started a new job after 29 years working for and retiring from the State of Texas.  I am currently working as an environmental consultant at EOSolutions here in Houston. 

I am thankful to have the team we have and appreciate HTA for creating the experience to make the leagues happen.

See ya on the courts.

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August 2023 Newsletter

By Jaree Lee

Sawadee (Hello), my name is Jaree Lee and I am originally from Bangkok, Thailand. I started playing tennis in my mid 20s when a good friend from high school asked me to share beginner lessons at her neighborhood courts. For $2 per hour, we learned the game of tennis from a talented young player who was about to prepare himself for Buddhist ordination to become a monk.

In 1993, I started playing more fun/social and competitive tennis at the British Club where I met many interesting expats and Westerners who lived in Thailand. I volunteered to assist with organizing teams to compete with prestigious clubs–both in and out of Bangkok. I quickly became more immersed in my tennis community, running inter-club ladders and weekly mixed doubles matches.

Summer of 1999, I joined a Tuesday night Ladies 3.0 team out of the River Oaks Tennis Club which was my very first USTA league experience. I became a member of the University Club (Galleria) in May 2000 and have been hooked with indoor tennis since. From 2006 through 2016, I captained teams continuously for HTA/USTA leagues, including Friday Indoor. I was thrilled when my lovely niece, Jamie, unexpectedly started playing and competing on my ladies and mixed teams for several seasons. The most difficult challenge of being a captain is to form fun and competitive teams while balancing individual player’s satisfaction and the success of the team as a whole. The biggest reward for me has been all the wonderful people I have met and played with along the way and remained great friends forever.

After quite a long break, I decided to jump back into captaining this past fall season. My current team, LifeTime Uptown Girls (USTA Tuesday Ladies 18+ 4.0), recently won our division/flight with an undefeated (10-0) summer season!! We’re super excited to advance to the Championship Advancements and to share our team playoff experience!

I am currently working as a contract Legal Compliance Assistant for Houston Community College. I enjoy hitting the courts, playing tennis four to five times each week (rain, shine or thunder), and also LOVE, LOVE, LOVE playing golf whenever possible! Life is a beautiful thing and there’s so much to smile about! 😊

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July 2023 Newsletter

My name is Parker Dobson, I started playing tennis two years before making the high school tennis team as a sophomore and have been playing since.  I attended the University of Houston and signed up for tennis class where I had the good fortune to meet my wife, Sharon.

While going to U of H I took a part-time job in 1976 at a tennis club named the Fondren Tennis Club.  After graduating I stayed on and became the club manager until 1984. Sharon and I started a mixed team to play HTA in 1982 and I have been captaining teams for HTA and USTA league play since at AD IN. Our men’s HTA doubles teams have won our division fairly consistently over the years and as recently as the 2023 Spring season. The mixed team has also been successful, winning numerous HTA divisions. I also captain men’s USTA doubles teams in the 40 and 55 age groups, qualifying for Sectionals with each of these teams but falling short of making it to Nationals. I also captain a 65+ men’s doubles team.

I guess the biggest challenge in being a captain is finding the right group of players that will get along and also be competitive, a hard combination. My best advice to new captains is to be patient, become a co-captain first for a season and see if it fits you.

Besides tennis I enjoy fishing and bird hunting with family and our dogs. Sharon and I both retired last May and are enjoying being able to play daytime tennis now!!

Both of our daughters play and now our 6-year-old grandson is playing and taking some lessons.

Tennis has been great for me and provided super opportunities, with more to come. Hope to see you on the court.  Cheers!!

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June 2023 Newsletter

Hello, my name is Angeli Zhang. I am originally from China. I am very fortunate to have had the opportunity to captain numerous teams since 2011. I currently captain Swingers (Summer Monday 4.0), Summer Love (Summer Friday 4.0) and Match Point (Mixed 8.0) based at Cinco Ranch Westside Recreation Center tennis courts. 

I started playing tennis in 2010 shortly after opening a childcare business and moving to Katy. It caught my interest when I was just watching a group of women playing tennis. I quickly joined them and signed up to play in a Tuesday night 3.0 league. I started taking private lessons and group drills from Drex Blevins. He inspired and taught me so much and I would never forget about Drex!! I developed a passion and love for tennis at the very beginning because of the social aspect, physical exercise and the competition that tennis brings. I was introduced to more day teams like HLTA, WHLTA and Memorial Tuesday league. Pretty soon, tennis had become my addiction and I found myself playing five to six times a week.

Thanks to USTA summer leagues, my teams had the opportunity to win the City and played 3.0 Sectionals in Dallas in 2011. Ever since then, the teams (3.0, 3.5, 4.0) I captained have advanced to Sectionals/Little State every summer. The most memorable time was competing at an Invitational National Tri-Level (3.5, 4.0, 4.5) in Phoenix, Arizona, in 2021!!

Besides the rewards, being a captain has its challenges, especially when dealing with some of the other captain’s attitudes and selfishness. Of course, dealing with rain makeup is always a nightmare! It’s exciting to advance and win City/Sectionals, Nationals. However, my best memories are of the players on both sides of the net that enjoy playing with or against my team, win or lose. 

In 2015, I introduced and spread my love for tennis to a group of Chinese women by teaching them to hit, feeding them balls and eventually helping them to form a WHLTA team. They take lessons and have improved so much. They moved up six levels in seven years. It is so rewarding to help others and watch them grow and excel!

Besides playing tennis, I enjoy traveling, playing musical instruments, studying, skiing, hanging out with friends and working part time as a RN. My husband is super supportive and plays tennis with us occasionally. I am also committed to volunteering at the Ballard House every Wednesday night to serve the non-profit organization and their residents. 

I’m so thankful for my wonderful teammates, coaches and competitors, and I’m blessed to call most of them my friends. We wouldn’t have these amazing tennis opportunities without the support of everyone at HTA/USTA, especially Ann Wilde and Melinda Hampton. THANK YOU for your hard work, being there for us and letting all of us be a part of this awesome tennis community!!

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May 2023 Newsletter

By Rick Cannon

I currently captain teams out of Memorial Club Townhomes (the Warriors, 3.5 men’s) and Westside’s Sweet & Sally (7.0 mixed) and have captained teams out of Memorial Park and Red Lerille’s in Lafayette, La. So I have played/captained within two different USTA sections.

The first team I captained was a 2.5 team in 2003.

I started playing tennis 40 years ago because I missed the competition and organization I had in other sports growing up. I began playing USTA league tennis in 1999 and have been on 141 teams. I was either the captain or co-captain of two-thirds of those teams.

I play tennis because I like the physical exercise, the organization of the USTA, the competition and especially the social aspect. I also water/snow and jet ski, motorcycle and bike ride, play racquetball and have recently begun to play pickleball.

Being a captain has its challenges and rewards. The biggest challenge is dealing with some of the other captain’s attitudes or lack of politeness. The biggest reward for me is see new players really enjoy the sport and to mentor other captains.

My advice to other team captains is to never push players so hard that they stop playing. When I was a new captain, I did this with a former junior player and regret it to this day.

It’s exciting to advance and win city and/or Sectionals or even Nationals, but my best memories are of the players on both sides of the net that come say they enjoy playing with or against my team.

One of my son-in-laws plays tennis, and I’m hoping my other kids will pick up the sport because they like pickleball.

I’m currently vice president of Clearflow Solutions and previously worked 11 years for Mobil Oil and 25 years at Schlumberger.

I recently was selected to serve on the HTA Board of Directors and look forward to helping grow the leagues and increase the number of available tennis facilities for league play.

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April 2023 Newsletter

By Betty Moyer

I am an 81-year-old native Texan raised on a farm in Rosenberg. I have always enjoyed sports and played softball and volleyball for many years. I wanted to join the tennis team in high school but didn’t have afterschool transportation back then.

I actually started playing neighborhood tennis in my early 40s while living in Denver, Colorado. When I moved back to Texas in 1980, I immediately joined a USTA team in Sugar Land.  Over the last 30 years, I’ve captained several teams, including the Tuesday night 7.0 league, the 55+ team, the 65+ team and the 40+ team.

Several of our Tuesday night team members have played together on the same team for at least 30 years. We qualify for the 75+ team, which I wish we had in this locale.

Our Tuesday night team has actually had the honor of finishing in first place on numerous occasions. Our 55+ and 65+ teams have made it to Sectionals several times.

I retired from Fort Bend ISD in 2008 and have been playing three or more times a week ever since.

Rain make-ups and scheduling are undoubtedly the most challenging part of captaining any team. However, the rewards far outweigh the challenges!

Tennis for me is so much more than winning; it’s good exercise and promotes good sportsmanship and healthy competition. And the best part is the creation of lifetime friendships. Some of my closest friends are those I’ve met on the tennis courts over the years.  Even the captains form a close comradery among themselves.

Last but not least are the opportunities and encouragement that our HTA provides. At my age tennis is still a huge part of my life, and it’s difficult to imagine life without it!

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March 2023 Newsletter

By Dave Patangia

Our team is the Good Guys 4.5, and we play out of Memorial Park Tennis Center. I’ve been the men’s 4.5 singles and doubles team captain since 2009, and we’re proud of our 2022 Men’s 4.5 City Championships win, representing Memorial Park.

I started playing tennis in Little Rock, Arkansas, at the USTA Grass Roots Tennis Camp and enjoy it for its social and competitive benefits. When I’m not playing tennis, I’m director of operations for a civil/environmental consulting firm.  I also play golf.

WhatsApp has been a great assist in managing my captain’s duties, and I highly recommend it to other captains. I also find it helps to surround yourself with like-minded people.

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February 2023 Newsletter

Captain Leyla Martinez is in l-o-v-e with tennis!  She plays almost every day of the week and often goes to tournaments on the weekends, especially those organized by Gloria Dial. Leyla is the captain of teams at Lost Forest and the Houston Racquet Club and plays at the 3.5 level.

“The USTA rates me at 3.0, but I am a 3.5 player and usually win!” she said and smiled.  Her mixed doubles team went to Sectionals last summer. Shout-out to Serena and Bill Zindler for their leadership in taking the mixed team all the way and always supporting the tennis community.

Leyla’s family is a big tennis family! Her daughter, Leyla Marie, has been playing and competing since she was 8 years old.  She played for Concordia University all through college, and she is now a tennis pro at various clubs and a mom. Leyla Marie has her son Matty training to be the next tennis super star! No doubt. Captain Leyla also has two sons, Adonis and Rokko. 

Just like Leyla Marie, Adonis has played tennis since he was a young child and has competed for Concordia University until he graduated as an environmental scientist this past December. Rokko, the youngest son, is currently going to high school and loves to play tennis and compete. Leyla’s husband, Mario, plays tennis every chance he gets, but not as frequently due to his job. He claims to beat everyone despite not training much…which is kind of true. LOL! Obviously, the talent runs deep in the family. In addition, she has been a great support for her sister Lydia and her three children in loving, training and competing in the tennis world over the years. 

Captain Leyla was born in Brownsville, Texas, but she grew up in Monterrey, Mexico, for the first 15 years of her life. However, she quickly adapted to this beautiful city of Houston. The most distinguishing fact about Leyla is not her strong backhand nor her definitive closing volleys which were perfected by Pierre Turmel at Pine Forest Country Club a few years back; it is her “beautiful smile.”  She is always greeting all people with the most welcoming smiles, no shortage there. 

She says, “the best part of tennis is the people in the tennis community”.  So, I am sure that if you have been playing tennis for a few years, you have seen Leyla battling for wins, but more importantly growing lasting friendships.

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January 2023 Newsletter

By Duc Nguyen

Our team, the Spice Pandas, is relatively new, and this is our first full year as a team. I’ve been captain for only one season, and it’s a handful!

I started playing tennis back in high school because I had no friends :(. I like tennis because it’s a fun competitive sport that promotes exercise and builds friendships. I also play other racquet sports (ping pong, badminton, pickleball), but none of them are comparable to tennis.

Being a captain is very rewarding and also very humbling to be able to compete with other great players. I’ve got a younger brother who plays tennis and basketball—maybe we’ll see him in the future.

When I’m not playing tennis I’m an agent for an insurance firm—TWFG Insurance—contact me if anyone needs home/auto insurance.

And I want to give a big thanks to all the organizers and staff that have made this league possible!

 

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December 2022 Newsletter

My name is Taylor Trncak, I’ve been on Baby Got Backswing for seven plus years with one year as captain out of Lost Forest, Lee LeClear and River Oaks. Throughout the years I’ve developed very good friendships and look forward to every Tennis Tuesday to get on the court with my team!

We are a competitive team and have been winning our seasons recently, attending City Championships & Little State Tournaments. We’ve celebrated together with more tennis at team tournaments, happy hours and holiday dinners.

Growing up in an athletic family, I played basketball and volleyball. Then I started playing tennis with my dad as we discovered our passion for the game watching Grand Slam tournaments. We’ve recently traveled to the Western & Southern Open, Wimbledon and US Open together. As a Roger Federer fan I will forever cherish the tennis ball he autographed when I met him. I told him, “You’re beautiful and the most amazing tennis player ever!”

Tennis is an amazing sport, I enjoy the beauty and power of the game. On and off the court I lead with God’s grace. My goal as captain is to motivate my teammates to always strive to improve their skills, to stay competitive and to add to their enjoyment of playing team tennis. 

On the court I truly enjoy the competition and challenge to improve our skill set. Through striving for consistency of play and attending weekly tennis lessons with our tennis pro Greg Medford, this has been key in developing and taking our game to the next level. 

Off the court I thoroughly enjoy spending time with my wonderful family and friends, skiing, traveling, volunteering at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and my career in medical device sales. Thankful for tennis, HTA & USTA!

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November 2022 Newsletter

By Alan Dao, Tennis Advocate and Captain of the Racquet Bros. 

As one of the founding and core members, this team was established in 2018. We’ve been wreaking tennis havoc all over Southwest Houston ever since, or at least we try to, with the occasional and playful banters amongst other rivaling teams and even within our own team, but we are nice about it. The team consists mostly of younger guys looking for fun, competition, and all the while the freedom to be creative on court. If only there was a highlight reel to showcase the many playstyles we have. So you can imagine how ridiculous some of our shots are when we express ourselves. 

When we initially started, I believed we were the first team of the next generation of Houston League Tennis. I noticed a full team would have veterans and a couple of youngsters, normally. So here comes a bunch of young ThunderCats rolling up as a squad and every team is thinking “oh no, we’re about to get beat.” We were confident that we could bang out some balls for the win, maybe a little too confident. Unfortunately, that’s not how the story went. As the season progressed, we picked up a couple of lines to win but not enough to take the whole match. We ended up getting spanked with the team overall losing every match. We were more the underdog if anything. Slowly but surely, we got more experienced with later seasons. We were consistently a force to be reckoned with, but as we got older, life went on and our brotherhood began to shrink as some left to pursue their careers all over the states. We’re making a comeback with a new band of young growing brothers but no matter where our older veteran brothers are, I always keep in contact and check in on them. They are always welcome back with open arms when visiting because they are a Racquet Bro for life. 

As captain, we are the glue that keeps the team together. A captain’s role is to lead and to lead is a high level of service. To be in such a position is an honor and a painful privilege but I love all my friends and treat them like family. I hope with that as an example we can treat others the same way so we can be one big community that can poke fun at one another with annoying shenanigans. I set my standard duties to guide, provide solutions to problems, be a constant reminder of getting things done and while striving for more or better for themselves, and to be humble. I secretly believe they enjoy me harassing them and vice versa as well. Even outside of tennis, we are looking for fun activities to experience. It’s one of the ways of being forever young.

I advise and have the same expectation for other captains. Continue to do what’s best for you and the group. Stay ahead of the team while leaving no man behind. Easier said than done but my secret is to allow your players to be captains and share some responsibilities. Get them thinking collectively together. Doesn’t have to be all the time. Try alternating captains or different co-captains every season just so they can understand what goes on and what it takes to manage a team. Know your players and make it personal by listening and understanding. Find the balance in being firm and flexible. Earning respect both on and off the court. 

Now here comes the hard part where I have to talk a bit about myself. In my youth, I took interest in a lot of physical activities such as running, biking, soccer, basketball, swimming and tennis. I started tennis a bit after high school in 2010. It took a girl to spark that interest but slowly over time, I’ve become obsessed with the game; it was an addiction. In college, I joined the University of Houston Tennis Club and then the following year Houston Community College tennis club. At that time, I was enduring my fair share of personal difficulties and because of tennis, I persevered through a series of the roughest moments in my life. Playing helped distract me and got me to survive it all. Like everybody, tennis was my outlet. It kept me sane. I learned a lot of life lessons from this sport, and I could honestly say it saved my life. 

Along the way, I’ve met a lot of interesting people who nowadays play routinely for exercise to keep active recreationally, and I’m so happy to share the same passion. We can all agree that it’s socially entertaining; the emotions of being up or down, ranging from the thrilling excitement to the cutthroat drama, and that’s tennis for everybody. I networked and got lucky to work in the tennis world. I previously worked at Racquet Pro, a small local Houston tennis retail shop, and Tennis Express, as we all know, one of the biggest online tennis retailers. Currently, I work at AD-IN (Advantage Indoor) formerly known as Westheimer Indoor Tennis and Fitness Club, as the front desk assistant manager. I am expanding my role by becoming part time assistant junior coach. I appreciate all the owners, past and present, for the opportunity to trust me to be a part of handling their business. I also operate a personal exclusive stringing service for friends and family. If you see me, then please tell me a story about your favorite tennis moments. Invite me to your court and let’s play a set. Talk tennis and exchange tips or advice. Get all involved within the Houston tennis community. 

To this day, I continue to play for the love of the game and still enjoy it. I live and breathe tennis, I need it. Good for the soul. For some, it’s a ritual. To me, it’s spiritual. For tennis is life.

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October 2022 Newsletter

By Jen Korando

Hello, I’m Jen Korando.  I captain the Cross Creek Ranch Tuesday night ladies 3.5 Simply Smashing team.  I started playing tennis in the summer of 2016.  Having moved to Texas from northwest Arkansas, we were still somewhat new to the Houston area.  My husband, Keith, who is also a captain kept pushing me to give tennis a try.  I dove into this at the perfect time…. Our tennis community here in Cross Creek Ranch really started taking off.  I signed up for lessons, posted in a neighborhood Facebook tennis page, formed a Tuesday night team and became a captain before I even knew how to serve or keep score! Thankfully, my tennis fairy godmother, Tamera Webb, my husband and my amazing coaches (Ashlee Gardner, Zad Heidari, Gonzalo Anderson and Chris Leben) all took me under their wings and showed me the ropes.

We assembled a fantastic team of some new players like me along with some former high school players getting back into the game.  We became Cross Creek Ranch Simply Smashing.  We’re six years into this with many of our charter members still on the team.  We’ve picked up some fantastic additions along the way as well.  Many of us play on multiple teams together throughout the week and hang out on and off the court. 

As far as captaining goes, I couldn’t be more blessed.  I have the best group of incredibly talented, accommodating, fun, flexible and kind-hearted ladies one could ever want.  We’ve grown a lot together, had some great successes since we started and always love it when we make it to City Wide Play-Offs.  We have a great group of competing teams here in the Katy/Fulshear area as well.  All our matches are consistently competitive, and my fellow captains are fantastic.  We all work well together especially during those rainy seasons with countless rain make-up matches! 

The three reasons I started playing tennis have remained the same from the beginning: Fitness, Fun and Friendship. Every time I step onto the court, I hopefully get a good workout, improve my game, continue to build friendships and ALWAYS have fun.

When I’m not playing tennis, I’m either hanging out with my family, using my Peloton, watching Netflix or working.  Keith and I are empty nesters with two kids.  Our son just graduated from Texas Tech and started playing recreational tennis a year or so ago.   We also have a daughter who is a nursing student at Baylor.  We’re still trying to get her to give tennis a try.  During the day, I do Talent Acquisition for Talkiatry, a company in the mental health space. 

I’m so thankful for my wonderful teammates, coaches and competitors, and I’m blessed to call them friends.  We wouldn’t have all these amazing tennis opportunities without the support of everyone with HTA/USTA.  Thank you for letting all of us be a part of this awesome tennis community!

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September 2022 Newsletter

By Derrick McBreairty

I am from Nashville but have been living in Houston for 10 plus years.

I have captained the Tennisquila Boys 18+ men’s 3.5 doubles team at Memorial Park Tennis Center and Lee LeClear Tennis Center for one and half years. It is always a lot of fun hearing people say they love the team name – Tennisquila, which was coined before I became captain.

My wife and I started taking lessons in 2018 with Coach Angela Bonilla.  Our daughters Zowie, 19, and Olivia, 17, have also taken lessons. At the time it was a new way to meet people and learn a new skill; but as a competitive person, I was hooked. In 2019 Angela encouraged me to join HTA to help me play with others throughout the city. In the spring of 2021 I had foot surgery, and Angela suggested that become the captain for Tennisquila to remain in the group socially until I could fully recover to play again. In the fall of 2021 I was ready to play again.

Earlier this summer a friend recommended a new coach, Katya Morozova. She has been incredible and very inspirational. Getting a different perspective from varied coaches is a great way to advance, and I can see myself becoming a more well-rounded player. I always strive for progress and to be competitive in anything I do, especially in sports and physical fitness related activities.

I have run in the Houston Aramco Half Marathon since 2021 and finished in 1:42 this year. I’ve also done some Tough Mudder and Spartan races, which are competitive on a different level. I am an active traveler, enjoy hiking, skiing, swimming, love SCUBA diving, and I play one-off sports like golf or basketball with friends from time to time. If I had more time, I would play more golf regularly.

Tennis is a great way to meet new people, stay active and competitive and to keep fit.   Not only am I involved in HTA, but a group of us (24-28 people) play every Sunday at Kluge Tennis Center in Cypress. Nathan Overstreet formed the group, and it has been something I look forward to every weekend.

Our team has had some great wins over the last year and a half. We do not have any awards just yet, but that will come. It’s been a challenge to keep the team organized and scheduled with limited players. During the pandemic everyone was sort of trapped in Houston and able to play when restrictions were lifted. Now with the pandemic ending, or waning, I should say, business travel is back; so are vacations and school trips. It can be hard to have enough players to cover all the ones out each week.

The important thing about being a captain is to find a way to keep the play organized and enjoyable for everyone. I like lots of communication, and that seems to work well for my team and players. We have a great group and have fun. My teammates and I have become friends, and that is what I want to get out of playing.

I work for Autodesk, a global tech company based in San Francisco. I am in sales and currently focused on launching a product called Spacemaker to the North American market. Being in business sales and driving revenue is thrilling and competitive. Winning deals and closing business is something I am passionate about.

Getting into tennis has been great entertainment. I have met some amazing people, and many are great friends. So many in the Houston tennis community are thoughtful people with interesting backgrounds from all over the world. On our team alone we have eight to ten different countries represented. I’d have to drill into that to know the exact amount, but that is what is exciting and interesting. Having all these players with different backgrounds and cultures all on one team keeps it motivating.

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August 2022 Newsletter

By Anna Arante

Hello, my name is Anna Arante. I have been a captain of USTA/HTA Leagues intermittently for three years, along with the 8.0 Mix Doubles – Cross Creek Ranch Got Mixed, based out of the Fulshear and Katy areas of Texas, in the last four years. Always active in many sports since coming to the United States from the Philippines, I first picked up tennis in junior high school and competed from junior high through junior college. I rediscovered my love for tennis in 2013 upon relocating to Texas with my family. I saw someone with a tennis skirt on and thought “Hey I remember how I liked playing tennis.” My neighbor Libby Stanton suggested I try a drill taught by Coach Bobby Meeks. I showed up to the drill with my 4×4 old Yonex racquet and did well enough that Coach Meeks suggested I join one of the women’s team. From that moment on, I was inspired by the joy and blessing of being in a thriving tennis community and started competing in various local and USTA leagues and tournaments. Many of the teams I have been a part of have gone to playoffs and/or finals of tournaments–2019 mix doubles Got Mixed went to playoffs; recently Friday 4.0 team Summer Love went to playoffs and is now going to Little State tournament; 2021Tri-Level 3.0, 3.5, 4.0 Heartbreakers went to finals. It has been so much fun to participate in competitive tennis!

Being an avid tennis player and coach, I am either playing a match, at a lesson, teaching or doing something for my two kids. I received my United States Professional Tennis Association (USPTA) Tennis Coach Certification (2020). I am active with West Houston Tennis Ladies Association (WHLTA) as a Board Member (League Coordinator 2021-present).

I am blessed that my kids are active in tennis as well. Both have played on their school tennis teams and compete in tournaments. My husband is more of a basketball fan, but he is our greatest fan. With tennis, we can go anywhere and just play. Tennis is that important to us. We incorporate our tennis training wherever we may go and make sure we are in driving distance, if not walking distance, to a tennis court.

Captaining teams and aspiring players is a blessing. Technology now makes it easier to communicate and schedule matches. However, the best part of being a captain is the camaraderie. Being part of the tennis community is the best opportunity to meet a lot of people for personal and professional growth. Recently, I was able to participate as a volunteer at the University of Houston Cougar Open, an adaptive tennis tournament. This experience/group has energized me to a new avenue of growth that I am excited to further explore and promote!

Keep up the good work HTA! Let us continue sharing our love for this wonderful sport!

“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” – Arthur Ashe

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July 2022 Newsletter

By Matt Rossner

Hi, my name is Matt Rosner, I have been involved with HTA leagues for the last 10 years on an off. I live and play in Sugar Creek and have been the captain for various teams over the last seven years or so. I currently captain a Thursday night men’s team, with varying success (we haven’t won too much but we have our fair share of fun!). 

Tennis has always been a part of my life. I was introduced and started playing as a child. During high school tennis took a back seat to other team sports, but I picked up tennis again in college and again after moving back to Sugar Land. I enjoy tennis as an outlet for exercise, competition and camaraderie. Most of my family plays tennis, including my wife, brothers and mother. We used to all play on the same mixed team, but those days are done with my two little kids. However, I can’t wait to get them into the game as well!  

When I’m not playing tennis, I like to spend my time with my family, including my two sons who are two years and nine months old. I also play as much golf as my life (and wife) will allow. I am an optometrist at Colony Eye Care Center, a private eye care practice with two locations in Sugar Land and Missouri City. I am happy to say that I get to see both teammates and opponents from time to time as patients!

Captaining a league team has been a rewarding experience for me. It definitely isn’t always smooth sailing, trying to chase down players and figure out lineups when people are out of town. However, I enjoy the chance to make friends and rekindle the team environment experienced from the other sports I played growing up. I am looking forward to next season!

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June 2022 Newsletter

By Janet Bassett

My name is Janet Bassett and I have been captain and/or co-captain of our 3.5 team for over 25 years and counting.  We currently play out of Wilchester in the Memorial area.

I was excited to play tennis after my second child when a friend invited me to play at Westside Tennis Club. I thought, sure I can do that since I have always loved playing different sports, i.e., track, basketball, snow skiing, volleyball.  I am competitive, and I quickly realized I needed to take lessons. I took lessons and played in many tournaments in the Fort Bend tennis area. Chuck Sanchelli and others were great to help me improve my game. I have done regular drills with different pros in the Houston area.

A friend and I started a Tuesday night team out of Lee LeClear, and when she moved up to 4.0, I stayed on as captain.  Our team has moved around to different facilities, and we still have a couple of players from the early days on the team.

My friend Maria Koteras agreed to be captain for several years when work commitments kept me too busy. Our goal was to have a fun and competitive team for women that could not always play day leagues.

 I have made it a priority to play consistently on the HTA and USTA night leagues year after year since the ‘90s.

Being a captain has had its challenges, especially when you have talented players get hurt, or there is some rebuilding that needs to be done. I remember the days when we did not have text or apps to keep us organized. I would dread Tuesday telephone calling cancellations or trying to reach everyone. Anyone else relate? There are some great tools now that help communication.

 I enjoy the sportsmanship of the captains and collaborating with them.  Ann Wilde and everyone at HTA are the best in keeping tennis fun and helping us navigate through any hurdles that come up as captains.

We have won our division a few times and has been to city play-offs.  There are so many excellent 3.5 tennis players in Houston, and I enjoy the matches.

I also organize a Saturday morning group.  We usually have four to eight players come out. We have various levels play, so it is competitive, plus we get good practice and exercise, as well as lots of chatting and laughs.

I am vice president for an accounts receivable management company, CISCO, Inc.  I try to add tennis activities at conferences and with clients that play tennis whenever possible.

 My family loves sports and has been so supportive with my passion for tennis. I keep telling them it is never too late to play!

One of the best things about tennis is the lifelong friendships I have made and treasure. We started to go to John Newcombe’s Tennis Ranch and  have done regular girls tennis trips to the US Open and other areas of the country.

I hope to be able to play tennis for many more years to come!

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May 2022 Newsletter

By Nathan Overstreet

I am the captain of the Relics, a 3.5 and over 18 men’s league which has been associated with either Memorial Park or Lee Le Clear tennis centers. I served as co-captain with Ray Roberson last year, and I was finally old enough to join Ray’s Team, a 7.0 over 55 team this spring.

I grew up in a small town in Southern New Mexico playing competitive golf in high school and participating on the Speech and Debate team. I have carried both of those activities into my adult life. I maintain a single-digit handicap competing in Houston Greater Amateur Golf Association tournaments and work as a civil trial attorney.

Ten years ago, I decided that I needed to focus on my fitness because I had gained too much weight – even though I still loved to play golf. I started out working with personal trainers and took up yoga. I even worked with a gymnastics instructor at the Houston Gymnastics Academy until I tore my rotator cuff in a fall.

Just when I needed a new outlet for physical fitness and competition, I went home to New Mexico and watched two of my nephews compete in the doubles semifinals in the New Mexico High School State Championship. It inspired me to try tennis at age 50. I have taken lessons with several local tennis instructors, Regina Nychytailova, Nealie Kaplan, Angela Bonilla and Shuon Madden. Bonilla recommended that I join an HTA league. Although I did not win a single match my first season, my team captain encouraged me to reach out to Roberson and join his team. The members of the Relics welcomed me and improved my game.

Coach Kaplan and her husband Carl helped form a group of players to practice. That group has now grown and is called Tennis Anyone. We usually have around 20-24 players meet Sunday mornings at Kluge Tennis Center. Tennis Anyone is a free program open to players of all levels.

Most of my family would say that I am somewhere between competitive and overly competitive. Being a part of a league allows me to scratch the competitive itch, be physically active and meet some great people. The group photo included was taken during a combined Tennis Anyone event with a postponed match between the Relics and Tennisquilla.

Being a captain has been a rewarding and challenging experience. I truly appreciate the supportive players and leaders within the Houston tennis community that help keep tennis fun and challenging.

See you on the courts!

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April 2022 Newsletter

By Eve Reed

Hi, my name is Eve Reed, and I captain the Spinderellas, a 3.5 ladies doubles team playing out of the Bellaire Rec Center. I’m pretty new to captaining and am just in my second season.

It all began in 2016 when my good friend Heather Watkins (a fellow HTA player) mentioned that she and some friends were doing tennis drills at Bellaire’s Mulberry Park with Gary Sweetnam, and invited me to come along. I had never played tennis before but thought “why not?” Being in my mid to late 40s with kids in high school seemed like a good time to pick up something new.  I started in Gary’s beginner group and loved it! Our first team was Pocket Aces 3.0, and I joined the Lady Aces in 2018.  I am forever grateful to Heather for introducing me to tennis!

It is so much fun, and I love the camaraderie, friendships and memories formed over the years.  I am not a super competitive person by nature; I just truly enjoy being out there on the court and having fun.  But winning sure feels good!

I like to bike ride (my sisters and I rode the MS150 in 2019, a great experience), and I enjoy yoga and aerobics at the Y.

I really enjoy being captain…much more than I thought I would.  It’s fun putting the line-ups together, working with my co-captain, the players and the other captains each week.  My team makes me feel appreciated and I’ve really enjoyed getting to know these lovely ladies!  Our most exciting accomplishment was coming in first place last season for 3.0 league—a great way to start out as a captain!  The hardest part is dealing with rainouts and calling the match due to weather (will the courts dry in time??)

I’m the only one in the family who plays. I’m encouraging my husband to start beginner drills because he plans to retire later this year, and I would love for us to be able to play together.

When I’m not on the court, I work part-time as a motor fuels tax consultant at KSMLLC, a small niche firm.  As you are aware, the “gas tax,” the taxes you pay at the pump when you fill up, has been in the news recently.

I am so thankful for my tennis family and appreciate HTA/USTA for providing an affordable league structure so we can all play, improve and make new friends and lasting memories.  So glad to be part of HTA!

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March 2022 Newsletter

By Keith Korando

I’ve been the captain of the Willow Fork Men’s 4.0 and co-captain of the Cross Creek Mixed Doubles 8.0 teams for about five years.

Growing up in Illinois, I played tennis recreationally in my teens.  It was nothing competitive, but rather picking up a racquet and playing for fun.  Playing tennis was also an activity that my father and I did to spend quality time with one another.

Upon relocating to Houston nine years ago, I decided to give tennis another try to improve my fitness and to meet people.

I play golf occasionally, but tennis has become my primary sport these days.

My favorite part of being a captain is being part of a team and the shared bond that creates.  I have made most of my friends through the Houston tennis network.  Over the years, I have had the opportunity to play in the USTA city championships and sectional events.  There are so many fond memories from those events and I am grateful for those opportunities.

I would encourage anyone thinking of becoming a captain to embrace the challenge.  Group messaging technology has made the weekly captain duties so much easier.  Some long-time captains have shared stories about the days they would leave weekly messages on answering machines to coordinate who was playing.  Thinking about that makes me laugh as technology has come a long way since then.

My wife, Jennifer Korando, is a captain and plays on multiple 3.5 league teams in the Katy area.  Although we do not play competitively together, tennis is a common topic that provides us the opportunity to share stories and connect.

I work in merchandising at the Sysco headquarters in Houston.  My work team manages the product assortment of the various products that are sold to foodservice customers around the United States. 

My favorite tennis saying is ‘that you always learn more from your losses than your wins’.  Tennis provides an opportunity for continuous learning and improvement.  I have had the opportunity to take lessons and learn from some great Houston teaching USTA professionals like Rex Foreman, Peter Farrell and Chris Leben.  I am very thankful for their patience and tennis wisdom they have shared over the past few years.

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February 2022 Newsletter

By Valerie Locher

I’m Valerie, and I love tennis!  This is my fifth year of captaining the Big Red Icees, a women’s 4.0 team out of the Houston Racquet Club. I did not start playing tennis until the summer before my sophomore year, but I ended up playing varsity at Bryan High School, right up the road from here.  I remember my coach telling us tennis could be a lifelong sport. But after high school (and a few bad ankle twists), I didn’t play for almost 30 years.  Then in my late 40s after a tragedy, I thought, “I want to play tennis again!”  And I’m so glad I made that decision.

When I started a new team at HRC, we were trying to come up with a team name. One of the ladies suggested using something in honor of my son Brian. She knew that Brian died in 2015 from neuroblastoma, after a four-year journey. He was a month shy of turning 10.  I had not been able to spend much time outdoors during those four years. I’d come back to tennis to get back outside, and what I found was that tennis helped me heal on the inside as well.  I made a lot of new friends, got back into shape, soaked in the sunshine and marveled at nature such as heart shaped leaves and butterflies and white-winged hawks that soar above our courts.  And thinking about nothing other than that little green (or is it yellow?) ball is therapeutic.

I love helping others do the same thing.  Our team has a lot of stay-at-home moms.  (My oldest child, Lauren, is a freshman in college, and I’ve gone back to lawyering). Tennis helps us all get a break from life’s challenges and makes us stronger.  Our players love cheering for each other. We’ve had some great wins and some tough losses.  Each season we come a little closer to the division win – last summer we missed it by a tiebreaker.  Yet our main goals out on the court are having fun, friendly competition and improving our games. I think we are succeeding all around.  We have enjoyed playing many of the same teams, and after five years, we’ve developed relationships with players from other clubs.

About the team name: After my friend’s suggestion, I talked it over with my husband. He said, “well, Brian loved Mario, Minecraft, Scooby Doo and Sponge Bob…but he REALLY loved Big Red Icees!” We had to search to find stores that had the “Big Red” flavor because it HAD to be BIG RED. We thought that sounded like a cool name.  When I mentioned it to another friend, she pointed out that the acronym for Big Red Icees is B.R.I.   We have been the Big Red Icees ever since!  Hope to see you on the court!

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January 2022 Newsletter

Hi! My name is Kien Luu. I am a USTA/HTA  team captain out of the Houston area. I have run three men’s teams (4.0 men’s singles, doubles, 40+) and an 8.0 mixed team out of Memorial Park Tennis Center for the past six years. 

To give a brief history about myself, I was born in Laos, a small country north of Thailand. In 1975, my family immigrated to America to escape the political turmoil. My parents made a difficult decision taking four kids across the pond to pursue the American dream, and Houston is where we made our home. I have been living in this wonderful city ever since, working as a senior claim benefit specialist for Aetna. 

Being an active and somewhat athletic person, I participated in various sports such as flag football, softball and basketball throughout my life. Tennis at the time was just what I would describe as exercise, until I injured my back in my late 30s. As my back started to get better, I needed something to curb my appetite for competition, so I took up tennis full time since it was less taxing on the back. Never did I imagined that I would enjoy this game so much. Starting from scratch, I hit with different folks until I built the confidence to compete. It was more than just practice though, as I have to mention the countless hours I spent watching videos to learn the proper way to hit the balls from my various YouTube coaches. Tennis can be so technique oriented, but with hard work, perseverance and plenty of practice times, I was able to transform myself into a decent player. 

Soon after, I met Dave Patangia through a mutual friend. I didn’t know it at the time, but our meeting would eventually lead to the start of the “Good Guys.” After participating in several tournaments and flex tennis as a doubles team, Dave asked if I had any interest in playing on a 3.5 men’s doubles team that he was running out of Memorial Park. Not only did I say yes, but somehow I was wrangled into becoming the co-captain. 

In 2009, we started off as a 3.5 men’s doubles team, MPTC Spamalots. After a successful first season that got half of the guys bumped up, moving the team to 4.0 was a no brainer. Thus the birth of the Good Guys! After five successful years and losing guys to the next level, it was a no brainer to split into 4.0/4.5 teams in order to keep everyone together as one big happy family in 2015.

In 2015, I began my journey as a full-time captain of the 4.0 Good Guys. It was a perfect remedy to keep the guys together. Depicted as a fun, yet competitive group, The Good Guys brand started to grow. We have participated in many citywide championships in the summer with the exception of two years. We represented the city of Houston at Sectionals in 2012 as city runner-up and in 2018 as the city champ. The Good Guys will start our 14th year in 2022.

As a co-captain/full-time captain for past 10+ years, I want to say “WOW!“ Never did I imagine that I would be doing it for this long. I’ve often been asked why do I do it? A simple answer to this question: One of my greatest joys I have is the opportunity to meet so many interesting folks with the love of tennis as the common denominator. Hitting a yellow or sometimes a pink ball over the net is what we’ve all shared. At the end of the day, you play this great game, shake hands at the net and congratulate the winner. C’mon, it cannot be any harder than that — amateur tennis at its best!

Lastly, I want to tip my cap to all the past and present captains. I know firsthand how much you put your sweat, time and devotion into making this fun for everyone. Thank you!! 

Please stay safe! I will see you on the courts very soon! 

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December 2021 Newsletter

By Jeff Hechler

Hello all.  My name is Jeff Hechler, and I am a local USTA team captain in the Houston tennis community.  I currently captain several teams out of Homer Ford and Lee LeClear tennis centers in multiple age brackets.  I also run men’s drills every Saturday morning at Homer Ford Tennis Center. 

 A little about myself:  I am a native Houstonian.  Grew up in the Oak Forest area and graduated from St Pius X High School and then Sam Houston State University.   My wife Tina and I currently live in the Garden Oaks area.  We have one son who is off to college at Trinity University in San Antonio.  So not counting our three dogs, we are officially empty nesters.  Professionally, I am the vice president of sales for Schermerhorn Bros. Co., a packaging company headquartered in Lombard, Ill.

My love of tennis began in July of 1980 watching Bjorn Borg vs. John McEnroe in the Wimbledon finals.  Even though I loved watching tennis, I mainly focused on playing other sports.  I played basketball at least four days per week.  As I grew older, I learned that basketball was not physically sustainable so moved on to golf and deep-sea fishing.  But I always loved tennis and finally took it up in 2009 and have been hooked ever since. 

I started playing USTA tennis in 2014 joining Steve Briggs’ and Victor Tan’s Pearland Poachers team, advancing to Sectionals in my first season.  I have also been involved with Jason Freeman’s Houston Hurricanes, being along for the ride as part of his 2019 3.5 level national championship team.  Currently I am one of the founders and captains of the Houston Zealots tennis organization. 

The Houston Zealots tennis organization was formed one night in early 2020 over a few beers by founders Eric Storey, Milton Brown, Michael Hurst and me.  We were all part of the Pearland Poachers teams and felt it was time to rebrand and came up with the Zealots name.  At the time we had 25 players in our group and in just over a year have grown to over 60 strong.  We are a seven-day tennis organization and have entered many local leagues.  I am sure many of you have seen our Zealots shirts around the courts.  Our 3.5 team finished third in the city championships and won the Little State tournament in Corpus Christi this year.  Beyond that we organize and run team hitting sessions and drills twice per week. 

We are also a tight group of friends too and spend a lot of time together socially off the court as well.  We are a very diverse group from many different countries, cultures and points of view.  All are welcome here with the only demand being that you love playing tennis and are not opposed to having a good time.  

We have some awesome guys who donate a huge portion of their time to make this thing work.  Our main captain is Eric Storey who is the heart and soul of our group.  Our other captains are Joey Forrest (who also runs weeknight drills for us), David Mandell, Jonathan Crane, Michael Hurst, Milton Brown and Shawn Shoop.  These guys rock!!  They do all of the heavy lifting, and none of this would be possible without them.  The rest of the group is filled with a bunch of guys who love to play tennis and are always excited to get on the court.  It is a special group and is only going to get better over time. 

Tennis is a great game.  It is a game you can play your entire life.  It is great exercise and is a lot of fun.  It can accommodate just about any skill level.  Even though I don’t play basketball or golf anymore, tennis does have some key similarities to things I love from those sports.  The teamwork, movement and geometry of tennis reminds me of the angles involved in running a fast break in basketball.  And hitting a well struck groundstroke is every bit as satisfying as hitting a pure five iron in golf.  It keeps you coming back.  It is a great game and only made better by the competition and camaraderie that USTA league tennis offers. 

In closing, I just want to salute the great Houston tennis community.  Beyond the Zealots group the Houston tennis scene just gets better and better.  A big shout out to all of the excellent Houston area USTA captains, Ann and Melinda at HTA and Roger and Alfred at Homer Ford and Lee LeClear.  You guys ARE Houston Tennis.  I am honored to be a small part of it. 

See you out on the courts. 

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November 2021 Newsletter

By Danielle Stephens

Hello everyone!  My name is Danielle Stephens, and I currently captain three teams out of The Clubs of Kingwood, (Kingwood Country Club (KCC)).  I captain Tuesday night and Friday morning USTA 3.5 ladies doubles teams and a 7.0 Mixed USTA team on Sunday afternoon.  I’ve been captain of these teams for three seasons, with the Friday morning team making it to City Wide Finals last season–a great accomplishment considering it was our first season together. 

I started playing tennis when I was three years old. My father was an avid sportsman, and with a brother three years older than me, I always wanted to do whatever he did.  At seven I was playing at a local club in a small village about 25 miles outside of London, England, (Oh yes, I forgot to mention, I was born and raised in England until I moved to the United States in 1990).  I was on my high school (New Hall Convent School, Chelmsford, Essex, England) tennis team, but we only played in the summer as we had no covered courts.  I grew up doing many different sports – lacrosse for six years at school, swimming, netball (similar to basketball) and horse-back riding, and even though horse-back riding was definitely my passion growing up, tennis has taken over (mainly because it’s more affordable and these old bones don’t recover from sitting on a horse as well anymore!). 

After leaving high school in 1985 I didn’t pick up a racket until I moved to Atlanta, Ga., in 1999, when I joined an ALTA (Atlanta Ladies Tennis Association) team where we won City Finals in 2004.  In 2006 I moved to Houston with my job and due to working full time stopped playing tennis till 2019 when I became a member at KCC.  Since that time, I’ve been playing three to seven days a week.

Captaining one team has its challenges; captaining three to four can be crazy, especially when we get days or weeks of rain, but thankfully I’ve got an awesome group of teammates who bend over backwards to free up their schedules so we can get the make-ups done on time.  I talk to other captains and I know they have the same challenges, either with make-ups, crazy opponents or crazy locations we have to play at, so patience and a great team helps. So my advice to any new captain is to choose your teammates wisely and be sure you have a lot of patience!

I work for an oil and gas pipeline/terminal company here in Houston as a pipeline safety compliance manager.  It’s been a great job for the last 22 years, but I do look forward to the day when I can hang up my work ID and trade my pen and work bag for my racket and tennis bag!  I’ve still got a few more years before that can happen, so for now, nights, weekends and every other Friday morning you’ll find me on a court somewhere in the Houston area. So if you see me, or hear my accent, please come say hello!