National Opens

The hierarchy of USTA junior tennis tournaments is set up to accommodate all levels of athletes. Beginning with regional ZAT tournaments and extending up to international invitational tournaments like the Orange Bowl, the USTA setup integrates those with recreational goals while offering a strict pecking order for players with loftier ambitions. The National Open tournaments are level two national events, the second highest junior events in the United States. This past weekend many of ATA’s junior athletes disbursed across the country to compete in various National Opens, and showcase their hard work against peers with similar intentions in tennis.

Traveling to Irvine, California, Jeff Offerdahl and Chase Curry entered the boys’ 16s singles and teamed up for the boys’ 16s doubles. Curry started strong, earning a tough three set victory first round 5-7, 6-3, 6-4, over M. Alves from CA. Next he faced H. Porutiu, also from CA., taking the match 6-1, 6-1. In the third round Curry faced the nine seed, C. Kipouras, winning 6-2, 6-1 to earn a spot in the final eight. Offerdahl opened the tournament with a convincing 6-1, 6-2 victory over N. Hu from CA. Second round he fell in a tough three-set match, 0-6, 6-4, 6-3 to S. Eswaran from CA.

Mobile, Al. served as host to ATA’s 14s. Brittany Brewster won her opening round match 6-0, 6-2. She then rebounded from a second round loss to win two matches in the back draw while only dropping a collective two games. After dropping her opening round to the nine seed, Sydney Young fell in an epic consolation match, 5-7, 7-5, 6-3, to C. Fruge from Louisiana.

Claire Cahill traveled to Ann Arbor, MI. to compete against the top 16s girls in the country. In her opening match she battled G. Spindler from MI. in a tough three-set match. Spindler took the first set 6-3, but Cahill bounced back to earn the second set 7-5. Spindler ultimately came out on top, taking the decisive set 6-2. Next Cahill faced I. Ng, also from MI. Cahill came out strong, claiming the opening set 6-4. Ng responded however, winning the next two sets 6-2, 6-3.

While the National Open tournaments offer far tougher competition, the experience earned by competing on a national level is immeasurable. The ATA junior athletes who chose to compete in these events have ambitions that reach beyond the borders of the state. By showcasing their skills against the nations best in their age division, they now know exactly what it will take to succeed at this level.

Juniors go to work in Waco

While the 16s and 18s dabbled in Dallas this past weekend, the 12s and 14s went to work at the Waco Regional Tennis Center Super Championship Major Zone. Coaches Moros, Martinez, and Boyce traveled with the team to Waco.

In the boys’ 12s A draw, Dylan Ritter defeated Connor Lafavre 7-5, 6-2 to advance to the round of 32. After dropping his first match, Zane Ritter bounced back to beat M. Tyer 6-2, 6-3 and advance to the consolation quarter finals. Ben Smith battled to beat Matt Tyer in a tough three set match, 3-6, 6-2, 6-4. Jake Berber took down Eshan Dave 6-3, 6-1 to also earn a spot in the round of 32. Connor O’Meara fell to Collin Hecht after earning the first set, 4-6, 6-1, 6-1.

Payton Holden rallied after a first round loss in the boys’ 12s B draw, to earn three wins and claim the consolation crown. He defeated A. Joseph in the consolation finals 6-1, 6-2. Matthew Milliken beat Eduardo Marquez 6-3, 6-2 to advance to the quarter finals.

After falling to the number one seed in the girls’ 12s draw, Allie Burak responded by earning two wins and a spot in the consolation semi finals. In the quarter finals she beat K. Buck 6-2, 6-2. Maggie O’Meara, the number two seed, faced a tough test in her first match against Lauren Reid. O’Meara outlasted her opponent, earning the victory 4-6, 6-3, 6-4. She then defeated T. Donaho 6-3, 6-3 to claim her spot in the final eight.

In the girls’ 14s A draw, Nicole Karaklis defeated A. Karpen 6-1, 6-2 to reach the round of 32. Courtney Schulte outlasted M. Ocon in a tough three set match, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 to also advance to the round of 32. Sydney Young played two tough matches on the weekend, earning valuable experience.

The experience earned in tournament play at this young age outweighs any result in the scope of their tennis careers. The dedication and sacrifices these junior athletes are demonstrating will pay off tremendously down the road. Learning the value of commitment and sacrifice while in 12s and 14s will prove to be something they carry with them far longer than the memory of the matches won or lost.

Juniors compete at the Cotton Bowl

ATA’s super championship qualified 16s and 18s players traveled to Dallas this past weekend to compete in the Cotton Bowl Super Championship Major Zone. Coaches, Strecker, Houston, Schoenmakers, and Davis traveled with the team to Dallas.

Blake Davis earned five straight wins on his way to winning the Cotton Bowl crown. Davis defeated four seeded players in a row to take the title, including the nine seed R. Bader, and the three seed T. Brown, both in three set matches. In the semi finals Davis faced the number one seed Chris Camillone, who he took down for his third three set win in a row, 6-2, 4-6, 7-6(9). In the finals he faced Ben Guthrie, the two seed, who he defeated 6-3, 6-2. Alex Durham defeated the nine seed David Salazar 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 for his second win and a spot in the round of 16. Chase Curry, also a nine seed, defeated A. Chu 7-5, 6-1 to reach the round of 16 where he fell to the number three seed. After dropping his opening match, Jonathan Stockdale faced S. Katrein in the third round of consolation. Katrein, the eventual finalist, took the match in two tight sets.

In the boys 18s B draw, Donny Hackett faced Joey Good in his first match. Hackett took the first set 6-3, before Good grabbed the next two, 7-5, 6-1.

In the boys 16s A draw, Josh Hagar defeated Josh Fischer 6-2, 6-3 in his opening round match. Next he faced teammate Taylor Shamshiri, who defeated A. Frias 6-2, 6-1 in his first round. After dropping a tough first set 6-7(5), Hagar rebounded to take the second 6-1, when Shamshiri was forced to retire due to an injury. Matthew Sparks battled George Rivers in his first round match, taking it in a tough three sets, 2-6, 7-5, 6-4. Aaron Chaffee faced the three seed first round, going down 6-4, 6-2.

In the girls 16s A draw, Claire Cahill fought back from a first round loss to earn four straight wins and a spot in the consolation finals. In the consolation quarter finals, she faced the nine seed M. Magday, taking the match 7-5, 3-6, 7-5. Next she matched up with M. Pieratt, the five seed, who she took down 6-1, 6-1 for a spot in the finals. Brooke Hughes faced M. Pieratt also in the main draws opening round, taking the match 6-3, 6-2. She then defeated J. Manlapaz 6-2, 6-1 for a place in the final eight.

Conor O’Rourke bounced back from a first round loss in the boys 16s B draw to earn five straight wins and claim the consolation crown. He faced E. Tyler in the final round, taking the title 6-3, 6-2. Rob Steinwedell faced Wayne Chang in his first match. They competed for three close sets, with Chang eventually taking the match, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4. In his next match, Steinwedell found himself amid another dogfight against Charles Martin who eventually won, 4-6, 7-5, 7-5. Elliot Blatt faced the three seed V. Hansberger first round, going down 7-5, 6-2.

Raymond Traweek rebounded from a tough first round loss to take down the number four seed K. Funk. Traweek took the match 6-2, 5-7, 6-0.

The Cotton Bowl Super Championship Major Zone is not only a top tier Texas tournament, but adds the element of withstanding the winter whether. To succeed in Dallas requires a resiliency that these junior athletes have developed in their time training at ATA.

Official Signing Day

Nov. 16 was the official signing day for high school seniors.
Each athlete signs a letter of intent committing them to a specific school. Many St. Edward's University athletics programs welcomed strong players ready to succeed for the upcoming 2009-2010 season.
After signing four freshmen over the summer, the women's tennis team signed another potential impact player for the 2009-2010 season. Paige Rachel, from Cinco Ranch High School in Houston, brings an impressive tennis resume to the Lady Hilltoppers tennis team. Rachel was a three-year letter winner in high school, and became the first player in school history to win a medal at the state tournament with a third place finish in her junior season.
Signing up to play for the Hilltoppers women's golf team are Jacy Benites and Ali Walden. Benites, who went to Bowie High School in Austin, was named first-team all-district and was the district's individual champion her sophomore and junior seasons.
Walden, from Monroe County High School in Kentucky, was a three-year letter winner and tournament champion at the Buick Tournament and the Mountain Dew Tournament.
The baseball team announced the signing of two new players for the 2010 season. Bradley Nasis, out of Smithson Valley High School, and Weslee Schmitz, out of Bowie High School, both signed National Letters of Intent to join the Hilltoppers. Nasis, a pitcher/outfielder, helped lead his high school team to the state playoffs his junior season as well as throwing a no-hitter. Schmitz, also a pitcher, was a three-year letter winner and helped his team to the state playoffs in his junior season.
The women's basketball team signed three recruits to the team on Nov. 16 as well. The team signed two guards and a forward, all from Texas high schools. All three of their recruits are in their fourth year of varsity basketball.
Kelsee Barr, a guard from Lake Dallas High school, has lead her team to the district playoffs twice, each time making it to the third round. The other guard recruit is Sarah Milewski. She has been named to the all-district team three years in a row and was newcomer of the year during her freshman season. Lastly, Monica James is a forward from Melissa High School who has helped her team reach district playoffs the past two seasons.
All of these players will have a shot to build on the recent successes of the Lady Hilltoppers.
Other teams have also signed recruits before the signing day. Teams like women’s soccer have had recruits lined up since the summer.

Men's Soccer Misses Post Season Shot

The St. Edward’s University men’s soccer team came off the field Nov. 9 with tears in their eyes as they wrapped up their 2008 regular season with two devastating ties, crushing their chance to make it to the NCAA Tournament.
The Hilltoppers needed to finish ranked in the top two in the region to qualify for post-season play, but after the two ties, they slipped out of the top two and missed the cut.
This was a surprise to many as the team had a successful regular season, racking up a record of 7-1-2 in the Heartland Conference and a 13-4-2 record overall.
“It was just disappointing,” freshmen international player Don Morrison said.
The team played short two players against St. Mary’s University after junior Ezual Lewis got his second yellow card for dissent in the 32nd minute and junior Kevin Brolan received the team’s second red card in the 76th minute. The game was packed with penalties as St. Mary’s received 39 out of a total of 54 penalties in the game.
“This was the first time I’d ever coached with only nine players,” head coach Brian Young said.
In their previous meeting St. Edward’s dismantled St. Mary’s, beating them 5-1. On Nov. 7, the team tied St. Mary’s 1-1.
Young said it would have been helpful to beat teams earlier in the season, but the chances at the post season came down to the game against TAMU-International.
After Brandin Parras scored a goal in the 22nd minute, the game looked like it would go in favor of St. Edward’s. However, in the last three minutes, the Dust Devils tallied a goal that tied the game 1-1.
“We should have beat them,” senior Jesse Leos said. “But I feel the team played well.”
As a nationally ranked team for most of the season, reaching as high as 12th, it was both surprising and disappointing to players and fans to not make the regional tournament.
In the wake of the two ties, one player has officially quit the team and another is questioning his role.
“[Coach Brian Young] really is confused about what he wants to do,” sophomore forward Robert Georgiefski said. “We had a clear path to nationals.”
Georgiefski has questioned the coach’s in-game tactics, in particular why Georgiefski, a recent two-time Heartland Conference offensive player of the week, played zero minutes in this crucial game while others logged the entire 110 minutes.
“It was a strategic coaching decision,” Young said, when referring to Georgiefski’s playing time. It was also senior day, and Young wanted to honor seniors by having them in the starting lineup.
The season’s end has caused another player to question his status and part ways with the team.
“Things haven’t worked out quite the way I wanted,” Morrison said. “I have enjoyed my time here, it’s just not quite the situation I had wanted.”
Coach Young said Morrison is leaving on good terms, but there was an issue with playing time that could not be resolved.
The Nov. 9 game was a tribute to the senior players, and plaques were given out before the game. The departing seniors are Dustin Cherry, Patrick Miller, Jesse Leos, Mike Vecchiola and Kevin Brolan.

Tennis Team Battles at Blue/Gold

With the fall off-season well underway, and the Regional Intercollegiate Tennis Association Championships quickly approaching, the St. Edward’s Men’s and Women’s Tennis coach’s decided to create some competition for their players to better prepare. Head Coach Russell Sterns and Assistant Coach Simon Boyce each drafted teams of both men and women players, putting one squad against the other, in what became a flashback to Texas high school team tennis.
The Blue/Gold Challenge between the Gold team, coached by Sterns, and the Blue team, coached by Boyce, was a two-day competition of singles, doubles, and mixed doubles matches. The teams consisted of four men and five women, each competing in two singles matches, two doubles matches, and one mixed doubles match with two girls playing only singles.
Day one on Friday presented one singles and one doubles for each player, finishing with the Gold team leading in overall matches 7-6. The Blue team got victories from freshman Luis Rivora and freshman Heather Brien, while seniors Elizabeth Jacobi and Nick Arnold each won their singles match for the Gold team.
“Luis showed that he will be a potential impact player at this level, Boyce said.
Juniors Brett Powers and Justin Raiti teamed up to earn a win for the Gold team, while the Blue team got a win from freshmen Mary Bain and Audrey Tompkins.
On the final day of the Blue/Gold Challenge the intensity rose as the outcome came down to the final matches. The match was set up with mixed doubles at the end so if it was close, it would be decided on the racquets of both men and women.
When singles and doubles were finished, the overall score was 13-13, with only four mixed doubles matches left to decide it. Junior Bernie Lancaster and Tompkins pulled out a close 9-8 victory for the Blue team, the only mixed match their team would win. The Gold team took three of the four mixed matches to claim the Blue/Gold Challenge championship 16-14.
“Both coach Sterns and I are very excited about the year ahead,” Boyce said.

While the expectations were high going in to this weekend, the men’s team came home with mixed results. Raiti earned two wins on his way to the quarterfinals where he fell to the number one seed. Raiti then teamed up with Powers to reach the quarterfinals of the doubles draw, before falling to ACU’s team of Nunez and Hudson. “The team has a lot of work to do before the spring season,” Boyce said.
The girl’s team will travel to Abilene Oct 3-5 to compete in the Regional ITA.

Champ level players travel to Plano

Plano, Texas played host to the championship qualified players of all ages from all over the state this past weekend. Led by coaches Brookes, Boyce, and Schoenmakers, the ATA team traveled north to the Plano Fall Championship Major Zone, poised for a positive weekend.

Raymond Traweek ran through his boys’ 16s Red draw, taking the title without surrendering a set. In the finals Traweek faced Christian Kim, where he found his fifth win, 6-1, 6-4. After a first round loss, Garrett Callen bounced back to beat Byron Koonce, the number eight seed, 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 and earn a spot in the consolation quarterfinals.

In the boys’ 16s Blue draw, Ryan Burak, the number eight seed, beat Austin Megli 6-1, 6-3 to advance to the round of 16 where he fell to the eventual champion in two tight sets, 6-4, 6-3.

After falling in the first round, Breck Spencer fought to win four matches and claim the consolation championship of his boys’ 14s White draw. In the finals he faced T. Liu, taking the title by a score of 6-0, 6-1.

In the boys’ 14s Blue draw, Greyson Brilliant beat C. Galvin 7-5, 6-0 to earn a spot in the semifinals. Neel Kumar outlasted C. Kantor in a tough three set match, 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 to advance to the quarterfinals. Daniel Howell beat Z. Wooden 6-3. 6-1 before meeting the number one seed the next round. Pierce Kelley played two tough matches earning valuable tournament experience.

In the girls’ 14s Red draw, Carli Knezevich fought hard to earn a three set victory first round, then rallied to win two more matches to reach the semifinals. Smrithi Hariharan defeated E. Allen 6-2, 6-1, to earn a spot in the quarterfinals. Allie Carlisle beat B. Plata, the number three seed, 6-2, 6-0 to reach the semifinals and log her third win of the tournament.
"Allie had a huge breakthrough this tournament,” coach Brooks said. “I was very proud of her. She executed what we have been working on in practice and had an exceptional attitude. She played the best tennis I have seen her play, and showed that she is definitely ready to do some damage in girls 14s.”

Meghan O’Malley competed hard in two tough matches in her girls’ 12s Red draw, earning useful exposure at her young age.

It was no surprise to the coaching staff when the ATA junior athletes earned three spots in semifinals and a tournament championship while in Plano. Success is not earned the weekend of the tournament, rather in the commitment to preparation that precedes the tournament, and these athletes are a perfect example.

ATA hosts the Spenco junior Open

The ATA junior tennis players of all ages competed on their home courts this past weekend, in the Spenco ATA Thanksgiving Junior Open. The tournament welcomed athletes of all levels to come out and contend while earning valuable match experience.

In the boys’ 18s qualified division, Blake Davis darted through the draw, dropping a total of eight games on his way to the championship. The finals faced him against teammate Taylor Shamshiri who defeated Hunter Goertz 6-0, 6-4 in the semifinals. Davis defeated Shamshiri 6-2, 6-0 to take the tournament. Also in the 18s qualified, Charlie Shin won his opening match 6-1, 6-1 to earn a spot in the second round against Chris Dale. The two battled back and fourth for three sets, with Dale ultimately prevailing by a score of 6-3, 0-6, 6-2. After dropping his opening round match, Jonathan Stockdale bounced back to beat B. Naovarat 6-0, 6-2 to claim the consolation crown.

In the girls’ 16s open draw, Brittany Brewster showed she deserved the number two seed by winning three rounds on her way to the finals. She faced Lauren Wilkerson in the semifinals, winning 6-2, 6-2. After a tough opening round loss, Lauren Schulte rebounded to win three matches and earn the consolation championship. Schulte faced Leanne Cantalupo in the consolation finals, winning 6-4, 6-2.

Many ATA representatives made runs to the later rounds in the boys’ 16s SC draw. Josh Hagar, the number five seed, fought to earn four wins and claim the championship. In the finals he faced teammate and number six seed Aaron Chaffee, with Hagar taking the title 6-1, 6-2. Chaffee won three matches to reach the finals, taking down two ATA teammates along the way. In the quarter-finals Chaffee met Ron Steinwedell who beat A. Dial 6-0, 6-4 in his first match. Chaffee won the match 7-5, 6-1. Next he faced Esteban Kaufmann who knocked off the number one seed Michael Garza 6-2, 6-4 in the quarter-finals. Chaffee again prevailed, winning the match 6-1, 6-3. Also in the boys’ 16s SC draw, Elliot Blatt beat Shane Trebisky 6-3, 6-1 before going down to the number three seed. After dropping a close opening round match, Conor O’Rourke racked up three wins on his way to taking the claiming the consolation championship. He beat M. Alda in the finals, winning 7-5, 6-3.

Jaxon Immler won the boys’ 16s NQ draw, earning three victories along the way. He faced Jon Yonge in the finals, taking down the number two seed 6-4, 6-4. James Seward, the number one seed, beat B. Whitten 6-4, 6-4, before falling to Immler in his next match.

In the boys’ 16s Champs draw, Raymond Traweek beat Brian Ong, the three seed, 6-3, 6-1 to reach the semifinals. Garrett Callen beat Will Bartlett 6-4, 6-3 before falling to the number one seed. After dropping his opening round match, Ryan Burak rebounded to win three matches and earn the consolation championship. In the finals he faced Will Burns, winning the match 6-2, 6-2.

Sydney Young won the girls’ 14s Q draw by winning four straight matches without dropping a set. She faces K. Lemond in the finals, winning 6-2, 6-4. Maggie O’Meara, the number one seed, beat Jill Lewis 6-0, 6-2 to reach the quarter-finals where she fell to the eventual finalist Lemond. Courtney Schulte won three matches to earn a spot in the semi-finals. In the quarter-finals Schulte faced teammate Allie Burak who had upset six seed J. Weaver in three sets earlier in the day. Burak and Schulte battled to a third set with Schulte winning the match 1-6, 6-3, 6-2. Allie Carlisle earned a spot in the semi finals where she feel to teammate and eventual champion, Young. Carli Knezevich beat S. Stapper 6-0, 6-3 before falling to the number four seed. Smrithi Hariharan faced Y. Astrapova in the consolation quarterfinals, felling to the eventual champion in a close match, 6-4, 7-5.

Mikaela Pope pulled out two tough third sets to earn a spot in the finals of the girls’ 14s NQ draw. She beat G. Yatauro 3-6, 7-5, 7-5 in the semi finals.

In the boys’ 14s Q draw, Greyson Brilliant beat Matthew Chappell 6-3, 6-1 to reach the second round. Neel Kumar took down Joshua Chacko 6-0, 6-2, also reaching the second round. After both went down in tough first round matches, Andrew Livitan and Breck Spencer found themselves matched up against each other in the consolation quarter finals. Two sets was not enough to decide it, as the match went to a decisive third set tie breaker. Spencer ultimately prevailed by a score of 6-4, 5-7, 10-7. Daniel Howell defeated W. Jezek to reach the consolation semi-finals.

Remi Immler ran through the girls’ 12 NQ draw without dropping a set. In the finals she beat F. Young 6-0, 6-3 to take the title. Allie Young beat Anna Carlson 6-0, 6-2 to reach the quarter finals.

Dylan Ritter won four matches on his way to claiming the championship in the boys’ 12s Q draw. He defeated teammate Jake Berber in the finals, 7-6(4), 6-4. Berber worked for three wins, taking d own two seeds on his way to the finals. Conor O’Meara beat J. Cobb to reach the quarter finals. Ben Smith defeated Austin Vo 6-3, 6-0 to earn a spot in the final eight. Zane Ritter beat Andrew Laylock 6-1, 6-1 to reach the third round. After dropping his first round match, Payton Holden bounced back to earn three wins and take the consolation championship. Sanjit Kumar dropped a hard fought three set match in the quarter finals of consolation to H. Buford 1-6, 7-5, 10-7.

In the boys’ 12s NQ draw, Rahul Gorti, the number two seed, beat J. Parker 4-6, 7-6(4), 6-4, to reach the quarter finals. Zach Knezevich won three matches on his may to the consolation finals. He beat P. Mannem 6-4, 2-6, 10-7 in the semi finals. Angelo McKinnon, Sanchit Gupta, and Ankith Kandikonda earned valuable match experience while competing in the tournament.

While the ATA coaches and players are typically scattered throughout the state or country at various tournaments, the Spenco ATA Thanksgiving Junior Open offers an opportunity to compete in a high level tournament without all the travel. The hard work and preparation of the ATA representatives was rewarded with successful results from all ages and levels.

12s and 14s travel to Wichita Falls

Austin Tennis Academy’s top 12s and 14s traveled to Wichita Falls this past weekend, where they competed in the Echometer Super Championship Major Zone. Led by coaches Notis, Martinez and Houston, the ATA team went north to test their hard work against the best the state has to offer.

After dropping his first match in the boys’ 12s draw, Matthew Milliken won three rounds to reach the consolation semifinals. He beat A. Pandey 7-6(3), 6-3 in the consolation quarterfinals Conor O’Meara won his first round match 6-4, 6-4 to reach the second round.

“Conor played with great energy and fought hard for a first round win,” coach Notis said.

Jake Berber beat Prince Gbodamosi 6-1, 6-3 in his second match to earn a spot in the third round of consolation.

“Jake played smart and aggressive using his full array of weapons to frustrate his opponents and deal with the wind,” coach Notis said.

Payton Holden faced the tough task of taking on two teammates after falling in his first match. He beat Dylan Ritter 6-3, 6-2 in the first round of consolation, only to advance and face Ben Smith. Payton and Ben battled for three sets with Payton prevailing in the end, 6-2, 2-6, 6-3. Zane Ritter earned valuable experience competing in two high-level matches over the weekend.

“Zane showed great progress in his game constructing points and serving well,” coach Notis said.

In the girls’ 12s draw, Maggie O’Meara, the number one seed, won three straight matches without dropping a set. She beat M. Rabson, the number five seed, 6-1, 7-5 to reach the semifinals. Allie Burak battled to beat M. Antohi 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 in a tough first round match.

In the girls’ 14s A draw, Brittney Brewster beat A. Dickens 6-2, 6-0 to reach the round of 16. Sydney Young rallied after a tough first round loss to earn four wins and a spot in the consolation finals. Young took down A. Piranian 6-1, 6-2 in the consolation semifinals. Courtney Schulte competed hard in two tough matches on the weekend. Nicole Karaklis won three straight matches after her first round, to earn a place in the consolation semifinals. She beat K. Garland 6-2, 6-2 in the consolation quarterfinals.

The west Texas wind was a challenge for ATA’s 12s and 14s, and they faced it head on.
“It was brutal,” coach Notis said. “Our players did a really good job of dealing with the conditions. They competed hard and had a good attitude about it.”

My students travel to College Station

The super championship qualified players traveled to College Station to take on the top 16s and 18s players that Texas has to offer. Coaches Newman, Strecker, and Collins accompanied the team to compete in the Bryan College Station Super Champ Major Zone this past weekend.

In the boys’ 18s A draw, Blake Davis battled to beat R. Bader 6-7, 6-3, 6-3 to reach the semifinals. There he faced the number five seed W. Oliver, where he logged his second three set win, 6-2, 6-7, 6-3.
“Blake showed great fight and played with great spirit in reaching the finals,” coach Newman said.
Jeff Offerdahl worked for two wins before falling to the number three seed, 6-4, 6-1. He beat S. Griffin 6-2, 6-3 to reach the round of 16. Jonathan Stockdale dropped his first round match before withdrawing with a back injury. Chase Curry won two tough three set matches to reach the round of 16.

In the girls’ 18s B draw, Brooke Hughes battled through two tough matches to earn a spot in the semifinals. Entering as the number four seed, Hughes beat M. Hudson 6-1, 5-7, 6-2 in the quarterfinals to reach the final four.

In his second match in the boys’ 18s B draw, Donny Hackett played Taylor Cooper in two tough sets, ultimately going down 7-6, 6-4.

Claire Cahill beat Brittany Thompson 6-3, 6-1 in her first match in the girls 16s A draw. Next she faced Kelli Hine who got the best of her in a highly competitive match, 6-2, 7-5.

In the girls’ 16s B draw, Kate Cahill earned two tough wins to reach the round of 16 beating Leah Smith 7-5, 6-4 in her second match.

“Kate played inspired tennis,” coach Collins said. “She fought hard for every single point, really earning both of her wins.”

In the boys’ 16s A draw, Chris Dale fought to earn five straight wins and a spot in the finals.

“This was a breakout tournament for Chris,” coach Newman said.

Josh Hagar beat J. Leonik 6-7, 6-1, 6-2 for his second win and spot in the third round, where he faced teammate Dale. Taylor Shamshiri, the number five seed, defeated D. Weiner 2-6, 7-6, 6-1 to reach the round of 16. After a first round loss, Charlie Shin bounced back to earn two wins and a spot in the consolation quarterfinals. He defeated A. Frye 6-2, 7-6 for his second win. Matthew Sparks competed hard in two tough matches on the weekend.

Aaron Chaffee reached the finals of the boys’ 16s B consolation, winning three matches along the way. Esteban Kaufman beat K. Cassady 7-6, 6-4 to reach the round of 32. Conor O’Rourke worked to earn two wins on the weekend and a spot in the round of 16. Rob Steinwedell competed hard in his two matches, playing through the pain of a recent injury.

In order to succeed against this high level of competition, one must first be able to adjust to changing weather. While the freezing fall wind made things tough at times, the ATA juniors played with maturity and poise, earning successful results in College Station despite the less than ideal conditions.

My tennis students compete at National Open tournaments

The hierarchy of USTA junior tennis tournaments is set up to accommodate all levels of athletes. Beginning with regional ZAT tournaments and extending up to international invitational tournaments like the Orange Bowl, the USTA setup integrates those with recreational goals while offering a strict pecking order for players with loftier ambitions. The National Open tournaments are level two national events, the second highest junior events in the United States. This past weekend many of ATA’s junior athletes disbursed across the country to compete in various National Opens, and showcase their hard work against peers with similar intentions in tennis.
Traveling to Irvine, California, Jeff Offerdahl and Chase Curry entered the boys’ 16s singles and teamed up for the boys’ 16s doubles. Curry started strong, earning a tough three set victory first round 5-7, 6-3, 6-4, over M. Alves from CA. Next he faced H. Porutiu, also from CA., taking the match 6-1, 6-1. In the third round Curry faced the nine seed, C. Kipouras, winning 6-2, 6-1 to earn a spot in the final eight. Offerdahl opened the tournament with a convincing 6-1, 6-2 victory over N. Hu from CA. Second round he fell in a tough three-set match, 0-6, 6-4, 6-3 to S. Eswaran from CA.
Mobile, Al. served as host to ATA’s 14s. Brittany Brewster won her opening round match 6-0, 6-2. She then rebounded from a second round loss to win two matches in the back draw while only dropping a collective two games. After dropping her opening round to the nine seed, Sydney Young fell in an epic consolation match, 5-7, 7-5, 6-3, to C. Fruge from Louisiana.
Claire Cahill traveled to Ann Arbor, MI. to compete against the top 16s girls in the country. In her opening match she battled G. Spindler from MI. in a tough three-set match. Spindler took the first set 6-3, but Cahill bounced back to earn the second set 7-5. Spindler ultimately came out on top, taking the decisive set 6-2. Next Cahill faced I. Ng, also from MI. Cahill came out strong, claiming the opening set 6-4. Ng responded however, winning the next two sets 6-2, 6-3.
While the National Open tournaments offer far tougher competition, the experience earned by competing on a national level is immeasurable. The ATA junior athletes who chose to compete in these events have ambitions that reach beyond the borders of the state. By showcasing their skills against the nations best in their age division, they now know exactly what it will take to succeed at this level.

A short video of Chico

Meet Chico:

Five Celebrity Updates: Plaxico Burress

Plaxico Burress is the best receiver on the Super Bowl Champion NY Giants. His career peaked when he caught the game-winning touchdown in last years Championship game.

Sense then, Burress has caused nothing but duress.

This season he has already been fined $204,000 for his behavior on and off the field. Among his erratic antics was a fine for verbally abusing an official. He was suspended an entire game for missing practice and not being reachable or telling anyone in advance. He then skipped medical treatment and was benched for a first quarter of another game.
While all of this behavior has led some fans to call for his departure, his latest debauchery easily tops them all. Last night Burress shot himself in the leg. He spent the night in a Manhattan hospital with his self-inflicted gun-shot wound.

If back to back Super Bowls isn’t enough motivation for Burress to clean up his lifestyle, getting married and having children should have been. Burress should be suspended from the NFL for the remainder of the season. He represents everything that is wrong with professional sports. His athletic ability allows him to live by a different moral standard, and he takes advantage at every opportunity. Playing professional sports should be a privilege, and to me, Burress has lost his.

Five Celebrity Updates: Britney Spears

Last year Britney had bottomed out both personally and professionally. After the release of ‘Blackout’ and her embarrassingly bad performance on MTV’s “Video Music Awards”, she quickly became the tabloids top target. Her career, and life for that matter, appeared to be fizzling faster than her one night marriage in Vegas.

Now, Britney has surprised us again.

Her latest album, “Circus”, is set to release on Tuesday, her 27th birthday. It is touted by many as the best album of her career, likely taking her back to the top of the charts. Britney worked with basically the same people as on ‘Blackout’, which is peculiar considering the difference in quality. This revival to musical relevance is likely correlated with her commitment to the album.

Five Celebrity Updates: A-Rod and Madonna

Alex Rodriguez, baseballs highest paid player, appeared to have it all. Not to mention the $250 million contract, he had a beautiful wife, children, and is the star of the most recognizable sports team in the world.

Everything in A-Rod’s life was seemingly scripted to his liking.

Then he met Madonna.

Now, amid daily affair accusations, A-Rod has truly taken a turn toward class-less. While he and Madonna have continuously denied the rumors, their constant companionship makes it hard to believe. Despite the mess he’s made of his marriage, one would think that his children would still take priority. Disappointingly, to A-Rod it was more important to be in the front row of Madonna’s show in Miami, than to spend Thanksgiving with his kids. Commenting on this decision, A-Rod’s now former wife was correct in calling him “soul-less”.

Five Entertainment Trends

5. The impatience in American culture is bleeding into our sports.

EX: Americans can't and won't embrace soccer. If a sport is to slow to offer the exciting highs and lows the audience demands, it must change, or fail. Hockey was forced to change their rules to make the game more offensive and exciting.

Five Entertainment Trends

4. Celebrities adopting children, portraying a sense of moral concern and compassion.

EX: Angelina Jolie

Five Entertainment Trends

3. Celebrities using their fame as a pedestal to voice political views.

EX: Numerous athletes and celebrities, like LeBron James, chose to voice their political views regarding the recent election. This is different from the '90s, where Michael Jordan said "Both Republicans and Democrats buy shoes."

Five Entertainment Trends

2. Celebrities 'Going Green'

EX: Countless athletes and celebrities are now pulling up to events in Hybrids instead of Hummers.

Five Entertainment Trends

1. Who can make the quickest and healthiest form of energy.

EX: Five Hour Energy, now there is Six Hour Energy...each claiming the longest sustained boost with the least crash...all following the initial energy drink trend with Red Bull, Monster etc.

Modest Mouse 'We Were Dead Before The Ship Sank'

As indie music has become the latest trend of major music labels, the meaning of the term ‘indie’ no longer holds the same significance. What in the past described an attitude and path of self-sufficiency and a sound sovereign of conservative commercial influence, now simply is a descriptive term for any mainstream rock band with a distinctly authentic sound. There was a time when to be called an ‘indie-band’ first required independence from major labels and a strong dose of originality. While the influence of major labels has altered the meaning of the term indie, there are still bands that embody the autonomous attitude of its roots.

Modest Mouse has become a nationally recognized indie-rock band since their 2001 release of ‘The Moon and Antarctica’, which happened to be their first album under Sony’s Epic Records. Although this move to a major label would be seen as ‘selling out’ in the ‘80's, Mouse has done no such thing. The band released six adventurous albums either independently or through small labels before the move to Epic. The odd, unorthodox sound created by these albums established them as an indie-rock band. While signing with Epic expanded their audience significantly, it did not effect their quirky sound.

Modest Mouse’s latest studio album, ‘We Were Dead Before The Ship Sank’, combines their wacky off-kilter sound that has defined them, with the song writing and instrumentation of the Smiths Johnny Marr, creating an album that doesn’t try to transcend genre’s, rather flourishes in their introspective, indie-rock identity.
While much of their early work was experimental and innovative, ‘We Were Dead Before The Ship Sank’ offers a controlled, at times refreshingly reserved sound. Some might criticize this as the conservative influence of the major label, but to me it’s Mouse at their best, creating songs with a level of comfort and unity rather than the inharmonious unpredictability of past albums.

The song ‘Missed The Boat’ offers introspective lyrics on living life safe and predictably, only to later realize that opportunity has passed.
“I assume as much for other people
Oh, and I know this of myself
We've listened more to life's end gong
Than the sound of life's sweet bells.”

Was it ever worth it?
Was there all that much to gain?
Well, we knew we'd missed the boat
And we'd already missed the plane”
These contemplative, sometimes depressing lyrics added to the catchy rhythm guitar and up tempo melody makes for an instant Modest Mouse classic. ‘Parting With The Sensory’ combines calm acoustic rhythm guitars with the disorderly vocal harmonies that have come to define them.

Modest Mouse established themselves as an exploratory rock band with unpredictable, at times frantic vocals shouting deep subjective lyrics. Their latest album captures this identity while mixing in a resigned comfort that some will criticize while others will welcome as Mouse, modestly at their best.

Worst Costumes of Halloween

Worst Costumes: The worst costumes of the weekend were definitely the repeaters. Everywhere I went there were multiple Michael Phelps', variations of vampires, and dozens of doctors.

The assortment of slutty office girls, risque Disney characters, and next to naked flight attendants at times became maddening. The idea that 'Halloween is the one night a year a girl can dress like a stripper and not get criticized' drives me crazy.

Maybe it's because I heard that justification repeatedly over the weekend, or maybe because I have an 18-year-old sister who I don't want falling for that fallacy, either way, it's dumb.

Best of: Halloween Costumes...in no specific order.

Pulp Fiction girl: Wearing a white button-down shirt with sleeves hanging over
her hands, tired eyes, and a cig seductively set between her lips, this girl could have been any number of movie characters.

But when I noticed the needle dangling from her chest and the dried blood under her nose I immediately caught on.

The jet black hair hanging evenly around her neck combined with bangs cut just above the eye brows to symmetrically frame her face, Uma Thurman as Mia Wallace came to life.

Best of: Halloween Costumes...in no specific order.

Pregnant Nun: The modesty of a girl dressed as a Nun was somewhat refreshing comparably, but this Nun was special.
The attention to detail was immediately apparent. The full-length black robe down to her dull black shoes, clean white gloves, a white collar and black head cover with a white headband, she sheltered all skin other than her face.
The punch line however was her protruding pregnant stomach, inflated with a large balloon, creatively adding some ironic humor to an already stylish costume.

Holloween: Best and Worst Costumes

Clearance racks all over are wrapped in orange and black marking the end of Halloween. Extra large bags of skull shaped suckers, spider web streamers and screeching skeletons are suddenly on sale.

Halloween is over.

People everywhere are discarding their costumes that for some were a year in planning, while for others(like me) were a last minute ticket into a party. After seeing hundreds of half hearted attempts at The Joker and Michael Phelps, I thought it appropriate to do a 'best of' list of the costumes I witnessed over the weekend. While the standard for judgement will essentially be based on my opinion, I will factor in originality, creativity, and aesthetic achievement.

Terrorists could use 'Twitter' too, says U.S. report. They know, they're watching.

A recent United States Army intelligence report explained the possible manipulation of social-networking and communication tools, more specifically Twitter, by terrorist groups to execute terrorist activity. The report detailed three different scenario’s where Twitter, combined with other services available to mobile devices, could enhance the execution of terrorism.

Irony at its best. Facebook, My Space, Twitter, are all publicly accessible services specifically designed to make communication easier between people. It allows people to ‘network’ and establish groups with others that share similar interests or ideas. So then what are terrorist if not just another 'social group' of people with similar interests? They seem to be using social-networking tools in the same way supporters of political campaigns are in the presidential election, to share ideas easily with like-minded people. If the internet is going to be a publicly accessible tool, then it should not be a surprise when social groups with ideas that differ from our own take advantage of its convenience too.

The scariest part of the report to me was that the U.S. government had not detected any terrorist activity on Tweeter yet, although they had picked up several pro-Hezbollah Tweets...meaning they must be watching all of us on these sites. I guess our right to privacy of beliefs protected by the first amendment of the Bill of Rights does not extend to Tweeter.

Will Ferrell returns to Saturday Night Live

While Saturday Night Live has fell from my must-watch list in recent years, their latest skits satirizing the politics of Gov. Sarah Palin and President Bush have not only brought me back to the SNL bandwagon but opened my eyes to the necessary role of satire in American politics.

Will Ferrell's Dubya was hilarious.

Tina Fey's Palin was hilarious.

While these portrayals are an immediate laugh, the underlying issues they are satirizing are at the same time scary. In this time of political sensitivity, economic stress and a polarizing election, the need for awareness is as crucial as ever. Satire allows these comedians and writers to reach a vast audience without turning them away with the typical shallow bickering found in everyday political coverage. One might argue that the SNL skits are down right biased, but the again, what so called News source is not? SNL is registering numbers beyond any of the 'News' programs.

At least people are paying attention.

The House of Torment

“How about a small kiss?” a squeamish goblin whispered in my ear as he creepily leaned so close that I could feel his damp breath on my neck.

If chillingly clothed goblins with gory face paint jumping out at every dark corner or unsuspecting turn to startle you until it becomes maddening is the goal, then The House of Torment succeeds.

Its squirmy actors and actresses with their detailed costumes depicting crazy clowns or demonic children combined with piercing screeches and peculiar lighting make for an eerie experience that keeps your heart pounding and your adrenaline pumping. And no, I don't want a kiss.

Cindy McCain: Heiress or Humanitarian

It commonly happens in a political campaign that any substantial attention given to the significant other of a candidate focuses on the negative. It is easier to bring a candidate down with the negatives of their personal connections than to build them up with the positives.

Cindy McCain, beer-company executive and wife of presidential candidate John McCain, had her tax return released yesterday revealing an income of $4.2 million in the last year and an estimated fortune of around $100 million.

While Cindy McCain chooses to stick to the sidelines of her husbands campaign, any attention given to her by the media portrays her as a trophy wife beer company owner just along for the ride. The focus is on her privileged life and her alleged pain killer addiction in the early 90's.

Lost behind her barbie doll look, seven homes and inherited fortune, there truly is more to Cindy McCain. She has traveled to globe dedicating not only her money, but her time and energy to assist children in need from places like Cambodia to Morocco. She has dedicated her life to her own four children as well as countless other children in need around the world.

While the focus no doubt will continue to be on her inherited fortune from the Phoenix beer distribution company, the 53 year-old Cindy McCain has silently served children around the world with her privileged status, and would surely make humanitarian work a center point of what she does as First Lady if given that chance.

Longhorns take top spot after Red River Rivalry

The University of Texas Longhorn football team was awarded the number one ranking by both national polls Oct. 12, a recognition they had not received in the regular season in 24 years.

With a 45-35 victory over the University of Oklahoma Sooners, the Longhorns jumped five teams to claim the number one ranking and became the fourth team this season to be ranked number one.

The two Big 12 powers collided at the Cotton Bowl where they hold the annual Red River Rivalry. The Cotton Bowl, located 197 miles from Austin and 190 miles from Norman, Okla., has its seats divided right down the middle-half red, half orange.

The game was dominated by both teams versatile quarterbacks-the Longhorns Colt McCoy and the Sooners' Sam Bradford-who each utilized their athleticism as well as their effective passing ability.

McCoy's 277 passing yards and an 80 percent completion rate not only propelled his team to a win, but launched him to the front of the Heisman Trophy race.
By scoring a combined 80 points, this was the highest scoring game in the history of the Red River Rivalry.

While this win was a statement with national title implications, the Longhorns' upcoming schedule gives them no room to relax. Next week they face the Missouri Tigers in Austin, who were a top three team before a loss to Oklahoma State University Oct. 11.

The match-up in Austin will mark the first time since 1977 that the Longhorns have defended a number one ranking on their home field.

Following the match-up with Missouri, the Longhorns will take on the No. 8 OSU Cowboys at the Darrel K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium, but must travel to the University of Kansas and Texas Tech University for two tests on the road in the next five weeks.

The Jayhawks(5-1) are currently ranked 16th in the Associated Press poll and have gained national respect for the strides the program has made in recent years.

The Red Raiders may prove to be the toughest test of all for the Longhorns, as their high-octane offense has led them to a number seven national ranking.

While upsetting the top team in the country was a historic achievement for the Longhorns, beating four top-20 ranked teams in five games would solidify their spot as the nations number one team.

Gov. Palin gets no compassion from hockey fans.

It must be troubling when the backbone of one’s short lived campaign identity fails you at the most unexpected time.

Vice Presidential candidate Gov. Sarah Palin takes pride in the fact that she is a hockey mom. Constantly she tries to make a connection between herself and the many hockey families across the country that take on the same challenges of juggling children and responsibilities. This past weekend Gov. Palin made an appearance at the Philadelphia Flyers game to drop the ceremonial first puck.

Her appearance was not greeted with roars of sympathetic fans who can relate to her as a struggling mother, instead she was serenaded with boos.

It was a game between the New York Rangers and the Philly Flyers, two of the biggest hockey markets in the country, yet Gov. Palin got no compassion. Yes it was a bit classless to boo a mother and her two young smiling daughters as they timidly walk on the ice.

However it is a reminder that Gov. Palin in fact has a third child, a five month old son, whom appears to be spending another lonely night with the sitter.

Entertaining Journalism

With the quickly changing spectrum of media and the outlets for it, the role of a journalist has come into question. After reading an article that commented on this subject by Chuck Raasch of NewPolitics, I decided to offer my opinion.

Now that people can access news in seconds, rather than having to read the daily paper or tune into a nightly news cast, journalism has been forced to compete with the entertainment side of media, and basically become entertainment itself.

With news available faster than one can access it, from any perspective and angle that one could want, ‘news’ is no longer really newsworthy. Todays generation gets their news from the places that say the things they want to hear. The abundance of news sources has created a pick and choose scenario where there is no longer unbiased media.

A source must take on an identity and play to a specific side of the isle, or nobody listens. Things like “The Daily Show” with John Stewart or “Countdown” with Keith Olbermann, play to a specific audience and become more than just a news source. These shows must compete with the reality and drama programs that cover the TV guide at the same times, so in turn must include some drama or humor of their own just to compete. It is ‘entertaining’ to watch the news shows that offer the same opinions and views that you hold personally. People no longer have to hear both sides of the issues, then choose; rather they tune in to a show that offers an angle that is usually consistent with their own, and it is entertaining as well as informative.

News journalism has become entertainment. With the explosion of access to all kinds of media and news sources, an unbiased informative news source that is not funny or dramatic will quickly fail. News journalism has been forced to incorporate entertainment into its coverage just to get people to pay attention. By adding humor, or focusing on what is dramatic instead of what newsworthy, the news sources can compete with reality TV and the internet, but must sacrifice their unbiased credibility, and become entertaining.

"Always Sunny In Philadelphia"

It is a risk taken far to often; creating a cable television show basically about nothing, and hoping for the next comedy hit.‘Always Sunny In Philadelphia’ chronicles the lives of four friends and bar owners as they get into the most bizarre of dilemmas and find even stranger ways of getting out of them.

No punch lines, just the raw ups and downs of the relationships between four overly imbibed friends. While it can be hard to connect to the exact situations, as in every successful show the interactions and relationships between characters are easily relatable.

The four main characters are each equally narcissistic and self absorbed, creating most of the tension, while the seemingly effortless and natural interaction between them makes the show work. The addition of Danny Devito as the crude shrewd father of Dee and Dennis complements the cast perfectly.

If jokes about molesting children and finding a dumpsters’ baby might offend you, then this show surely will too. But just like others of its kind that rely on crude shock value, the immaturity and childish humor is always allegorical. If you can wade through the typical humor expected of a group of hard-drinking 20 something’s, there is always an underlying irony to be found in each episode, that at times, seems to be about nothing.

"The Office"

“The Office” is a TV sitcom based off of a British show by the same name. It documents the daily lives and routines of typical office workers as their personalities clash and they wade through the antics of their boss.

The cast is led by funny man Steve Carrell who is the Regional Manager for Dunder Mifflin Paper Company and an ultra motivating yet strangely awkward boss. The show is set up as a documentary, with no attempt of ignoring the camera, while chronicling the tedious time wasters each character employs to get through the day and simultaneously aggravating each other.

By mocking the typical antics and situations of a standard working environment while targeting the overzealous under-qualified boss, “The Office” reaches out to anyone who has spent time in this setting. Despite being a nearly complete copy of the British version, this NBC sitcom is a real hit and truly deserves its Golden Globe Award.

"Entourage"

“Entourage”, HBO’s Academy Award Winning series, chronicles the life of freshly A-listed movie star Vincent Chase as his navigates through the unfamiliar setting of Los Angeles guided only by the brother like loyalty of his hometown crew from Queens, NY whom he brought along for the ride.

The series is loosely based on Mark Walburg and his real life experience with the main premises behind the show. “Entourage” wittily tells stories of major career decisions and social setbacks all underpinned by the concrete loyalty and steadfast dedication of Vince’s two best friends and older brother who make up the group. With his cut throat spinster agent always a phone call away, and his best friend nominated as his manager, every decision becomes one made by the group. They succeed together, and they fail together in a dedicated allegiance to each other that is unprecedented in their cut-throat movie star scene, and at times is mocked by jealous onlookers but envied and respected by all.

The shows success and unpredictable popularity has powered it into it’s fifth season, with plans in place for a sixth. With HBO’s knock-out lineup of “The Sopranos”, “Deadwood”, and “Six Feet Under” now all finished, the executives will be sure to pull Vince through as many Hollywood calamities as he and his “Entourage” can handle.

The Austin Tennis Academy Raises Record Funds for A Glimmer of Hope

Friends. Family. Community. Service. This past weekends Scholarship Shootout 2008 encompassed all of these things while joining them in a collaborative effort to give something back to those who need it most. With a banquet on Friday night, and a pro-am doubles tournament on Saturday, the Austin Tennis Academy community was able to come together, bringing home alumni from all over to participate in this annual community event and generate support for A Glimmer of Hope Foundation while celebrating 5 years of success for ATA.

“We are connected to others in everything we do, from our families that live in the same house as us, to our neighbors in Ethiopia who live on another continent, in a another world,” coach Newman said.

Started by ATA’s Philip and Donna Berber, A Glimmer of Hope is dedicated to making a direct sustainable difference in the lives of Ethiopia’s poorest and at-risk youth in inner cities. By creating projects that provide necessities like easy access to clean water and stable structures for schools, the Foundation is able to offer a much healthier and safer way of life to those they serve.

The Saturday night party involved a live auction and a silent auction to encourage support of the Foundation. The teams participating in the Saturday pro-am were auctioned off, while many pieces of sports memorabilia and special hitting sessions were featured in the silent auction. With the beautiful backdrop of the west Austin hill country, and an extraordinary dinner provided by Spanish Oaks, the banquet was a huge success.

The Sunday pro-am format was set up with two groups of four teams competing in a round robin, with the winners of each group meeting in the finals. The day began at 8:30 with breakfast and a warm up, followed by the first round of competition at 9:30. After two rounds of intense doubles play, Bee Cave Bistro catered a delicious lunch to refuel all of the athletes for the final rounds. In the end it came down to Hackett’s Hackers against Youth and Wisdom battling it out for a years worth of bragging rights.

By encouraging students to participate in service projects and community events, the Austin Tennis Academy is living up to its standard of developing students to their fullest potential in tennis and in character.

“When I spoke to the young men and women who are here tonight, they were excited to come back and share their experiences,” Coach Newman said. “They have had and continue to have an impact on this program.”

Since ATA’s commitment to the Foundation in 2000, their work has produced 27 water wells in Ethiopia, with a goal of another 11 wells, one health post, and one school, for this year alone. Teaming up with A Glimmer of Hope allows ATA’s students to experience first hand the kind of direct influence their efforts can have, while contributing to a truly humanitarian organization.

The Shins 'Wincing the Night Away'

The Shins latest album released in 2007, “Wincing the Night Away”, takes their convoluted and energetic pop-rock style and adds a large dose of production to create what is by far their most pop influenced album to date. This album is a step away from their past work, possibly because their early success now allows them to afford added producing, or their unexpectedly large fan base influenced them to a more refined, pop-music sound.
Songs like ‘Sea Legs’ and ‘Australia’ offer a refreshing window to the intimate sound of their previous albums. Lyrics like “I’m a victim to the impact of these words” from ‘Sea Legs’ is a taste of the sometimes cryptic style of Mercer’s songwriting that fits smoothly with the bouncy, dreamy feel of their music.
This album is a definite success for the band. Adding the refined sound of a production room allows for the same light unexpected twists representative of their style without the typical clutter.

A Glimmer of Hope

A Glimmer of Hope is a foundation dedicated to making a direct sustainable difference in the lives of Etheopia's poorest by providing easy access to much needed clean water allowing them a far heathlier way of life.

A tribute to Paul Newman

Paul Newman died today at 83 of cancer. To me he will forever be remembered as 'Cool Hand Luke' and the unreliable player-coach from 'Slap Shot', Reggie Dunlap.

Newman used his success as an actor to fund his true love in life, racing cars. He will be dearly missed as an actor and a racing advocate, but most of all as a truly genuine person.

Hockey!

Hockey is back! The most exciting sport in the world is starting up again for the '08-'09 season. My team, the Dallas Stars, is coming off its best performance since the 1999 Stanley Cup Championship was backed up the next year with a trip to the finals. Last season they lost in the Conference Final to the Detroit Red Wings and eventual champions in 6 games.

This year there is defiantly reason to be excited. Despite returning standouts like Mike Madano, the team is scoured with exciting, hard-nosed(sometimes slanted) hockey players. Guys like Ott, Morrow, and Turco play with fire and energy offering a spark of energy each time they step on the ice. With the addition of Sean Avery, the leagues most widely respected agitator, this year will be as intense and faced paced as any other. In this playoffs last season, the NHL was forced to add a new rule mid season because of Avery. He would turn around in front of the goal and wave his hands in front of the goalies face. This is an example of the things an 'agitator' does for his team. He is loved by his team and hated by the rest. Now, the Stars have the two best. Steve Ott and Sean Avery. The two are sure to make this season as entertaining and unpredictable as any before as they streak around the ice sacrificing their bodies for the team. Next time someone thinks about taking a shot at Mike Madano, no doubt these two guys will first be considered.

Time to bounce the BCS

It’s interesting that close to every organized sport on earth involves some sort of playoff system to decide their champion. They actually have the top teams play each other to decide who gets a shot at the title, rather than using a computer and some equations to choose the final two. So why can’t college football catch up?

Their current Bowl Championship System is the most flawed post season system in all of sports. Thursdays game between the #1 ranked USC and Oregon St is a perfect example. USC came in as one of the most highly touted teams ever to play under coach Pete Carroll, who said this is the best team he had ever coached. Its said by NFL scouts that they have 40 professional football players on their roster today. But with one early season loss to a fired up in conference opponent, their title hopes are almost gone. They will move out of the top ten and essentially no longer control their own destiny. They now must rely on other top teams to lose just to get in the conversation for a title shot.

The BCS counts on their being two standout teams at the end of the regular season that obviously should play for the title. But that’s not the case. Ever. Each year there are somewhere around 4-6 teams that arguably should have a chance to play for the title. To deny these student athletes their hard earned opportunity to play for a championship because they come from a smaller market or a computer says their strength of schedule is not strong enough is outrageous. Teams like Hawaii of two years ago, Utah and Boise State must go undefeated to even be considered for a title shot. They come from smaller conferences with weaker schedules so automatically they have a terrible chance of winning a national championship just because of where they started. It doesn’t matter how good they are, which to me seems like it should be the only factor.

Why not use a playoff system? The top eight ranked teams at the end of the year play for the championship. The current BCS system can still be used for the rest of the teams in the way the college basketball uses the NIT. This would allow for underdogs to emerge and have a fair shot at the title. It would get rid of the unfair advantage given to teams in big markets with tough schedules. Bottom line, it would just be fair, and the BCS is not.

A Fallen Dynasty

The New England Patriots are the Dallas Cowboys of this decade. They have dominated the National Football League since the turn of the century by accumulating three Super Bowl victories in four years, an accomplishment they share only with America’s Team of the 90's. Under Coach Bill Belichick the Patriots set the NFL record for the longest winning streak with 18 games, only to break it by compiling a streak of 21 regular season wins.

This unprecedented winning streak came to an end yesterday when the Patriots fell to the Miami Dolphins, who recently threatened the NFL record for most losses in one season. When Tom Brady got hurt at the beginning of this season, it marked the end of the Pats run at the top of the NFL. Without him, their team does not work. His skills as both a player and a leader blanketed the team and covered their weaknesses. Without his stability leading this team their old age and slow defense look much older and slower. The Dolphins Ronny Brown ran right over the Pats defense on Sunday disregarding the past records set by both teams.
All it took was one play. One knee. The New England Patriots dynasty is over. Mediocrity has caught up, and considering the empty stands in the fourth quarter of their first regular season loss in 2 years, it did not take long for New England to notice.

Golf over the NFL...at least this weekend.

The drama of an NFL Sunday is hard to top. Except when an underdog team of American golfers is competing for its country against Europe in an improbable upset scenario going in to the final day. The passion and intensity displayed at this weekends Ryder Cup made for the most dramatic and entertaining golf I have ever watched.

The American team, led by the play of Anthony Kim, came in to this weekend without a lot of pressure as the Europeans held the trophy and were highly favored to defend it. A massive gallery surrounded every hole of the course on Sunday, offering prideful eruptions after each clutch shot the American team executed, creating an atmosphere comparable to Davis Cup tennis.

Turning what typically is a slow individual sport into a team competition makes for a far better television product. Toss in the intensity and pride of representing your country against the rest of the world and you have an event unmatched by any football game.

Spoon 'GaGaGaGaGa'

After close to a decade of consistency in the indie-rock scene, Spoon’s latest album GaGaGaGaGa captures their minimal guitar and piano identity while expanding their style and adding new elements to their already successful tone. This album, released in 2007, was recorded throughout the year of 06' in their hometown of Austin, Tx.

Song’s like “Don’t Make me a Target”, and “Don’t You Evah” capture the plugged in strumming guitar melodies and thoughtful lyrics typical of their previous work. The addition of a horn section fits perfectly into this album, adding to songs like “The Underdog”, a shift to an upbeat acoustic sound that immediately stands out as one of the albums top tracks.

Spoon’s past albums fell short lyrically by getting stuck in negative themes and dark undertones. GaGaGaGaGa however, escapes that with catchy pop songs like “The Underdog” and “You’ve Got Your Cherry Bomb” that successfully combines an energetic tone with positive lyrics. Britt Daniel’s reflective song writing is braided perfectly with the upbeat music and added production on this album to create their best work to date.

Andrew Bird Armchair Apocrypha

Andrew Bird’s latest album Armchair Apocrypha released in 2007 by Fat Possum Records cannot fit into one genre or category of music. Bird’s eclectic mix of styles and skills creates a sound that transcends typical genres of music, while simultaneously carving out a category just for himself. While his background and training is with the violin, Bird also skillfully utilizes the guitar, mandolin, glockenspiel, and whistling to create an intricate and sophisticated sound comparable to a one man orchestra.

Bird’s musical talent will keep your fingers snapping while it intertwines perfectly with his intellectually witty lyrics that cover everything from modern science to the fragility of life. Lyrics like "your what happens when two substances collide, and by all accounts you really should have died" for me takes his knowledge of modern science and mends it into an expression of fate, not a reference to drug addiction as many critics have claimed.

Bird’s textured sound and mysterious lyrics offer new meaning with each spin of the record. His skillfully intricate sound combined with unsurpassed word play and a voice that rivals the likes of Thom York, gives Bird’s music a depth that cannot be held by any category or style.

A review of Bon Iver 'For Emma, Forever Ago'

Justin Vernon released his debut album, For Emma, Forever Ago, under the name Bon Iver, a play off of the French phrase for "good winter". Vernon took a three month sabbatical in the north woods of Wisconsin to generate this album, possibly motivating him to choose the name him did.

Vernon's warm and weary voice compliments the albums indie folk tone perfectly, producing a style comparable to groups like Iron and Wine, or at times the Flaming Lips. His sentimentally reflective lyrics offer an intimately personal view into his life, amplified by his skillful singing that at times echos the likes of Jeff Buckley.

Vernon's mellow voice and melancholy style coupled with his thoughtful lyrics makes for much more than just another singer/songwriter production. While tracks like 'Skinny Love' and 'For Emma' define this album, each of the nine songs fit into the laid back style without sounding like it's stuck on repeat.

Breaking sports news from the source himself.

James Blake has pulled out of the Davis Cup against Spain due to fatigue, so Sam Querrey will replace him as the second singles player behind Andy Roddick. "I am excited to play Nadal and Ferrer in Spain on their clay courts," Querrey said. Sam is in Austin this week practicing at the Austin Tennis Academy(where I am a coach) before he leaves for Spain. He is currently the 39th ranked player in the world, putting him as the first alternate for a situation like this one.

The Americans are going into this Davis Cup match as definite underdogs. Spain throws two top 5 ranked players in for singles, and a very respected doubled duo to try and beat the tough American twins Bob and Mike Bryan. Standing a towering 6 feet 6inches tall with a powerful serve and intimidating ground strokes, clay would not appear to be the best surface for Sam and the other Americans. "Clay is actually one of my favorite surfaces," Querrey said, "I grew up playing on it some so I am comfortable on the dirt." It has more to do with where you grew up and what surfaces you played on as a kid when you are still young, Sam added. His recent experience playing Nadal at the US Open will prepare him for what is sure to be the most hostile environment he has ever played in. "Playing Nadal on Ashe Stadium was the best time I've ever had playing a match, even though I lost," Querrey said. "Hearing the crowd get behind me on a big point sent chills through my body every time."

Querrey, Roddick and the Bryan twins all found summer success and will be entering this Davis Cup showdown with plenty of confidence. They have nothing to lose with everybody picking Spain to win at home, so the time is right for an upset.

Best Burger in Town

After participating in likely the most spirited argument about hamburgers I will have in my life, I thought it best to share it. So which place in Austin truly is the best hamburger joint? The argument came down to P. Terry's and Dan's Hamburgers. For me, it's P. Terry's. The combination of their concern for quality, mouthwatering burgers, and unique fries that don't ooze with grease makes my choice very simple.
P. Terry's uses only 100% black Angus beef for the burgers. Nothing but canola oil is used to make the french fries, and the tomatoes are homegrown organically right here in Austin. Whether the extra concern for quality and health is just an Austin style gimmick or not, it works. Anytime I am craving a delicious burger and fries while holding the typical guilt involved with that selection, P. Terry's is the place. Many places around Austin serve impeccable burgers, but non do it with the care and convenience like P. Terry's, earning them the appropriate title of "Anti-Fast Food" from Austin Monthly.

Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen

Water For Elephants, the novel by Sara Gruen released in 2006 takes a captivating and unique angle on life during the depression. The title comes from the beginning of the story, when an old man in a nursing home claims that he once carried water for elephants in the circus sparked by one pulling into town. The story progresses as Jacob Jankowski, also in the nursing home, reflects on his life and time spent traveling with the circus during the time of the depression.
After tragically losing both parents, Jacob makes the impulsive decision to leave his life as a vet student at Cornell now being orphaned and broke, and join a circus that he stumbles across. The book tells the story of how this troubled college kid jumps a train and somehow gets entrenched in the inner workings of the Benzini Brothers Circus serving as the veterinarian. Life on a circus for Jacob becomes both the distraction from his tragic life that he needed, and a chaotic mess of love triangles, friendship and heartache.
This engaging novel describes a lifestyle so far from normal with problems that hit so close to home; with characters that tug on your sympathy and reside in your head long after the storyline comes full circle back to the bitter old man in the nursing home. With themes that parallel Catcher in the Rye, and a story that contends with the best in fiction, Water for Elephants is sure to be a classic.

Recognizably Jack

Mellow. Sensible. Comforting. Heartfelt. Immensely enjoyable. These are characteristics that fans have come to associate with the music of Jack Johnson.
In his fifth studio album, Sleep Through The Static, Johnson sticks to the same style that has won the interest of so many in recent years, while not living up to the hype it received as Johnson’s most lively and electric album to date. This sleepy new release lacks the step forward anticipated by many loyal listeners.
Johnson teamed up with keyboard player Zach Gill and drummer Adam Topol in an attempt to energize his music that generally is lacking in variety and contrast. While the added guitar is noticeable on "Go On", a track about his new life as a father, it goes almost unnoticed through the rest of the album.
The piano is the most positive addition. Gill sprinkles multiple soulful solos throughout the album adding some life to Johnson’s modest acoustic guitar. On the song "Monsoon" in particular, Gill’s unleashed piano playing makes for one of the albums top tracks. Sleep Through The Static tries to represent a step forward for Johnson’s music, but ultimately leaves you wanting more, at times sensing the trio holding back.
As a recent father of two, the 32 year old Johnson’s well-intentioned lyrics focus on his family and his environment. He moves away from his catchy pop lyrics of past albums, instead expressing real-world fears surrounding his new life as a father. "As the darkness gets deeper, we’re sinking, so we reach for love," he sings on the opening track "All at Once". Sentiments like these set a more serious tone for the album.
Sleep Through the Static is a good album. If you are a Jack Johnson fan you will be thoroughly satisfied with his latest work and it will definitely be worth the price. Although it does not live up to its build up as his electric album and it may not be the step forward many hoped for, Johnson’s soothing voice and understated guitar playing accompanied by Gill’s piano makes this album, recognizably Jack.
Grade: B

Novak shows he has thin skin.

Coming in to the quarterfinal meeting between Novak Djokavic and Andy Roddick this week, the drama was thick from every angle. Djokavic, after bursting onto the tennis scene and setting himself apart as one of the big three in tennis, finally proved himself by winning the Australian Open in January. Roddick, a former champion himself, had slipped as of late but recently had recaptured his game. The surge was not coincidentally just after convincing his Davis Cup coach Pat McEnroe to assist him in New York. To top it off the relationship between these two is nothing short of tense, with the two taking verbal jabs at each other in pre match interviews. Unfortunately, the simple trash talk and press pleasing interviews went from humerus to classless the minute the match ended. Novak Djokavic's post match comments in front of 20,000 plus in New York was the most embarrassing and classless interview I've ever heard in the post match setting. The crowd responded properly by booing him out of Ashe Stadium, a court named after a man not because of his incredible tennis skill, but for the class with which he used it.

Venus Vs Serena

Last nights match between Venus and Serena Williams marked the 17th time they had met in competition. Coming in, their head to head record was 8-8. Each sister has won a total of 21 hard court tournaments with both collecting upwards of 20 million in prize money. The parallels between Serena and Venus are endless, but what will be remembered long after the rest is that together they have transcended women's tennis stylistically, demographically, and competitively. Last nights match showcased serves reaching speeds in the upper 120's, an example of the shift to a power game dominating the WTA brought on by these sisters. Growing up in Compton, CA these girls transcended the idea that tennis was a 'country club sport'. Competitively last nights match was the highest level of tennis I have ever witnessed in women's tennis. The combination of power and athleticism on both ends of the court combined with the unusual pressure of playing a sister and best friend made for the most entertaining and highest level women's tennis match I have ever seen.

Reason to watch.

The days have long passed since we were spoiled by an all-American final in our nations tennis championship. The time of Agassi and Sampras dueling under the lights of Ashe Stadium has given way to a period of mediocrity for the American men, earning a combined 1 major title since 2003. The recent emergence of a talanted generation of young athletes however, has American tennis poised for a turnaround. Remember a name like Sam Querrey, a likeable 6'6"California kid who is shooting up the rankings and bringing comparisons to the great Todd Martin. This years Open features 3 Americans who battled for a spot in the second week, Querrey being one of them. Andy Roddick, the only American left with a Major title has served his way to the final 16, and is looking strong to make a push for his second championship in New York. Don't lose hope in American tennis just yet. While Agassi vs Sampras will likely never be matched, the next generation of American champions is just around the corner.

U.S. Open Update

The first week of a major tournament typically produces a few underdogs who win the hearts of the crowd by battling their way through the grueling three out of five set matches just to make the final 16. This years US Open is no different. With the typical superstars running through the draw in predictable form, the stage is still set for a Nadal vs Federer final. While it would be difficult to imagine either not making it, there are a few relative no names to pay attention to in the upcoming week. For example, Jaun Martin Del Potro has won four strait tournaments coming into the U.S. Open and is poised for an upset. He is one of a generation of 18-20 year olds(led by Nadal) who have torn on to the scene and are sure to be frequents in the later rounds of majors for years to come.

An election for the ages.

Having just recently turned 22, this is the first presidential election that I have paid attention to with any rigor. In the past, I have been quickly turned off at the first sign of personal attacks and petty accusations about things so far from politics that I cant find the point. Politicians sacrifice their personal respect to launch a few 'heart darts' in hopes of winning a couple more votes. This year however, I am completely hooked in to the passive aggressive and sometimes just aggressive tactics and strategies that the two parties use. Obama's speech closing the convention was far and away the most powerful and well delivered speech I have seen in my lifetime. Then to wake up the next morning to find the McCain people sending the media on a rat race to pin down their pick for vice president, ultimatly deciding on the least likely of candidates all in an attempt to underscore Obama's glory from the night before was endlessly entertaining. Maybe it's because I am older and understand the issues and the historical significance defining this election. Or maybe it's because for the first time people my age actually care, either way, I am hooked.

The book 'Freakonomics'

I am approaching the end of the book Freakonomics, A Rouge Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything by Stephen Dubner and Steven Levitt and immediatly it has launched towards the top of my all time favorites list. Levitt and Dubner essentially make the point that a correlation does not always equal a cause. Just because two things are consistently correlated, does not mean that one is causing the other, like a lot of 'conventional wisdom' will tell you. They take some of this basic 'convential wisdom' and turn it upside down, offering very unique angles on both important and simply interesting subjects.

One last chance.

With the Olympic excitment fading and fall classes starting, there is still good reason for the modest sports fan to keep paying attention. While the Olympics gave the slowest time of the year for proffessional sports a much needed boost, the culmination of summer would never be complete without the start of America's biggest tennis tournament, the U.S. Open. This year the drama is especially high with four time defending champion Roger Federer coming in seeded number 2. While Rafael Nadal has more than earned the number 1 overall ranking, it is outragous to seed a man who has one this Championship four years in a row, number 2. The stage is set for these two champions to meet in the final, giving Federer one last chance to slow down Nadal's inevitable take over of the tennis world, and defend the only major title he still holds.

where did all the integrity go?

With sports producing record high ratings and unprecedented levels of revenue, things would seem to be going pretty well. Unfortunatly, they are not. In the past, when an incredible sports milestone was achieved it was seen as heroic and inspirational. Today, when a record is broken or an underdog emerges, the first explanation always involves doping, or cheating, or fixing.

There are examples from every sport, from the former NBA referee Tim Donaghy who is serving jail time for his role in fixing games, to the Tour de France, which has lost every ounce of credibily and prestige that it once had with a laundry list of failed drug tests.

Because sports have evolved into a billion dollar industry, there is a lot more at stake. When talent is recognized at an early age, the child immediatly becomes a financial investment to either earn a college scholarship, or to go pro and make millions, when realistically very few will achieve either one. These children are put on a pedestal from such an early age that the sport they are so good at no longer is being used as a tool to teach lessons about life, competition, and hard work. Rather, the child is given preferential treatment that becomes normal for him or her. An example is O.J. Mayo, an NBA rookie from USC. He was allegedly given more than $30,000, free electronics, food, clothes, and who knows what else while in high school and at USC by a man attemting to cash in on a kid who would one day get rich in the NBA.

There are examples in every sport, of integrity being thrown aside to cash in on a lucritive industry. While these things are not unprecedented, the frequency and creativity of cheaters seems to be at an all time high. From the steroid era in baseball, Spygate and Mike Vick in football, to Davydenko allegedly fixing tennis matches, the intergrity of professional sports has given way to a financially driven enterprise concerned more with revenue than the athletes that produce it.