The AMD League Tennis Captains’ Meeting will be held Saturday, February 16 at 10:30 a.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church, 2500 Brandt School Road, Wexford, Pa. 15090.

During the 2007 season we had a number of issues come up regarding League tennis, including self-rating, championships, etc.  Sally Baird, Middle States League Coordinator, will attend the meeting and will be ready to answer any questions about USTA League play.

The meeting is open to all who wish to attend, including players, captains and coordinators.

(Click here for directions)

The Allegheny Mountain District Board of Directors is pleased to announce the district’s Annual Awards for 2007.

Chuck Taylor

The winners again represent a broad cross-section of our district and all share a common goal of contributing to the growth of tennis.  They range in experience from Jack Dorsey, who has directed the Wheeling Oglebay Senior Open for the past 17 years, to Chuck Taylor, who started a girls’ tennis team three years ago at a high school that had no tradition in the sport – and in fact still has no tennis courts in the school district -- but now has a winning record and a 2007 state championship doubles team.

The winners are:

• Family of the Year: Barry & Beth Borza family, Beaver, Pa.
  
  
• Volunteer of the Year:  Debbie Hazlett, administrator, AMD’s Competitive Training Center
  
  
• Community Tennis Association of the Year: Frick Park Clay Court Tennis Club, Pittsburgh, Pa.
  
  
• College Coach of the Year:  Joe Camillo, Duquesne University Women’s Team. Pittsburgh, Pa.
  
  
• Tournament Director of the Year: Jack Dorsey, Wheeling Oglebay Senior Open, Wheeling, W.Va. 
  
  
• High School Coach of the Year:  Chuck Taylor, Chartiers-Houston High School, Houston, Pa.
  
  
• Commercial Organization of the Year: Club4Life, Monroeville, Pa.
  
  
• Non-profit Organization of the Year: Little Round Top Tennis Club, Punxsutawney, Pa.
  
  
• 2007 President’s Award: Bob O’Connor Tournament Committee, Pittsburgh CitiParks; Jane Famili, Tournament Director
  

Lori Sabatose

Chris Compton, a Pittsburgh financial planner, and Lori Sabatose, head coach of the Clarion University Women’s Tennis Team, achieved the No. 1 ranking in the Adult Open Singles divisions for AMD in 2007.

Kassie and Steve Leuschel won the No. 1 ranking in Mixed Open Doubles.  
Complete final rankings are on the AMD website.

(Click here for more)

Matthew Smith of Sewickley edged Alex Conway of Mt. Lebanon by a single point for the Final 2007 No. 1 ranking in Boys’ 18 singles.  The Girls’ 18 singles race finished in a tie between Joelle Kissell of Latrobe and Sarah Shashura of Brownsville, Pa.

Complete final district rankings are posted on the AMD website (www.amd.usta.com) and on the USTA’s TennisLink site.

Sarah Baich and Katherine Healy won the Girls’ 18 Doubles division No. 1 ranking while the team of Alex Conway and Tyler McCullough finished No. 1 in Boys’ 18 doubles.

The other No. 1 players in the final 2007 District Rankings were:

Boys’ 16 – Evan Kawalski
Boys’ 14 – Cameron Carlock
Boys’ 12 – Jonathan Perkins
Boys’ 14 Doubles – Chad Kissell / Dylan McCullough

Girls’ 16 – Molly O’Grady
Girls’ 14 – Callie Frey
Girls’ 12 – Jessica Warshaw
Girls’ 14 Doubles – Annie Baich/Jessica Warshaw

Bjorn Fratangelo

Bjorn Fratangelo of Plum Borough rang in the New Year in Tucson, Ariz., where he won two gold balls at the USTA National Winter Championships, a prestigious end of the year tournament for both Girls and Boys ages 12 and 14. Fratangelo outlasted the field of 128 in both the Boys’ 14 Singles and Boys’ 14 Doubles with partner Tommy Marx of Ohio. With the win, Fratangelo finished the year ranked second in the nation in Boys’ 14 and first in USTA Middle States.

The PMSTL is always looking for new teams.  This men’s league plays Saturday mornings during the summer at clubs in the Pittsburgh area. The format is 2 singles and 3 doubles, so a team needs 8 players each week.  There are no membership requirements for this league and the level of play is 3.5 – 4.5.   Contact Jim Block at block41@verizon.net if you would like to enter a team in the league.

North Allegheny High School junior tennis player Will Judkis organized and held a tennis carnival to raise money for the Gullikson Foundation in May 2007.  Tennis pros and twin brothers, Tim and Tom Gullikson, started this foundation after Tim was diagnosed with a brain tumor.  The foundation helps patients and provides funds for research.   The Gullikson Foundation recognized Will’s efforts and invited him to   Naples, Fl, on Nov 17 to receive the Spirit award for volunteering and creating Tiger Tennis Day.  Will is planning on making this an annual event.