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THE RACQUET
the official newsletter of Timberhill Tennis Club
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Timberhill Tennis Club is a members-owned club whose mission is to provide its members with a superior tennis facility and to maintain a welcoming and friendly community for the enjoyment of social and competitive tennis.
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by Donna Keim
TTC President
Happy Spring to all of our TTC members!
Crazy time of the year if you play USTA league matches. We are ending the Winter league, signing up for both the One Weekend league and Spring league. Emails are a flying!
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by Hunter Lipscomb
Director of Tennis Operations
Firstly, I hope you like the new look of our newsletter! For most of us, our primary screen is becoming our phone or tablet, and this allows everyone (not just computer users) to easily access our newsletter anywhere, anytime! continue reading
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MemberSpotlight: Mico Santiago
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by Hunter Lipscomb
Did you know that one of our very own members is competing on the pro circuit? Read all about Mico and what he's learned from his world travels, and what he's planning next...
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 April 2015
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Timberhill Video of the Month
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NEW DIRECTORIES!
The 2015 TTC Directories are here! Look for them in the lobby, and grab your copy. All memberships get one free, and additional copies for $2
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USTA LEAGUE NEWS
 A couple of updates on our club teams' league play this spring. Firstly, I'm excited to have four teams representing the club in the new "one-weekend" league format in April. We have women's teams at the 3.0, 3.5, and 4.0 levels competing in Eugene April 17-19, and a men's 4.5 team competing in Salem April 24-26. Good luck to all of our players over those weekends!
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4.0 18+ Women's Team
The lone team we did field in the 18+ league this winter was the Women's 4.0 team, captained by Melissa Pohl. They have been a really fun team to watch--the team's record is 1-6, but don't let that statistic fool you--of those 6 losses, FIVE of them were 2-3 decisions. Talk about competitive tennis! Looking further, the team has more individual wins than all but three teams in their eight team division! Keep fighting, ladies! Their last home match of the season is against Athletic Club of Bend on Sunday, April 12 at 12pm. Come out and watch some great tennis and cheer our club's teams on!
40 & over "One Weekend" Signups
Signups for the 40 & Over "one weekend" league will take place during April for all levels, men's and women's teams. Look for signup sheets in the lobby
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AUTOPAY REMINDER
If you're not already taking advantage of it, I encourage you to enroll in TTC's automatic payment program. We can put your bill on an automatic monthly credit card charge, or bank debit. No more late fees or check writing! Contact any staff member for details.
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NEW RACKETS TO TRY!
We have new 2015 Head, Prince, and Babolat rackets here and ready for YOU to demo! The Head Speed and Instinct were featured in the Australian Open semifinals (Djoker, Sharapova, and Berdych). The Babolat line for 2015 features updates to their popular Pure Drive, and we have the 10.6 oz model as well as the Pure Drive Lite to try. Prince has a large new line out, and we have many game improvement and player's frames to try out. Come out and give them a test drive!
STRINGING
If we've strung your racket in the past year or two, we have kept a record of the dynamic tension, which allows us to track tension loss over time. Has it been a while? Wondering if your racket needs to be restrung? Sending shots long that you normally don't? Come in and have us check your tension loss to see if you're ready to restring, and let us get your racket prepared for the spring season!
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: HEAD GRAVITY STRING
 Ok, spin freaks: here is a string for you. You know how most strings' profiles are round, with some of the newer polyester strings coming in shapes (octagons primarily) to help create "edges" to grab the ball for more bite? Well, Head has taken it to a new level with a triangular (yes, triangular!) 17 gauge main string in this polyester/polyester hybrid. The cross strings are 18 gauge Hawk polyester (a traditional circular monofilament poly). What does this all mean? Well, the triangular string gives unmatched bite on the ball, and the thin gauges allow reasonable playability for big hitters and heavy spin producers. The polyester material allows for good durability, and those sharp edges will have the ball singing your tune! We have it here now, and the $38 cost includes string and labor.
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ADULT LEAGUES
As we write this, we're wrapping up the Men's and Women's Winter weekly leagues and looking toward the spring. The Men's Spring League will begin first, playing on Thursdays at 7:45 pm beginning April 9 and running through May 28. We'll break play into two levels, 3.0, and 3.5+. Signups are in the lobby, or contact Hunter if you're interested in playing. The Women's leagues will begin later in the month. We'll run an evening session for 3.5+ on Wednesdays at 6:30 pm, and we'll run a weekend session for 3.5- at 8:00 am. Again, contact Hunter for details.
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OREGON SENIOR WOMEN'S SPRING TOURNAMENT
It is that time of year for our Oregon Senior Women Spring Tournament. So get a partner and come and have a fun filled day. This is the 3.5 up Senior Women play day. It will be on Tuesday May 12, 2015 at 9:30 am till Noon. So come on out for another fun filled day of Tennis.I will have sign up sheets in the club starting April 1st. If you want to contact me my number is 541-760-3894. Looking forward to seeing all of you! Sincerely, Darlene Topping
FRIDAY NIGHT MIXED
Don't forget to sign up for Friday Night Mixed in April! We'll be playing on Friday April 24 this month, and it is adult mixed doubles from 6:30 to 8:00 pm with an informal dessert potluck to follow. We've been getting a full three courts for this the past couple of months, so save your spot early! Look for signups in the lobby, or save your spot now!
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MEMBER REFERRAL CHANGE
Remember, lasting until the end of July, refer a new member to the club
and receive a FREE case of ProPenn tennis balls (that's a case,
folks! 24 cans!). Look for other fun incentives as the year progresses, and thanks for helping spread the word about our great game and great club!
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JIMSAM COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP
TTC is proud to again be affiliated with the JimSam College Scholarship, which is awarded annually to a graduating high school senior who has demonstrated hard work and commitment in the game of tennis while providing service and leadership within Timberhill Tennis Club and the local tennis community. The annual scholarship value is $2000. Selection criteria include: academic achievement, a professional resume, essay, professional interview, and TTC pros' evaluation of sportsmanship, commitment, and positive impact within tennis. Applications are available on our website, and the application deadline is June 1, 2015. For more information about the scholarship, or to make a tax-deductible contribution to the JimSam College Scholarship Fund, contact Hunter.
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LIKE US ON FACEBOOK!
Don't forget to "like" us on Facebook! Be the first to hear about upcoming events, watch tennis tips from our pro staff, and chat with other members about what's going on at the club. You can also get in on occasional special pro shop deals specific to our Facebook friends!
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April
Sat 4: USTA League Playoffs 55+ Mixed Doubles, 12:00-2:30pm Wed's: Women's League 7:45 Thu's: Men's league 7:45 Fri 10: Rookie League 6:30-7:45 Sun 12: USTA League Match (40+) 4.0 Women vs. ACB, 12:00pm Fri 17: Rallyball 6:30-7:30 Fri 17: Junior Team Tennis 7:30-9:00 Fri 24: Friday Night Mixed 6:30-8:30 Mon 27: TTC April Board Meeting 6:30-8:30 back to top |
May
Fri 1: Rookie League 6:30-7:45 Wed's: Women's League 6:30 Thu's: Men's League 7:45 Tue 12: OSWTA Melanie's May Madness 9:30-1:30 Wed-Fri 13-15: MVC High School District Tournament Mon 18: TTC May Board Meeting, 6:30-8:30 Fri 29: Friday Night Mixed 6:30-8:30 |
June
Wed 3: Women's League (Spring Final) 7:45 Thu 4: Men's League (Spring Final) 7:45 Fri 5: Junior Spring Clinics End Fri 5: Rookie League 6:30-7:45 Mon 15: Summer Junior/Adult Clinics begin Wed 24: Women's League (1st of Summer) 7:45 Thu 25: Men's League (1st of Summer) 7:45 Fri 26: Rookie League 1:30-2:45 Fri 26 : Friday Night Mixed Fri 26: Rallyball 2:45-3:45 Fri 26: Rookie League 1:30-2:45 Mon 29: Women's League 7:45 |
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From The Clubhouse
Firstly, I hope you like the new look of our newsletter! For most of us, our primary screen is becoming our phone or tablet, and this allows everyone (not just computer users) to easily access our newsletter anywhere, anytime!
It will also be much more interactive: you can click though links, watch video, and see images that were impossible to achieve with the old format. Gary Watson has done a great job over the years putting "The Racquet" together, and he's done a fabulous job with getting this one off the ground, too. This is the "shakedown cruise" for our new format, so you'll undoubtedly see a few changes along the way, but we're all really excited about this new format. Please give us your feedback.
Well, it's official: Winter decided not to visit the Pacific Northwest this year. It's been awesome to see the outdoor courts used virtually every day. We'll do a power washing of the courts sometime in April, and probably will have the windscreens up by May!
One thing I've been made aware of with all of the court activity is noise from adjacent courts: I've had several members comment to me about playing beside groups that made noises ranging from whooping after a great shot to general chitchat in between points. Remember, as a point of etiquette, when you are playing next to another group, try to limit "across the net" conversations, and be aware of your tone. Just because you are in between points doesn't mean everyone else is. You might find that a quieter environment promotes greater on-court concentration, too! But by all means, have fun out there!
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President's Parley
Happy Spring to all of our TTC members! Crazy time of the year if you play USTA league matches. We are ending the Winter league, signing up for both the One Weekend league and Spring league. Emails are a flying! The great part is dedicated league players who enjoy playing with each other as a team and meeting other club players. I know that we have had fewer teams signing up than in the past. If you have tried to put a team together or tried to be on a USTA league team and it did not happen, please email me and tell me why. I am putting together a letter to submit to USTA league reps for the Valley and want your input. Is it travel, time, money, lack of players? Give me all the reasons so I can truly represent us in this letter. I will ask for some signatures besides mine, so let me know if I can put your name on this letter with mine. Carries more clout with more names!
Keep signing up for all the great activities and events at TTC. Our staff works very hard to keep you busy, but they can only invite: You have to say YES!
All of your committees are hard at work, especially the Bylaws and Policies Committee. They are spending hours going through all of our legal writings and updating them as well as getting them to be consistent. This makes the job of the Board much easier when those are updated.
It is that time of the year to evaluate our staff. Be looking for the information regarding your input for their evaluations. We need to know how they are doing in all the many facets of their jobs, and if there are areas of suggestions we have for them in the future. The Human Resources Committee is overseeing that process.
Are you part of a business that likes to swap information with other newsletters at no cost to either side? We are always wanting to promote Timberhiill Tennis Club and would like to promote our club member's businesses. Let Hunter know if you ever want to swap some fun ads. It is nice to know what all of you do besides hit a fuzzy ball around many hours of the month, and enjoy every minute of that!
FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME! Keep on swinging.
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MEMBER SPOTLIGHT: ATP Pro and TTC member Mico Santiago
Those of you who have been at the club long enough remember a small, quiet boy who would come to the club most days and be fed balls by his father. This continued in a slow progression, from pre-kindergarten, until the present day, when Mico and Joseph Santiago return home to Corvallis from Mico's competitive tournament schedule on the professional Futures Circuit. Mico has competed all over the world in pro events, working to build his ranking to gain entry into Challenger tournaments, and eventually into the pro events that we see on television each week. Mico has led the traveling life since his mid-teens, searching out the best competitive and training environments to help him reach his goals. Hunter caught up with Mico in early March, while Mico was training for a week at TTC before heading to Indian Wells Wild Card Qualifying.
What is your goal in tennis?
Mico: Right now it is to break the top 300. I don't want to say what my goal is after that though!
What is your current ATP ranking?
Mico: 823
What has your top ATP ranking been in singles and doubles?
Mico: 795 in Singles
You grew up playing at Timberhill and spent some time in the junior program here at the club, but your dad was your primary coach growing up. How did that affect your relationship with your dad then and now?
Mico: It all started at Timberhill! I had my first intro group classes with Hunter. Gary, Hunter, Colby and everyone who has worked here in the past have been really supportive. Training indoors teaches you to have an efficient aggressive game. My dad is a father first and a tennis mentor second. I feel that my relationship with my dad is very normal and hasn't changed much throughout the years.
Where was your first pro event, how old were you, and was it intimidating?
Mico: I believe my first futures tournament was when I was fifteen and it was held in Northern California and yes, it was very intimidating. The culture in the American pro circuit is integrity and respect based. You've got to earn the respect of your fellow players just to practice with them; if not, you've got to be better than them.
You spent time at the Smith Stearns Tennis Academy in South Carolina. How was that experience?
Mico: The coaching and staff were excellent, and from a technical point of view, it helped my game a lot. Although... it was a culture shock to live in the South. Southerners are more open and like to be addressed as ma'am or sir. Southerners have this grit in them; they are no strangers to hard work.
Can you explain to people what life is like traveling on the Futures Circuit?
Mico: It is not like going on vacation, definitely. You don't usually go sightseeing or visit anywhere else except the hotel, the supermarket, and the tennis courts. You get off the plane, go to the courts to practice, get some grub, find a place to sleep, check in, dinner, rise and repeat.
Do you have a group of players that you normally travel with?
Mico: No, the circuit is pretty small, so we have at least heard of each other before. We just message each other through social media to set up practices and exchange numbers but not travel together.
Which country is your favorite to travel to for tennis?
Mico: Definitely Europe, particularly Netherlands. They are really professional about the tournaments, hotel, and transportation. My only gripe is that nothing is cheap there.
How do you maintain good nutrition while traveling?
Mico: I keep a log of what makes me perform the best. Right now I avoid milk and anything starchy. My body changes based on the conditions I play in, so I can't afford being too picky.
Do you have any rest time in your yearly schedule?
Mico: Usually in December.
What sort of training do you do off the court, and what percentage of your time would you say you spend on strength and conditioning versus on-court training?
Mico: Right now I've been working a lot on my technique so I've been spending a little more time on court. Usually I spend about 2-4 hours hitting and 2-4 hours with stretching, strength, and conditioning exercises.
What has your best win been so far?
Mico: I've had wins against Sanam Singh, Ivo Klec ,Yoshihito Nishioka, Chase Buchanan, Alexander Ward, and Nils Langer.
What kind of adversity have you faced, and how have you overcome it?
Mico: Besides [creating] my own adversity, I've met some unsavory characters on the tour (I won't mention names) but you meet a lot of people coming from different backgrounds and all you can say is, "to each his own."
Do you ever think about the idea of being a college student versus the path you've taken?
Mico: It was a big deal that I didn't take the NCAA collegiate path, unlike most of my family, my grandparents, uncles, aunties and cousins, who are all highly educated. I committed myself to tennis, as I know that college will still be there when I am ready. Professional tennis has a short time frame and I do not want to miss that opportunity.
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Board of Directors
Donna Keim, Pres
Michael Freeman, V. Pres
Cathy Frischmannn, Treas
Sammi Lehmann, Sec
Members at Large
Brad Teel
Ray Topping
Carol Warloe
Rosco Huebner
Cliff Feldman
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Administration
Hunter Lipscomb,
Dir. Tennis Operations
Colby Jager, Hannah King,
Patrick Foley, David Mildrexler
Assistant Pros
Newsletter
Gary Watson, watsog@comcast.net
Web and Office
www.timberhillbookings.com
www.timberhilltennis.com
Office 541-753-1043
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Timberhill Tennis Club | 2775 NW 29th Street I Corvallis, Oregon 97330
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