DRAW 

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Club Sports Summer has Kicked Off, By Ryan Wolfington.......Devon Morrissey was out tonight and gave the best post match interview, "I lost o and 1, this kid just got back from the nationals, this is my first 12 tournament and I did pretty good so, that 's all.This kid was good, he hit every ball deep to me, and I missed a lot of return serves and double faulted a lot, I just played my best...That's all I know." And it was not as much of what he said as how he said it. I heard his tone as being one of I enjoyed myself , my opponent was good, and now it's over, meaning he was not carrying it. Some players carry the images and "Thoughts" of past events with them, dwelling in what could have, should have. Not Devon.

Tomorrow is a new day and a new draw, because this tournament has a consolation round making sure each player gets at least two matches. Alan Brown, the Director of tennis was on hand this first evening to make sure the events started off smoothly. Players 10 and under to 18 and under are in this tournament giving them the opportunity to play other juniors in the Las Vegas Valley. And from what I saw they all acted like ladies and Gentlemen. One match in particular the players were very cool, even though I would later find out it was a very close match. Through the lens of my camera I see a lot and when looking at Selina Brown after she had missed a shot I saw nothing, and this is as it should be. There was not an emotional reaction, not even a blink. She was calm and steady and it paid off as she won after a three set, very close match against Shanta Pillai. Selina won 6-3, 4-6, 6-4. Shantra in explaining the score said it as if she had won, and that shows she had the right attitude. With out using these words her attitude was that off "I played well and so did she, it was a good match and she won."

Karly Hurst was also out tonight using the Club Sports Green Valley tournament as her spring board into tournament play. Tonight was her first ever tournament play in the girls twelve and under and she ended up playing Alexis Garrett who just won the last junior tournament for her age group at Howard Tubin's Desert Palm Junior Open. And tonight she displayed the same ability to win by winning in two sets, 6-0, 6-0.

Her parents were on hand to watch their daughter play and have taken a hands on interest in how this site is working and their daughters tennis play. I have seen that the game of tennis is a great area in which parents can spend time and address the principles of life with their children. This job is far more important to a child's game then their backhand or forehand. If you tend to the principles in life and being a solid parent the rest will take it's course.

In fact the best "Coach" is the person who understands this truth, and one such person was on hand today to support her "Student",  Ravi Khilnani who won 6-0,7-5. And after his match instead of addressing his winning or losing strokes Dina Basil discussed the principles to the game and what she saw as the most important aspect of play, ones character.

Lenny Whiting played against Jesse and these players played like young men as they hit hard and well in the first round of the 14 and under division. Lenny won the boys 16 and under tournament earlier this season at Lorenzi Racquet Club. Lenny's Dad was there as well, helping Lenny win 6-1, 6-0. Afterward I interviewed Lenny and he said how he began to feel nervous when I started to tape him. I explained that it is the same nervousness that he would have to face if it were 6-6, in a tie breaker. He told me "That is exactly what I thought out there on the court." In other words when the "Nervousness" or "Thoughts" that created the nervousness came to this player he knew it was something to overcome instead of blaming and wishing it away.

I was playing in a tournament last week and "Thoughts" came to me to try and get me to feel nervous as people started to sit around and watch. The humorous part of it was the "Thoughts" actually went on to explain whether or not the spectators would think I was a good player or not, and a number of other foolish notions. I saw these "Thoughts" as the distraction they were and did not believe them. I brought my attention back to the game after I laughed at how foolish the "Thoughts" can be.

It's like my article about the Lorenzi 3.5 doubles final where Andrew Lanfear smiled as he went to serve for the set in a tie breaker. It was 6-5 and he had just lost a point. Going to the line he could have believed and given into the nervous feelings,  or,  taken it all in and smile, knowing these are great moments. He smiled and won the set , then the third set for the Champions trophy. It was the key moment in the match.

Austin Schofield was on hand playing against Ted Shivley's son. Ted watched from the sidelines as did Austin's mother and local tennis player Tyler Bridges. Tyler watched these 14 and under boys hit hard and is ready for his first match which comes Saturday for the boys 10 and under. He won the 10 and under at the Summerlin tournament earlier this season. Ted and his daughter, who is also in the tournament for girls 10 and under , watched from the center court sitting area.

Austin is also in the "Junior Find a Match" section of this web site where juniors can post their name so other juniors can contact them to play. If you want to view the list or contact Austin to play or add your name to the list click this icon...

Playing and watching were the James sisters and mother. While  Michael James was teaching tennis lessons in the bubble (the Club Sports air conditioned indoor courts), his wife and Daughter were watching Iesha James play a worthy opponent Ernastine Miclat . This was a good match with both teens hitting well placed and paced balls. I told her mother how when watching the video highlights of her daughter it was odd to see a young girl with an almost perfect one handed backhand, and that I put two and two together when I found out her father was the Tennis Professional at Club Sports. It goes to show how some people do not try new things, like a one handed backhand, because they believe it will take too long to learn. And when you see a young girl hitting with one effortlessly you see how ridiculous it is for someone not to learn something new, as she has at a young age. I use to play tennis as a kid and accepted that I had a "Bad backhand", as if it were not possible to have a good one. Rather, I believed the set of "Thoughts" which told me how long it would take and how difficult it would be. It was not until I was older and stopped listening to the "Thoughts" that got me to doubt trying something new. I started hitting the backhand in other ways then the defensive flat back hand I had grown accustomed to, and in one day I could hit a top spin backhand.

The same is true in all things in life. There is a lie that comes to people telling them that they should not do this or that because it will be too hard, won't work or some other excuse. I can not tell you how many people have tried to use the internet, a computer, tennis or some other new adventure, and after trying once, or even before trying, believed the "Thought" that it would take too long to figure out and they quite. Instead of letting their intuition show them one step at a time how to do something they believed the lie that came to them telling them it won't work and why, or why they should "Do it later."  This is what a person has to overcome and try the new back hand, the new computer or what ever it is you are led to do in life.

The lie just wants you to doubt your intuition and quite, either on the court or on the computer screen. So when you navigate through this site or through your life and go to do something and a "Thought" comes trying to get you to "Quit" or "Do it later", now you know it's game. The truth is it is difficult not to do what you are led to do, and if you break through the doubt and "Just do it", then you begin to discover new things and make the most of this life.

Such must have been the case with the Green Valley Club Sports. Each time I go there I see once again, as if for the first time , how well done the building, landscape and layout  is.  This time I noticed what a good job was done in the landscape design and maintenance. And although Club Sports is a private health club, the facility is here for spectators and players to enjoy during this junior tournament event. One can watch courts side, even refresh oneself at the indoor restaurant and bar. However, in order to use the other aspects of the club you would have to get a visitors pass. 

Bill Regenharde , The Director of Sales and Marketing, has informed me he can offer those interested in the club a tour and free day pass to try out the courts. The Club has the only indoor courts in the Valley and a Country Club environment for health Club prices. With a Restaurant, indoor/outdoor pool, full size basketball courts, racquetball and Squash courts, 4 outdoor and 9 indoor tennis courts, an indoor Track, weight and exercise room, Dancing classes, group exercise and players lounge environment.

The outdoor courts are spaces between professionally designed and maintained landscaping along with a center court environment with stands for those matches that draw a crowd. Club Sports hosts a number of inter-club and open to the Public Tennis tournaments including Las Vegas's largest and most extravagant, Stacy Darling Tournament. For more information you can go to their VegasTennis.com web page by clicking here or contact them at 2100 Olympic Avenue - Henderson, NV 89014 - 702.454.6000.

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