Junior Jams On The Road
Only Eight!
At eight-years, playing up an age division for Ellie Coleman is just another chance to test her game that Coach Patrick Jenkins, director of the Tennis Academy, Midland Community Tennis Center, calls, “an interesting work in progress.”
Coleman finished fourth in the 64-draw of the USTA Midwest Closed Championships in Grand Rapids, playing the girls’ ten division, reaching the singles semi-finals where she was stopped by Karina Miller, Ann Arbor, 6-1,6-0.
The youngster is ranked # 1 in the NEMTA Girls’ 10, and # 8 in the USTA Midwest, according to the latest rankings.
Other Tennis Academy juniors competing in the five-state 10 and under event were Reema Patel, Paige Herremans, Anish Middha, and Kyle Kotanchek, all defeated in the early rounds. Carter Hazen won a match beating Jeremy James, Western Michigan, 6-0,6-0.Kolben Thompson defeated Lucas Guy, Kalamazoo, 6-0, 6-1. Hazen and Thompson are Academy juniors.
In the Ramblewood Valentine Open, Grandville, the Academy’s Aditya Middha reached the finals of the boys’ 12, before falling to Jack Dausman, Coopersville, 6-1,6-1, while Kyle Thompson, Academy won the consolation finals beating Terrance Maskell, Rockford, Illinois, 6-2,6-0. Thompson also played up in the boys’ 14, losing two matches.
Jenkins, who has presided over 15 national junior championships since arriving in Midland in 2008, believes there may be more national titles in the group of youngsters.
“At this age, it’s really is a matter of how they feel about competition and developing their game; if they love what they’re doing, we can work with that.”
Coleman is the daughter of Rod and Jen Coleman of Midland.
Earlier Results
The first five-state USTA Midwest Girls’ 12 was hosted by the Midland Community Tennis Center as part of their growing juniors tournament schedule with several local players from the Tennis Academy playing up an age division.
Sabrina Laynes,10, and Ellie Coleman, 8, won one match between them in the cause of experience, while Caroline Szabo, seeded # 9 in the 64-player draw defeated Katherine Mattimoe, Northwest Ohio, 6-0,6-0, and Camryn Salter, Chicago, 6-4,6-3 before she was stopped in the round of 16 by the # 3 seed Claudia Althans, Northeast Ohio, 6-1,6-1. Szabo lost her consolation match.
Jessica Brown lost early to #6 seed Eysai Bolton, Chicago, 6-0,6-0, but came back in the consolations to win three matches, defeating Clair Brooks, Southeast Michigan, 6-2,6-1, Madelyn Fox, Southeast Michigan 7-6(3), 6-4, and Ivona Gjorgjioska, Southeast Michigan, 6-3, 4-6, 1-0 (5).
Hadley Camp lost her main round match, but won two in the consolations, beating Isabella Murry, Southeast, Michigan, 6-1,6-1 and Academy mate Sarah Ismail, 6-0,6-0. Ismail stopped Serena Wang, Southeast Michigan, 6-3,3-6,7-6 (4) in the main draw. Meghan Killmaster lost her first two matches.
“Most up and coming younger players start winning in the consolations before the main draw, but these were encouraging results, especially for the youngsters playing up,” said Patrick Jenkins, director of MCTC’s Tennis Academy.
At eight-years, playing up an age division for Ellie Coleman is just another chance to test her game that Coach Patrick Jenkins, director of the Tennis Academy, Midland Community Tennis Center, calls, “an interesting work in progress.”
Coleman finished fourth in the 64-draw of the USTA Midwest Closed Championships in Grand Rapids, playing the girls’ ten division, reaching the singles semi-finals where she was stopped by Karina Miller, Ann Arbor, 6-1,6-0.
The youngster is ranked # 1 in the NEMTA Girls’ 10, and # 8 in the USTA Midwest, according to the latest rankings.
Other Tennis Academy juniors competing in the five-state 10 and under event were Reema Patel, Paige Herremans, Anish Middha, and Kyle Kotanchek, all defeated in the early rounds. Carter Hazen won a match beating Jeremy James, Western Michigan, 6-0,6-0.Kolben Thompson defeated Lucas Guy, Kalamazoo, 6-0, 6-1. Hazen and Thompson are Academy juniors.
In the Ramblewood Valentine Open, Grandville, the Academy’s Aditya Middha reached the finals of the boys’ 12, before falling to Jack Dausman, Coopersville, 6-1,6-1, while Kyle Thompson, Academy won the consolation finals beating Terrance Maskell, Rockford, Illinois, 6-2,6-0. Thompson also played up in the boys’ 14, losing two matches.
Jenkins, who has presided over 15 national junior championships since arriving in Midland in 2008, believes there may be more national titles in the group of youngsters.
“At this age, it’s really is a matter of how they feel about competition and developing their game; if they love what they’re doing, we can work with that.”
Coleman is the daughter of Rod and Jen Coleman of Midland.
Earlier Results
The first five-state USTA Midwest Girls’ 12 was hosted by the Midland Community Tennis Center as part of their growing juniors tournament schedule with several local players from the Tennis Academy playing up an age division.
Sabrina Laynes,10, and Ellie Coleman, 8, won one match between them in the cause of experience, while Caroline Szabo, seeded # 9 in the 64-player draw defeated Katherine Mattimoe, Northwest Ohio, 6-0,6-0, and Camryn Salter, Chicago, 6-4,6-3 before she was stopped in the round of 16 by the # 3 seed Claudia Althans, Northeast Ohio, 6-1,6-1. Szabo lost her consolation match.
Jessica Brown lost early to #6 seed Eysai Bolton, Chicago, 6-0,6-0, but came back in the consolations to win three matches, defeating Clair Brooks, Southeast Michigan, 6-2,6-1, Madelyn Fox, Southeast Michigan 7-6(3), 6-4, and Ivona Gjorgjioska, Southeast Michigan, 6-3, 4-6, 1-0 (5).
Hadley Camp lost her main round match, but won two in the consolations, beating Isabella Murry, Southeast, Michigan, 6-1,6-1 and Academy mate Sarah Ismail, 6-0,6-0. Ismail stopped Serena Wang, Southeast Michigan, 6-3,3-6,7-6 (4) in the main draw. Meghan Killmaster lost her first two matches.
“Most up and coming younger players start winning in the consolations before the main draw, but these were encouraging results, especially for the youngsters playing up,” said Patrick Jenkins, director of MCTC’s Tennis Academy.
MCTC Pros Certified by USPTR
The professional development of tennis instructors at the Midland Community Tennis Center has been “significantly strengthened” with the report today from Executive Director Mike Woody that 13 teachers have been certified by the USPTR, an international organization enrolling thousands of professionals.
The United States Professional Tennis Registry provides continuing education credits and regional workshops on trends and new instruction, as well certification of tennis professionals world-wide, Woody said.
MCTC pros holding USPTR certification include Woody, Sharon Cleland, Jared Flick, Patrick Jenkins, Terry Hicks, Pintu Patel, Jenn Boehm, Talaya Schilb, Scott Tolliver, Pete Buist, Dustin Robinson, Konnor Brennan, and Karen Skorup.
The remainder of the teaching staff is certified by the USPTA, Woody said, with nine holding dual certification, “something we plan to encourage.”
With a total of 21 tennis professionals serving about 3,000 members on 40 courts, Woody said it was “absolutely necessary to ensure the highest level of professional preparation for the benefit of players.
“Midland is a community of science, technology and commitment to education with thousands of professional families in residence. Our commitment to the continuing education of our staff is an expectation of our members and an obligation for the MCTC.”
The United States Professional Tennis Registry provides continuing education credits and regional workshops on trends and new instruction, as well certification of tennis professionals world-wide, Woody said.
MCTC pros holding USPTR certification include Woody, Sharon Cleland, Jared Flick, Patrick Jenkins, Terry Hicks, Pintu Patel, Jenn Boehm, Talaya Schilb, Scott Tolliver, Pete Buist, Dustin Robinson, Konnor Brennan, and Karen Skorup.
The remainder of the teaching staff is certified by the USPTA, Woody said, with nine holding dual certification, “something we plan to encourage.”
With a total of 21 tennis professionals serving about 3,000 members on 40 courts, Woody said it was “absolutely necessary to ensure the highest level of professional preparation for the benefit of players.
“Midland is a community of science, technology and commitment to education with thousands of professional families in residence. Our commitment to the continuing education of our staff is an expectation of our members and an obligation for the MCTC.”
Midland Community Tennis Center
900 East Wackerly Street
Midland, MI 48642-7099
(989) 631-6151
Winter Hours
Monday - Thursday 8 am - 10 pm
Friday and Saturday 8 am - 9 pm
Sunday 9 am - 9 pm