Wellesley Wildcats
Undefeated in Regular Fall USTA Junior League Play
11/5/07
by Sara James
The
U-18 USTA Richmond Junior Team Tennis Fall league had one undefeated
team this season.
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| photos
of Wellesley Wildcats courtesy of Lisa Fratkin |
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The
Wellesley Wildcats, with players hailing from Deep Run HS, Godwin HS
and Pocahontas Middle School, posted a 6-0 record against opponents
Intensive River Rapids, Deep Run and the River Rats.
"It
was a great league," said Amanda Maready, who played for the River Rats based at James River High
School. Amanda, who is home-schooled, played
USTA Junior Team Tennis in Florida and said she was "very
excited" to find out that it was starting up in Richmond.
"Since
tennis is mostly an individual sport and can be so competitive, it's
fun and comforting to know that your team is going to be there on
the sidelines rooting you on, win or lose," she explained.
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Angie DiNardi, the league coordinator, was named 2007 Virginia
League Coordinator of the year for her efforts in bringing the
league to the Richmond area. A team in the U-14 Summer
Intermediate league advanced thru sectional play to play at
Nationals last month in Palm Springs. Zach King, a
freshman at Godwin who played on the Raintree team, received
the Sportsmanship Award from opposing coaches at the National
Championships.
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Lisa
Fratkin, mom of Nicole and Jake, was captain of the Wildcats.
"I
decided to be the Team Rep because my kids love playing tennis
and this was a way for them to be on a team together,"
she said.
"Junior
Team Tennis seems to be a really fun league with
kids who play at the same level. It is an opportunity
for kids who normally would not be able to play together to
have a chance to do so."
photo left: Jake
Fratkin and Logan Meyer attend Deep Run High School
where Jake is a sophomore and Logan is a Junior. |
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Many
of the kids who play team tennis play against their USTA
team-mates during school competition. Because this
is not a school based or area defined league, players can form
their own teams. Match play is on Sunday, a day when
there aren't as many conflicts with other sports and
activities.
"The
kids really liked 'winning' and want to come back and try to
do their best in the Spring," said Coach Fratkin.
"I hope more teams will join the league. Everyone enjoyed
being a part of a MIXED guys/girls team!"
photo right:
Nicole Fratkin with Jessica Kocen. Both are in the
8th grade at Pocahontas MS
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Cherie
Anderson, who captained the River Rats, agreed that the league
provides an inexpensive opportunity for extra match play.
The River Rats came in second, losing
twice 2-3 to Wellesley. "We tried to mix up players and let
everyone have an opportunity to play at singles, doubles and mixed,"
said Coach Anderson.
"Our
team was made up, for the most part, of players who play for
Midlothian. This was good off-season practice for
them," she said.
photo
left: Myles Hilliard, an 8th grader at
Pocahontas Middle School, with Roya Parids. Roya is a
freshman at Deep Run. |
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photo
below: The
Wellesley Wildcats met the Intensive River Rapids for their
last match on Sunday, Nov. 4th at James River High
School. John DiNardi, who coaches the River Rapids, is
third from the right in the second row.
Members of the
Intensive River Rapids: Kay Lagana, Jordan Jessee,
Keyshera Jackson, Stephen & Mark Oley, Olivia Bowles, Adam
Ali, Neil Cunningham, Turner Wilett and Kim Morrissett
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Amanda
Maready enjoyed being able to form friendships with her team-mates and
with those on other teams. "The friendships between all the
teams is a very unique thing. Team tennis has been the most fun I
have ever had playing this awesome sport!"
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The
River Rats
From
left, Amanda Maready, Alex South, Elyse Anderson, Audrey Pfund,
Emily Whitmore and Garrettt Kellner.
(not pictured: Brett and Chris James and Tyler Pridgen) photo
courtesy of Cherie Anderson |
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