PTC Drop Shot ~ July 2022

President’s Message: Kris Willig
Welcome to summer! I for one am very happy to enjoy the longer sunshiny days – more time for tennis and fun at PTC.

The Tennis Committee once again served up a great van Dillen Doubles Championship over the first weekend in June. Many thanks to Tennis Chair Doug Heffernan and the rest of the committee who worked hard to put together this successful event. The Social Committee, headed by Denee Torrano along with Val March, hosted a wonderful mix-and-mingle where players and friends swapped stories and enjoyed delicious food and drink. We are so fortunate to have such hardworking volunteers – thanks to all.

Our Women’s 4.0 and 4.5 teams hosted the first Twilight Tennis & BBQ of the year; the theme was “Toga Party.” While high winds and the Warriors championship game kept the attendance down a bit, those who attended enjoyed the great food, signature cocktails and clever decorations. Thanks to Jenny Smith and her team for a great event.

Our next Twilight is coming up on Thursday, July 21^st. This “Summer of Love” themed event is hosted by the Women’s 3.0 team. Look for the invitation in your email.

In other club news – we are looking forward to the installation of our new barbecue later this summer, as well as the repair of courts 1-3 in mid-August. More on these topics from House and Grounds chair Marty Funk, below. After much consideration, at our May meeting the Board decided not to permit pickleball play at PTC at the present time. Our next Membership meeting will be held on Tuesday, July 19^th, at 5:30pm, via Zoom; the meeting link will be sent out next week.

Editor's Note: Jeff Tateosian
I'd like to give a big shout out to a long-time friend and respected PTC member - Anthony Paz. After almost twenty years of operating Tennis Station, he has decided that it was time to "serve up" the next stage in his life.

During these past two decades, Anthony has sold thousands of rackets and shoes, and has strung an uncountable amount of rackets. Seven PTC members have worked in the store during the years. When asked about any funny memories, one of his favorite stories was when an older woman came in the shop one day chomping on a big piece of gum. She asked him if he had any "used" clothes. He paused and said he didn't understand the question. She again asked him if he had any "used" clothes. Scratching his head, he responded by saying that she could probably find what she was looking for at the Goodwill store right down the road. The lady then reached in her mouth and removed the big wad of gum, and said, "no, do you have any 'youth's' clothes?" After a big chuckle, Anthony was happy to point her to the youth section of the store! He said there were many memorable moments at the store, but the biggest memories he will take with him are all the personal interactions he had with his friends and clients. Anthony wanted to be sure to say thank you to all of the PTC members who have supported Tennis Station, and for allowing him to help his friends continually improve their tennis game.

Luckily for PTC members, Anthony's dream will continue thanks to the new owners - Kim Cresci (PTC member) and Pablo Alvarado (PTC Tennis Pro). They bring a new round of enthusiasm into helping to provide for all our tennis needs. Be sure to check out the new-look Tennis Station (706 Carolyn Ave, Burlingame) when you have a chance.

Manager: Lona Means
Please be courteous to your fellow members and cancel reservations you will not be using. We have had numerous reservation no-shows with members wanting to make a reservation, and no court availability.

The next USTA season team registration is July 4th through August 1st. We are looking for members who would be willing to captain Combo or Mixed 55+ teams for the playing season August 29th through November 6th. Please let us know if you are interested.

Pool/Club Reminders

Club Anniversaries for April - June (5+ years)
Congratulations to the following members:
Gordon Nagare & Linda Pene - 35 years
Travis & Patty Poindexter - 35 years
Harold & Cris Mangar - 30 years
Brian & Joan Johnson - 20 years
Ed & Kris Willig - 15 years
Larry & Kay Coskey - 15 years
David Hyman & Michelle Goller - 15 years
Brad Craig - 15 years
David Andrews - 15 years
Steve & Tami DeWitt - 10 years
Andrea & Rich Moore - 10 years

Tennis News: Doug Heffernan
Thank you to everyone who participated in this year's van Dillen Men's Doubles Championship. It was a tremendous tournament, coupled with great weather and a fun cocktail party. I'd like to thank the following members who helped to make the weekend a big success: Peter Stevenson, Bill St. Lawrence, Jim Sobel, Bob Currie, Don Clark, Steve Oliver, Steve Brooks, and of course Lona, Steve & Tony.

The results of the tournament were as follows:
Open Division - Main Draw
Marcus Shen & Mike Ying defeated David Crawford & Dan Mulready 6-2, 7-5.

Open Division - Back Draw
Jim Frolik & Jack Herndon defeated Mark Strem & John Flygare 6-4, 6-3.

4.0 Division - Main Draw
Joe Feeney & Andrew Wang defeated Andrew Ogilvie & Christian Reilly 7-6 (7-1), 6-2.

4.0 Division - Back Draw
Mark Pearcy & Ron Martinucci defeated Tom Beerle & David Hopkins 6-4, 6-2.

3.5 Division - Main Draw
Kevin Tierney & Gerry Sydorak defeated Jim Sobel & Randy Wong 6-4, 6-1.

3.5 Division - Back Draw
Jason Kletter & Cory Ravid won by default.

Senior Division - Main Draw
Ken March & Jeff Tateosian defeated Karl Bakhtiari & Jeff Tsu 6-1, 6-1.

Our next big scheduled tennis event is the ever-popular Men's and Women's Calcutta Tournament. We start off on Friday September 9th with the Calcutta Dinner & Draw. After dinner, both the men's and women's teams are formed as the team captains randomly select names out of cups. Once formed, teams are auctioned off to the highest bidders for the weekend's action. A wild night full of surprises, music and fun are guaranteed. The Men's Tournament is the next day on Saturday, and the Women's Tournament is on Sunday.

On the weekend of September 30 - October 2nd, PTC hosts the Betty Cookson Women's Doubles Championship. A great weekend of tennis is expected.

Finally, the Men's Singles Tournament will take place during the month of October, ending with the Semi-Finals on October 29th and the Finals on October 30th.

Membership News: Kate Belding
We would like to welcome the newest members to the Club.

Amy and Ric Fenton joined the club in April 2022. They live in Hillsborough with their three children, Lexie (15), Avery (13) and Nate (10). Ric played tennis as a junior and through high school in Connecticut and Nebraska, while Amy was a lacrosse player at the University of Michigan where they first met (Go Blue). Amy's comfort with a lacrosse stick translated nicely to a tennis racket, as Ric and Amy developed a newfound love for tennis together in the last few years - playing USTA and casually with friends at every opportunity. They are both strong 4.0 players and always looking for a fun mixed or family doubles match - so they are looking forward to getting to know more of the PTC community.

Sami and Dan Ahn joined PTC in May 2022. They have two children, Ethan (15) and Julia (12). Both Sami and Julia play regularly through lessons and clinics and the whole family is looking forward to participating in the social events at the club.

James and Sophia Taylor joined PTC in June 2022. James is a 3.0 player, and his sponsors say he is well on his way to being a 3.5. Sophia is a beginner. They have two children, Bryce (10) and Thea (7). Both attend Washington School. Bryce is taking tennis lessons and plays baseball. Thea is taking tennis lessons and does gymnastics and plays softball. James is enthusiastic about tennis and is excited to join PTC. Their sponsors say that James is an avid BBQ-er and both he and Sophia will surely be tennis and social regulars at the club.

Ashutosh and Sapna Shroff are our newest members at PTC. They joined in July 2022. Ash and Sapna have one son, Veer (6). Ash played a lot of tennis as a young adult and is interested in taking more lessons and playing more often now that he and his family are members of the club. Sapna is also interested in taking tennis lessons. Their sponsors say that Ash and his family are extremely generous and friendly and will work hard to become part of the PTC community by volunteering and participating in social events and in league play after taking some lessons. They are very excited to join the PTC community.

Please be sure to give these new members a warm welcome when you see them!

Resignations (since April 2022);

Conrad and Shirley Mezzetta, Jean and David Scheible, Serena and Scott Conti, and Tim and Chrissy Luceno. We are sorry to see you go!

Some members have asked about the new member selection process. Since the wait list was created in 2014, entry to the membership has not been based solely on time on the waitlist, but also on the needs of the club as well as ensuring that a new member is the right fit for the club. It is in everyone’s best interest that prospective members be able to maintain the spirit of the club, love of tennis, and camaraderie we all enjoy. In order to ensure this, the Membership Committee evaluates and discusses applicants and current club needs before offering membership. The membership committee’s checklist includes, among other things: USTA level, USTA activity, applicant personality/sociability, interest in playing on PTC teams, willingness to participate in and help with club events, frequency of guest visits to the club, needs of our USTA teams, relevant member feedback regarding applicants (if any), and overall time on the waitlist.

The current applicant list is always posted on the outdoor bulletin board at the club. The membership committee welcomes all feedback on applicants, so feel free to speak with Lona or email me at kate@belding.com.

House & Grounds News: Marty Funk
We have a couple of important projects in the works right now. Most importantly, repairing the ever-growing cracks on the front courts. We're in contract and are scheduled to have the repairs done in late August, just in time for the Calcutta. We investigated a more extensive complete resurfacing but ultimately decided as a Board to attempt to stay on schedule for resurfacing in a few years.

The other project is the rebuilding of our BBQ area. Over ninety-five percent of members voted to modernize and expand our BBQ area, adding a prep area and a couple of fridges, along with brand new grills and surfaces. The build has started, which puts our timing for completion sometime around the court resurface work. So, we'll have a lot to enjoy this fall, our warmest time of year!

Social News: Denee Berliner
TOGA! TOGA! TOGA! June featured Toga Twilight Tennis brought you by the 4.0/4.5 Goddesses. Opa! There was a lot going on that night; it was cool and windy, and the Warriors won the NBA title! Undaunted, our trusty 4.0/4.5 Women’s team volunteers: Kris Willig, Amanda Wheeler, Marci Martinucci, Jane Pearcy, Cris Mangar, Nancy Batchelor, & Debbie Oldham made sure it was a fun, delicious and refreshing evening. Thanks to Ron Martinucci and Jeff Tsu for master grill skills, Jeff Tateosian for playing “Animal House” music and Steven Oliver for helping to manage court play. Fun tennis, played in white togs or togas, was enjoyed followed by Greek barbecued chicken, salads, sides, and desserts. And a real fan favorite was the Pandora’s Punch. A big shout out also goes to Lona, Loel and Tony for helping with shopping and set-up. And finally, thanks to all the “Gamers” who came out to light the torch! (By Jenny Smith)

OMG - my fellow PTC members. What a weekend we had for our annual van Dillen Men’s Championship. First, a special thanks to our tennis committee for putting on a great tournament and to all the players for supporting this championship.

Our social committee was proud to support this event by providing lunch and a cocktail party with hors d’oeuvres and dinner. The weather was mild so having the event outside was enjoyable for all. A big thank you to everyone who helped make this event a success: Elise Brand, Kate Belding, and Marissa Hauselt on cocktails, Steve Oliver, Gene Taianor on set up and decorations, Audrey Tse, Kristen Neiswaner on welcome and sign-in, Jeff Tateosian on music and Marissa Hauselt, Kerry Mahrer and Mary Eliason on desserts. My apologies for anyone I may have missed. The talk around the club from those who attended was that the food was fabulous, and the special van Dillen cocktail and wine bar were a big hit. (By Val March).

Tennis Pro: Pablo Alvarado
Hello PTC families, hope you are enjoying summer as much as we are!

Summer Camps are in full swing. We are hosting four camps weekly to serve 5-17 year old players of all levels: Court Kidz (Full Day - Red & Orange Ball), Court Warrior (Full Day - Orange & Green Ball), Jr Development (Half Day - Beginner & Intermediate Teens) & Evolution Tournament (Half Day - Players who are already competing on Yellow Ball).

Over 200 players are joining us, and there's still time for you to get your kids playing with us this summer (Camps season ends on August 19th). You can find more information and register on our website www.evolutionburlingame.com and don't hesitate to contact me if you are looking just for a half day option or have any questions.

I'm extremely proud of the quality and level of our program and of course that's because we have an amazing TEAM. I feel honored for having Coach Stephanie Luk as Head Coach. You are an incredible professional and it's a pleasure to share the court with you and see how you inspire every single player you work with. Our college coaches are amazing as well. So happy for having Johanna, Javiera and Francisco for a second consecutive year. You guys rock, and I'm not sure if we will let you go back to school when the season ends! BIG THANKS to Kim Cresci, Marilee Brooks, Andrea McMahan & Peter Stevenson for your generosity receiving them at your houses.

The downside of the summer is that I'm really missing being on court with all the adult clinics and privates. It's getting closer, we are planning to get back on court around mid August.

The Junior year-round program will start in September, after Labor Day, so I will be sending information out in early August to have everyone registered and ready to go.

Lastly, I want to thank Anthony Paz for giving me the opportunity of taking over his baby, Tennis Station. Anthony changed my life once when he pushed me to send my resume to PTC when the club was looking for a new Tennis Pro, and now here you are again! Your trust and friendship mean a lot to me and my family, and you have my commitment that with Kim, will work hard every day to keep the great service and remarkable goodwill of Tennis Station in the community.