Mobile Musings

Mobile Musings--
© Colette Lewis 2005--

The Spring 18s Nationals Championships at Mobile are over, but I've still got plenty of things to say about them:

The stack of code violations assessed by umpires was thicker than a Mobile drawl, as local rules dictated that even "oh my god" was off limits, as were "freaking, fricking" and "suck." If you read my ITF Germany comments, (click here for that story), you know I was scandalized by the unseemly behavior players got away with there. However, the generally accepted profanity and obscenity prohibitions seem sufficient to me, and if the intent is to change on-court expressions entirely, it might be better start in the 12s, and make it a nationally-based effort. A local rule like this requires good judgment on an umpire's part, and while I witnessed appropriate warnings, I also saw some trigger-happy umpires giving game penalties for nothing more egregious than a dropped racquet and a incredulous "oh my god" when receiving a point penalty for it. And congratulations to Christian Tara (girls) and Maciek Sykut (boys) for navigating these unfamiliar waters and emerging with the Sportsmanship awards.

There is a downside to the early signing of college recruits; just ask Marek Czerwinski, the number one seed in Mobile and runner-up in Boys 18s singles and doubles. Signing with Vanderbilt last November on the premise that head coach Ken Flach would help prepare him for a professional career, Czerwinski now has no idea who his coach will be with Flach's departure to a position at the Naples Bath & Tennis Club.

And speaking of college tennis coaches, there were surprisingly few in Mobile, an absence that several parents (and coaches) I spoke with noted. Of course it is the heart of the ITA spring season, and Mobile was a new/late addition to the schedule, but a couple of days onsite might have unearthed some gems. Top programs may not have to recruit as much as those that are attempting to turn programs around, but nothing beats watching a kid play when assessing talent and temperament. Doesn't help much with those SAT scores though, I admit.

In the predictions department, Kevin Fleck, who finished fifth by winning the backdraw, is going to win a bunch of points for Clemson next season; so is Blake Strode at Arkansas and Adam Slagter at Penn State. Justin Kronauge's defensive lob will keep him in lots of points he will eventually win and Clint Bowles and his drop shot are going to confound many a junior opponent in the next two years. Reid Carleton, who won seven matches in the consolations, just turned sixteen, but can already play with the big boys. If he plays 16s in Kalamazoo this year, he'll be heard from.

In the girls division, where my game assessment skills need expert help, Doug Davis of the Austin Tennis Academy praised winner Lindsay Burdette as well as his own pupil Ashley Weinhold, who lost to Burdette in the quarterfinals, pronouncing them athletic--a compliment of the highest order from Doug.

YourGameFace.com, Lloyd and Melissa Clayton's photography and poster business, is destined for great success in the years ahead. They are entrepreneurial, dedicated, talented, hard-working and kind. Lloyd told me one of the reasons they selected tennis as the sport for their business model is its beautiful photogenic qualities. He's right, especially when the camera is in his capable hands.

And, finally, it's difficult to overrate that legendary Southern Hospitality, or at least Mobile's version of it.