by Elizabeth Green Reosti

I decided to start with the most outstanding date to date. This is one I could never, ever have made up. I think the title pretty much says it all. Sweeten the Deal Guy…think about it. Yes, he really said it.

This date was in March 2009 and well, he seemed normal. He was an online date. He winked at me, so I checked out his profile. Marine Corps officer, pilot, law degree, same age as me, 5′7. Now, the FI was 5′7 1/2 standing tall. I am not opposed to less than tall men, but I have enjoyed wearing heels again after 11 years with the same vertically challenged man.

He was a quick mover. Some online peeps like to email for weeks. Others go straight to the phone calls. Still others make a date without ever speaking. You just never know. This guy asked for my number right away and called within an hour. He asked me out for the same night. I had a baseball game for one of the boys, but agreed to meet him after that since it was not my kid weekend.

He wanted to meet at the Wisteria. I had never been to this bar, but I knew it was a dive and he just happened to know that Papa John’s delivered there. Classy, right? Actually, I was thinking it could be fun. We would have a low key, pool shooting, beer and pizza date. Could be fun and low pressure.

Oh, by the way, he went by the name “Big Frank.”

So, I get to the Wisteria, and Big Frank calls on the way. He is right on time, always a good quality in a date. As he gets out of his car, I can see that he looks exaclty like his profile photo. Phew! Relief! As you will later see, this is not always the case. He gets all the way out of the car, and Big Frank was not so big. I am about 5′6 1/2. Big Frank was at least a couple of inches shorter than me! So much for “big,” right?

We go in and he orders the Pizza and beer. We sat to talk for a bit. He was nice enough, told me about his family, asked about mine. It is always a good sign when a date asks questions. I have learned that a total lack of interest in others as indicated by a lack of questions is a BIG RED FLAG. The one weirdly premature question was, “Can you still have kids?” What?

“Well, I can as far as I know,” I say. He says, “You are still capable?”
“I haven’t tried in a while, but I think so.”

Ok, I have a few things about that little dialogue. The bigger question should have been, “Do you want more kids?” I have 3 for goodness sake. And the ultimate question would be, “Would you want kids with me?” And this last one should be well into a relationship. These are not first date questions, just in case others of you are lacking in common sense as it seems is Big Frank.

So we eat pizza, shoot pool and drink beer. A decent date, a little off, but decent.

The next day, I had a horrible morning, confrontation with the FI (is it wrong to keep using that acronym?) that left me depleted. I called my friend, Laura, and she invited me to her son’s birthday party and offered me wine. After the party, she and I went for a quick drink before she met her boyfriend (who was one of my first online dates a couple of years before…too funny!) for dinner.

While we were having our wine, Big Frank called. Do you want to get together tonight. This was probably 5:00. I really don’t enjoy when guys assume you have no other plans, and call at the last minute. Plan ahead, people!

I was tired and really not up for anything, but told him we could meet and have an early night. Laura said to invite him to dinner with them. I did, and he said, “Well, what about after?”

“After?”

“Yeah, after. What are we doing after?”

“Nothing, I am really tired.”

“Well, if you want a second date, you are going to have to Sweeten the Deal,” said Big Frank.

Long pause……and then….playing dumb because I got it right away, “What do you mean, ‘Sweeten the Deal?’”

“Well, I fully expect to take you to dinner, buy you some drinks, and then after, go to your house and spend the night.”

Another long pause……

“What are we, teenagers?” Big Frank kept going. “Are we going to have an adult relationship or what?”

Maybe it’s just me, but I think that one reason teenage boys break up with teenage girls is because they won’t put out…maybe I’m wrong.

Again, I say that I am really tired.

Big Frank added “Well, maybe you need to go home and go straight to bed.”

“I think I will,” and I hung up.

Since that day, I have had several questions enter my mind as better response than the ones I gave. I am one of those whose comebacks occur to the mind well after the time when they would be useful. One response: Where are you taking me and how much am I worth? Second response: Does this work for you often? Third response: Yes! I will have dinner with you
(and then go spend as much as possible and leave).

At the time, I wanted to cry when those words exited his mouth, but now, I love Big Frank. I mean, who could ever make this shit up? He is my favorite story ever.

Karen Sindel

A team comprises a group of people linked in a common purpose. For Karen Sindel her “team” has moved from the emerald courts of Pensacola Country Club and Roger Scott to the campaign trail. “Tennis is a team effort… Surround yourself with a strong team, the same goes for politics.”

Sindel may be a newcomer to campaigning but is no stranger to the world of county and city politics. This politico has “served aces” for over 8 years on the Escambia County Planning Board, served as Vice-Chair, Escambia County-Pensacola Affordable Housing Advisory Committee, and has 30 years of experience in the private sector. Armed with her belief that the average citizen must get involved if you want to see change, Karen hung up her racquet over a year ago to try to find a solution to the problems in our local government. Joining the race for Escambia County Commission District 2, she has pledged to restore trust in our local government. Her citizen service on the Escambia County Planning Board has given her critical insight into the important issues facing our county. Her promise to the citizens of District 2 is promoting public safety and reducing crime, downsizing government by eliminating duplicate services, creating opportunities for more affordable housing, building trust in local government, and economic development.

In addition to serving on the Escambia County Planning Board for over 8 years, she has assisted with various charitable associations; Junior Achievement, March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation, Crime Stoppers, and Sacred Heart Mall Ball. But one charity that is near and dear to Karen is the Pink Ribbon Tennis Tournament. For 4 years Karen has served as a committee member. A true non-profit organization, Pink Ribbon has raised over $72,000, with all $72,000 being used to fund mammograms for uninsured women.

When asked about the similarity between tennis and politics she said “Tennis teaches you that competition is crucial, winning is the most important thing.” There is no doubt tennis develops and sharpens a competitive spirit, Sindel’s competitive spirit has been a driving force in this year’s county commission District 2 race. With career politicians promising more of the same stagnant local government, Karen fights for the issues that truly impact our daily lives: safe neighborhoods, good jobs, smaller government and fair taxes.

Not a natural athlete, Karen has worked for years to “stay on her game,” finding that with a lot of hard work you will eventually see the rewards. As the political newcomer she has proven to be a problem solver and hard worker, working to find new solutions for economic development and affordable housing. “Politics, much like tennis, challenges you every day. “ She has continued to challenge herself and those around her to do what is best for Escambia County. Karen is no doubt “staying on her game” in this year’s campaign. She has been endorsed as the candidate of choice in District 2 by the Pensacola News Journal, Independent News, and Pensacola Association of Realtors.

Courts or Campaign trails, Karen has the experience to get the job done!

On August 24th vote for one of “our own,” Karen Sindel for County Commission District 2.

by Elizabeth Green Reosti

No one ever thinks divorce will happen to them. I never thought divorce would happen to me. I had a friend who was going through one at the same time I was. Her favorite thing to say ad nauseum was, “I didn’t get married to get divorced.” Really? ‘Cause I did. I planned it from the start. You will find I have a sarcastic streak. Can’t help it, get used to it. Oh, and by the way, I have a date story related to that sarcasm to follow. After about a thousand times of hearing this precious little phrase, I wanted to knock this girl to kingdom come.

So, there I was, 33 years old, three little kids, and divorced. My three boys were ages 2, 4, and 6 when I asked the FI (code for effing idiot) to leave. They were 3, 5 and 7 by the time the Big D was done. I didn’t even consider dating for about a year. Then came boredom. Now believe me, with three boys ages 7 and younger, there is little time for true boredom. You can check the next blog to see proof (coming soon, Heaven is Better Than Florida). But there is this sense of boredom with being alone, or maybe it is just the evolution into readiness to date at all.

How do you even begin to date? I had begun accumulating single (divorced) friends. It is a real phenomenon how that happens. Once you have done the deed, single/divorced friends magically appear. It was either that, or people started dropping like flies into divorce. I had a few friends and we tried going out some. That is a weird and surreal experience. There were men who would ask for a phone number. If they “seemed normal” and I gave it out, most of the time there was never a call. There were the young men. At 33 and beyond, I began to feel like one of the oldest people in the bar or wherever. If a guy younger than 30 hit on me, I wanted to know what bet he was trying to win. It was not flattering or funny.

An aside: “Seems normal” is my new mantra. I start almost every weird, bad or scary date story with, “he seemed normal.” It is a running joke at this point, 5 years into dating.

Let me tell you a little bit about Pensacola. I grew up here, and always thought it was a great place to live. I still think it is a great place to live. I have, however, a more defined perspective on dating in Pensacola. For those of you who are not aware of our lovely area, let me give you some examples of monikers linked to our area: The Emerald Coast, The Whitest Beaches in the World, The Emerald City…good so far, right? Going on: Lower Alabama (sorry Alabama, but with your rap, it gives a different perspective), The Redneck Riviera, Home of Gay Pride…

Now the last three evoke some less than stellar images when it comes to dating, and specifically, dating for me. Let’s just get the gay pride thing out of the way. I am all for gay pride. The only drawback for me is that we have a fairly high ratio of gay men. This reduces my dating pool. Too bad really, because being a Democrat, I would have a better chance of political alignment with a gay man.

Speaking of political affiliation, I forgot to mention that we are also very red in the Florida Panhandle. We could even say, blood red. I took a poll in my Sunday School class (which is remarkably evenly divided between Democrat and Republican) to see if dating outside your political affiliation is a deal breaker. My DEMOCRAT friend, Paige, voted an emphatic “Yes!” I am not totally sure, but it would be a challenge for me. The problem with this is that being a RED area of the state, that would limit my dating pool to almost nil.

Ok, back to the Redneck Riviera. This little trait presents a problem for me because of the following dating standards without which I can’t live. The guy must:

1. Have an education. This means a degree, not high school, not an AA, and not trade school. This may sound harsh to some, but education is important to me and I want my kids to have an example to follow.
2. Speak and write using correct grammar. This one has been a challenge. I am self-aware enough to know that I have an obsession with grammar. I do not expect perfection, but I have minimum standards. If a guy says, “it don’t” even once, that’s it. Around here, “it don’t” is as common as a tan. I correct my son’s texts. I know it’s obsessive, and I have no desire to change it.

At any rate, I started doing online dating. It is scary and kind of fun all at once. At first I didn’t tell anyone at all. I felt self conscious. I thought maybe it meant I was desperate or unable to get my own date in the real world. So it was my little secret.

After I created my profile, an agonizing process of writing who you are and what you want and finding a flattering photo, I immediately began getting message after message and wink after wink. A “wink” is like a message, but the guy or girl can send it without a message to let you know he/she is interested. I realized later that I was fresh meat. I had date after date. It is a good feeling to feel so popular and sought after.

After 5 years of starting and stopping the “online thing” as I like to call it, I have been joking for years that I was going to write about it. I decided to start with this blog so that these funny and bizarre experiences can be experienced by all. You really can’t make this shit up, and it is a story that needs to be told.

I have accumulated nicknames for most of my stand-out dates. To give you a preview:

The Criminal Guy
The Sweeten the Deal Guy
My BFD
The “I Feel Like I am Cheating on My Wife” Guy
The Walk on the Beach Guy otherwise known as the Meet Me in the Walmart Parking Lot to Make Out Guy
The Short Bus
Surgery Guy
The Pantie Hose Guy
The Rash of Guys Who Were 6′6″ Tall
Guys Who Lie About their Height
Guys Who Fail to Embrace Their Own Reality
and many more…stay tuned.

Racine Named Men’s and Women’s Tennis Coach of the Decade

July 22, 2010

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Gulf South Conference boasts some of the top programs in the history of Division II tennis, but West Florida stood atop the others as the GSC All-Decade Team was announced by the conference office on Thursday.  UWF swept the East Division special awards, as Derrick Racine was named Coach of the Decade for men’s and women’s tennis and Radovan Chrz and Suzana Cavalcante were named men’s and women’s Player of the Decade, respectively.

In addition to the special awards, UWF had four men’s players and five women’s players named to the all-decade team.  On the men’s side, Chrz was joined by Guillaume deVerbizier, Paulius Jurkenas and Diego Zorzi on the first team.  On the women’s side, Cavalcante, Sabine Krawietz and Nicole Plikat were first team players while Tania Kovatchka and Andreea Petrisor earned honorable mention.

“We’re happy to be honored by the Gulf South Conference,” said Racine.  “Division II is competitive and the Gulf South is one of the best conferences in D-II.  We’re honored to be recognized for our hard work, and we’ve been fortunate to have had some great players come through West Florida over the years.

Radovan Chrz

“We’re also happy to be able to carry on the tradition of success for tennis at UWF,” he continued.  “(Ralph) ‘Skeeter’ Carson set a high standard in building the foundation for this program, and we are always striving to live up to that standard.”

Chrz, the only male four-time All-American in UWF history across all sports, led the Argonauts to the team’s first of two straight national championships in 2004.  The native of Prague, Czech Republich also earned All-GSC honors all four seasons, and he was named GSC Player of the Year in 2001 and 2003.

“Radovan was probably the best to ever play at UWF,” said Racine.  “He was a great guy and also one of our best in the classroom.  He led us to our first team national championship, and with his individual titles he was a three-time national champion.”

In addition to the NCAA team championship in 2004, Chrz was an Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Division II singles champion in 2000 and 2001.  In the fall of his freshman year, Chrz was also the ITA “Super Bowl” singles champion, winning the tournament featuring all players at the Division II, Division III, NAIA and junior college levels.

Of the other three players, all of them were a part of at least one UWF NCAA championship team.  Jurkenas (2002-05) was a key player in both 2004 and 2005, and deVerbizier (2003-04) was on the 2004 team and Zorzi (2005-08) on the 2005 team.

FIRST TEAM: Radovan Chrz (2001-04, two-time GSC Player of the Year, four-time first team All-GSC)

FIRST TEAM: Guillaume deVerbizier (2003-04, GSC Player of the Year, two-time first team All-GSC)

FIRST TEAM: Paulius Jurkenas (2002-05, four-time first team All-GSC, 2005 GSC “Top Top” honoree)

FIRST TEAM: Diego Zorzi (2005-08, two-time GSC Player of the Year, three-time first team All-GSC)

Suzana Cavalcante

Cavalcante’s award is an addition to her ever-growing list of honors.  The native of Sao Paolo, Brazil is the only female student-athlete across all sports at UWF to earn four All-America selections.  She was a four-time All-GSC selection and a three-time GSC Player of the Year.

“Suzana is very deserving of this award,” said Racine.  “She won pretty much every award you can win at the GSC and Division II levels.  She was among the top players in the nation and a team leader for us all four years.  She was also a great student-athlete, one of the best we’ve had at UWF.”

As well as her on the court awards, Cavalcante was also a GSC Commissioner’s Trophy winner in 2007-08 and an ITA South Region Arthur Ashe Sportsmanship Award winner in 2008.  Following her senior season in 2008-09, she was also a finalist for NCAA Woman of the Year.

FIRST TEAM: Suzana Cavalcante (2006-09, three-time GSC Player of the Year, GSC Commissioner’s Trophy)

FIRST TEAM: Sabine Krawietz (2001-04, GSC Player of the Year, South Region Arthur Ashe award)

FIRST TEAM: Nicole Plikat (2003-05, South Region Player of the Year, two-time first team All-GSC)

HONORABLE MENTION: Tania Kovatchka (1999-01, three-time first team All-GSC, two-time All-American)

HONORABLE MENTION: Andreea Petrisor (1999-01, three-time GSC Player of the Year)

Racine came to UWF in 1999, and he has led the Argos tennis teams to national success in his 12 seasons.  On the men’s side, UWF won national championships in 2004 and 2005, earned seven trips to the NCAA semifinals, and won four GSC championships.  With the women’s team, Racine led the Argonauts to five trips to the national semifinals, five conference championships, and an NCAA finals appearance in 2001.

The conference also released the top five teams of the decade using a formula based on each team’s performance in the all-sports trophy standings the past 10 years.  By that formula, West Florida was the top women’s team this decade, and the men’s team ranked second behind only Valdosta State.  The formula was developed by Harding University Sports Information Director Scott Goode.

Thursday’s release marks the third consecutive Thursday all-decade release for the GSC following the six-sport fall release and the men’s and women’s basketball release.  The league compiled all-decade teams for five spring sports, excluding women’s golf which was added as an official league sport in 2005.

Players could only be nominated for the all-decade team if they competed in at least two seasons during the decade and were also named to the All-GSC first team at least once.  Each squad was broken up into first and second teams except for men’s tennis.  Players and coaches of the decade were selected and honorable mentions were also recognized in special circumstances (for example, those student-athletes that competed in just one season and were an All-GSC first team member during the past decade).

For information on the Gulf South Conference, visit www.gulfsouthconference.org.  For information on all UWF Athletics, visit www.GoArgos.com.

OFFICIAL GSC RELEASE: http://www.gulfsouthconference.org/news.asp?action=form&recordID=472676&sport=Miscellanious

– www.GoArgos.com –

The last segment of “Becoming Aware of Yourself” outlined the initial evaluation process.  I stressed honesty as the key component in analyzing your strengths and weaknesses. By being honest with yourself, you can successfully pinpoint the areas of your game you need to improve upon.

In tennis, there are three main areas to analyze if you are going to become a complete player.  The mental, physical, and technical aspects are all equally important in your journey to becoming a great player.  In this segment, I want to focus on the technical aspect of tennis.  Whether you are a player on tour or a junior just aiming to get better, you must always be working on your game.  From the serve to the drop shot, every shot must be critiqued.

In the areas below, rate your current level of skill development with 1 being excellent, 2 being good, 3 being average, 4 being fair, and 5 being poor. Have your coach repeat the same process and compare scores.

Ground-Stroke Play

__Forehand crosscourt

__Forehand down the line

__Backhand crosscourt

__Backhand down the line

__Backhand lob

__Forehand lob

__Forehand inside out

Specialty Shots

__Forehand angle crosscourt

__Backhand angle crosscourt

__Forehand drop shot

__Backhand drop shot

__Forehand touch volley

__Backhand touch volley

Serve

__First-serve flat

__First-serve slice

__First-serve topspin

__Second-serve slice

__Second-serve topspin

Below is a sample of how you and your coach should evaluate each section:

Ground-Stroke Play

Forehand crosscourt: 3 (average)

Why 3? The height of your ball is much too close to the net, hit too flat, and bounces in the vicinity of the opponent’s service line.

Nick’s Tip

Preparation is the root of your problem.  You must see the ball coming off the strings of your opponent and quickly analyze the height, speed, and spin.  You must get in position early and have your racket ready to swing from low to high so you get more speed and spin.  This will give your ball more net clearance and allow you to hit deeper in the court with more room for error.

Specialty Shot Skills

Forehand Drop Shot: 1 (excellent)

Why 1? You moved your opponent side to side. You had very high net clearance with heavy spin forcing your opponent to move back. You continued this strategy over and over until your opponent was so far behind the baseline and on the heels of their feet that their only option was for their next shot to be defensive and short. You made the commitment to anticipate the short ball and started coming forward. You realized your opponent was far behind the baseline and would have difficulty retrieving your drop shot.

Serve

First-serve flat: 5 (poor)

Your percentage of first serves was 30%. Your second serve was a complete push. Your opponent controlled the return of your second serve. You were broken several times and lost the match.

Nick’s Tip

It is imperative you have a higher percentage of first serves. Be aggressive and add a little spin or slice to your serve. Take a little power off of your first serve and go for placement. Hit a change of pace first serve with a high kick serve.

Identifying your strengths and weaknesses is essential in becoming a well rounded Tennis Player. Be honest with yourself and challenge yourself to improve upon your weaknesses and develop your strengths even further.

Gulf Coast Plastic Surgery & The Skin Care Center

Melanoma is a malignant skin cancer arising from the melanocytes or pigment-forming cells in the skin. While it is the least common type of skin cancer, it is also the most dangerous. The two other types of skin cancers are basal cell carcinoma, which can spread locally but never goes to lymph nodes or distant sites, and squamous cell carcinoma which can spread to the lymph nodes. Melanoma, however, can readily metastasize to distant sites. Once that has happened, there is no effective treatment. Therefore, melanoma can be a very deadly form of skin cancer. However, when found early, it can be cured by surgical removal.

The incidence of melanoma in the United States has been rising. It is estimated to occur in 1 out of 90 Americans, which has tripled in the last four decades. This increase in incidence is faster than any other cancer. This is believed to be due to increased recreation sun exposure and decreased ozone layer. Sunlight is the most important environmental factor responsible for the development of melanoma.

There are certain characteristics or predisposing factors that increase an individuals risk in developing melanoma.

1. Having a large number of atypical moles.
2. Family history of melanoma
3. Prior melanoma
4. History of repeated severe sunburn, ease of burning (fair complexion), freckling, or inability to tan.

If someone has these risk factors, they should undergo a skin screening on a yearly basis by a dermatologist. For those individuals who have multiple moles or freckles, baseline photographs for mapping purposes may be performed at each visit for comparison to see if any changes have occurred between visits. Dermatologists are trained to screen moles and determine if they appear suspicious in nature, but sometimes only a biopsy will determine a normal mole from a cancerous one.

In evaluating moles to determine whether a mole is benign or could possibly be malignant, the ABCD rule is applied. These letters represent certain characteristics that can be indicative of melanoma.

ABCD's of Melanoma

1. Asymmetry of the mole (not perfectly round)
2. Border irregularity (borders are not clearly defined)
3. Color variation (varying colors within the mole)
4. Dark black color

Diameter greater than 0.6 cm.

If an individual develops a new pigmented lesion, or if an existing mole changes in color, size, shape or surface, this can also be a characteristic of melanoma. Also, if one experiences itching, burning or pain at the site of a mole, an evaluation would be wise.

So, what can we do to cut our risks in developing melanoma? Tennis is an outdoor sport, and we do live in the Sunshine State, so it is hard to avoid all sun exposure. But avoiding it as much as possible is a good idea. When you are in the sun, apply sun block with an SPF factor of 70 or greater and re-apply about every hour. Some good sun block products are Nutrogena and Aveeno. A good rule of thumb is to apply sun block before a match starts and between each set. Sun block sweats off and is wiped off with towels, so applying just once and being in the sun all day does not do much good. Always wear a hat. This protects your scalp, which is a place most people do not apply sun block, and it protects most of your face. Also, it helps to wear UV long sleeve shirts. They are usually light weight and block the sun but do not make the heat too unbearable. Nike usually has several choices to choose from. As an added bonus, these preventative measures decrease the development of age spots and wrinkles.

So in summary, do what you can to diminish sun exposure. Use the ABCD rule on yourself. If anything looks suspicious, have it evaluated by a physician. If you do have risk factors for the development of melanoma, have a yearly evaluation. If a suspicious lesion is found, have it checked early. Don’t delay. If caught early, it has a very high cure rate.

You’ve pushed yourself with extra practice, paid for more lessons, and spent many long hours improving your form. Congratulations! You’ve advanced flights and you’re really excited about competing. All those long hours in the sun paid off….or did they? Were you also rewarded with sunspots, crow’s feet, and dull skin? It’s time to get sun smart and become informed of options for preventing sun damage.

Sunscreen ingredients:

To ensure the greatest benefits, it is important to understand what ingredients to look for and why. In order for any sunscreen product to provide adequate sun protection, it must be considered broad-spectrum, meaning it protects from both UVA and UVB radiation, both of which are responsible for DNA damage, skin cancer, and aging. UVB is responsible for 80% of burns and UVA 20%. UVA penetrates deeper into the skin causing molecular damage leading to wrinkles premature aging and cancers. UVA can also penetrate glass! UVA blockers:  azobenzone, titanium dioxide, and zinc oxide and UVB blockers: homosalate, octinoxate, oxybenzone, padimate (and more). Choose at least 30 SPF. Apply 30 min. prior to play, re-apply every 2 hours and more frequently when perspiring heavily.

Antioxidants:

Free radicals (which are formed in the cells during exposure to UVA radiation) are thought to play an intricate part in the cell mutations that lead to skin cancer.  Daily use of free radical-quenching topical antioxidants is important to healthy skin, even if not intentionally getting sun exposure. Some of the best UV protective topical antioxidants are vitamins C (ascorbic acid) and E (tocopherol). Benefits include neutralizing free radicals, protecting from erythema and sunburn cell formation, and protecting lipids in the cell membranes. Other useful antioxidants are glutathione, beta carotene, resveratrol and green tea extracts.

Apparel:

Many companies offer sun protective clothing. These fabrics differ from typical summer fabrics and have a tighter weave and are generally darker in colour.  Choose a UPF (ultraviolet protection factor) of 25 or above. These fabrics can lose their protection after repeated washings, or when they become wet and stretched out. Hats that are wide or bucket in shape are better for protecting ears, neck or sides of your face. Proper protection of your eyes is vital to preventing damage to the eyes such as cataracts. Make sure they have UVA/UVB blocking lenses.

Australia has the highest rate of skin cancer in the world and it is the most costly cancer in that country. This has prompted many tennis clubs to adopt sun smart policies in their regulatory handbooks. The following is an example from one of the larger clubs in Sidney:

* Schedule programs, tournaments, events and training to avoid some, if not all, of the peak ultraviolet period (10am – 3pm)

* Actively encourage all staff, coaches, players, officials, and patrons to routinely use broad spectrum water resistant 30+ sunscreen and stress the importance of regular re-application.

* Provide adequate shade for resting players, spectators and officials. When shade is not adequate, seek to work with relevant authorities and the community to provide temporary shade structures.

* Wear appropriate protective apparel with longer sleeves and a collar, wide

or bucket hats and UVA/UVB blocking sunglasses.

Nourish your competitive spirit on the court, but also nourish and protect your skin. Making these suggestions part of your daily routine on and off the court can and will keep that skin beautiful

Still Waters Medical Spa is a full service salon offering a variety of treatments. Visit their website at www.stillwatersmedspa.com for their complete menu.

USTA Florida State Closed Singles Sectional BG 14, 16, & 18

June 12-17, 2010

Daytona Beach, Florida

Results

Jennifer Pfeifler- Undefeated so far, heading into the semi-finals.

John Nowak- won 1^st round in the B18 but lost to the #9 seed in 3 sets.

Will Neuner- lost in the round of 16 in the B18 and beat the #15 seed.

Reece Acree- won four matches in the B16 including wins over the #15 and #13 seeds.

Austin Racine- played two good matches in the B14.

Christopher Ephron- #16 seed is still in the consolation of the B12 draw.

Jacob Baehr- won two matches in the B10.

Elizabeth Nowak- won match in the G10

Geetha Velusamy- won one match in the G10

by Jeanie Ephron

The Greater Pensacola area has many great junior players.  This month we are highlighting two High School players and two of our up and coming younger players.  The High School Tennis season is in Full Swing.  Come cheer on your favorite team and support our Junior Players.  Congratulations to West Florida High School for developing a girl’s tennis team this year

Melanie Lewis

School:                 West Florida High School

Grade:                  10^th Grade

Plays:                   Right Handed

Racquet:               Head You Tek

Favorite shot:       Crosscourt forehand and backhand

Least Favorite:     Overhead

Admires: Justine Hennin because she is consistent and has a great one handed backhand.

Melanie has been playing tennis for about ten years. She has had wonderful support from both of her parents. Together, they helped West Florida High School establish a girl’s tennis team. This is their first year with a tennis team and Melanie has won all of her matches so far. Melanie has been playing Junior Tournaments for many years with great results. Her most memorable moment was her first win against her best friend in Michigan. It took 3.5 hours, but she pulled it out. She is a fierce competitor, but always has a smile on her face. Her mother and father have been her greatest influences in tennis and George Cobia has been her coach. She does team work outs and private lessons with George to train. She also does Boxing to improve her fitness and footwork. Melanie hopes to play division one tennis in College. In her free time she enjoys music and surfing.

Elizabeth Nowak

School:                 Episcopal Day School

Grade:                  4^th Grade

Plays:                    Right Handed

Racquet:               Babolat Sweet Spot

Favorite Shot:      Forehand

Least Favorite:     Backhand Volley (I don’t really mind it)

Admires:              Anna Ivanovic because she is pretty and hit’s the ball hard.

Lizzey is the youngest in the Nowak Tennis Family. Her biggest influences in tennis are her brother and sister, John and Millie. She started playing as soon as she was taller than a tennis racquet and had obvious talent from the beginning. She loves the game and is a joy to watch on the court. Her most memorable match was in Tallahassee in the freezing cold. She won 6-2, 5-7, 11-9 and the match went until 10:30 at night. She trains with Brian Sakey and goes to clinics at Roger Scott with Scott Robinson. She works hard and there is no doubt that she will reach her goal of being a top Junior Player.  She already has an offer from LSU to play college tennis. Lizzey also likes football and soccer and she plays the piano and sings. Lizzey is a well rounded little girl and is a lot of fun to be around.

Matthew Alliss

School:                 Saint Pauls Catholic School

Grade:                  5^th Grade

Plays:                             Left Handed

Racquet:               Prince Black

Favorite shot:       Forehand

Least Favorite:     Backhand

Admires:              Nadal because he is an awesome leftie

Matthew started playing tennis about a year ago and came to the clinics at UWF.  Coach Rick Davis recognized his talent and desire to become a better tennis player and has helped him develop into a very good tennis player.  Matthew works hard on his tennis game.  He comes to clinic, takes private lessons and plays team tennis for his school.  He has won all of his singles matches and most of his doubles matches.  Matthew went to his first big tournament in Orange Beach and got to spend the night with a group of Pensacola Tennis Players.  He had a great time and won his first match in a big tournament.  His first of many, I am sure.  Matthew hopes to play High School tennis and College Tennis at Annapolis and then become a Navy Pilot.  He does very well in school and also enjoys basketball, soccer and video games.

John Nowak

School:                 Booker T Washington High School

Grade:                  11^th Grade

Plays:                  Right Handed

Racquet:               Head Speed

Favorite shot:       Ace the serve

Least Favorite:     Low slice.  That is for pansies.

Admires:              Juan Martin Del Potro for his big game style.

John was born into a “Tennis Family” and has enjoyed playing the sport since he was a young boy.  He has always been very good, but has improved his game over the years and is one of the top players in the State of Florida.  He travels to many tournaments and has great results.  He is one of the Star Players on the Washington High School “Dream Team” coached by Michael Edge.  He is a Junior and is in the process of deciding where to play College Tennis.  John also has an interest in Music.  He appreciates many music styles, plays some instruments, and is working on his vocals.  American Idol??