February 2012

 Hi Tennis Fans:

             It is me again.  It is February and tennis is upon us.  Isn’t it wonderful!  It is such a release to be able to get the racquet out and start swinging again.  Always be thankful if you are physically able to play tennis.  It is the greatest game on earth.  It gets in your blood – it gives you pride – it teaches you skills you never knew you had – and it disciplines you.  Tennis also humbles you.  You are going to run into someone better than you.  That is when you not only have to use skill, but you have to use your mind and use strategy.  It is not always the most skilled that wins.  Sometimes it is the one that has more endurance, or that is in better physical shape, or the one that has a better mental game.  The main thing is to keep it fun.

              To me, competition is fun.  It might not be to some people, but that is why we play matches and tournaments.  That is why we have the USTA, the MTC, the KHTC (Kenny Huffman Tennis Classic), and college tennis.  This year we are hoping to add the Paul Butcher Memorial Tennis Tournament (PBMTT) to the schedule in Pikeville.  This will be our first collegiate tennis tournament in many, many years in the Pikeville area.  This will take place Sept. 22-33.

             The PBMTT will have four to six colleges and universities participating.  At this point in time, we have commitments from the University of the Cumberlands, Campbellsville, Morehead State University, and, of course, UPIKE.  It should be fantastic.  It is named after my father, the greatest man I have ever known.  He was a coach and Athletic Director at Pikeville College for 34 years.  He also fought for women’s tennis.  When I was a freshman Pikeville College only   had  a men’s team.  My father, Paul Butcher, went to the KIAC and gave a speech which requested that I be able to play on the men’s team.  They voted, and I was allowed to play.  My dream to play college tennis my freshman and sophomore years came true.  Even though he coached boys most of his life, he was always for girls in sports.  He ended his coaching career coaching the girls softball team.  We are honored to name this collegiate tennis tournament after my father, Paul Butcher.

             The KHTC is holding our second meeting this year on March 10 at the YMCA at 10 AM.  I hope all our committee members will be able to attend.  Our tournament grows bigger and better every year, so we always need everyone’s participation.  If you would like to be a volunteer for the tournament, please e-mail me (Sue Huffman Stanley) at suzyqtennisfan@gmail.com, or Jim Vanover at jvanover@vhblaw.com, or call Ron Compton at 606-432-1811.  We are adding a Fast Serve Competition  to our tournament this year.  This should be exciting.  Anyone can enter.  Make sure you keep your calendar open for August 3-5 to attend the Kenny Huffman Tournament.

             We have some big UPIKE news.  Rick Bentley, the Director of Sports Information, wrote and published an article called ‘Men’s Tennis Gets Votes in National Ratings’.  The following is a summary of the article:  “It is difficult to understand what it means when a team is ranked in a preseason poll, when it hasn’t played a contest yet.  It’s even more interesting when you are the University of Pikeville, and you get votes in men’s tennis, which you haven’t played in four years.  But that is the case for Coach Tim Alderman’s Bears, who got 4 votes in the preseason poll and was one of only three Mid-South Conference teams mentioned in the preseason top 25.

             “The fact that a newly-restarted team speaks volumes about the recruiting class Alderman has landed.  ‘We’ve worked very hard since getting hired, and we’re pleased the raters have noticed what we are doing.  It gives us a great launching point,’ he said. ‘But we still have a lot of work to do.  We have to go out and earn it now.’  Lindsey Wilson is the first MSC team at No. 13, Campbellsville following at No. 23.  UPIKE is one of four teams to get four votes in the pole, tying them for 33rd.”

             I'm attaching a picture of the UPIKE men’s team after playing this past weekend at University of Charleston Invitational Tennis Tournament.  The UPIKE men’s team won 6 of 9 championships – winning the tournament.  GO UPIKE!!!



4 people like this Tim Alderman

 Connor Smith winner of #3 doubles, runner-up #3 singles, Marcos Sernandez Fondelius winner of #2 doubles, Dmitry Dimitry Babenkov winner of #1 doubles, Sven Rodenbusch winner of #5 singles, winner of #2 doubles, Lucas Cardoso winner of #6 singles, winner of #3 doubles, Sergei Sergio Krasilnikov winner of #2 singles, winner of #1 doubles. UPIKE Men Tennis winner of 6 of 9 championships at University of Charleston Invitational Tennis Tournament 2012.

            
Just a reminder – if you have any tennis news, send it to me at suyqtennisfan@gmail.com and I will post it in my newsletter.  As I leave you for the month – meditate on this quote:  “What you are as a person is far more important than what you are as a tennis player.”

Happy Tennis Playing


 Sue Huffman Stanley
 Founder of Kenny Huffman Tennis Classic
 Author of ‘A Tennis Love Story’