Rosie Casal's - Esurance Tennis Classic

Rosie Casal’s long list of professional tennis accolades include her historic membership in the Original-9. During the1970’s nine women, one being Billie Jean King broke away from the established USLTA to start their own tour. The Virginia Slims tour was born in 1971 and two years later the WTA was established. The Virginia Slims tour set the stage for these professional women to develop financial sponsorships and determine their own prize money purses. The rest of that story speaks for itself in the continued success of the WTA today. In 1996 Casal’s was honored as an inductee into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Her playing accomplishments include winning 12 majors, and 112 doubles titles overall. 

Since retiring as a player Casal’s has run a company called Sportswoman, a group that puts on various sports and charity events for corporations. The next event, Esurance Tennis Classic will take place at the Harbor Point Tennis Club in Mill Valley, Sept 22 & 23. Proceeds of the celebrity tennis event will benefit the To Celebrate Life Breast Cancer Foundation, Youth Tennis Advantage, and Northern Light School. 

SZ: Over the course of your professional tennis career you won 112 doubles titles. If you were starting out as a player today which current tour player would compliment your style of play technically and mentally? 

RC: That is hard to relate because most player’s today don’t serve and volley. For competitiveness and aggressiveness I would compare myself to Serena Williams. For competitiveness and flare Francesca Schiavone, who loves to run down everything and always enjoys competing. I don’t think that there is a doubles server or volleyer at all in the game today that I can really compare myself to. Lisa Raymond who plays with Liezel Huber does a fairly good job of serving and volleying. I would say Raymond’s style of play and mine are similar from the point of view of serving and volleying. 

SZ: Would that compliment you? Teams often have a player who’s a terminator and the other who is the scrambler.

RC: It would from the point of view that the partner would be playing my style and I could better play with a partner who serves and volleys. Now mind you I played with Chris Evert and we won tournaments because her returns of serve were so good. She also got to net probably more than today’s player’s do.

SZ: That’s shocking to hear. You don’t think of Chris as a volleyer.

RC: That’s today’s style. We had a totally different style of play. We played on court surfaces that were much faster than today’s courts. During my playing days most of the the Grand Slams were played on grass. The tournament season began at the Australian 

Open which used to be played on grass. The French Open was the only time we would play on clay, and once we arrived in England for Wimbledon, it was grass and the U.S. Open was on grass. Serve and volley suited our style of play and growing up in California we played on cement which was a fast surface. Everything slowed down by the time Chris Evert came along. Grass court tournaments switched to hard court or clay and the game drastically changed. 

SZ: You partnered with Billie Jean King to win five Grand Slam doubles events. At times player’s have days where their mental game is not on track, their timing is off, their focus may be less intense. During those matches did you have conversations with each other in between points and on change overs that were useful?

RC: Of course. We depended on each other and that’s a team. If you are missing returns of serve or having problems with your shots you try to boost each other up. She said things like, “Just get the return back, it doesn’t have to be great, it doesn’t have to be a winner, but get the return.” From that point of view we helped one another stay in the match. The bottom line in doubles or a team situation is that you are always obviously trying to play your best together. One would have to hold the other player up until she could get her game on track. Billie was very resourceful and she would say, “We are going to win.” I believed her, we believed in one another. I think that was the most important thing. If you are a good team you have to believe in one another. You have to trust one another. That’s what we did very, very well, we believed in one another. Even if we were down in a match 5-0, 40-love and she said, “We are going to win.” I believed that and we were able to raise our game to the level where we would eventually win. 

SZ: You and Billie Jean King will always be remembered for gutsy tennis and pioneering

the WTA the first major sponsor being Virginia Slims. What lessons from that historical development of women’s professional tennis would you like to keep alive for future generations of female tour player’s?

RC: The lesson would be that if you stick together and you are a united front then you will accomplish a lot more than if you don’t. You need to have leadership and followers. I think leadership is the most important because in paving the way for women’s tennis we had to have a leader. Billie Jean was number one at the time. She was a good focal point. She was someone who could get information out to the media. She was someone that people could believe in. Even though at times because Billie was also competing and number one there was always a little bit of friction and conflict. Sometimes it’s not as easy in the player’s arena to convince them that this way is the right way but having some key player’s such as myself and others that were not number one that the players felt a little bit closer and could relate to - I think I helped in that way.

I look at history and see that no matter what player’s are fighting for they have to be together. Whether it’s a soccer looking for a league or the female basketball players. You have to have a leader and be able to stick together because that’s the only way you’re going to accomplish great things.

SZ: Do you find this is missing in women’s tennis now or has leadership shifted to player agents?

RC: It’s changed somewhat. If you recall and it may be eight years ago at this point that Venus Williams took the leadership role and rallied the women players to stick together in order to receive equal prize money at the Grand Slam events. Player’s banding together hadn’t been the case in a long while but it was obvious that by the women grouping together which is difficult these days because yes, you have agents, and the women are not as close as we were. We depended so much on each other during our times because we had to. It’s a little bit different now when player’s are making millions of dollars. But I was happy to see that the women made a statement and the stuck together. They remembered their history and I know that Venus is very close to the history of women players and Billie Jean King. She always acknowledges Billie and the ways that player’s have benefited from our era.

SZ: Do you see Venus and Serena as leaders?

RC: Absolutely. I do see them as leaders. They are well spoken and they understand the history of women’s tennis and where they’ve come from. As player’s they’ve been number one in the United States for over a decade. So, yes, I think the Williams sisters are very much leaders in our game. 

SZ: What experience, skills and support would you advise a player preparing to embark on a professional tennis career have before making the decision to turn pro in the modern era?

RC: Like anything else you have to be prepared. When you are young it’s all exciting and player’s think about money and sometimes are pushed into a professional career. I think everyone faces a time where they want to play professionally. But it’s not going to be easy. Things are tough and more competitive now. The Challenger Tour is very, very strong and only the top 350 women on the tour make a living playing.

Young player’s will have their hard knocks but if they are really good they are going to make it. A player has to make the commitment to put themselves out and say “I want to be the best” and if a player wants to be the best she needs to compete with and beat the best.  Along with this have a  good attitude and be competitive because that’s what it takes to be the top and play in the pro’s. They are going to have losses and need to be able to pick herself back up and say, “I can do this.” 

SZ: You currently run a company called Sportswoman, a group that puts on various sports and charity events for corporations. The popular Esurance will be held at the Mill Valley Harbor Point Tennis Club, Sept. 22 & 23rd. Proceeds from the event will benefit To Celebrate Life Breast Cancer Foundation, Youth Tennis Advantage and Northern Light School. What other upcoming events is Sportswoman involved with this year that we should know about?

RC: We’ve just begun working on Billie Jean King & Friends. Billie’s alma mater is Cal State Los Angeles and we are in the process of celebrating our 15th anniversary of raising money for the athletic scholarship program and the women’s tennis team. Two years ago Cal State University named the sports complex after Billie Jean. Our new task in the future is to raise about 2.5 million for the tennis facility to be built. Billie would  like to name it after myself and Pancho Gonzales who was a native of East L.A. 

SZ: What a great honor.

RC: Well I think so. I like that it will be named after Pancho Gonzales who has never really received the recognition that he deserved because he came way before tennis was so popular. I hope this will pay tribute to what he accomplished. I played mixed doubles with him at Wimbledon which was a great honor.

SZ: Each year the Esurance Event draws an amazing group of player’s. This year tennis fans will enjoy watching the Bryan Brothers who have recently returned from London winning gold in men’s doubles, three time Grand Slam winner Lindsay Davenport, seventeen time Grand Slam Doubles winning Gigi Fernandez, Six time Grand Slam doubles winner Rennae Stubbs and others. The format for the event has changed to World Cup Team Challenge, USA versus The World. Explain how this year’s format is different and how it will enhance the tournament viewing for spectators.

RC: What’s different this year is even though we’ve always had international player’s playing in the World Team Tennis format, this year is going to take on a Davis Cup/Fed Cup format. We are setting the stage for USA vs. The World. We’ve invited both men and women international players who will compete against the USA player’s. With the Byran brother’s it should be really fun and an event the crowd can get behind. We will still use team tennis scoring with no add, short sets and super tie-breakers. 

SZ: You’ve participated in and seen dramatic changes in the sports world through-out the years. Do you have any favorite quotes, stories, or tips that have guided your successes in life?

RC: Fighting for what you believe in. We had the stage during a very special era where women were supposed to have a family, raise a family, stay home. Women were not encouraged to think about earning a living, pursuing sports, Title IX wasn’t there to support them. The 60’s and 70’s were a unique time when so much happened for women. What we brought to the table and focus on for women’s sports has done a lot for women, in business, in the home and it created a new way of looking at women. Prior to 1972 there was no Title IX and I think Title IX was the key to women excelling because it gave athletic scholarships. That was the first time a woman could dream of playing a sport or being an attorney or Dr. and having the same opportunities as the men. The times were special and we were able to do a lot of things because of the times. 

SZ: Rosie thank you for taking the time out of your very busy schedule for this interview.

*Pictures are from Getty Images

*Featured guests are not current nor former clients of Susan Zaro

*This article may also be read @ the examiner

Liezel Huber - Doubles Specialist

Tennis doubles specialist Liezel Huber holds the current number one doubles ranking on the WTA tour with Lisa Raymond. Over the course of her career Huber has etched her name deeply in the history books excelling in her professional role. Huber is the distinguished title holder of being ranked number one for the second most weeks in women’s doubles history. In the next few days Huber will partner with another doubles specialist, Lisa Raymond to represent the United States at the Olympics in London.

Huber was born in Durham, South Africa and became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2007. During her career Huber has won fifty-two doubles titles including five Grand Slams and three WTA Championships. In 2009 Huber successfully teamed up with Bob Bryan to win the mixed doubles at the French Open and in 2010 at the U.S. Open. Prior to partnering with Lisa Raymond in 2011 Huber won four Grand Slam titles with Cara Black from Zimbabwe. 

SZ: What age did you begin playing tennis? Who introduced you to the sport and what opportunities did that person provide to open the doors to your future as a tennis pro?

LH: I probably always had a racket in my hand. My twin sister and I were 6 weeks old when my mom played her first league match again. We were next to the court! My parents both played. My grandfather and uncle were avid players. For sure it was my mom's influence that opened the doors to my career! My sister and I took our first lessons at age 5.

SZ: You left your home in South Africa at 15 to attend the Dennis Van Der Meer Tennis Academy in Hilton Head, South Carolina. How many years did you train at the Van Der Meer Academy? What training and insights did you gain during the time you lived at the Academy that help you as a professional?

LH: I trained at Van Der Meers for 4 years on and off while playing junior tournaments and pursuing my pro career in the satellite and challenger events. At Van der Meer we spent 6 hours a day on court. I needed that! 

SZ: Who are/were your athletic role models? What qualities do you admire about them? Are there any of these qualities you have taken on and applied to your own life? 

LH: I have a huge respect for all professional athletes. They are so dedicated, disciplined and have huge goals. That is inspiring to me. I admire the natural athlete and the self made athlete. I am the self made one, not all the talent, but worked really hard. Everything I do I try to give 100%. 

SZ: Your doubles partnership with Cara Black is regarded as one of the greatest women’s doubles teams in history. When you partner with someone over a lengthy period of time how do you plan out the tournament schedule? Do you negotiate a calendar date to sit down and discuss your goals as a team technically/strategically/physically?  How far in advance does the team decide these things? 

LH: A partnership with another doubles player (specialist) is much simpler, than someone that plays singles too. The schedule becomes simpler when you only play doubles. You decide together. It's that simple. We don't play week after week anymore like we did when we started on the tour. Having a week off is very valuable. We know our schedule at the end of each year for the next year. 

SZ: When a doubles partnership continues for an extended period of time what do teams do to keep the game and the doubles relationship fresh so both players skills grow and you remain engaged in the team process?

LH:  I think what keeps a partnership fresh and keeps me as an individual motivated, is reinventing my game as I go along. Tweaking my game by adding a shot, improving my serve and adding some plays as a team. 

SZ: Do you travel with a coach full-time? What are the duties of the coach? 

LH: Yes, my husband coaches me. We have been married for 12 years. He has coached me on and off for most of that time! He knows me best. He can tell just by looking at me what I am feeling at that time. He knows my strengths and weaknesses. It hasn't always been easy having a dual relationship, but we have made it worked nicely. 

SZ: Lisa Raymond and you are partnered to represent the United States in the 2012 Olympics in London. Depending on the draw which teams will be the biggest challenge and why? Besides playing in the event what are you looking forward to as an Olympic Athlete? If you have time to watch other events what will you go and see?

LH: We are extremely excited to represent Team USA in the Olympics! We don't look ahead in any competition and this will be no different. I love my Team USA apparel! I look forward to the opening ceremony (marching of the athletes) and meeting my fellow team mates! I love exchanging pins and try to find the very rare ones. We are there to compete, so I highly doubt we will have time to see other events except for tennis.

SZ:  Are you retiring from professional touring in the next few years? What are you looking forward to during retirement that you haven’t been able to do while playing professionally?

LH: Of course retirement is nearing. You can't play professional forever! I look forward to becoming a mother, God willing. I look forward to spending time on court at Huber Tennis Ranch. We have a big program with many aspiring young players. I also look forward to taking vacations in our motor home!

SZ: What are your hopes/expectations for American women’s tennis in the next 3-5 years? Do you envision the Huber Tennis Ranch as playing a role in developing American tennis? 

LH: America has a lot of strong, talented, up and coming female players. They are already shining and will continue to rise on the rankings. I hope Huber Tennis Ranch will play a role in developing players for sure! We have 15 Quick Start courts. We even have a beach volley court too! 

SZ: After Hurricane Katrina in 2005 you began a charity, Liezel’s Cause, to help the families that relocated in Houston in the aftermath of the massive flooding from Katrina. You receive much praise and appreciation for your charitable involvement. How has your charitable involvement broadened your life? 

LH: I am not very active right now in my charitable causes. I have a lot on my plate and think it's unfair if I can't give 100%. We still do food can drives, cereal drives, toy drives and give back to the community whenever we can. I love helping people! We teach our kids at Huber Tennis Ranch to give back. 

SZ:  Do you have a favorite quote or story that has guided you on your professional path?

LH: Celebrate the good and the bad times. Enjoy the good times, because there will be bad times ahead. Enjoy the bad times, because that is how we learn! I celebrate both!

SZ: Liezel thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to chat. July 28th tennis begins at the Olympics in London soon followed by the 2012 U.S. Open beginning August 27th in New York.

*Photo credits to Julian Finney/Getty Images (Raymond & Huber defeated Mirza & Vesnina in the WTA Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship Feb. 2012).

*Featured guests are not current nor former clients of Susan Zaro

*This article can also be read @ examiner

Keith Wilbur - SCU Water Polo

Keith Wilbur stepped in as the Santa Clara University men’s and women’s water polo coach in 2002. In 2006 he became the all time most successful men’s water polo coach and surpassed the 100 wins mark in 2008. Wilbur began his coaching career as the boys varsity water polo coach at Menlo School. Wilbur is a graduate of Princeton University. As a player he was a team captain his senior year, leading the Tigers defensively to three Ivy League Championships. Wilbur was also a member of the U.S. National Team in 1997-98 and competed at the l997 World University Games in Sicily, Italy. 

SZ: In 2002 you took over the coaching job at Santa Clara University. In 2006 you achieved the honor of becoming the most successful men’s water polo coach in the university’s history. What have been the staples of your coaching success? What are some of the changes you’ve brought to this program that got it rolling?

KW: In terms of being the winningest coach, I think that has mostly to do with longevity.  I really like Santa Clara University, and I made a commitment to be here for the long term when I was hired.  I have been very active recruiting since my first day here, and I think that change probably had the most impact.  Other changes have been more gradual, from lifting weights on a year around basis, running workouts in the off season, and creating a club program over the summer to give the athletes more opportunities to play.  As we have improved, I have challenged the teams with a tougher strength of schedule every year, and I think they have benefitted a lot from playing high level competition.

Another huge change for us was the construction of the Sullivan Aquatic Center. About four years ago, Jack and Joanie Sullivan donated the money for this pool and it has made a huge difference for us.  We went from having a non-regulation, too shallow, too short, and too narrow of a pool to having one of the best facilities to play college water polo.  Practices are better, recruits are more interested, and we play 10-15 home games a year whereas we used to average about 2 home games a year.

SZ: Highlights of your athletic playing career include playing for Princeton University, being on the U.S. National Team (1997-98), and competing at the 1997 World University Games in Italy. What useful experiences in training and playing have you brought into your collegiate coaching role?

KW: I learned a lot from the different coaches that I have had from high school to club to college to National teams.  I have definitely drawn lessons from the best coaches I had, but I also learned from negative experiences I had with other coaches, and I try not to do the same as them.  Tim Hugar was the coach at Princeton my freshman year, and he was the best coach I ever had in terms of getting the team psyched up to play games.  I just remember his pre-game talks, and by the time we hit the water, everybody was so amped up to compete.  I felt like we exceeded our potential in every game we played that year.  Paul Nelson was the coach at Princeton my last two years.  I really like the strategies that he taught, and the relationships he developed with the players.  I think there is a fine line to being a coach where your players can like you, but also need to respect you.  Paul was able to balance the two very well.  I also thought he was great at identifying his player’s strengths and putting them in the best situations to excel.  

SZ: As coach of both the men’s and women’s teams how would you describe the mental/emotional difference of coaching/communicating with players? Is there a noticeable difference?

KW: I am asked this question a lot and I definitely notice a difference coaching the men and women. I truly enjoy coaching both teams and regardless of gender there are many different personalities with all the player’s. I really like the challenge of figuring out the best coaching approach for each personality and how to get those personalities to mesh well to work as a team. I find need to talk more when I coach the women. Whether it’s constructive help or positive feedback, they like to know what I am thinking and how they are doing. If I am not doing this they feel ignored. The men do not desire as much constant feedback. If I let them go without saying much, they usually assume they are playing well until I point something out.

SZ: Besides a player possessing athletic skill what are the clues you look for that demonstrate a player will be a good fit for the team dynamic?

KW: Outside of athletic skill I look for work ethic, responsibility, intelligence, competitiveness, maturity, the ability to work well with others and leadership. 

SZ: What types of team building exercises do you set up for the player’s to promote team chemistry?

KW: I have been fortunate to have a sport psychology consultant, Adam Saucedo work with both programs and he does a lot of these type of team building exercises. Adam started with us three years ago as part of his final project for his Master’s, and now works with over half the teams at Santa Clara U. One of my favorite exercises that he does each week with our team is having every player stand up and pick a teammate that they appreciate and explain why. This is not something I expected my player’s would buy into right away, but they were totally into it. I think it is a great skill to be able to recognize another person for a job well done. It also means a lot to receive that recognition from a teammate. I find this exercise really opens up communication between player’s, motivates them to work hard for each other and builds our team chemistry. 

SZ: What are your duties as a coach during the summer months? Is there down time or is it recruiting time?

KW: In water polo we are actually allowed to run club teams over the summer that include our college players.  Most college teams in California also have summer club teams, and we have practice throughout the summer and play in a league with games most weekends.  I run practices from 6 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. at night, so the players can still get summer jobs and internships that work with our schedule.

I also do a lot of recruiting over the summer.  There are lots of club tournaments with great opportunities to see players from all over the country.  The biggest summer tournament is Junior Olympics, and it is a four-day event for the boys, and then another four days for the girls.  Every year I camp out at JO’s, watch about 10 games a day and see a ton of players.  This year Stanford is hosting JO’s, so I do not have to travel very far.  Boys JO’s are July 28-31, and Girls JO’s are Aug. 2-5.

SZ: You have a very busy schedule what do you do to recharge your energy to avoid burn-out? 

KW: This may sound funny but I still like to play water polo. I find playing is a great break from coaching. I have a master’s group called BAM and we practice a couple of times a week. I usually go with them to a couple of tournaments a year. My master’s team has asked me to coach them, but I refuse because it is my break from coaching and I really just want to play. I just returned from a World Master’s tournament in Italy and had a great time. I feel totally recharged for coaching and recruiting this summer. 

SZ: Do you have any favorite quotes, stories, tips that have guided you on your path to success as a water polo coach?

KW: I have read a lot of books and quotes by John Wooden, and I really like his approach and the life lessons that he taught while coaching. I also feel that I benefitted a lot from coaching all levels.  Right after I graduated from college, I came back and coached my high school (Menlo School) junior varsity team, then the varsity team, then club teams, and then college.  I learned every step of the way, and I am still learning.  

SZ: Keith thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule for this interview.

Go Broncos!

*This article can also be read @ The Examiner
*Featured guests are not former nor current clients of Susan Zaro

Tim Hanley - Houston Dynamo's

Houston Dynamo’s assistant coach Tim Hanley has coached in Major League Soccer for 13 seasons and in American soccer for more than 20 years. Over the years Hanley coached three Goalkeeper of the Year winners in a four-year spread  from 2002-2005. Hanley worked in MLS with the San Jose Clash and San Jose Earthquakes and has coached in the A-League, in the Premier Development League, and at Stanford University (2002-2005).

As a player, Hanley participated for six seasons in the United States and the United Kingdom. He began his professional playing career with the Blackpool and Coventry City in England, later returning to the United States to play in the North American Soccer League. He played with the Tampa Bay Rowdies, San Jose Earthquakes and Golden Bay Earthquakes.

SZ: Besides the obvious, keeping the opponents kicks from going through the goal posts, what’s a goalies job description?

TH: The modern goalkeeper is pretty much today’s quarterback in football. His job is to organize and command the entire field.

SZ: What are the top 3-4 mental physical qualities of successful goalies?

TH: Absolute mental toughness and the physical attributes of a NFL Defensive back. Size is important now. Technology has changed the equipment forcing a change in the athlete. Leadership capability. The position is like a sports version of a Navy Seal.

SZ: You began playing goalie at age fourteen. Did the role come naturally to you or did you have coaches that opened up your awareness to help you become a force as a goalie?

TH: Growing up I played every sport imaginable, wrestling, track, baseball, volleyball and basketball. I played football my freshman and sophomore years in high school and ran track-cross country. There were no mentors or coaches for a sport that was so new at the time in the United States. I sought out resources to learn on my own. I felt that the goalkeeper position combined everythingI liked in every other sport.

SZ: What helped you gain awareness as a goalie in ways that enhanced your skill development?

TH: Back in the late 60’s and early 70’s there were no soccer coaches per say. I watched a PBS show called “Soccer made in Germany” that was on one night a week for an hour. I watched and tried to emulate the actions of a few of the goalkeepers. 

SZ: What is the role of a goalie coach? Your season is very long. How do you stay sharp and motived through-out the season?

TH: My daily work involves the entire team day to day but my ultimate responsibility is the goalkeepers. Our training sessions reflect the long and arduous regular season. We take time off, play games that are not related to soccer and then play games that are specific to the match environment. 

SZ: How were the San Jose Earthquakes connected to the current Houston Dynamo’s?

TH: The ownership group in San Jose felt that they could not get a stadium built so they moved the team to Houston after the 2005 season. The Earthquakes name, logo, and statistics were not transferred and remained inactive in San Jose until 2007 when the Earthquakes were reactivated. The Houston Dynamo’s officially became a new team.

SZ: The Dynamo’s have moved into the new beautiful BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston. Does this mean that soccer is on the rise as a spectator sport? 

TH: Houston is the fourth largest city in the U.S. The Earthquakes were moved to Houston in 2005 because of the stadium possibility. When the Dynamo’s moved to Houston the club originally played home games at Robertson Stadium on the University of Houston campus. The club moved to BBVA Compass Stadium during the 2012 MLS season. MLS has always felt that it is vital for each team to have it’s own soccer specific venue. Soccer in the U.S. is growing but I do not feel it will eclipse the top four sports, NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL. Those sports are some of the big guns because of their T.V. deals.

SZ: The Dynamo’s playing schedule runs from Feb - Nov. As a coach how do you help the goalies stay mentally engaged, motivated yet manage their rest and recovery periods during that long stretch? How many days off do player’s typically have during a week?

TH: Our schedule actually runs from Feb. through Nov. with the final in December. We play at least once a week for the most part and have stretches where we play a lot games. A few weeks ago we played four games in eleven days. The MLS schedule calls for thirty-two games. In addition we have ten reserve matches, US Open Cup matches,  Concacaf Champions League and friendlies-exhibitions. We will play close to 50 games not including the reserve matches. We qualified for the CCL matches because we made the MLS Cup Final last year. CCL home and away in Mexico and El Salvador in the 1st rounds. 

We have to manage not only the players mental state but their bodies as well. I try and keep things light and in perspective. Our work reflects the players current state of mind and their physical capacities. There are days when we just do light ball work without ever diving or jumping around. By the end of the season there are a lot of keepers around the league whose keeper coaches have them flying around all season and their performances suffer. We joke around, have silly exercises and do a few things off the field.

SZ: Is there a specific training protocol that the player’s are exposed to to aid their performance?

TH: We do some film/video work with the keeper’s breaking down situations and the decisions that were made. Goalkeepers are inevitably going to make mistakes be embarrassed etc. So we keep it light, make sure they can laugh at themselves. Everything is brought out in the open. Part of my job is to see that they can recover immediately after making an error. We cannot afford to have a keeper stuck on what just happened in a match.

SZ: What advice do you have for up and coming player’s aspiring to become professional soccer goalies or play professional soccer. How challenging is it to be a successful player in this game?

TH: I am one of those that believe professional athletes are born not made. Your genetic package will determine a great deal of your success in sports. Combine the physical attributes with passion and playing a sport at the professional level is possible. I have always felt that in America, if one can play a sport that allows them to leverage themselves into a college that otherwise they would not have been able to attend; then they have done something right.

SZ: Tim thank you for making time in your very busy schedule for this interview. 

Go Dynamo’s!

*Featured guests are not former nor current clients of Susan Zaro

*This article can also be read @ www.examiner.com

United States Gay Open

Memorial Day Weekend means many things to many people. For many gay and lesbian tennis players from the U.S. and around the world, Memorial Day Weekend has come to mean tennis. For thirty-two years San Francisco’s Gay & Lesbian Tennis Federation has, on Memorial Day Weekend, hosted the United States Gay Open. In recent years the tournament has been held at Stanford University’s Taube Tennis Stadium. This year the tournament will be in full swing May 25th to May 28th once again at Taube Stadium. 

Steve Nugent is this years tournament co-director and responsible for registration and scheduling.

SZ: What is the history of the tournament? 

SN: The first year the USGO was held was in 1981. It was created by a group of guys who got together because they wanted to play tennis but with their gay and lesbian brothers and sisters in an environment where they felt safe. Back in 1981 the political climate was a lot different. Even though San Francisco had Harvey Milk fighting for equality you also had things like the Briggs Initiative which was trying to ban gay and lesbian school teachers from the classroom. All these things were going on and these guys just wanted a safe stage to play tennis. That group of guys turned into what’s now known as the Gay and Lesbian Tennis Federation (GLTF) of San Francisco. At a certain point in time when that group became solidified as an organization it took over running the USGO. 

SZ: The USGO is based in San Francisco?

SN: Yes, it’s always been based in San Francisco although the tournament has been held in various venues in the bay area. The last few years we’ve been holding the tournament at Stanford University. The venue is very nice and it solves a few logistical issues for us because there are a lot of courts on the Stanford Campus. There are not a lot of large facilities in San Francisco that are cost efficient to rent.

SZ: How has the tournament developed since its inception in 1981?

SN: It began very small and was from what people know the very first gay and lesbian tennis tournament that billed itself as such. Over the course of the years as the tournament became more popular the USGO was born which was followed by another organization called the Gay Lesbian Tennis Alliance which is kind of a governing body of an entire world tour of Gay and Lesbian tennis tournaments. There are about forty tournaments on the calendar and at least one tournament is held on every continent, except Antarctica. You can pretty much travel the world and play on the tour. The tour schedule can be accessed at GLTA tour schedule.

SZ: Are the tournaments held on all different court surfaces? Is there a Grand Slam of GLTA tennis?

SN: They have what’s called a Master’s Series. Every year certain tournaments are designated as Master’s Series Tournaments. There isn’t a Grand Slam but there are what people call the Crown Jewel Tournaments. Many of those are the oldest most established tournaments like the USGO. 

SZ: There are forty tournaments around the world?

SN: There are around forty tournaments now. All across the United States, Canada, all through Europe and Asia. The most recent tournaments have been coming up in Asia. There is a new tournament in South Africa. It’s the first GLTA tournament to be held in South Africa. 

SZ: The GLTA is the governing body for these tournaments?

SN: Yes, countries can apply for sanctioning under the GLTA to hold a tournament. 

SZ: Why did you become involved in the tournament?

SN: I love tennis. I’m like the guy who you see playing in the rain. I love the game and I’ve always been a doer. I like to be involved so I’ve been on the board of directors of the GLTF before and on the board of directors for other tennis organizations. I think it’s a lot of fun. It’s high pressure and intense but I get a rush out of that. Most of all I like being with the people and like the community feel of it. 

SZ: What level player are you?

SN: I play at the “B” level which is the U.S.T.A. (4.0). I’ve been working hard to get in better shape so I can move up to (4.5). I need a serve though.

SZ: Do you play in the tournament? 

SN: I do and actually I’m a very competitive person. I play lots of tournaments and GLTA tournaments on the GLTA circuit. I also play a lot of the U.S.T.A. tournaments that are held through-out the bay area.

SZ: Where do the entrants that play in the USGO come from?

SN: It’s world wide. This year I am director of registration and scheduling. We’ve received entries from USA, Australia, Canada, Great Britain, Italy, New Zealand, Switzerland, Chinese Taipei and in past tournaments players have come from South America. 

SZ: Does the USGO have its own ranking system different from the USTA? 

SN: The USTA has its own ranking system and the GLTA the governing body has a ranking system that it uses. You can check out the the ranking system on GLTA.net. The rules are basically a mirror of the USTA rules as far as play, conduct, scoring. The GLTA point system is a little bit different. 

SZ: Is it set up as (3.0/3/5 etc.) or A/B/C?

SN: It depends on the tournament. The different countries and the different tennis organizations have different rankings. When you are a tournament director you receive a chart that tells you how to translate the different countries rankings.

SZ: Is there prize money in the tournament?

SN: No there’s no prize money. The GLTA mandates that whatever profit is brought in the tournament donates a percentage of that profit to a charitable organization. The GLTF is a non-profit organization.

SZ: Do players need to be LBGT to participate? 

SN: No they don’t. Anyone can play in USGO tournaments. A lot of times what we do have is like gay parents and their children play. We had a lesbian mother and her son play. This year we have a veteran GLTA player who’s going to play doubles with his fourteen year old son. Everyone is welcome to play as long as they are respectful.

SZ: How did the tournament organizers make the decision to let anyone play?

SN: It’s decided by the tournament directors who have certain leeway as far as how the tournament is constructed.

SZ: How would a player’s experience be different playing in the USGO than any other tennis tournament?

SN: The main difference is that a lot of the GLTA tournaments are structured like big events. It’s a lot different from a USTA tournament that you would have a match on the weekend, you’d play your match, chat a little bit with people you know and then go home. When you’re not involved in the tournament you would leave and the day is over.

With the USGO and other tournaments there are things going on besides the tournament. For instance for the USGO this year on May 10th there was a GLTF shopping day at the Sports Basement in downtown San Francisco. On May 17th there is a USGO draw party at City Racquet Shop in San Francisco. There is a welcome party for all the players on Thursday, May 24th at The LookOut in the Castro. The players receive participation gift bags, it’s just kind of a big party. On Friday, May 25th is the Women’s Social. On Monday May 28th is the tournament banquet. There’s a DJ, raffle, entertainment, it’s a lot of fun.

SZ: So it’s a big party with some sports.

SN: It really is. A lot of people who play GLTA tournaments aren’t necessarily competitive people. They play they lose and then they enjoy themselves, watch tennis and hang out rooting for their friends still in the tournament. They have a lot of fun. There are also hard core competitors who come to win. For both types of players it’s a social event and great tennis.

SZ: Tell me a story or incident that highlights what the tournament is all about.

SN: A great example is a GLTA veteran coming from San Diego will be playing playing doubles with his godson. That really kind of encompasses what these tournaments are all about. Be proud of who you are and sharing that with your friends, family and building that community. 

Personally I remember the first time I played a GLTA tournament. It was the USGO, I believe in 1998 or 99. I was really nervous but once I saw it was a real tournament and it turned out to be a lot of fun and in an environment where I didn’t have to worry about anything other than playing tennis, I just knew there and then this was what I wanted to be involved in. Most of my circle of friends have been born out of the GLTF and playing on the GLTF circuit. I’ve built this world wide tennis community and I feel I can go anywhere and play.

SZ: That’s the cool thing about tennis, forty tournaments around the world is not localized and isolated. You play all over the world which is fabulous.

SN: Right I can go anywhere and feel at home because I know I am part of this thing. It really allows me to be free in a lot of ways and share that with people. The GlTF fields thirty-three USTA teams a year through-out all the different leagues offered.

SZ: Are there tournament sponsors? I know that you talked about Stanford donating their tennis courts. 

SN: We pay Stanford for the use of the courts that they rent to us but they are extremely welcoming and easy to work with. Dick Gould is the Sports Director there he’s very open to having the tournament. Sports Basement is a sponsor. Over the years we’ve had airline sponsors and they’ve given us free round trip tickets to raffle. Mainly what we receive from sponsors are items we can raffle off to generate some money to donate to a charity.

SZ: What’s your favorite part of being involved in the tournament. 

SN: I love everything even getting up early to fill the water buckets and dragging them out to the courts. What I like the most is seeing my friends who don’t live in the bay area  but who come and play in the tournament. For four days I’m enclosed in this bubble of gay tennis. There’s a community feel and I feel good about the whole environment  the intensity, the fun, mixed with seeing old friends, meeting new people, having a sense of being together in this fun, crazy, community of gay tennis.

Steve thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to talk about the upcoming USGO tennis tournament at Stanford. 

*Featured guests are not former nor current clients of Susan Zaro

*This article can also be read @ 
http://www.examiner.com/article/united-states-gay-open

Alexis Levi - Sports for Life

Sports for Life is a non-profit 501(3)-c organization formed to bring public awareness, education and community empowerment to combat Hypertropic Cardiomyopathy (HCM). Alexis Levi co-chairperson of Sports for Life wears many important hats, including mother, registered nurse, entrepreneur, and former athlete; she is proud to be the first African American woman to own a professional basketball team, the Las Vegas Stars. Alexis’s goal is to raise awareness in the athletic area as well as to educate every athlete to the signs and symptoms of HCM.  The Sports for Life Mission: To provide a high profile avenue for coaches, students and parents to learn about the signs and symptoms of HCM the leading cause of Sudden Cardiac Arrest among athletes and children. 

SZ:  In layman’s terms define Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM). 

AL: Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is the leading cause of sudden death or cardiac death (SCD) in young athletes. HCM is a disorder that causes the heart muscle to become thick. The thickening makes it harder for blood to leave the heart, forcing the heart to work harder to pump blood. HCM is frequently asymptomatic until SCD. Prevention requires screening. Screening by medical history and physical exam are ineffective. HCM is detected with 80% accuracy by echocardiograms, combined with pre-screening by electrocardiograms (ECG’s). 

SZ: What percentage of the youth athletic population in the United States is affected by this condition? 

AL: It varies. In the last few years the incidences of HCM have risen. I was doing some research the other day and discovered that at the end of January 2012 there had been ten deaths from HCM that were noted. It seems to be increasing. What we are trying to do at Sports for Life is to hone in on the kids from second grade at ten years old and then follow their health into high school. While younger kids are likely to have a more severe form of HCM the condition is seen in people of all ages. HCM is generally regarded as the most common cause of SDC in athletes. 

SZ: What are the most common symptoms that parents, athletes, and coaches need to be aware of regarding this condition? 

AL: Shortness of breath, dizziness, the athlete was exerting him/herself at a regular rate and becomes more fatigued than usual. Those are common symptoms and those symptoms can be created by many things. So a lot of the time the coaches, parents and  kids don’t recognize the symptoms to be tied to something wrong with their heart. There is an assessment form that can be downloaded through the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Association (HCMA). 

SZ: Are the symptoms significant enough that they would prompt the child to say to their parent that, “It’s not just that I’ve run really hard but it feels like I am exerting myself and getting light-headed.”

AL: Light-headed and dizziness seem to be symptoms that are talked about because the blood is not getting to the heart. Younger kids just don’t really know how to add that up. I have a friend whose son just passed away not too long ago and that’s what kind of pushed me into hyper gear to begin working on this education for athletes, parents and coaches. We’ve put together a great board of people and I’ve been talking to a lot of ex-pro athletes as well as pro athletes. These people are coming on board to for us because sometimes awareness only comes when you know people that have the media’s attention are saying something. 

SZ: Is this disorder age related?

AL:  There are two different points of view. In some instances it’s said that it’s age related and they are seeing more incidences in high school. But when you begin doing research then you notice it is happening in younger children. There isn’t yet a registry for reporting this death. A group of us are trying to start a registry. But there is no real registry that says these are all the kids struck down by HCM. There are estimations. 

I was talking to people at Parent Heart Watch and they told me that most of the time when HCM is reported if it’s not reported by a physician in a hospital or a Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) then it usually doesn’t show up. If it’s reported in a camp or summer camp those numbers don’t necessarily show up as having passed from this disorder. 

SZ: Which organizations are conducting studies or following studies of this disorder?

AL: The one that I’ve seen that has the most in-depth research is the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Association (HCMA). We use their questionnaire for the kids we work with. HCMA participates on the legislative side of things. They are trying to get legislation passed that every athlete that plays an organized sport whether it’s in a high school or an athletic association would also have to be tested to participate.  HCMA is working at the legislative level along with the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Association (SCAA). Our organization SFL on the other hand is more focused on the grass roots level. One of the things that we are doing that’s different from other organizations is we are trying to get face to face with the kids - athletes. SFL is focusing solely on the athletic population because of my background and the folks we have on our board it is a natural fit for us. 

SZ: What events prompted you to take up the call to educate, parents, athletes and coaches about this condition?

AL: A few things happened. I own a basketball team  Las Vegas Stars and had received quite a bit of publicity and made a lot of relationships in the sports world. It happened that when I became aware of HMC a few people had sent me some articles and prompted me to take a look at this issue. Coinciding with this Good Morning America did a big story on the subject. That prompted the sports community to take a look at this issue. I already had an organization along with an associate of mine called Sports for Life.  One of the things we found is that there were many people who thought this outreach needed to be done. What really prompted me to take more steps forward to put together this program was I met Lisa Salberg, Founder and CEO of the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Association. When we met she told me things that were happening on the legislative side and what the challenges are. Our fights are different but similar. She’s fighting on the legislative side and I’m fighting to get into schools and to get coaches to recognize that they need to know more about this condition, as well as get information to parents and athletes. 

SZ: Are there medications for this condition?

AL: There are medications. This link at the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Association will offer readers information regarding current drug medications that are given when a person has some or all the symptoms of HCM.

SZ: Do you have any favorite tips, quotes or stories that guide you on your path to educate people about HCM?

AL: The guiding light for me if you will, is that kids deserve to live. They deserve to live in a way where they aren’t afraid. I would love for the sport community to embrace this cause.

Alexis thank you for taking the time to chat with me about HCM and your programs effort to bring awareness to this condition.

Alexis Levi can be contacted at  http://www.wix.com/alseg1/alexislevi

sportsforlifeintl@gmail.com

702.517.9990

*Featured guests are not current nor former clients of Susan Zaro
*This article can also be read @ www.examiner.com