Parks Sisters Visit New York

As promised, I have an update on the Amazing Parks Sisters, who will take a break from their training in South Florida this weekend to attend a Junior Tennis Combine in the Washington, D.C. area .Martin Blackmon of the USTA has told Michael Parks that Alycia and Mikayla will likely begin tournament play early next year. Mr. Parks says that in January Mikayla will be 11, and Alycia will be 10, and he expects them to play level 4, 14's. It should place the Parks Sisters in direct competition with some of the top Juniors in the country, and prepare then for international events. Remember, Alycia and Mikayla have been playing tennis for just two and a half years, and have been based in Florida for less than a year. They've come a long way in a very short period of time.

The eyes of the sports world turned to New York City for the US Open, and the Parks Sisters were there for Opening Day. According to their dad, it was great experience for the girls.While on the grounds of the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, the Parks Sisters got to watch matches and see how the top players in the world prepare to play in the final slam of the year. While at the Open, the girls also got to take pictures with Katrina Adams, former WTA Tour player turned commentator for the Tennis Channel, and with ATP tour player Donald Young. Young, who lives in Atlanta, has seen his ranking rise during 2010, and came into the US Open listed among the top 100 players in the world. The sisters are big fans of the Bryan Brothers, and they got to say hello to the world's top ranked doubles team while in New York, too. Let it be noted that the media was aware of the Parks Sisters' visit, as former ATP player and coach Brad Gilbert gave them an enthusiastic wave from his perch in the ESPN broadcast booth. Can you just imagine the look on the faces of these two young phenoms as they laid their eyes on Arthur Ashe Stadium for the first time? No doubt it inspired them to play, not in the future, but right then! Michael Parks says he and family friend Keith Mitchell were at the hotel the next day when the girls found a ball and started bouncing it around the room. They just couldn't hold it in any more...Alycia and Mikayla had been watching tennis for two days and wanted to play. Mr. Parks shouted, "Keith, let's get them out of this room and find them a court, quick!" Together the four hopped into a cab and drove to a tennis court not far from their hotel, and there in the heart of the Big Apple, the Amazing Parks Sisters worked their magic. No, it wasn't Arthur Ashe Stadium, or Louis Armstong Stadium. It wasn't even on the grounds of the National Tennis Center,  but for that moment in time, it could have been. You might think this would be enough for a first time visit to New York, but the best part was yet to come. Alycia and Mikayla were special guests of Solomon Smallwood at the Madison Square Garden performance by Justin Bieber. In addition to being in the house for one of the hottest concerts on the planet, the young ladies got to meet a long list of celebrities that included Will and Jada Pinkett Smith, Snoop Dogg and Kanye West. The girls took pictures with Boys To Men, Jaden Smith, Usher, and of course, Justin Bieber. It was an amazing evening, but while they enjoyed the music, their father was totally taken with the building itself. Madison Square Garden has long been known as the "Mecca of Basketball." A star basketball player in high school and college, Michael Parks took a moment or two to admire the banners that hung from the longtime home of the New York Knicks. After three days in New York, Michael Parks and his daughters headed back to Florida, and back to their daily workouts on the courts in Boca Raton. The family had taken just a small bite out of the "Big Apple" and the taste was sweet indeed!

Swing Your Racquet For A Good Cause

Whew!!! The rain that passed through our area the past two days has ushered temperatures that feel more like early fall. I don't know about you, but to me this is the best time of year to attack the tennis court. It is also a great time to play tennis for good causes. There are a number of events scheduled for the Metro Atlanta area in the coming weeks. For instance, this Wednesday September 29th, the third annual Breast Cancer Round Robin will be played at the Wheatfield's Reserves Tennis Courts in Grayson. Registration and drills begin at 10am, with the Round Robin lasting from 11am to 1pm. The cost is 25 dollars, and there is also a dessert buffet and lunch, plus a truck sale. To find out more contact Bryan Shepard at onemoretennisnut@aol.com ..
Saturday you can "Serve It Up" for a good cause. The W.E.B DuBois Society is an organization that helps empower black youth in the Atlanta area, and on Saturday October 2nd, the society will host it's annual "Serve It Up" fund raising event from 4pm to 8pm at the Midtown Athletic Club. Area civic leaders and celebrities will take to the courts for an event that includes food, drinks and prizes.If you want to play go to http://www.webduboissociety.org/  to find out about registration.
Finally, on Sunday October 24th, the Racquet Club of the South in Norcross will be the site of the " Scary Tennis Cup". The adult tennis fundraiser will be held from 4pm to 8pm, will include a silent auction, door prizes, goodie bags, and raffles. There is room for 15 men's doubles teams and 15 women's doubles teams..Halloween attire is encouraged.The registration fee of  $35 is tax deductable and all levels of players are welcomed.. To find out more contact: Melissa Anthony at http://www.tenniskidsandteens.com/ ..I would love to play in all of these events, but my football season work schedule won't allow it..That is why I wrote this for you. Hope you can attend and have some fun for me.. I will update you on more tennis for great causes in the area. And, keep you eyes on Sams Passing Shots for an update on the Amazing Parks Sisters who recently visited the Big Apple and met their hero.. watch out for it..

Pro Tennis Here To Stay ???

What  a week at the Atlanta Athletic Club.. The pro tennis tour returned to our town on a week when the nickname " HOTlanta", was more than fitting.Spectators braved the conditions that were unbearable at times, with some needing medical assistance. The fans were not the only ones needing help, Tournament Champion Mardy Fish required an I-V after playing a grueling 3-setter with UGA's John Isner. It brought an end to an exciting week of competition with some of the top players in the world, and we even got to see Andy Roddick's wife and SI swimsuit model Brooklyn Decker. The couple was spotted eating at Waffle House and Mrs. Roddick was sporting a t-shirt that proclaimed Atlanta to be the "Best Tennis Town". That's it, HOT tennis, a HOT model, and  HOT weather that made us all feel scattered , covered and smothered. Andy Roddick did not make hotel reservations for next year, saying this year's tournament happened to fall just right for his schedule. He may be on to something. Just hours after celebrating the success of last week tournament officials said that next years date might be in doubt. The first week of the US Open series could be the same week as the PGA Championship, which is scheduled for the Atlanta Athletic Club . It could leave the Atlanta Tennis Championships searching for a home for next year, or worse, taking a year off. That is not the way an event wants to spend the year after a successful debut..Look for update on this blog site..

ATC Day 4 .. Survival !!!

When I asked Andy Roddick about playing in the Georgia heat this week he basiscally brushed it off, saying that it's hot everywhere this time of year. He added that most cities on the US Open series were real proud of their heat, with a smile..Well, the top seed wasn't smiling when he called for the trainer to come and visit him during his three set battle with Rajeev Ram. When this tournament was anounced I was concerned with it's date. Late July in Georgia can be brutal and would truly test the fitness of the tours top players, who are just returning to the states from Wimbledon. The top three seeds were trying to shake of some rust and clearly labored in the sweltering conditions.. John Isner made it through, so did Roddick, but the outcome was not so good for Australian Lleyton Hewitt, who fell in straights to Lukas Lacko. The fans were having a time keeping cool, and yours truly was glad I brought a second polo along. The first shirt looked like I went swimming in it.. Roddick mentioned the heat in his post match interview and about a hour later, we learned that he and Mardy Fish had backed out of their doubles match.. Both are set to play singles matches in the evening seassion.. While John Isner will play the third stadium court match of an afternoon session that gets started at noon..Hydrate !!! See you at the Tournament..

Day 3 at the Atlanta Tennis Championships

 It was another spectacular day at the Atlanta Tennis Championships, as the Americans continued to be a as hot as the weather..Speaking of weather, the tournament managed to dodge a certain thunderstorm during the late afternoon session.Dark clouds, and grumbles of thunder had spectators keeping an eye on he sky during Taylor Dent's match. The win picked up, blowing pine needles on to court two and forcing a delay for the court to be cleared by leaf blowers. Dent brought some thunder all his own, with serves that clocked 148 miles per hour. Dent led a parade of American winners that included Michael Russell, Mardy Fish, and John Isner, barely. Isner had no bounce on court, and admitted that he had not been on court much since the marathon win at Wimbledon. He escaped Gilles Muller's excellent play in a match that lasted over 2 and a half hours, with a third set tiebreak.. The final match of the day has Mardy Fish beating Robby Ginepri in straight sets. Fish is playing well after a recent win at Newport. Thursday will bring the first singles play for Andy Roddick and Lleyton Hewitt. Both are former world number 1s and married to wifes who sing, act, and model. So let the stargazing begin, Carolina Panthers Pro-Bowler Steve Smith is here to watch Isner, look for Terrell Owens to show up to watch buddy, Roddick. We may have to wait a day for TO to show up. The live television broadcast won't start until Friday, and If we know anything about TO it's that he loves those network tv cameras.. See you at the Atlanta Athletic Club..

Great Day for Home Town Players at ATC

Day two of the Atlanta Tennis Championships and it was time for area players to shine. Both Robby Ginepri and Donald Young got to see their dream come true. They played in an ATP even while while staying at home..For Ginepri , it has been a long wait for pro tennis to return to Atlanta. The Kennesaw resident and Wheeler High School alum was feeling some nerves playing in front of friends and family , but rallied to take charge of the first round match with Nick Lindahl.  I was sitting near Robby's Father , who is also his business partner with the Olde Town Club in Marietta. A proud father looked on as his son battled through 90 degree heat for a victory..He can playin the heat, said Rene Ginepri. He actually hoped that Robby's next match would be during the day, but the ATP decided otherwise, scheduling Ginepri's next match against fellow American Mardy Fish Wednesday night.  The other home town product , Donald Young, played on court 1, which only has bleaches on eastside of the court. That means those spectators were facing a boiling sun. Like Ginepri,Young got off to a shaky start, then regrouped to win th first set 7-5 over Dudi Sela. Young , is a junior tennis legend who has struggled to find the right formula for success in ATP tournaments..Earlier this year, Donald's parents surrendered their coaching duties to the USTA  and it seems to be working. Young now shows patience on court instead of rushing through his matches. That was the differnce today, and it frustrated Sela so bad he flung his towel over the fence after going own 4-0  in the second set. Young won the set 6-0 to complete an impressive opening round. Young will face Kevin Anderson Thursday. I spoke with Donald Young's Parents and they were all smiles, looking ahead to the next round..With his ranking now at 105, a second round win could send Young into the top 100 in the world.. Also seen at the Atlanta Athletic Club. James Blake falls to Taylor Dent in three sets and I got to perform my duties, interviewing the winners after each match on the court, like US Open.. This is a great week for Atlanta and today the homeboys made the spectators proud.. Let's hope we get to see more tomorrow..

Showtime for Pro Tennis in Atlanta

 This is it!!! Curtains up on the long awaited Atlanta Tennis Championships. The stars of the ATP tour are in Atlanta for first time in almost 10 years. Last week's adddition of Andy Roddick was just the right injection of star power , and area sports fans have responded by making a run on tickets. The blazing heat of Georgia in July didn't keep spectators away from the Atlanta Athletic Club on the first day of play in the main draw. We media folks were getting a chance to huddle with Lleyton Hewitt, and Roddick, who raised a few eyebrows when he practiced wih no shirt on. Meanwhile the guys were keeping their eyes peeled for Roddick's wife, Sports Illustrated Swinsuit Model Brooklyn Decker. Even I was keeeping and eye out for Mrs. Roddick. If she shows up this week, you will hear it here first..After the opening ceremonies American Mardy Fish made short work of James Ward 6-1, 6-2. Ward is a young British player who got a Wild Card into the Atlanta tournament, and it getting dashed by Fish wasn't bad enough, the public address announcer called him JOHN Ward..The young Brit smiled and waved the crowd as he walked toward the gate.. See you in L.A, James, er John.. The other two Wild Cards for this event went to Roddick and Atlanta resident Donald Young, who is coming home to play with some momentum. Last week he made the final of a USTA Pro Curcuit event in California..His ranking is now up to 105 in the world and he will play Tuesday evening against Dudi Sela . Also in action Tuesday will be Kennesaw resident Robby Ginepri, who faces Nick Lindahl in the first match of the day at 4pm. The first evening match on stadium court will feature James Blake and Taylor Dent in an All-American showdown. The late match of the evening will feature the doubles team of Mardy Fish and Andy Roddick..Roddick, who relaxed with a round of golf, will begin singles play Wednesday, as will John Isner.. We also Taped segments for this week's Matchpoint show.. Be sure to watch Thursday on Sportsouth, and Sunday Morning at 11:30 on 11Alive...

Great Giving, Great Caring, Great Sharing

I've never been much for card games of any kind. Not that I don't like cards, just never spent much time trying to learn. I don't even play computer Solitare. So you can imagine what went through my mind when I was invited to be a featured blackjack dealer for a fundraising casino night. Lucky for me a co-worker came to the rescue with a crash course. Our Executive Producer for Sports, Tracy Carmony, brought her deck of cards to work and tought me "Blackjack Dealing 101." So, after reporting LIVE, from the Georgia Tech baseball game it was off to the Marriott Marquis downtown to help people "gamble" for good. Atlanta-based Morrison Management Specialists (http://www.iammorrison.com/) was the host for MPower, its charitable giving foundation. 100% of the proceeds went to Meals on Wheels Association of America. It was a night of great food prepared by celebrity chefs and music by Rupert's Orchestra. Everyone was dressed for an elegant evening and in this atmosphere yours truly was shown to the blackjack tables to begin my duties. I had company: my co-worker Chesley McNeil was there to participate in the evening's activities. Chesley ended up at the craps table and I heard occasional screams coming from that direction. I hope they were for good reason, for Chesley's sake. I managed to deal several hands to some delightful people who were caught up in the spirit of the evening, just having fun. I would like to thank my friend Claudia Brooks D'Avanzo for inviting me to be a part of such a wonderful event. The second annual "Great Giving, Great Caring, Great Sharing" casino night was a big hit, and I'm going to sharpen my dealing skills in hopes of being invited back again next year.

Up, Up and Away! Parks Sisters Update

It's the first weekend in June and it's an important weekend for the Amazing Parks Sisters. Alycia and Mikayla traveled to College Park, Maryland, to take part in a High Performance Tennis Combine. It's the first of several trips they'll be taking during the summer months to participate in training sessions at facilities that are designated as High Performance Facilities by the United States Tennis Association. This weekend's trip comes a week after the Parks Sisters spent two days participating in workout sessions that were taped at Rick Macci's academy in Florida. Alycia and Mikayla were among some of the nation's elite junior talent that will be seen in future installments of Tennis Channel Academy. The Tennis Channel's cameras came to Florida to show Macci's special brand of instruction and the Amazing Parks Sisters were there. In all, four segments were taped last Friday and Saturday. According to Michael Parks, " The producers of the television project were amazed at what they saw from Alycia and Mikayla."

Remember, this is June, so now we can say that the Parks Sisters have been playing tennis for two years. They now have their summer workout schedule that has them on the court twice daily, from 8 to 10 a.m. followed by school work, then back on court from 3-5 p.m. After the afternoon workout it's time to go to the beach, or ride on their bikes and scooters for awhile before doing homework. This time is important to Michael Parks, who wants the girls to have fun, and when workout time is done Alycia and Mikayla usually leave the facility to keep their lives balanced.

Finally, Alycia and Mikayla would like to give a special thanks to Airtran Airways for their assistance with travel to the High Performance Tennis Combine in Maryland this weekend. It may be the start of a long relationship  that could include a feature on the Parks Sisters in the "GO" inflight magazine. We'll keep you posted. Meanwhile, the segments that were shot at Rick Macci's will be shown in July and August on the Tennis Channel. Also, don't forget to read about the Amazing Parks Sisters in the July/Augusta edition of USTA Magazine. And keep an eye on Sam's Passing Shots. There's more to come....

America SCORES Cup: Great Soccer for a Great Cause

Sure enjoyed meeting the good folks at America SCORES this weekend, where I got to kick off the 2010 SCORES Cup, now in its fourth year. More than 10 corporate and local teams came together to compete for the championship title at Georgia Soccer Park in College Park. Concessions International took home the coveted SCORES Cup after a heated final match with law firm King & Spalding that went into overtime and ended with 11 rounds of penalty kicks. Great soccer for a great cause. America SCORES helps underserved youth succeed on the soccer field and in the classroom. Check them out at http://www.americascoresatlanta.org/. 

Scenes from the America SCORES Cup, May 15, 2010:

Parks Sisters Update

I just want to bring you up to date on the Parks Sisters as they are working every day and visiting the USTA Training Center. Alycia, who is 9, and Mikayla, 10, are continuing to amaze the experts in South Florida. While they continue to work with Rodney Harmon each day, they are getting to train at some of the other top facilities in the area near Boca Raton. They have been to the renowned Rick Macci Tennis Academy. Alycia and Mikayla took part in a recent showcase at Macci's, and performed better than players who were older and who have been in high performance progams longer. Remember, it was June of 2008 when the Parks Sisters got tennis racquets for bringing home straight A's. They have been playing less than two years.

Get ready to see more of these young ladies as they will be the subject of a story in the July issue of  USTA Magazine. Alycia and Mikalya will also be among the young players who will be training at Rick Macci's Academy later this month when Tennis Channel cameras are expected to visit. Wait until Tennis Channel viewers see these girls showing off their incredible gifts. The girls will also be on the road this summer, visiting some of the USTA's high performance training centers. They will be in Washington, D.C. July 3-6. Be sure to check back here at Samspassingshots to see where the Amazing Parks Sisters will be working out this summer. Maybe you'll be able to stop by and get a rare look at "The Future of Tennis" in the USA.

..... I'm Just Saying

Now that the Hawks' season is done, we are free to speculate about who will and won't be returning next season. It seems that All-Star Guard Joe Johnson may have talked his way out of town after that 30 point loss in game 3. When asked about the home crowd booing the Hawks' effort, Johnson replied, "I don't care if they show up or not." Nice choice of words for a player who failed to show up for the entire Orlando series.

It brings to mind a young David Justice who took a shot at Atlanta Braves fans for sitting on their hands, while the fans in Cleveland were on their feet and yelling for entire games. It was the 1995 World Series and while Braves fans voiced their displeasure with Justice's comments, they were all smiles when number 23 hit the solo homer that produced Atlanta's only major league sports title. Justice's 1996 season was shortened by injury and before the 1997 season began he was traded to Cleveland. Braves fans were stunned, and years later Justice admitted that he was heartbroken. While he had productive seasons in Cleveland and a super season with the Yankees in 2000, I will always feel that Atlanta was where David Justice belonged. In coming seasons we will see a numbers of star players from the Braves run of division championships retired to he outfield wall of Turner Field. The 31 of Greg Maddux will be followed by the 29 of John Smoltz, the 47 of Tom Glavine, the 6 of Bobby Cox, and finally the 10 of Chipper Jones. What a shame that the 23 of David Justice won't be there. Justice did return to Atlanta three years ago for induction in the Braves Hall of Fame, a bittersweet moment indeed. His departure from Atlanta was very much like that of Ron Gant, Fred McGriff, Deion Sanders and Gary Sheffield. All were African-American players who were fan favorites, yet they were seen as expendable by the club's front office. Those decisions, along with the shrinking number of African-American players in the majors in recent years, made Turner Field an un-cool place to go for Atlanta's black community.

This may be the summer that Turner Field becomes cool again and the reason is a rookie in right field named Jason Heyward. Heyward is a 20-year-old local product who leads the team in home runs and runs batted in. Oh, and by the way, he's African-American and the good folks in the Braves offices are watching to see if the black community will return to the ball park to see him. On my first visit to a Braves game this season I was asked  if I liked Jason Heyward, and what was I hearing in the community. I am a Braves fan, and I am a Jason Heyward fan. I have talked to folks at church, barber shops and the mall. They like Jason Heyward, and they also think that as soon as he reaches All-Star status the Braves will trade him away. At 6-4 , 245 pounds, Heyward is a big guy with broad shoulders. It seems unfair that he be saddled with the job of bringing an entire community back to the ballpark, but that is the case. My hope is that Jason Heyward will have the long productive career that he seems headed for, and that he gets to play every game in a Braves uniform. We may not get to see David Justice's 23 on the outfield wall, but maybe in time we'll see Jason Heyward's 22 there.  I'm just saying....

Come Out And Play...

Hello on a rainy Saturday. It won't be a good day for tennis and it gives me an excuse to miss playing. I must admit, the weather has been perfect for playing recently but schedule and commitments have kept me away from the game I love. I promised myself that after age 50 (now 51), that I would get my game in shape and play some tournaments. Try to take some hardware from the old heads. I still want to make that happen. Yesterday I ended up on the court for the first of a series of  tennis related events, sponsored by Cadillac. The event is good news for a number of reasons. First of all, it's good to see that GM has recovered to the point that it can once again be involved with sporting events in the community. The economy had kept GM on the sidelines and away from involvement with golf tournaments. GM officials that I spoke with say that they want to aim at the tennis market and that Atlanta was the area that they wanted to start in. Of course I agree with them. When it comes to tennis there is "No Town Like The A"!  Cadillac Tennis Taste Drive was held at the tennis complex at the Lake Windward Community in Alpharetta and was an event that provided tennis instruction, food by Chef Linton Hopkins and test driving new Cadillacs. It was a great time and I got a much needed tip to help my wandering forehand.To watch for future events keep an eye on http://www.cadillactennis.com/.
If you have been playing and feel like you are up to playing in tournaments for a good cause, I have two for you: Baseball Hall of Famer Hank Aaron and wife Billye Aaron will host the 9th annual Golf and Tennis Weekend in support of the Morehouse School of Medicine. The tennis event will be played at Sugar Creek in Decatur and will be operated by the Coan Tennis Association. Play begins next Friday, April 30th and runs through Sunday, May 2nd. For more info go to http://www.coantennis.com/.
The other event is next Saturday at Horseshoe Bend. Tennis For CURE is a tournament to benefit CURE Childhood Cancer, and will be played in honor of 10-year-old Madie Dreesman, who suffers from "Rhabdoid Cancer." The doubles teams will be made up of an adult and teenager and play will begin at 2 p.m. For more info contact Melissa Anthony at 770-778-1715. 

Hopefully the rain will be gone next Saturday so that you can Come Out And Play.

Tiger Tracks In Augusta

What a week it's been here in Augusta. Before today's first round there had been more for the media to cover here than any time in my memory of working this event, which goes back to 1986. All the anticipation and hype of Tiger Woods' return from his troubled winter led us to arrive Monday morning at 6 a.m. I've been to the Masters many times, but it had always been after sunrise. I arrived before most of the folks who actually work here. That's okay, because when the grounds opened at 8 a.m. I was on the front row, as Tiger teed off his first official practice round. A security detail walked the entire 18 holes inside the ropes, while uniformed security and Richmond County (Augusta) law enforcement officers were walking among the spectators. I even peeked at a cheat sheet that security had with pictures of each of Tiger's alleged mistresses and famous attorney Gloria Allred. So far, haven't seen any of these fine folks. The press conference was special because I was one of only 205 members of the media who received a ticket to attend. I didn't get to ask a question, but that's fine. Just being in the room at a historic moment was good enough for me--this time. Thought after that everybody was ready to move ahead and play golf. Wrong. Masters Chairman Billy Payne blasted Tiger on the eve of the tournament. It sent shockwaves through the press center and left us wondering what would be next. That evening I met AJ Calloway from EXTRA, the tabloid TV show that airs on our station. He was in town for the Masters, but had tickets not media credentials, as the Golf Club would not grant media requests from the tabloid shows. Then on Thursday, it was time to play. Just as Tiger walks to number one tee to begin, a plane flies overhead with a banner reading, "Tiger: Did You Mean Bootyism??" Someone was making fun of Tiger's personal issues that threaten his marriage, and the fact that he has promised to return to his religious teachings. Tiger would later say that he never saw the plane, and I believe him. He attacked the Masters course and showed flashes of the form that has made him the world's best golfer, and very wealthy. All this and today's only Thursday. Tiger will start round two just two shots out of first place. Not bad for a man who really needed to play. The weekend should be great theater here.

Parks Sisters Update

As promised, this blog will keep you updated on Mikayla and Alycia Parks, the 9- and 10-year-old tennis phenoms who relocated from Henry County to South Florida two months ago. I have been in constant contact with their father, who tells me that the girls are enjoying the move. The opportunity to train with some of the nation's top tennis coaches is truly a dream come true. It didn't take long for word to get around the tennis camps in that area, and whenever Alycia and Mikayla hit the courts it just seems like other folks drift over to that court to watch them hit the ball. Remember, they started playing tennis in June of 2008, less than two years ago. They have spent a great deal of time with Rodney Harmon, who has led the USTA training center, and has consistently said he has "never seen anything like them before." Off the court, the girls are continuing to excel with their school work. For those who don't know, Alycia and Mikayla received their first tennis racquets for bringing home straight "A's." They also love riding their scooters, as the warm Florida climate has allowed them to play outside, while we were all bundled up here in Atlanta. One of the most important things about the move to Florida is all of the great players who live and train there. The girls have met and taken pictures with Hall of Famer Chris Evert, whose family runs a training center nearby. They attended professional tournaments at Del Ray Beach and Key Biscayne and were introduced to a number of the players. These are exciting times for the Parks family. It's a treat to speak with their father, Michael Parks, and hear the pride in his voice. Michael Parks has a right to be proud; he and his wife Erica are raising two girls who have a chance to touch the entire world through their incredible gift. A basketball star in his native North Carolina, Mr. Parks knows a thing or two about athletics--and about who has that special something when it's time to compete.The thing I hear in his voice is constant amazement. He knew his girls had something special, but is amazed at how they have taken to tennis and their determination to achieve a little bit more each day. He described to me Alycia using the overhead serving motion to hit a ball off of a wall with alternating hands without letting the ball hit the floor--nothing that he had to remind her to do, or even encourage her to do. The Parks sisters look for ways to make the game a challenge and fun, and are the ultimate self-starters.

D. Young Flies South, and a Good Time for a Good Cause

Since being named the "Future of American Tennis," Atlanta's Donald Young has shown that he could dominate the Juniors, but has consistantly had his struggles on the ATP tour. In the April edition of Tennis magazine, the picture on page 9 says it all. The folded arms of USTA Training GM Patrick McEnroe and tennis guru Nick Bollettieri reflect their frustation over Young's progress expressed in an article that blames his parents, Donald, Sr. and Illona, for the shortcomings. The Youngs have always taken great pride in the role they've played in Donald, Jr.'s development, that led to his becoming a professional at the age of 14. Now 21, Donald Young finds himself with a career high ranking of 73, two years ago, and is currently ranked 144. Some feel the window of opportunity to join the tour's elite players might be starting to close.

With the exception of occasional workouts at facilities in Florida, Young has been trained by his parents at South Fulton Tennis Center in College Park, but it seems like that may be about to change. Donald Young, Sr. says starting next week Donald, Jr. will go to the USTA training center in Boca Raton, Fla., to work with Director of Coaching Jose Higueras as he prepares for the US Clay Court Championships in Houston. Donald, Sr. says this arrangement should last through the US Open and is anxious to see the results of doing things with more involvement from the USTA. Young also added that the article that seems like a slam of the Youngs for shielding Donald, Jr. from outside help has actually been a plus for them. I predict that with Jose Higueras at the helm and the Youngs there for support of their son we will see Donald Young make a rise in the rankings and hopefully be ready to be a factor at the Atlanta Tennis Championships in July.
 
Speaking of the Atlanta Tennis Championships, tickets go on sale Monday, April 5, for the ATP event that's set for the Atlanta Athletic Club the week of July 19-25.

Tournament Director Bill Oakes of the USTA Southern Section was in the house last Thursday for the Racquet Rally Happy Hour at East Andrews in Buckhead. The event had two purposes.  One is to establish a local place for tennis fans to gather to watch their favorite sports whenever a tournament is being played. With a growing number of area players now on the pro tours, that sounds like a great idea to me. The other purpose was to raise funds for Special Pops Tennis--a program that supports tennis for children and adults who are mentally disabled. Many of these athletes participate in Special Olympics and several of them were there. Also present were USTA National Diversity Officer Kevin Clayton and USTA Southern Section Diversity Director Yasmine Osborn. Many thanks to Tiffany Grayson and Beth McCaskill for inviting me to be a part of the fun. Let's do it again real soon..

First Impressions

Hello and welcome to Sam's Passing Shots! This will be the place where I will leave my reflections on sports from my perspective. I am passionate about sports that impact our youth and make a difference on the playing field and off the field.  I am very passionate about tennis, so look for news and info on tennis players, tournaments and related events here. I will also be keeping track of the amazing Parks Sisters (Alycia and Mikayla). They are young tennis players from the metro Atlanta area, who are now living in Florida and training at the USTA Tennis Center. Watch for their progress reports here. There will also be observations of the minority community participating in sports that are not common to this community. I would like to perhaps open some eyes about sports like tennis, golf, lacrosse, swimming, even NASCAR. So join me and leave your thoughts...