By Daniel Stern
Cavalier Daily Associate Editor
Players of all levels were welcome - even those cookie-cutter craftsmen who sliced and diced their way to victory.
Over the weekend, the women's club tennis team held their second-annual Parent's Weekend Tennis Tournament at the Snyder Tennis Center, despite early morning low temperatures that dipped into the upper 30s with the wind chill. In all, 19 parent/student teams participated in one bracket and eight all-student teams played in another bracket.
Each match consisted of an eight-game pro set (first team to win eight games and must win by two). The finals, however, were played using the traditional best of three sets format.
Team members layered themselves in sweatpants and windbreakers to fend off the frigid wind gusts. Holding onto the racket, however, was sometimes a challenge.
The two-day, double elimination event cost $15 per team. But the fee didn't just buy participants three tennis balls and a court for an hour. Hats and cups were given to all parents, and free Gatorade and bagels were available for those sweating it out on the pavement.
For those playing, personal pride and bragging rights weren't their only motivations. Prizes including gift certificates donated by the University Bookstore, and Northern Exposure and Maverick restaurants were awarded to several teams, not just the winners.
The prizes, however, were not what mattered to players. The main goal of the event was participation and overall quality parent/student bonding.
"It was a lot of fun playing with my dad and also frustrating at times," third-year Commerce student Krissie Morris said. "We played really well together and my dad used to be my tennis coach, so it was cool to play with him now that I'm older."
Opponents offered many courtesies to each other that normally wouldn't surface in a normal tournament setting. Frequent calls of "take two" could be heard on several courts as stray balls rolled their way into others' territory.
"Because most people were with a family member it was more relaxed and more fun than a competitive match," second-year College student Sandy McCarthy said. "The difference is when you walk off the court after the match standing with a sibling or a parent, it's not as serious as if it were with a team."
One of the tournament directors, second-year College student Amy Schipley, spent many hours planning and organizing the event, which she deemed a success.
"This year we had a lot more participation from people who are not affiliated with either the men's or the women's club tennis teams," Schipley said. "Some of the best players this year were people from the student body, and not just from out team."
Schipley knows from personal experience that tennis can become pretty competitive, but she noticed that in this relaxed atmosphere the final score really didn't matter at all.
"You sometimes hear people grunt and make noise when they mess up," Schipley said. "It's intense out there, but everyone is being a good sport"
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