Tag Archive | "BEACH TENNIS"

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Beach Tennis Series on Pompano beach

Posted on 20 August 2015 by LeslieM

sports082015beachPhotos by David Volz

Laryssa Booth has a passion for Beach Tennis. She excels in this sport that is growing in popularity.

I love to play Beach Tennis. It is a lot of fun and we are winning today,” said Booth.

She was among about 100 men and women who participated in the Pompano Beach Summer Series Beach Tennis Tournament on Pompano beach, on Sunday, August 16. The game is similar to tennis. It is played in a beach environment and on sand.

Beach Tennis is a game I love to play,” said Rachel McGinnis. “It is a fun game and there is a great group of people here.”

Adrienne Cerra Simeon is a leader of the Beach Tennis sport and is president of IFBT-USA. The sport is very popular in Pompano Beach and Deerfield Beach. There is a large permanent Beach Tennis training facility right on the beach in Pompano, with eight courts. People can play singles, doubles and mixed doubles.

We have a tournament about once a month. A lot of the people who participate have played volleyball and tennis,” said Cerra Simeon.

And Beach Tennis offers a fun atmosphere. Steve Culver, a Beach Tennis player said he loves the atmosphere and the camaraderie of the tournaments.

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Beach tennis event draws 84 competitors

Posted on 02 October 2014 by LeslieM

Chelsea Hall (Sarasota), left, and her partner Michelle Guidicessi (Tampa), reached the final of the Women’s A Division in the tournament where they lost to Miramar residents Sofia Ponce and Marisela Sardinas. Photo by Gary Curreri

Chelsea Hall (Sarasota), left, and her partner Michelle Guidicessi (Tampa), reached the final of the Women’s A Division in the tournament where they lost to Miramar residents Sofia Ponce and Marisela Sardinas. Photo by Gary Curreri

By Gary Curreri

Adrienne Cerra knows what it is like to put on a successful beach tennis event and she also found her way onto the winner’s podium at the September Beach Tennis G-4 Tournament on Pompano Beach Sept. 21.

Cerra, the International Federation of Beach Tennis- USA president, teamed with Miramar’s Christy Garzon to win the Women’s Pro Division of the tournament with a win over teenagers Megan Horwitz (Pembroke Pines) and Erika Ponce (Miramar).

The tournament featured 84 players who competed in Men’s and Women’s Doubles, Mixed Doubles and Juniors Doubles (12 and under) in both pro and amateur divisions.

The IFBT-USA held a World Cup Triple Crown tournament during the summer that featured top players from all over the U.S.A., as well as Brazil, Italy, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Aruba, Peru, Columbia and Germany, who represented their countries.

They will hold a tournament nearly every month all along Florida, in addition to tournaments throughout the United States in California, St. Louis, New York and internationally in Barcelona, Cancun

and Puerto Rico. Cerra said the sport is continuing to grow and that more and more children are starting to play. This event served as a warm-up for a G-1 tournament in Cancun, Mexico. It was more of a local one so there were medals and ranking points.

We try and do one every month, so it is a monthly event,” Cerra said. “It is called a Grade 4, which is pretty much a local tournament. A G-3 tournament gets more people from out of the town. A G-2 is more of a national and a G-1 is an international tournament. These local tournaments are a way for us to introduce the sport. Some people come by out of curiosity, or they heard of it and they come out to play.”

Cerra said they also have free weekly practices at the beach to help introduce the sport to players.

There are beginners and we also leave a court for people to try and come out and play with us,” Cerra said. “We give people paddles and balls and we will demo the sport. They can try it and, if they like it, they are welcome to play. They can play right away. The learning curve is pretty small. We are always there every weekend, and then, once a month, we try and have a local tournament.”

Miramar residents Sofia Ponce and Marisela Sardinas captured the Women’s A Division with a win over Chelsea Hall (Sarasota) and her partner Michelle Guidicessi (Tampa). Ponce, who picked up her first ever win on the beach, said she likes the competitive attitude and camaraderie among the players.

It is nice because you can still be friends with someone knowing that they have given you their A game,” Ponce said. “I know my friends would not like it if I didn’t give them my all in my game. It is a sign of respect. If they beat me, they beat me fair and square. It is more passion and competitiveness and always trying to improve and get better.”

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Beach tennis destined for Olympics

Posted on 03 July 2014 by LeslieM

sports070314By Gary Curreri

Adrienne Cerra believes Pompano Beach can become the mecca of beach tennis and a springboard for an Olympic sport.

Cerra, the International Federation of Beach Tennis- U.S.A. president, said players from all over the U.S.A., as well as Brazil, Italy, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Aruba, Peru, Columbia and Germany, represented their countries at the recent 6th annual IFBTUSA Beach Tennis World Cup event on Pompano beach.

We are growing every year and we are really happy,” Cerra said. “We are getting more sponsors and the local business people are very positive. The hotels, restaurants and transportation … it also creates an awareness about the community. We also had food trucks this year, which was new and exciting. People loved it. It added a nice touch to the event.”

The categories included Men’s and Women’s Open Doubles, Men’s and Women’s Open Singles, Women’s and Men’s “A” (advanced) Singles, Women’s and Men’s “A” Doubles, Mixed Doubles and Juniors. Singles matches were held on Friday, Doubles on Saturday and Mixed Doubles on Sunday.

We had more than 100 players in Deerfield and more than 250 players in Pompano from all over the world,” Cerra said. “We had another 200 in Clearwater. There were a lot of international players. The prize money was $5,000 for Pompano, $1,000 in Deerfield Beach and $2,500 in Clearwater. “This was the first time we had the Triple Cup tour and it was a great success.”

Cerra said it was nice to have Pompano Beach as a host. The 10 permanent courts make it the largest beach tennis training center in the United States.

This is what we have been shooting for since we started,” Cerra said. “Finally, we are established. We have courts all over the United States, but not this many.”

They will hold a tournament nearly every month all along Florida, in addition to tournaments throughout the United States in California, St. Louis, New York and internationally in Barcelona, Cancun and Puerto Rico. Cerra said the sport is continuing to grow and that more and more children are starting to play.

There were a total of 25 juniors from the tri-county area who played in the tournament. Among them were Pompano Beach brothers Ryan and Christopher Mays. They have been playing beach tennis for the past two years after their father Jay introduced them to the sport. They finished second in the tournament after dropping the championship match 5-3 to Gaspar Cecchi and Florencia Labellia.

This is so much fun,” said Christopher Mays, 12, who also plays basketball, baseball and soccer. “I like hanging out with your friends and playing around. I don’t mind getting dirty. I just go wash off in the water. It is hard when it accumulates.”

Ryan Mays, 10, said he rides his bike to the beach to practice. He plays soccer, baseball, beach tennis and also swims. He and his brother have played in six tournaments and placed second in the past two tourneys.

I like beach tennis the most,” Ryan Mays said. “It is like tennis, but, in my opinion, it is easier and more enjoyable. I learned that you can’t do everything. Your partner has to do some stuff.”

A lot of these young kids are the ones who could be playing in the Olympics,” Cerra said. “We are hoping it will be an Olympic sport in 2022. How cool would it be if people came from Pompano to represent their country? Good things are coming for sure.”

We are growing every year and we are really happy,” Cerra added. “We are getting more sponsors and the local business people are very positive. The hotels, restaurants and transportation…it also creates an awareness about the community. We also had food trucks this year, which was new and exciting. People loved it. It added a nice touch to the event.”

The next tournament is slated for Pompano Beach on July 20.

For more information, send an e-mail to MyBeachTennis@aol.com.

Ryan Mays looks to return a shot during the 6th annual IFBT-USA Beach Tennis World Cup event on Pompano beach recently. Photo by Gary Curreri

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