It has been a spectacular start to the summer, and our coaches have been impressed with the effort being put in by the players.  There are more players than ever taking advantage of the time off from school, and putting in 5 days a week of training.  This is how the Summer has gone so far:

Arkansas Jr Qualifier

We had 20 players and 5 coaches travel to Little Rock, and it was an excellent weekend for the program!  We qualified several for Southerns, and were high on many of the alternate lists, too.  The top finishers were:

Haeleigh Long – 2nd place Girls 18 singles

Mallory Tabler – 3rd place Girls 18 singles, Girls 18 Doubles Champion

Gwyneth Gifford – 3rd place Girls 12 singles, Girls 12 Doubles Champion

Caroline Long – 2nd Place Girls 12 Doubles

Overall, it was a great learning experience for many of our players, and gave a glimpse of many future successful Qualifiers to come.  It was especially exciting to have so many of our Under 10’s participate… and they ALL qualified for Southerns!!  (Ok, ok, so EVERYONE who played in the 10’s qualified — but don’t tell that to Micah.)  Thanks to all of our players and parents who attended, the OTA family was strong and supportive as ever!

Southerns

Both Haeleigh and Mallory went to Mobile, Alabama, for the Southern Girls 18 Closed.  In the face of some pretty stiff competition, Mallory ended up snagging the only victory of the weekend, but just making it to the that event is quite an achievement.  Congratulations to both, it represents a lot of hard work and sacrifice on their part, and it is a wonderful way to end their junior career before heading off to college!

Colgate Jr Open

We had a very large part of the group play in the Colgate, and we did well overall. Below are the top finishers, congratulations to all!

Hayden Shoemake – 2nd place Boys 14 Singles

Sarah Schneringer – 2nd place Girls 18 singles

Gwyneth Gifford – Girls 14 singles Champion

Sanket Srivastava – Boys 16 Novice Champion

Seth Grady – 2nd place Boys 16 Novice

Graham Hardin – Boys 10 Novice Champion

Ashlyn Pursel – 2nd place Girls 10 Novice

Summer Program

It’s been a summer of hard work,

with hard workers,

who are working hard AND having fun!

Keep up the good work… Go OTA!!!!

It had come to this… two players in the championship match, each trying to write their own OTA legacy, to win the largest OTA Championship tournament ever.  In one corner – Mallory Tabler, seeking to become the first girl to win the title since Abbey Sharpe did it three years in a row.  She was also vying for the family legacy, as it was older brother Martin who ended Abbey’s reign in the finals 6 years ago.  In the other – Jack Vaughan.  THE Jack Vaughan, who has surely and steadily been climbing the OTA (and state) ranks.  He’s quiet, unassuming, and far tougher than most people realize.  Two competitors, both of whom represent themselves and OTA in the best possible way, who are “Respect all, fear none” embodied.

The result?

Jack Vaughan adds his name to the list of OTA Champions, withstanding a late rally by Mallory, who – like the champion we all know her to be – refused to go quietly, and made Jack play his best at the end to secure the title.

At nearly 80 players and 11 divisions, there was fierce competition all over the facility for three days.  Three very DRY days, thankfully!  Here is the list of Division winners:

Djoker (Tournament Champion) – Jack Vaughan def Mallory Tabler

Halep – Gwyn Gifford def Sarah Schneringer

Murray – Sankalp Pandey def Taylor Brandt

Serena – David Cordero (above) def Jack Isola

Raonic – Ogden Wells (below left) def Amrutha Parvathaneni

Sharapova – Zac Curtis (above, with entourage) def Apoorva Krovvidi

Rafa – Katelyn Long (below) def Ashlyn Pursel

Azarenka – Jovan Knight def Kristen Wells

Dimitrov – Abyan Das def Mariska Desselle

Keys – Cameron Isola won the tiebreaker after a round robin tie with Brylee Patterson

Nishikori – John Lacy went undefeated in the 7 player round robin

So congratulations to Jack Vaughan once again, and to all of our division champs!  And thank you to all of the parents… the values and sportsmanship that OTA represents is only possible when modeled by all of you.  It was a fantastic weekend, and we’re looking forward to a fantastic summer… Go OTA!!!!

Wait… golf can teach us something???

Last weekend, The Masters golf tournament took place, and Jordan Spieth took home “the coveted green jacket” that goes to the tournament champion.  (Rafa wouldn’t have much fun biting THAT particular trophy!)  I watched none of it, and wish I could have watched less.  That’s how much I enjoy golf.

But I did take some time to read about the new champ, and I was struck by the similarities in his approach to his game as in the top champions (Rafa, Djoker, Serena… I’m forgetting SOMEONE, I think) of ours.  The section below should be required reading for all players and their parents — I hope it resonates with you as much as it did me.

– Coach Jared

For the entire story — I’ve given only the cliff notes and highlighted parts that struck me — go here: http://sports.yahoo.com/news/jordan-spieth-s-biggest-prize-for-winning-the-masters-%E2%80%93-telling-his-sister-he-won-021655897.html

It’s not that Spieth doesn’t care about running roughshod over the course and the competition. He texted caddie Michael Greller on Sunday morning and said he wanted to get to 20-under par. Considering, at that moment, no one had ever gotten to 19-under par, that was quite the aggressive plan.

But behind that ambition is something else, perhaps best explained through another conversation Spieth had Sunday morning. His dad, Shawn, didn’t say anything to his son before last year’s final round, but this time he did.

“This is the greatest game, the Masters,” Shawn Spieth said. “But it’s still a game.”

That’s the perspective that Jordan Spieth seems to take with him everywhere. His younger brother Steven is not a golfer but a basketball player for Brown. Most of his closest friends don’t play golf. Even Jordan himself grew up playing several sports. There’s a bigger world out there, and Jordan understands it. Even caddie Michael Greller said Saturday that “at the end of the day, golf is just entertainment.”

And when Jordan got up to accept the green jacket, the moment every golfer cherishes as a distant ideal, he began by thanking the club members, the volunteers, and the food and beverage staff.

He then called winning The Masters “the ultimate goal in my life” before correcting himself: “my golf life.”

So although Spieth reveres golf history, relying on Ben Crenshaw and caddie Carl Jackson to prepare him for this week’s tournament, he is not a golf geek. He grew up doing much more than beating balls into nets endlessly like some fast-track kids. That, too, helped him this week.  He sees the bigger picture even inside the tiniest frame.

Jason Leal, OTA’s Process Communication Model trainer, recently completed his Primal Blueprint certification, which covers all aspects of healthy living, from nutrition to sleep habits to sun exposure to exercise, and much, much more.  Since just before he began working with OTA coaches and players, he has lost over 125 lbs through improved nutrition (like Coach Jared he is a paleo enthusiast) and a dedication to fitness in general — CrossFit in specific.  Jason continues to work closely with OTA coaches to improve their ability to connect with players, and also serves as an excellent role model for living a healthy lifestyle.  For more information about our mental training program, please contact Jared or Christy.

Process Communication Model

Every player is unique, because every child is unique.  All of us have our own way of communicating our needs and preferences – and just as importantly, ways of communicating that connect with us better than others.  At OTA, we strive to create an environment that maximizes the quality of communication between players and coaches.

In order to optimize our oncourt interactions, OTA uses the Process Communication Model (PCM®).  PCM is a learning tool to enrich interpersonal communications, which enables coaches to connect with and motivate players, helping each to meet his or her own goals.  PCM is a language-based personality and communications model created by Dr. Taibi Kahler, a developmental psychologist from Purdue University. Dr. Kahler’s model provides a vehicle and framework for helping people tailor communication so that everyone – regardless of their intrinsic communication style – can truly hear the intended message.

At OTA, we require every long-term coach to complete a training course in PCM. (OTA parents are encouraged to learn PCM, too, either through a one-day introductory workshop, or by taking an entire course.)  Coaches follow up on a player’s PCM training by more effectively communicating messages on technique, strategy, or handling competitive stress.  Our ability to more quickly connect with a player who has been through PCM enables us to increase the quality of time we are able to spend with each player.

PCM Trainer

Jason Leal is the owner of Talknotch, a consulting company that specializes in communication and team dynamics. He currently lives in Newton, Kansas and has worked for Prairie View Behavior Health for the last 15 years. At Prairie View, his focus has been on Intra-personal and Team development. He has spent much of his professional career decoding the nuances of unproductive communication and interpersonal conflict.

Jason is a certified Process Communication Trainer, and has been working with PCM for the last 4 years. He currently works closely with Next Element Inc., an associate Process Communication Training group where he became licensed in PCM and Certified in NEOS, an outcomes measurement instrument used to measure process change in groups and individuals, and which is currently being evaluated as a potential training tool for OTA players as well.

He is also a certified Leading Out of Drama trainer, the only certified Behavior Management Through Adventure trainer in Kansas, and is an associate trainer with the Boston-based company, Project Adventure. Through BMTA, he works with professionals around the state developing skills in conflict negotiation. In addition, he has been a certified Experiential Facilitator/Trainer for the last 8 years, working with a diverse population, from adolescents to Executives.  With his facilitation, groups have been able to learn effective strategies in communication, and individuals how to better recognize and respond to the gifts of others.

Perhaps what makes Jason most in-line with OTA philosophies is his own personal journey and transformation.  He has lost over 125 lbs through improved nutrition (like Coach Jared he is a paleo enthusiast) and a dedication to fitness in general — CrossFit in specific.  In addition to his behavioral therapy, Jason is a health and fitness trainer as well.  He recently completed his Primal Blueprint certification, which covers all aspects of healthy living, from nutrition to sleep habits to sun exposure to exercise, and much, much more.

“Often coaches are left guessing whether or not players truly understand them.  PCM has taken the blindfold off, and allowed OTA coaches to communicate their message in a much more precise, effective manner.  PCM has proven to be an invaluable tool that dramatically improves the time we spend with our players.”

– Jared Ward, Owner/Director, Ozark Tennis Academy

“I believe the PCM opportunity has enriched Catherine’s overall tennis game, and in turn, has been a key component to her playing success.  PCM has given her coaches the opportunity to better understand Catherine’s personality and how she responds to instruction, so that she can apply what she has learned to her game, and make the most out of every lesson and drill.”
– Susan Nettle, OTA Parent

Resources

Talk Notch

Kahler Communication Europe (look under the Personality tab for more information on specific personality types)

Next Element

30 OTA players – not to mention 4 coaches – traveled to Little Rock to sit in the rain… I mean, for the Arkansas State Closed.  Actually the rain wasn’t so bad.  While it made the Saturday schedule jam-packed, and Sunday DID last a little longer than usual, it was still the coolest Closed anyone there could ever remember!!

To be honest, the real beneficiaries of the weather were the spectators.  Our players are in such good shape that they were generally able to physically handle everything the weekend threw their way, and could have handled the usual Closed heat as well or better than the rest.  The final day showed that, as even when it got a little warmer, we closed out the tournament with a flurry of wins.

Here are the top finishers from the weekend:

Ella Coleman – G 10s – Champion in Singles and Doubles

Brooke Killingsworth – G 12s – Champion in Singles and Doubles

Emma Baker – G 16s – Singles Champion, Doubles Finalist

Ryan Hargrove – B 16s –Singles Finalist

Emily Anne Gean – G 14s – 3^rd place

Kyle Henry – B 18s – 4^th Place in Singles, Doubles Finalist

Harshit Dhayal – B 10s – 5^th place

Matthew Freeman – B 12s – 5^th place

Catherine Nettle – G 16s – 5^th place in Singles, Doubles Finalist

Kruti Shah – G 16s – Doubles Champion

Lexi Beaver – G 18s – 5^th place

Dylan DeLuca – B 18s – 5^th place

Clearly, our girls were the stars of the tournament this time!  To win 3 of the 5 girls divisions – and to place in all 5 – is a pretty rare event at this tournament.  (We were actually close to having a girl in the finals of 4 divisions, as Emily Anne narrowly dropped a third set breaker in the Girls 14 semis!)  In all, over a third of the players we brought placed in their divisions, and we are happy to see the group’s effort and dedication this summer pay off.

Thank you to all of the players and parent who attended, you represented yourselves and OTA incredibly well!!!

!

Our 4^th Annual OTA Team Event was quite possibly our most FUN ever!!  4 teams duked it out for the top spot, and in the end the Screaming Banshees avenged a 1 point Day 1 loss to the Street Fighters to take the top spot.

Your 2013 Champions – The Screaming Banshees:

Dylan
Hunter
Ryne
Kruti
Brooke
Will
Ella
Arjun

As usual, the fun continued off the court as well, whether in cheering for teammates or playing at the pool.  Thank you to everyone who participated, it was a blast!