Joint Base San Antonio- Randolph – October 12, 2016

Joint Base San Antonio- Randolph: San Antonio, Texas
October 12, 2016

This was our third trip to JBSA and it certainly felt like a homecoming. After a record sign-up, we had a record number of participants participating! (somewhere around 85).

JBSA is so familiar in so many ways, and one of the most important for us is the returning volunteers and players from Trinity University. A special and heartfelt thank you goes out to Alan Waterman of the San Antonio USO. He has been at our event for 3 years and has been able to procure lunch for us every year, and making sure everyone is hydrated and fed. He also shows off his tennis skills in the adult clinic- bringing his good friend, fellow retired Air Force Colonel and tennis player, Mark Vlahos. Thank you both!

Every time I wandered from the Registration table to the courts, I was amazed at how the Trinity University Women’s team worked the clinics. They were always enthusiastic, upbeat, knowledgeable, professional and friendly. Thank you chicas- Abby Denike, Caroline Kutach, Anne Welford and Elena Wilson. You amazing chicas represent the best of college student- athletes. Not many of us realize how difficult it is to balance an extremely challenging academic university with a varsity sport. Very impressive.

We were lucky and honored to have Mary Hamm-Ridings and Paul Ridings (P.R.) at this event. Mary is a Trinity University Tennis Alum and P.R. was the Sports Information Director for Trinity….wait for it….P.R. working the P.R. You can’t make that up! Thank you both for all your help. You made the day fun, easy and special. Note: P.R. came through in the clutch with about 20 pens that were sorely needed!

We are so lucky to have two of the best photographers in the business volunteering for BOTC. Thank you Ken Munson and Trevor Chan. You guys have been nothing short of incredibly generous with your time and talents. Ken was once again with us at Randolph and managed to capture the event as only he can. Most importantly, Ken brought along his lovely wife Karen. Thank you Karen for running the registration desk as if you’d done it a million times before. You made it fun for me and I’m looking forward to next year!

Any tennis event is only as good as it’s pros, and we are so fortunate to have the best pros in the business. Making their third appearance at JBSA, Mario and Steve Contardi took time away from the John Newcombe Ranch and the insanity that pre-fantasy camp must certainly be, to help us. We cannot thank you enough guys.

Thank you Mark Wirth. You have been to more events than I have and your presence at the events ensures a successful day. How you manage to juggle a crazy travel/work schedule yet unfailingly be there for us all the time is a testament to the person that you are. Thank you again. (Plants and puppies).

On a personal note, we here at BOTC would like to welcome Dickie’s 6 week old grandson, Traver Deane to our family. What an adorable, chunky monkey. He will no doubt light the world on fire. Congratulations to the proud parents, Cole and Chelsea and Dickie!

We probably shouldn’t even unload The Beast because we’re just a few weeks away from our last event of 2016, MacDill AFB…see you all there!

Thanks!

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