May 1, 2014 by USTA Florida
Kids and adults at Eglin Air Force Base on the Florida Panhandle received top tennis treatment when former Top 10-ranked Dick Stockton, former world No. 2 Andrea Jaeger, and former Wimbledon doubles champion JoAnne Russell participated in the “T-3 — Thanking Our Troops Through Tennis” event on April 25, 2014 on the base.
Read full story here.
Boots on the Court rolled into 2014 with its first event yesterday at Eglin Air Force Base. Last fall, Eglin contacted Boots on the Court and asked if we would help with the inauguration of their eight new tennis courts. With no time to spare, we immediately picked a date and started planning.
Dick was joined by the tennis legend, public servant, philanthropist and humanitarian Andrea Jaegar. If you’re not familiar with Andrea’s career, it’s certainly worth your time to Google her. Andrea is a former World #2 professional tennis player. In 1983 Andrea reached the finals of Wimbledon, and the French Open in 1982. Also in 1982, she reached the semis of the Australian and the U.S. Open. In 1980, she became the youngest player ever to be seeded at Wimbledon.
During her short, yet amazing career, Andrea visited many hospitals, and it was during those visits that the idea came to her to create the Silver Lining Foundation located in Aspen, Colorado. Silver Lining transports groups of young cancer patients to the ranch for a week where they can participate in many outdoor activities. Silver Lining helps provide college scholarships, money for family reunions, medical internships and other programs for those in need. We are honored and humbled to have someone such as Andrea helping us bring tennis to the troops.
Andrea was just one of the many pros in attendance. She was joined by the tireless Tommy Wade, one of the USPTA testers and Master Pro and the Contardis: Steve, Debbie, Mario, otherwise known as the First Family of Tennis. What other family do you know of that would load up their van and drive to the various bases around the country? Of course, no event would be complete without the great JoAnne Russell! She always finds a way to attend and her court is always the loudest and most fun. Some of the local pros in attendance were: Joe D’Aleo, Sam Vickroy, Jr., (NOTE: Sam Vickroy Sr. is not only a USPTA pro in Alabama, but he was also awarded the Purple Heart from his time spent in Vietnam), Chuck Straley, Kevin Dunworth, Mario Alvarez, Adriana Solarova, Glen Howe (USPTA Master Pro), Brett Beattie (Coach of the Niceville High School Girls Tennis Team, State Camps 2014) and Greg Bennett.
An estimated 100 participants showed up to play tennis at the beautiful new tennis complex. This particular event was defined by the many kids who played. Some little ones signed up for the early sessions and were still there by the time the last group took to the courts.
Any event is only as successful as the volunteers who work it. Boots on the Court is so grateful to those who donate their time and money to help us bring tennis to the troops and their support groups. We have never had to beg anyone to help. We have been so lucky to have an over-abundance of volunteers!
It doesn’t seem that long ago that we were putting on our first event at Ft. Bragg last July. We were both elated and a little nervous….we thought that no other base could ever be as successful as the Ft. Bragg event. The volunteers set the bar extremely high for others, that we collectively held our breaths as we planned Joint Base Andrews and Eglin Air Force Base. While we discovered that no two bases are alike, and each place has a different “flavor,” we have been elated to learn that every base is blessed with INCREDIBLE volunteers. Thank you!
As Boots on the Court grows, the importance of raising funds becomes even more apparent. In order to do so, we have begun the process of recording our events, putting together media guides and diving into social media. We have been so fortunate to have the talents of the best event photographer, Trevor Chan. Trevor was a participant at Joint Base Andrews. We noticed him immediately because not only was he a really good tennis player, but he is also an awesome photographer. When he wasn’t smacking forehands, he was snapping photos. Trevor is the official photographer for Boots on the Court. He generously donates his time and talents and we are so thankful for our great fortune in finding him. Please check out all his pictures from both Eglin and JBA.
The event at Eglin began with a “Serving Ceremony” instead of a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony. Colonel Cannon not only managed to hit a great serve, but he got it into the box on the first try!
Special thanks to the USTA for promising to follow up at Eglin by ensuring that tennis continues at the base.
A special shout-out goes to Jennifer Deutsche and the Doner company for creating the Boots on the Court promotional brochure. Please ask to see it if you think you know of anyone who might be interested in becoming a corporate sponsor.
In an interesting blend of community, military and civilian life, the Lewis Middle School Girls and Boys Tennis Teams led by Coach Scholl, proudly practice and play their matches at Eglin. Every afternoon, the kids leave the middle school, and make the 5 minute walk to the gate. Thank you Eglin!
Please be on the look-out for information on our next event on May 17, 2014 at Ft. Jackson in Columbia, South Carolina.
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March 21, 2014
Health Mart Pharmacy has recognized Dick Stockton and the Blue Sky Foundation, located in Wellington, as a finalist in the Health Mart Champions of Care Challenge.
Health Mart is giving the public the opportunity to vote online for this community health hero. As a winner, the Blue Sky Foundation has the opportunity to receive up to $30,000 in grant awards.
Read full story here.
March 19, 2014 By Kristen M. Daum
WELLINGTON, FL —A local non-profit organization is competing for a $30,000 grant through the HealthMart Champions of Care Challenge. The national competition honors unsung heroes who help promote healthy living in their communities. Blue Sky Foundation founder and former tennis pro Dick Stockton, a Wellington resident, is among the 15 finalists. Online voting is underway atwww.healthmartcommunity.com and concludes March 31.
Read full story here.
Palm Beach Post – By Carlos Frias More than 50 years later, it sits prominently on a side table just inside the door to his Wellington home. He’s 7, standing next to his father with a racket almost as big as he is, wearing a white polo, white shorts, white canvas sneakers, and even his white-blond hair seems a gesture of respect for the sport that would always be a part of his life.
See video on Palm Beach Post Web Site here.
November 23, 2013 by By Carlos Frias
More than 50 years later, it sits prominently on a side table just inside the door to his Wellington home. He’s 7, standing next to his father with a racket almost as big as he is, wearing a white polo, white shorts, white canvas sneakers, and even his white-blond hair seems a gesture of respect for the sport that would always be a part of his life.
Read full story here.
October 8, 2013 by Airman 1st Class Joshua R. M. Dewberry
JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. — A team of tennis coaches and professionals made a racket at the West Fitness Center here Oct. 5, as Team Andrews members gathered to sharpen their tennis skills at a Thanking our Troops Through Tennis (T3) clinic.
Read full story here.
Formerly known as Andrews Air Force Base, Joint Base Andrews in suburban Maryland, is now home to four branches of the military: Army, Air Force, Navy and Marines. There are roughly 6,000 residents on base, but it’s probably best known for housing Air Force One and Two. JBA protects the nation’s capital air space, as well.
After the huge success at Ft. Bragg in July, all of us at T3 (Thanking Our Troops through Tennis) began planning for the next event at Joint Base Andrews. We quickly learned that, while no two events are alike, some constants remain….like the weather and other factors that we cannot control, such as government shut-downs.
Ft. Bragg’s over-riding concern was the weather. Torrential downpours threatened to make the event a wash-out. Although rain was not in the forecast at Joint Base Andrews, unusually high temperatures in the upper 80‘s had everyone wondering if they really wanted to spend a day on sweltering hard courts.
The number two concern at JBA was the looming threat of the government shut-down. Security is always an issue anywhere you go, but on military bases, it’s a way of life. Would we be able to bring tennis to the troops with only skeleton crews covering for furloughed workers? We collectively held our breaths and hoped that the special event wouldn’t be canceled.
As it turned out, Lt. Angela Urbina made the final call and decided to let us go ahead with the event. Thanks, LT Urbina! I wonder if she even knew that she was a tennis player….after two sessions on the court, she had us all wondering why she wasn’t on tour! A special thanks goes out to Sargeant Todd Jones, who worked with LT Urbina to make it a great day.
The weekend started Friday evening with a social event at The Club on base. What an amazing treat it was to drive past Air Force Two on our way there! “First Friday’s” are social events hosted by one of the four branches of the military housed at JBA. The event last Friday was hosted by the Air National Guard. T3 pros and support staff got to mingle with our nation’s servicemen and women, and we were honored to be included.
Wing Commander Bill Knight opened the festivities Saturday morning with a very moving speech. He talked about all the sacrifices that military families endure, such as long separations from one another and the moves they are asked to make many times throughout their careers. He thanked the T3 pros for sacrificing their weekend to come out and bring a day of fun to these families, opening doors for some of them and reintroducing the game to others.
Colonel Knight also pointed out the similarities between a sport such as tennis and the military, recognizing the discipline and resiliency it takes to do either well. His remarks were followed by Dick Stockton’s introduction of T3‘s legendary pros: Stan Smith, Gigi Fernandez and JoAnne Russell, followed by an introduction of local pros Kurt Blorstad and Damon Austin. T3 pros Steve and Mario Contardi of Cincinnati, Ohio once again joined us on the court, and this time they brought along two more family members, Steve’s wife, Debbie, and their daughter, Katie Sargent, to help with registration. Thank you, Contardis!
A huge shout- out goes to Suba Saty, Fitness Director of the West Fitness Center and members of his staff, including Charles Stevenson. and Sargeant Todd Jones. We cannot thank them enough. Suba spent endless hours helping organize the event, and no one knows more than he does how tough that was with a reduced work force.
Saturday morning began with temperatures in the upper 70’s, and quickly climbing. Sunblock, visors and hats generously provided by the USO were in demand. The USO also provided lunch for the 130 participants. Thanks Ed Shock, Vice President of Warrior and Family Care Programs, and to Jenn Hall and Beth Messerti for helping serve the food!
The first two tennis sessions saw some pretty interesting shots from players, from rank beginners to collegiate and high school players, to weekend warriors. Colonel Knight and his family, Captain Singleton, Cajun tennis player Dan, West Pointer Khahn Diep, Ed Shock, his daughter Meredith and Sargeant Brian Ferguson all took to the courts.
T3 was thrilled that the USTA partnered with us for this event. Karin Buchholz, Dan Limbago and Catalina made sure that the many kids who participated were exposed to some of the coolest tennis drills ever. It is our sincere hope that the partnership that was started this past weekend continues to grow. We feel that while it’s important to expose as many kids as possible to the game of tennis, it’s just as important that there is a path for continuity. Thank you, Karin!
Any event is only as good as the people who run it. A very special thanks to the Hayes Group. Jenny Tran, Matt and Wendy Salt, Meredith Resnick and Patrice Snow are consummate professionals with a vast array of talents, and they wear many hats. No task was too big or too small for any of them. More than that, we all enjoyed hanging out with them!
Please click on the link to the photo gallery. Trevor Chan was an unexpected surprise as the incredible event photographer. His three loves in life are the military, tennis and photographs….we were happy to combine all three in one day for him.
Once again there were numerous requests for follow-up lessons with longtime USPTA tennis professional, Jaime de Carvalho. He brought along his better half, wife Dawn. Not only is Dawn a teaching pro, as well, but she’s the creative artist behind the military wreathes that T3 presents to special recipients. (Jaime and Dawn also happen to be my parents).
While I’m thanking my family members, I need to mention my little sister, Joy who also happens to be one of our Board Members. I had my brother Colonel Frank de Carvalho to thank in Ft. Bragg, and now I thank my sister at JBA. Along with Kurt Blorstad, Jaime and Dawn, she gave a one- hour private lesson to 6-year-old Marvin Washington, after he showed up too late for the kid’s session.
Once again, T3 thanks Babolat for the racquets and shoes they so generously donated for the raffles- what a thrill to be able to win such high quality equipment.
A special thanks to Kevin Wensing of the Director Military Outreach, first and foremost for being such an awesome pen pal all these years, for making so many connections for us, for introducing T3 to the “right people,” and for letting us play tennis with his adorable daughter, Grace (who also happens to be an amazing soccer player).
Another heart-felt thank you goes out to Randy Gerber, Director of Military Sales for Disney, who always finds a way to be there for us and for our causes.
Sometimes you find people unexpectedly, and they turn out to be an invaluable resource. Liz Waters is that person. She took charge of getting the word out to schools and to kids’ programs to ensure that we had a good turn-out. It was a pleasure to meet her and her wonderful family.
When all the clinics were over, after everyone enjoyed the lunch provided by the USO food truck, the legend pros played an exhibition. I’m sure Stan and Gigi will want revenge on Dick and JoAnne for the loss…..Colonel Hartman had a blast on the sidelines, trash-talking Dick.
After the exhibition, Stan and Dick spent some time playing against some of the local talent. Fernando, an up- and- coming junior player could barely keep himself off the court during the Pro-Am, standing side by side with the “big boys” on the baseline.
By 5:00, T3 was packed up and ready to plan its next event. Possible venues are Ft. Jackson in South Carolina and or Ft. Bliss in Texas. We are in the process of conducting a “hot-wash” (a military term that means an evaluation of sorts) and will use the blue prints from Ft. Bragg and JBA to ensure another successful event.
Thanks to everyone. Words don’t come close to expressing how grateful we are to all of you.
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October 4, 2013
MORNINGSIDE, Md. – Saturday, October 5th, 2013 is your chance to learn how to play tennis with some of the world’s best players – for free and no matter how old you are. Don’t worry: you don’t have to be an expert, but it is a great opportunity brushing up on your own tennis games, if you have some.
Read full story here.
One week out from the very first T3 event, we started checking the weather. At first, it was all good, “Hot, humid, with a mix of sun and clouds.” As we got closer to Tuesday the 2nd, it didn’t look so promising, “60% chance of rain, heavy downpours, local flooding possible, check your local news stations for updates.” With 175 people signed up for a tennis event, we officially started to come up with Plan B- go indoors to the Ritz-Epps Fitness Center. (There is a juice bar at Ritz-Epps, and they make, without a doubt, the best smoothies ever).
Plan B would work well with the little ones, we’d set up the mini nets, use the low compression balls and play lots of games. They wouldn’t know the difference between our make-shift courts and the real deal. Our concern was the adults and older kids. How would they react to playing inside a gym on mini courts and nets, with balls used by the Ten and Under crew?
We found out very quickly that everyone LOVED the improvised format, thanks to the unbelievable job done by the pros. Eddie Dibbs, Pam Casale-Telford, Jeff Telford, JoAnne Russell, Ira Peskowitz, Mario Contardi, Steve Contardi, Dawn de Carvalho, Jaime de Carvalho and Randy Gerber ensured that the event was not only instructional, but fun as well. At one point during the first session of 10 and Under kids, I looked over to Pam’s court. She was teaching little ones, with one girl attached to her hip.
The support crew of Ellen Stone, Liza Cotter and Matt Salt made sure everything ran smoothly. If there were any fires to put out, nobody knew about them. Every time I thought of something that needed to get done, Ellen, Liza or Matt had already done it.
There were 4 sessions throughout the morning and early afternoon. 9:00-10:00 brought out the 10 & Under group. 50 kids spread out over 8 mini courts and nets with about 8 pros. Most of the kids had never played before. They were introduced to “Uppers and Downers,” shuffling, forehands, backhands and volleys. Eddie Dibbs was sure he had the next Pete Sampras in his group. After reading the surveys from that group, it is our sincere hope that the majority of parents who said they were going to enroll their kids in tennis lessons, follow through.
The next session involved kids in the age group 11-18 years of age. The kids were divided according to ability as well as age. We were all pleasantly surprised that there were many teenagers. The drills were slightly more complex, and although we were on a gym surface and not on true courts, we truly believe that the kids were able to get the concept of what the game is all about. One of the mom’s of a 15 year old girl commented that although her daughter played many team sports, she had never been exposed to tennis, but she was eager to pursue tennis lessons locally.
At 11:00 the adults showed up. It was a mixed group of beginners, intermediates, advanced players and even some really good high school players. One man, a retired army officer thanked us for bringing the event to the base. He remarked that although there were many groups that showed their appreciation to the troops, he’d never experienced anything like the T3 program. He brought his daughter, his son-in-law and grandson- all good players! We thanked him and his family for the sacrifices they make for us.
After a quick lunch break, everyone was back on the courts for the second adult session. Many people had stayed from the 11:00 time slot to participate in the last session. It was a mixed group of adults, high school players and even little ones.
It’s always a gamble when an event needs to change venues at the last minute. We were worried that many people wouldn’t make the half hour drive across Ft. Bragg from the courts to the gym…but they did! Chief volunteer and Ft. Bragg Tennis Club member Kevin Wells headed up an awesome team of volunteers: Tim Penarubia, Mari Penarubia, Mario Wozniak, Chris Esguerra, Richard Howell, Chuck Turay, Amy May, Julie Milani, Scott Miner, Jen Tyson and Ellen Novello. Luz Arroyo worked tirelessly to get the courts ready. Mike Desmone, the new head of sports and recreation personally ensured that the courts would be ready. Kurt Phoenix worked behind the scenes to get the support that this event needed.
Here is an example of what these volunteers did: I realized that a gift we’d brought for Jackie Thomas did not make the truck loads of equipment moved from the courts to the gym. Within an hour, I had it in my hands because Chuck had driven back to the club to get it. The fact that the volunteers were so good is almost a double edged sword- we strongly feel that they set the bar so high for other volunteers, that maybe no one will even come close to what they did. They spoiled us.
COL Frank De Carvalho was our contact at Ft. Bragg. For those of you who’ve never had to deal with the military, it can be an intimidating experience. Military personnel, and even the civilians that work for the military, have a language all their own of mostly acronyms and abbreviations. COL De Carvalho not only made the jargon understandable, but he also put us in touch with the right people. Jackie Thomas, Community Relations Specialist for Ft. Bragg was one of those people. Both COL De Carvalho and Jackie Thomas were a huge part of why the event was so successful. (COL De Carvalho also happens to be my brother, and I have now officially adopted Jackie as my sister).
A HUGE shout-out goes to the USO for the lunch they provided for everyone. After all those hours on the court, it was greatly appreciated.
We are so grateful to Babalot for donating racquets and shoes as raffle prizes. The Contardis also donated some tennis items along with their invaluable knowledge and time.
After an event, Staff sits down and does a Post Event Analysis. You look for things to make the next event better; things that worked, concepts that perhaps didn’t. The one thing I would have changed is our departure time. Instead of packing up the trailer, next time we’ll hang out with the volunteers and the people who made the event possible. They were all a truly amazing group.
T3 will now start the process for setting up the next event, maybe in Washington, D.C. We will use the blue- print from Ft. Bragg, and pray that the personnel and participants there will be as awesome as the ones in Ft. Bragg.
It is our hope, that through T3, we can continue to say thanks to all those who serve us, their families and all those who’ve served us and are no longer with us.
Thank you troops. Thank you Ft. Bragg. Thank you volunteers and pros.