Author: Sam Crenshaw

Gilmore is the first Georgia State linemen selected to the Outland Trophy watch list. Shamarious Gilmore, Georgia State’s top returning offensive lineman, has been named to the preseason watch list for the 2020 Outland Trophy, announced Tuesday by the Football Writers Association of America. Gilmore, the Panthers’ senior left guard, is one of 85 standout interior linemen recognized on the preseason watch list, representing all 10 Division I FBS conferences and independents. Only interior linemen on offense or defense are eligible for the Outland Trophy; ends are not eligible. The Riverdale, Ga., native (Drew High School) has earned All-Sun Belt…

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The Kennesaw State baseball program announced that today’s game against Georgia, which was rescheduled to play at 4 p.m. yesterday, will be cancelled due to weather conditions and travel safety. The game will be moved to April 15 at Stillwell Stadium. First pitch will be scheduled for 5 p.m. The Owls are in the midst of its first mid-week action of 2015, and will travel to Mercer tomorrow (Feb. 17) to take on the Bears in non-conference action. The Black and Gold won two out of three games on opening weekend, out-hitting their opponents in each of the three games.…

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The first weekend of the tennis season is over! Sixteen teams, including us, qualified for National Indoors which takes place February 13-16 in Chicago. We beat Michigan State 4-1 and Utah 4-0. Our victories happened in pretty convincing fashion, but there is still a lot of interesting things to talk about that occurred this past weekend, as well as what is coming up this weekend. I’ll give my thoughts on our performance last weekend and our preparation in getting ready for USC and UCLA this weekend. We beat Michigan State and Utah pretty convincingly, but we have some areas that…

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R-E-L-A-X. Relax. This year was the first time in nine seasons where an SEC team did not represent the country’s most dominant conference in the National Championship Game, and the second year in a row where an SEC school did not win the championship altogether. Just relax, SEC fans. This year’s introduction of the College Football Playoff (which was phenomenal) had a lot of people thinking that the SEC could get two, maybe even three teams into the “Final Four.” And with the way the SEC West was playing at the beginning of the year, it certainly looked like those…

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 Players with ties to Georgia Tech and Alabama along with and American tennis prodigy will be on display on opening day of the Qualifying Tournament at the BB&T Atlanta Open. Georgia Tech’s Nathan Rakitt, an All-ACC selection ,will face fellow American Michael Shavaz . Wild Card Challenge winner Korey Lovett will meet Facundo Mena from Argentina. Lovett is an incoming freshman at Alabama, from Brevard, N.C. Alabama’s Becker O’Shaughnessey will meet Mexico’s Santiago Gonzalez. O’Shaughnessey, a Macon, Ga. native, led Bama with 22 singles wins last season. Fans at Atlantic State will get a glimpse into the future of American tennis when…

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A strong field of Champions Tour professionals will be competing in the Metro Atlanta area at next week’s Greater Gwinnett Championship. 28 of the 30 top earners from the 2013 Money List have committed to play in the field of 81 golfers that features seven World Golf Hall of Fame winners including defending Champion Bernhard Langer. Players had until Friday at 5:00 p.m. to commit to participate in the event. “We are thrilled to have another strong field at year’s championship,” said Executive Director Stan Hall. “To be able to showcase professional golf to the Gwinnett and Atlanta communities, coming…

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The BB&T Atlanta Open has signed Richard Gasquet, the tournament’s first non-American Top 10 player, to play in its 2014 tournament. This will be Frenchman Gasquet’s first appearance in the BB&T Atlanta Open, which runs July 19-27. Focused on giving fans a wide range of entertainment, the tournament is presenting Yacht Rock Revue on Wednesday, July 23, following the last match. The concert is included in the regular ticket price and will take place on Stadium Court. With defending champ John Isner already signed to play, the tournament now has two players currently in the Top 10 of the Emirates…

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Brian Stewart, the first writer to join the Peach State College Sports blog staff, was selected as a recipient of the Esther Award at the University of Georgia, which is given once per year to the top two broadcast interns in the state of Georgia. The award is selected by a committee of administrators and professors based on their evaluation of students and their internships. There is no nomination or application process. Brian worked on the PSCS blog in the fall of 2013, covering UGA athletics. He created a weekly column called the “Pick Six” on top of his normal…

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The Battle Of The Borders high school football showdown will be back and bigger for 2014. This year’s event ,sponsored once again by Chick-fil-a, will feature 8 teams in 4 exciting games including 2013 National Champion Booker T. Washington High School from Miami, Florida. The battle for bragging rights will take place on Saturday September 30, at Hallford Stadium. Last year a new Metro Atlanta area high school football tradition was born when Dekalb and Florida squared off in the 2013 Battle Of The Borders high school showdown. It was the M.L. King Lions beating Blanche Ely, and the Stephenson…

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The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference today announced a collaboration with The Coca-Cola Company on a commemorative limited-edition bottle to celebrate  the 100th anniversary of the conference. “The recognition and commemoration by the Coca-Cola Company of the SIAC Centennial Anniversary is a testament to the value Coke has attached to the decades long relationship that they have enjoyed with the SIAC, our member institutions, students, and alumni,” said SIAC Commissioner Greg Moore.  “As a result, it is critically important that we all continue to show our appreciation by supporting the Coca-Cola Company and all of their great products and community…

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In its fifth year, BB&T Atlanta Open has secured two new, exciting players with Top 20 credentials: Sam Querrey and Gael Monfils. This will be the first time either player has competed in the BB&T Atlanta Open, which runs July 19-27. On Monday, March 3, coinciding with World Tennis Day, Weeklong Ticket Packages will go on-sale. Weeklong Ticket Packages include a ticket to all 11 sessions at Atlantic Station. Four different seating levels are offered and packages are priced as low as $35/ticket. Tickets will be available for purchase at www.bbtatlantaopen.com or by calling 404-941-9202. Californian Querrey, a former…

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They call the playoffs the second season, but for high school basketball teams around the state of Georgia it will seem more like a new season. Thanks to this week’s winter storm, the GHSA  was forced to push back  the date for region tournaments to be complete to February 19. Now that everyone impacted by the storm is starting to dig out, play will resume this weekend. Remember, no school no practice, and with some teams last touching a basketball over a week ago some coaches are not quite sure what they will see when their teams hit the floor. “Seems like the best solution…

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After ripping through the region and reaching the state final at Dome this past year, Carrollton football now has another reason to celebrate. Last week at the Carroll County Board of Education, eight Carrollton Trojan football players signed letters of intent to play at the collegiate level. All-American Defensive Tackle, Dontavius Russell, headlined the class signing with Auburn, after originally committing to UGA. To illustrate the depth of this Carrollton team, here are some of the other signings… Cole Cook, Tight End – NC State De’Antonie Cammons, Defensive Back – Carson-Newman Trey Chivers, Running Back – Kennesaw State Will Garrett, Quarterback…

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Former U.S. Open champion Tom Kite has committed to play in the 2nd annual Greater Gwinnett Championship Presented by Mitsubishi Electric Cooling & Heating, an Official Event on the PGA TOUR’s Champions Tour. The tournament will be played April 14-20, 2014 at TPC Sugarloaf in Duluth, GA. World Golf Hall of Fame member Kite (2004) won 19 times on the PGA TOUR including the 1992 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach where he battled 40 mile per hour winds in the final round to shoot an even par 72 and win by two strokes. Among his other titles were two Atlanta…

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It’s here!! Around the state high school basketball teams are gearing up region tournaments. It’s the March On Macon, site of the state finals again this year. The final two weeks of the regular season were hectic for many teams around the metro area as the winter storm played havoc with schedules. There are some teams that played as many as 5 games over a period of 8 days just to complete the season. Now the second season begins, and the stakes are higher.” When asked about tournament time Wesleyan girls coach Jan Azar said, ” That is special each…

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Georgia Tech’s men’s tennis team, off to a 2-0 start, returns to action this weekend when it hosts three top-25 teams in the MLK Invitational, Saturday through Monday at the Ken Byers Tennis Complex. The three-day, round-robin tournament begins Saturday and runs through Monday, when campus is closed in observance of the MLK holiday. The event features each team facing another in singles and doubles play throughout the weekend, and each team will submit a lineup of six or seven players for singles and three to four doubles teams. No team scores will be kept or team winners declared, but…

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Last fall college students from around the state of Georgia were provided an opportunity to write about sports at their school each week on Peach State College Sports. The students enjoyed writing about their teams, their classmates and their friends. There were some who received class credit for their work and their work received more exposure. Now we would like to expand the list of contributors to include the southeast. The requirements are to provide at least one content item each week. It can be either a blog (with picture), video (provide a link) , or a photo gallery. There…

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The 2013 high school football season came to a close last weekend with the crowning of 7 state champions at the Georgia Dome. But, if you still have a taste for high school football, you might want to get out and catch All-Star Saturday. There are a number of high school All-Star games around the area that will provide seniors with another chance to impress the recruiters and provide some of you with a welcomed break from mall. It will cost you a lot less money for sure. Starting with Rivals of Gwinnett All-Star Game that will present some of…

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Victoria Duval, the 17-year old breakout star of the 2013 US Open, and top 21-year old Denis Kudla will headline the up-and-coming Americans playing for a singles wild card entry into January’s Australian Open at the 2013 USTA Australian Open Wild Card Playoffs, December 20-22 at Life Time Athletic at Peachtree Corners in Norcross, Ga.  Duval, who has overcome extraordinary adversity on her way to becoming the fifth-youngest player in the WTA Top 200 at No. 168, is also one of several players with Atlanta ties competing in the annual Playoffs, held at its current location for the fifth straight…

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This is State Championship Week for high school football in Georgia. Later his week all attention will shift to the Georgia Dome where 7 state champions will be crowned. Seems like an odd time for news of an investigation into illegal recruitment of players by one of Atlanta Public Schools most successful football programs. The Grady High School football program is the target of an investigation that sites over 20 players on this year’s team for attending the Midtown Atlanta school while using a false address. In the state of Georgia students are allowed to transfer to a school in…

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Friday night the Hawks will play the Detroit Pistons . It will be the second meeting in three nights for the NBA teams, but this one will be different. This time they will meet in Auburn Hills, Michigan and that will be just fine with Josh Smith. Wednesday night Smith returned to Atlanta with his new team for his much anticipated homecoming. Being back in the building formerly known as “The Highlight Factory” seemed to impact Smith’s performance as J Smooth was anything but, going 5 for 15 from the field and finishing with just 11 points as the Hawks…

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Believe it or not this Friday night marks the end of 2013 high school football regular season. Many of the teams that will play this week already know their post season fates. The Parkview Panthers are one of those teams. The football gear will be packed away after Friday’s game with South Gwinnett. The Panthers will be watching  the playoffs from the sideline in 2013, and also saying farewell to their coach, Cecil Flowe , who is retiring after 20 years and 4 state championships.. Others cling to a hope that some how a region rival will become a friend and pull off…

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The Greater Gwinnett Championship Presented by Mitsubishi Electric Cooling & Heating, Atlanta’s second year event on the PGA TOUR’s Champions Tour, has announced that State Bank & Trust Company has signed a three year agreement to be the tournament’s official bank. In addition, State Bank will be the title sponsor of both the pro-am event taking place on Wednesday and Thursday, as well as the Kickoff Party taking place on Tuesday evening; the State Bank Pro-Am and State Bank Kickoff Party respectively. “We welcome State Bank & Trust Company as one of our official partners of the Greater Gwinnett Championship,”…

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Believe it or not there are only 3 weeks left in the high school football regular season and now the race is on to nail down those post season spots. There are also a sizable number of teams that are still sporting perfect records. Sandy Creek, Buford, and Eagle’s Landing Christian are all defending state champions who unbeaten. Sandy Creek and ELCA are both on collision courses with region rivals in Carrollton and Landmark Christian , who are also unbeaten. This week Carrollton should get a test from an Alexander squad that pushed Sandy Creek to the brink last week.…

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It seems that every Friday night something spectacular happens on a high school football field in Gwinnett County. Last Friday night was one game that proved worthy of extra note. I was fortunate to be in the house in Suwanee to witness what has to be the best game of the 2013 season. For four quarters Mill Creek and North Gwinnett waged a battle that left everybody from players, and coaches to parents, and parking lot attendants physically and emotionally drained. The Hawks held a 21 point lead over the state’s number one team and on it’s sideline fans were beaming.…

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It’s seem that for years Tucker vs Stephenson was the game that high school football fans in DeKalb County wanted to see. Stephenson, the program that had known only one losing season since opening in 1996, had always played in a higher classification. Meetings with Tucker were reserved for pre-season scrimmages that left DeKalb fans wondering  just what would happen if the two were allowed to meet during the regular season. The Tigers also have been big winners, their last losing season coming all the way back in 1991. Oh , by the way, Tucker has won a pair of…

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Is there a doctor in the house? The Falcons are in need of a specialist to help them get over the same allergic reaction they seem to suffer from whenever they enter the red zone. Let’s call it Red Zone Fever, shall we. Sunday night,in front of a sold out Georgia Dome and millions of viewers for NBC’s Sunday Night Football, the Falcons managed only one touchdown in 6 trips inside the 20 yard line. Despite gaining more total yards, running more plays, and collecting more first downs than their opponent, the birds offense stalled at the most crucial times.…

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Long-time Atlanta resident, tennis volunteer and former USTA Southern staffer Eddie Gonzalez has been named the BB&T Atlanta Open Tournament Director and Chief Development Officer, USTA Southern Executive Director and COO John Callen announced today. Gonzalez’s appointment is pending ATP World Tour approval. Gonzalez takes over the reins of Atlanta’s premier professional tennis tournament—an ATP World Tour 250 event—as it moves into its fifth year. The BB&T Atlanta Open is the first men’s tournament of the nine summer events in the Emirates Airline US Open Series leading into the US Open. The tournament is owned by USTA Southern and…

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The National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame Association will host it’s annual college golf tournament this week in Atlanta. 20 golf teams from historically black colleges will compete in Division I and Division II classes at Atlanta’s Browns Mill Golf Club on September 28th and 29th. Play will begin with an  8am Shotgun start each day. The public is invited to come and watch the teams play, and it’s free of charge. Parents and coaches of high school age golfers are invited to attend this event. Tournament organizers would be happy to arrange meetings with  the coaches of the college golf…

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ATLANTA– This is week 5 for high school football in the Peach State. There will be something new in Cobb County, where Kennesaw State’s Fifth Third Bank Stadium will host (American) football for the first time. The venue that was originally built for soccer will be the site of the annual Civil War between North Cobb and Kennesaw Mountain. The Athletic Department at KSU is excited about showing off the home of the Owls football program starting in 2015. Elsewhere around the metro area the unbeaten teams are on display. In Gwinnett, Peachtree Ridge travels to Mill Creek in a…

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ATLANTA– Week 3 of high school football in the Metro Atlanta area brings a showdown that fans have waiting to see for an entire year. It was last September that Gainesville traveled to Buford and handed the Wolves a rare regular season lost on their home field. 19-15 was the score as the Red Elephants took advantage of 5 Buford turnovers and were victorious for the first time in 5 meetings between the two schools. This Friday night defending class AAAAA champion Gainesville will host defending class AAA champion Buford in a marquee matchup.  Not far away West Forsyth will…

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Norcross–Olympic Shot Putter Adam Nelson left Athens, Greece  with a Silver medal in 2004.The graduate of Atlanta’s Lovett School  had lived a dream.Not only did he earn a spot on the United States Olympic team, but he would take part in the Shot Put.It would be the only event during the Athens games to be held at Olympia, the site of the original Olympic games. Adam’s final and best throw was wiped out by a foul, allowing Yuriy Bilonog of Ukraine to take the Gold medal.   Some 8 years later a retroactive sample of blood that was tested proved positive for…

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ATLANTA–Former Georgia Tech All-American Kevin King will make his ATP singles debut just a few block away from campus, at the BB&T Atlanta Open. King earned a spot in the tournament’s main draw after winning his 3rd qualifying round match. It was an impressive 3 set win over ATP tour veteran Robby Ginepri 2-6, 6-4, 6-4. King, who grew up in Peachtree City, says he grew up admiring Ginepri. “Obviously, being from this area I have watched Robby. He has been a great player on the pro tour.” After losing the opening set, King took the upper hand in the…

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On the heels of leading The Virginia Cavaliers to the NCAA Men’s Championship and being named Most Outstanding Player, Jarmere Jenkins has plunged into the world of professional tennis. This week the College Park native is outside Chicago playing the Winnetka 50K Challenger Tour event. The tournament field includes other recent college stars like Southern Cal’s Steve Johnson, and Stanford’s Bradley Klahn along with ATP tour veterans Donald Young and Robby Ginepri.It seems like an excellent chance for a player making the transition from college to the pros.Winning matches at this level can help the point total increase quickly, but if you talk…

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Seeing players from the pro tennis tour is really nothing new for Alycia and Mikayla Parks. Since leaving the Atlanta area 4 years ago to train and expand their game in Florida, crossing paths with some of the world’s top players has become quite frequent. Their home is not far from Delray Beach, which annually hosts an ATP tour event. This year John Isner, Mardy Fish and James Blake played in the Delray Beach International Tennis Championships, but what happened last week was even more amazing. Their father, Michael Parks says , ” Just when it seems like we have…

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University of Virginia Senior Jarmere Jenkins has enjoyed a tremendous 2012. The All-American from College Park, Ga is the ACC Player Of The Year  and recently won the ITA Indoor Championship. Jarmere was gracious enough to accept some questions from me. He reflected on his past and looked ahead to the future. ·You are one of 8 siblings. What was it like growing up at the Jenkins house ??? Growing up with the Jenkins clan was a chaotic experience at times, but I would not change it for the world. There are so many advantages that come with having a…

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Stockbridge, Georgia resident Taylor Townsend,who is considered to be a bright future star for American tennis,has decided that the future is now. The Sports Business Journal reports that Townsend has signed a deal with sports and entertainment agency Lagardere Unlimited and is expected to play professionally next year. The move ends months of speculation about weather the top ranked junior player in the world would make the move to the next level. It also comes on the heels of a well publicized clash with USTA Player Development after funding was withheld from Townsend before the US Open. USTA Player Development officials expressed concern…

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FLUSHING, NY– Virginia’s Jarmere Jenkins and UCLA’s Robin Anderson captured the ITA National Indoor Championships at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in New York. Jenkins, a senior from College Park, Ga., beat Pepperdine’s Sabastian Faneslow in straight sets 6-2, 6-1 to win the Men’s final. Anderson, a sophomore from Matawan, NJ,  beat Cal’s Anett Schutting in straight sets 6-3, 6-4 to win the Women’s final.

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Atlanta, GA–Clark Atlanta University head women’s tennis coach, Autumn Williams, was among a selected group of NCAA Division I and Division II coaches who was named a recipient of the United States Tenniss Assocition (USTA) Multicultural Grant to attend the 2012 Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Coaches Convention being held December 15-18, at the Waldorf Astoria Naples in Naples, Florida. “I am really honored and excited about the opportunity to attend the coaches convention through the USTA grant,” said Williams. The convention will include a Multicultural Symposium and ITA’s business meetings, clinics and workshops where coaches will be able to provide…

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It’s Classic Week in Atlanta,and for fans and supporters of HBCU sports that means parades, parties and football. Before you head to the Georgia Dome for FAMU vs Southern or the AU Center for Morehouse vs CAU, why not checkout some HBCU tennis. The 12 annual HBCU National Tennis Championships are set for the Clayton County Tennis Center in Jonesboro, September 27-29. Players from 15 HBCUs will be participating in the 3 day event.Therewill be an Old School Mixer and College Pro-Am on Friday. Saturday is Kids Day, with a Round Robin for Jrs. This Round Robin is a an opportunity for…

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ST. HELENA, Calif.—-University of Georgia sophomore Nathan Pasha won four matches on Sunday to claim the Audi Napa Valley Tennis Classic title. Pasha first defeated Stanford’s No. 81-ranked Matt Kandath, 6-3, 6-2, to win Group 2 of pool play with a 3-0 record and advance to the shootout round. The field was divided into eight pools, with each winner advancing to the PlayBrave USTA Wild Card Shootout, a single-elimination, 10-point tiebreak tournament. In his quarterfinal match Pasha downed Lloyd Glasspool of Texas, 10-8, then defeated his USTA junior opponent, 10-7, to reach the final. Pasha topped Texas’ Soren Hess-Olesen, 16-14,…

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Tennithon for Transplant Date: Saturday, September 22, 2012 – Saturday, September 22, 2012 Time: 2 to 10 p.m. Location:Dekalb Tennis Center1400 McConnell Drive Decatur, GA 30033 Tickets:Registration is $35, which helps cover the cost of the tournament. It is the money raised by participants that actually goes to Children’s. Each participant is required to raise a minimum of $100. Register here. ContactStephanie Oprea at 404-785-0631 About This Atlanta Charity Event Whether you are new to the game or an old pro, tennis is a fun way to exercise and spend time with those you care about. It is also a…

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I don’t know about you, but I have totally enjoyed the Olympic tennis tournament. I thought that having the Olympic tournament played at the All-England Club would add a touch of history to an already historic event and it completely lived up to everything I imagined it would be. The crowd was not the usual Wimbledon crowd.There was a bit more chatter between points, that at times gave it more of Flushing Meadow feel. It was with this backdrop that Serena Williams turned in one of the most remarkable performances of her career, and joined Steffi Graf as the only women…

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James Blake will be the first to admit that his first round victory at the BB&T Atlanta Open was match that he was supposed to lose. The 32 year old tour veteran out lasted 20 year old Ryan Harrison for a 3 set win that delighted the crowd at the Atlantic Station venue. On paper it didn’t seem close..Harrison is 20 years old, ranked 43rd and bound for London for the 2012 Olympics. Blake, at 32, has seen his ranking slip out of the top 100 to 110. “I’m starting to play guys who grew up watching me”, said a…

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As the courtain goes up on the BB&T Atlanta Open, the questions that come rushing forward seem too numerous to count..First there is a tournament field that includes the top ranked American Mens players in the world, four of which will head back to the All-England Club for the Olympics in two weeks.  The early commitment from Andy Roddick was big for the image of this event. Roddick won his first career ATP title in Atlanta and remains popular despite a recent drop in rankings. A-Rod is looking to ramp up his game before heading back to England.  Mardy Fish…

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Hello, My name is Scott Howard and I am the Head Women’s Tennis Coach at Holy Names University in Oakland, CA. I was wondering if you can post something trying to help those junior players that are still searching for a college to attend this fall. Your section might have a player that is still looking at this late date, and Holy Names University is hoping to add one more player for the fall semester. Scott HowardHead Women’s Tennis CoachHoly Names UniversityUSPTA Pro 1Vice President Nor Cal USPTA Director of Tennis/Golden Gate Park Tennis Academy(650) 281-3680

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Stockbridge,Georgia resident Taylor Townsend has added yet another major title to her impressive resume. Today Taylor and Canadian Eugenie Bouchard won the Girls’ Doubles Championship at Wimbledon. Townsend and Bouchard downed the team of Belinda Bencic and Ana Konjuh in straight set scores 6-4, 6-3..It is Townsend’s third grand slam title for 2012. Taylor won both Girls’ Singles and Doubles titles at the Australian Open in January. This Spring Taylor won the Easter Bowl tournament in California  and assumed the top spot in the world, among junior girls players.  Now 16, Taylor will return to the United States to compete…

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There is big news at the Peterson School of Tennis.The USTA and American Express have teamed up to resurface Burdett Tennis Center in College Park, GA. The facility now includes six 36 foot tennis courts or youth courts. The new “kiddie” courts are part of the USTA’s effort to get more children involved in the game. There will be a ribbon cutting ceremony July 16th at 10am. The USTA and local officials will be in attendance as well as rising tennis pro Ryan Harrison.The USTA’s grant comes through USTA Serves, the National Charitable Foundation of the Unites States tennis Association.…

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Xavier University of Louisiana’s Amber Brown defeated Martin Methodist’s Maria Charrys 6-3, 6-1 Saturday to clinch a 5-2 dual match victory for the Gold Nuggets in the championship of an NAIA unaffiliated group women’s tennis tournament at Racquet Club of the South. Brown is a sophomore from Decatur. She was home-schooled before attending Xavier. Xavier entered the tournament 4-21 but won all three of its duals to earn an automatic bid to the NAIA National Championship on May 15-19 at Mobile, Ala. Brown won all three of her No. 3 singles matches and dropped a collective five games. Her three-set…

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Taylor Townsend, a 16-year-old from Stockbridge, Ga., who trains full-time at the USTA Training Center Headquarters in Boca Raton, Fla., became the top-ranked junior in the ITF World Junior Rankings (for players 18 and younger) on Monday, making her the first American girl to earn the No. 1 ranking since the ITF combined singles and doubles rankings in 2004. Donald Young was the last American to reach No. 1 in the boys’ rankings in 2005. Coincidentally, Young’s parents were Townsend’s first tennis coaches. In January, Townsend swept the girls’ singles and doubles titles at the Australian Open, becoming the first…

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ATHENS, Ga. — University of Georgia men’s tennis freshman Nathan Pasha on Monday secured his fourth SEC Freshman of the Week honor of the season when the league office issued its release this afternoon. Pasha has now won the award in back-to-back weeks in addition to taking the honors on March 28 and Feb. 22. The Atlanta native is riding a team-best nine-match winning streak in singles with an 18-1 dual match record and a 9-1 mark in conference play. On Saturday vs. Tennessee in the regular-season finale, Pasha put up two more wins on the day to help the…

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Georgia men’s tennis rookie Nathan Pasha went a combined 5-0 last week, including two match-clinching victories for UGA at the ITA National Indoors, on his way to the first SEC Freshman of the Week honors of his career, the league office announced Wednesday morning.The Atlanta native’s stellar play helped the Bulldogs to a 3-1 week, including a trip to the Indoor semifinals at the Boar’s Head Sports Club in Charlottesville, Va. He recorded three singles victories at line six to improve to 7-0 in dual match play, while adding a pair of doubles wins with Ignacio Taboada at No. 3.…

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Man, it’s been awhile, but I’m finally back at my blog with more details about Mikayla Parks, who is now 11, and Alycia Parks, now 10. The Parks family has been living in Florida for just over a year and the Parks Sisters have been turning heads and raising eyebrows wherever they go to train. Perhaps one of the biggest highlights came last October, when they met one of their heroes. The girls, along with their dad, Michael Parks, visited the Barnes and Noble bookstore in Palm Gardens where WTA superstar Venus Williams was signing copies of her book, “Come To Win.” Williams’…

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As promised, I have an update on the Amazing Parks Sisters, who will take a break from their training in South Florida this weekend to attend a Junior Tennis Combine in the Washington, D.C. area .Martin Blackmon of the USTA has told Michael Parks that Alycia and Mikayla will likely begin tournament play early next year. Mr. Parks says that in January Mikayla will be 11, and Alycia will be 10, and he expects them to play level 4, 14’s. It should place the Parks Sisters in direct competition with some of the top Juniors in the country, and prepare…

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Whew!!! The rain that passed through our area the past two days has ushered temperatures that feel more like early fall. I don’t know about you, but to me this is the best time of year to attack the tennis court. It is also a great time to play tennis for good causes. There are a number of events scheduled for the Metro Atlanta area in the coming weeks. For instance, this Wednesday September 29th, the third annual Breast Cancer Round Robin will be played at the Wheatfield’s Reserves Tennis Courts in Grayson. Registration and drills begin at 10am, with…

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What  a week at the Atlanta Athletic Club.. The pro tennis tour returned to our town on a week when the nickname ” HOTlanta”, was more than fitting.Spectators braved the conditions that were unbearable at times, with some needing medical assistance. The fans were not the only ones needing help, Tournament Champion Mardy Fish required an I-V after playing a grueling 3-setter with UGA’s John Isner. It brought an end to an exciting week of competition with some of the top players in the world, and we even got to see Andy Roddick’s wife and SI swimsuit model Brooklyn Decker. The…

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When I asked Andy Roddick about playing in the Georgia heat this week he basiscally brushed it off, saying that it’s hot everywhere this time of year. He added that most cities on the US Open series were real proud of their heat, with a smile..Well, the top seed wasn’t smiling when he called for the trainer to come and visit him during his three set battle with Rajeev Ram. When this tournament was anounced I was concerned with it’s date. Late July in Georgia can be brutal and would truly test the fitness of the tours top players, who…

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 It was another spectacular day at the Atlanta Tennis Championships, as the Americans continued to be a as hot as the weather..Speaking of weather, the tournament managed to dodge a certain thunderstorm during the late afternoon session.Dark clouds, and grumbles of thunder had spectators keeping an eye on he sky during Taylor Dent’s match. The win picked up, blowing pine needles on to court two and forcing a delay for the court to be cleared by leaf blowers. Dent brought some thunder all his own, with serves that clocked 148 miles per hour. Dent led a parade of American winners…

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Day two of the Atlanta Tennis Championships and it was time for area players to shine. Both Robby Ginepri and Donald Young got to see their dream come true. They played in an ATP even while while staying at home..For Ginepri , it has been a long wait for pro tennis to return to Atlanta. The Kennesaw resident and Wheeler High School alum was feeling some nerves playing in front of friends and family , but rallied to take charge of the first round match with Nick Lindahl.  I was sitting near Robby’s Father , who is also his business…

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 This is it!!! Curtains up on the long awaited Atlanta Tennis Championships. The stars of the ATP tour are in Atlanta for first time in almost 10 years. Last week’s adddition of Andy Roddick was just the right injection of star power , and area sports fans have responded by making a run on tickets. The blazing heat of Georgia in July didn’t keep spectators away from the Atlanta Athletic Club on the first day of play in the main draw. We media folks were getting a chance to huddle with Lleyton Hewitt, and Roddick, who raised a few eyebrows…

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I’ve never been much for card games of any kind. Not that I don’t like cards, just never spent much time trying to learn. I don’t even play computer Solitare. So you can imagine what went through my mind when I was invited to be a featured blackjack dealer for a fundraising casino night. Lucky for me a co-worker came to the rescue with a crash course. Our Executive Producer for Sports, Tracy Carmony, brought her deck of cards to work and tought me “Blackjack Dealing 101.” So, after reporting LIVE, from the Georgia Tech baseball game it was off…

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It’s the first weekend in June and it’s an important weekend for the Amazing Parks Sisters. Alycia and Mikayla traveled to College Park, Maryland, to take part in a High Performance Tennis Combine. It’s the first of several trips they’ll be taking during the summer months to participate in training sessions at facilities that are designated as High Performance Facilities by the United States Tennis Association. This weekend’s trip comes a week after the Parks Sisters spent two days participating in workout sessions that were taped at Rick Macci’s academy in Florida. Alycia and Mikayla were among some of the…

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Sure enjoyed meeting the good folks at America SCORES this weekend, where I got to kick off the 2010 SCORES Cup, now in its fourth year. More than 10 corporate and local teams came together to compete for the championship title at Georgia Soccer Park in College Park. Concessions International took home the coveted SCORES Cup after a heated final match with law firm King & Spalding that went into overtime and ended with 11 rounds of penalty kicks. Great soccer for a great cause. America SCORES helps underserved youth succeed on the soccer field and in the classroom. Check them…

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I just want to bring you up to date on the Parks Sisters as they are working every day and visiting the USTA Training Center. Alycia, who is 9, and Mikayla, 10, are continuing to amaze the experts in South Florida. While they continue to work with Rodney Harmon each day, they are getting to train at some of the other top facilities in the area near Boca Raton. They have been to the renowned Rick Macci Tennis Academy. Alycia and Mikayla took part in a recent showcase at Macci’s, and performed better than players who were older and who have…

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Now that the Hawks’ season is done, we are free to speculate about who will and won’t be returning next season. It seems that All-Star Guard Joe Johnson may have talked his way out of town after that 30 point loss in game 3. When asked about the home crowd booing the Hawks’ effort, Johnson replied, “I don’t care if they show up or not.” Nice choice of words for a player who failed to show up for the entire Orlando series.It brings to mind a young David Justice who took a shot at Atlanta Braves fans for sitting on…

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Hello on a rainy Saturday. It won’t be a good day for tennis and it gives me an excuse to miss playing. I must admit, the weather has been perfect for playing recently but schedule and commitments have kept me away from the game I love. I promised myself that after age 50 (now 51), that I would get my game in shape and play some tournaments. Try to take some hardware from the old heads. I still want to make that happen. Yesterday I ended up on the court for the first of a series of  tennis related events,…

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What a week it’s been here in Augusta. Before today’s first round there had been more for the media to cover here than any time in my memory of working this event, which goes back to 1986. All the anticipation and hype of Tiger Woods’ return from his troubled winter led us to arrive Monday morning at 6 a.m. I’ve been to the Masters many times, but it had always been after sunrise. I arrived before most of the folks who actually work here. That’s okay, because when the grounds opened at 8 a.m. I was on the front row, as Tiger…

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As promised, this blog will keep you updated on Mikayla and Alycia Parks, the 9- and 10-year-old tennis phenoms who relocated from Henry County to South Florida two months ago. I have been in constant contact with their father, who tells me that the girls are enjoying the move. The opportunity to train with some of the nation’s top tennis coaches is truly a dream come true. It didn’t take long for word to get around the tennis camps in that area, and whenever Alycia and Mikayla hit the courts it just seems like other folks drift over to that court to watch…

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Since being named the “Future of American Tennis,” Atlanta’s Donald Young has shown that he could dominate the Juniors, but has consistantly had his struggles on the ATP tour. In the April edition of Tennis magazine, the picture on page 9 says it all. The folded arms of USTA Training GM Patrick McEnroe and tennis guru Nick Bollettieri reflect their frustation over Young’s progress expressed in an article that blames his parents, Donald, Sr. and Illona, for the shortcomings. The Youngs have always taken great pride in the role they’ve played in Donald, Jr.’s development, that led to his becoming…

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Hello and welcome to Sam’s Passing Shots! This will be the place where I will leave my reflections on sports from my perspective. I am passionate about sports that impact our youth and make a difference on the playing field and off the field.  I am very passionate about tennis, so look for news and info on tennis players, tournaments and related events here. I will also be keeping track of the amazing Parks Sisters (Alycia and Mikayla). They are young tennis players from the metro Atlanta area, who are now living in Florida and training at the USTA Tennis…

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