Thank You!

Thank you parents and players for a wonderful year! Can not wait for our next season together! Hope you all have an amazing summer. Be sure to practice!

Tennis Picture Retake TOMORROW!

Players, please bring your grey St. Ann's Athletic Shirt to school tomorrow from tennis team picture re-takes. All players must have their shirt for the picture. Thank you so much!
REMINDER: Please send any tennis pictures from matches, tournaments, or practices to school by Friday to put in the sports banquet slide show. Thank you for everything this year!

Pictures Needed!

Hello Families! Pictures are needed for Spring Sports Banquet! If you have any pictures from tournaments, matches, or practices please email Coach Reker at dreker@stanns.us or drop them off at the school office. Thank you so much!

Information about Summer Programs at Bush Tennis Center

Last Week of Practice

Hello players and families!
We will have our last two practices this week at the Bush Tennis Center. Our final match of the season was on Thursday last week, so these two practices are optional. If you would like to come out and play, I will be out there. This will be great for our players that are about to have High School tryouts as well as those who would like to continue to work on skills. Thank you all for a wonderful season and for all your hard work. Don't forget that the Sports Banquet is on May 10th!

Sports Banquet: May 10th! Deadline Purchase: Monday May 8th

Match Tomorrow with Trinity

Hello Families!
We are very excited for our match with Trinity tomorrow. We will have our match at the Trinity Tennis Center beginning promptly at 4:00. Please meet at the facility as soon as you can after dismissal. Please be in your St. Ann's Athletic Shirt, appropriate bottoms, and court shoes and be prepared with your racquets and water. I will have your match assignments when we meet tomorrow as the Trinity Coach and myself are still planning the dual based on the amount of players both teams have. Can't wait to see you all there! The address for the facility is located on the 3900 Block of Trinity Drive. You will see the facility behind the Las Colinas Apartment Complex. Thank you again everyone. See you tomorrow!

Practice Cancelled

Hello Families.
Sadly, the Bush Tennis Center is reporting high winds and low visibility from blowing dust. They have plans to cancel their clinics this afternoon, therefore practice will be cancelled. I will post information regarding Thursday's Dual Match soon. Thank you for your patience and cooperation. Look forward to seeing you all on Thursday.

Tournament Site Information

Hello Players and Families!
The Tournament Director emailed last night with the site information for Saturday's Tournament. This particular tournament will be a DOUBLE elimination format, so players will have to lose TWO matches to be eliminated from the tournament instead of our normal format of one loss resulting in elimination. The sites are listed below and corresponds to your child's division. All players were informed of their division at practice on Tuesday, however I will email each of you specifically with your site assignment.

I will have printed copies of the draws if you would like one at Permian.

Here are the sites for each division:

Permian High School Tennis Courts - All 8th Grade Girls: Singles and Doubles

Odessa High School Tennis Courts - All 8th Grade Boys: Singles and Doubles

Ratliff Stadium Tennis Center - All 7th Grade Boys & 7th Girls Doubles

Odessa Country Club Tennis Courts - 7th Girls Singles

Due to the tournament site being spread out, it is IMPERATIVE that all players listen to the site director as to their court assignments and match time, as well ask ask the site director when their next reporting time will be when they are finished with their matches. I will be rotating sites frequently throughout the day, with Permian High School serving as the Coaches reporting location. If your player and/or their doubles partner becomes eliminated from the tournament as well as confirmed this information with the site director, I must know via phone or text that you will be leaving the site with your child if I am not at your particular site to relay this information to me personally.

Players, you must be represented in team uniform (St. Ann's Grey Athletic Shirt), appropriate bottoms, and court shoes. Do not forget to apply sunscreen frequently, bring light snacks, and WATER! Most of our tournament sites do not provide water on the courts. Reporting time for all matches is at 7:30 a.m. to begin right at 8:00 a.m. We you arrive, notify the tournament director immediately when you get there. There will most likely be a site table set up where the director will be stationed. After that, if you find any open courts, begin warming up with another St. Ann's player, and if you are in doubles, your partner. At 8:00, leave the courts and congregate near the tournament desk to listen for your court assignment. When you leave the court from your match, report the score and if it was a win or loss to the director and ask for your next match time. Most draws will move quickly since the sites are spread out and allow for more courts. Be ready for your upcoming match! 

Lastly, you represent St. Ann's Catholic School. All coaches will remain in constant contact with each other and can identify players based on their uniform. Use your best sportsmanship, effort, respect, and manners. We are there to play, gain experience, and most importantly: HAVE FUN! If you have any problems that arise during the tournament or questions at all, I will have my phone on me at ALL TIMES. I'm looking forward to Saturday! We will discuss more details today at practice. See you all at 4:00!

April 22nd: Odessa Tournament

Time of Matches:

All matches will start promptly at 8:00 a.m., April 22, 2017.  Coaches and players will meet at predetermined sites by 7:30 a.m. The site information is expected to be given to coaches by Thursday morning. A notification will be sent to players and families as soon as available as to your child’s playing site.

Divisions:

There will be one division of singles and doubles for each grade (6th, 7th, and 8th). Your child will be assigned a division and partner (if applicable). Players may not play in a higher grade level or a lower grade level.  All participants must play in their eligible grade level.

Events:

Coaches may their players in singles or doubles, but not both. Your child will be playing in only one division. There will be four tournament sites, mostly likely assigned by player’s division. The four sites are: Odessa Country Club, Permian High School, Odessa High School, and Ratliff Stadium Courts.  There will be a possibility of transitioning sites most likely based on your player’s advancement through the tournament draw. Therefore, it is extremely imperative that parents remain at the tournament site with their child and communicate with the St. Ann’s coaches via telephone and texting to let me know of any issues that may arise in transportation. If the tournament director has informed your child that their matches are finished for the day, please simply inform me via telephone or text that you are taking your child home. I will be traveling between tournament sites to check on our team’s status.

Entry Fee & Deadline:

All entry fees have been submitted to the tournament director. Your child's entry fee for all tournaments was included in their tennis fee.

Draws:

A complete seventh and eighth grade draw and information sheet will be available for Coaches on Saturday morning at the Permian High School Courts. The draws will also be distributed to each tournament site and will help the site directors inform of your child's matches. It is extremely important that your child listen to the site director as to their match time. There will be a 15-minute default rule enforced.  If your child has not responded to their match call within 15 minutes, their match will be defaulted as automatically result as a win for their opponent. No-ad scoring will be used and matches (either pro-sets or regular sets) will be determined by the size of the draw.  The tournament director will post the scoring system on the draw sheets.  All matches will have a 12-point tiebreaker at 6-6(8-8 in pro set).

Awards:

Individual awards will be given to all first, second, third and consolation winners. Team trophies will be awarded to the team scoring the most points in the 7th, and 8th divisions. 

I will post and communicate further information to you as it becomes available.  We are looking forward to Saturday! Hope ya'll have a wonderful week and see you all for practice on Tuesday.

Happy Easter!

Great Job Saints!

You all did great yesterday! Congrats to Josh for making it to the semi-finals in 7th Boys Singles and Brad and Santiago for making it to the Finals. Santiago came in 1st and Brad in 2nd! Awesome job to Sasha who came in 1st Place in 8th Girls Singles! All players did great and should be proud of their performance. Way to go Saints!

Tri Match Tomorrow! Reporting: 4:00 p.m.

Hello everyone! Our Tri-Match with Abell and Goddard is scheduled to begin tomorrow at 4:30. Please meet at the facility no later than 4:00 p.m. for warm-ups and match assignments. Please be wearing your St. Ann's Athletic Shirt and come prepared with your racquets and water. If you have not responded yet as to your participation in the match, I must know by noon today to put you in the line-up. Thank you and look forward to seeing you all tomorrow!

Saturday, April 8th Match. Reporting Time: 8:00 a.m.

Hello Families and Players!
The tournament director emailed me this morning and informed me that due to other teams' lack of players and scheduling conflicts, the format of Saturday's event has changed. Instead of the original team line up of an 8:30 a.m. dual and a 1:30 p.m. dual, all participants from area schools will meet and play everyone in a variety of singles and doubles matches. This new format will replace both original scheduled matches to accommodate the change in schools' players. All players will be put out on courts as they open, hopefully allowing for more matches and playing time. The goal is to begin at the original start time of 8:30 a.m. and hopefully finish the entire day around noon. I apologize for the moving pieces and thank you for understanding and flexibility. Please meet me at the front of the Bush Tennis Center and we will walk in to the facility to begin warm ups and match assignments. Please come prepared by being in your St. Ann's Athletic Shirt, bringing your racquets and equipment, and a water jug or bottle. If anything has changed in terms of your child's participation due to the match time and format adjustments, please just let me know as soon as possible and we will make accommodations. Otherwise, I'm looking forward to seeing you all tomorrow at the Bush Tennis Center at 8:00 a.m.

On a separate note, we have a Tri-Match scheduled for Tuesday, April 11th at the Bush Tennis Center at 4:30 with Goddard and Abell Junior Highs. Please be at the facility at our normal practice time of 4:00 for warm-ups and match assignments and also be prepared with your uniform and equipment. If for any reason you do not believe you can be at this match, please let me know as soon as possible to plan accordingly.

Thank you everyone! See most of you tomorrow and looking forward to both matches! Have a great day!

April 8th Morning Match

Hello families! I was informed this morning that that team for our 8:30 morning match this Saturday maybe short far too many players to travel. The coach will keep me updated, but it may be possible that our morning match will be cancelled on Saturday against Bonham. I have informed the tournament director and asked if there are any other teams that would be interested in filling our opponent's spot in the event that they can not make the morning match. If our morning match is cancelled, I will inform you as soon as possible so you can make arrangements accordingly. This change does not affect our afternoon match against Bowie, and we are still scheduled to begin play on that dual at 1:30. Thank you for your patience and flexibility, and of you believe this possible morning change may affect your child's ability to participate in the afternoon match, please just let me know. Thank you parents and I will be talking to you soon.

Practice Cancelled

I'm sorry this is coming so late notice, but I wanted to hold off as long as possible before cancelling. Unfortunately the Tennis Center is making plans to cancel clinics and close this afternoon due to high winds, so that sadly means our practice is cancelled today. Players, please continue working on keeping score and if you have any opportunities to visit a tennis court for extra practice, that would be incredibly beneficial. Wish this West Texas weather would cooperate. I will update the website this week with information regarding Saturday's dual matches for those who are participating. We hope all our 6th graders have a safe and fun trip to Prude Ranch and our 7th grade safe travels to the Chrism Mass on Thursday. Thank you all and see you soon!

Thursday Practice Cancelled

Hello everyone!
I was informed today that the District Tournament for all the high schools in our area will be hosted at the Bush Tennis Center on Thursday, April 6th. All of the courts are expected to be utilized by the matches, therefore we will not be able to have our practice on Thursday. 6th graders will be at Prude Ranch so this mostly affects the 7th and 8th graders. Our match with Bonham and Bowie is scheduled for April 8th. Please let me know if your player is planning on attending. Thank you everyone! Have a great night and we'll see you on Tuesday!

Upcoming Matches and Athletic Pictures

Hello families! I just wanted to touch base with a few things to be aware of over the next few weeks:

1.       The Track Team has a Meet tomorrow in Rankin. We just wanted to wish you all good luck and are aware that you will not be at practice tomorrow. Good luck to all participants!

2.       Athletic Team pictures for St. Ann’s will be taken on Tuesday, April 4^th at school. Please bring your Grey St. Ann’s Athletic Shirt with you to change in to for the picture on Tuesday.

3.       6^th graders will going to Prude Ranch next week, so we will not see you on April 6^th for Thursday practice. Be safe and have fun.

4.       7^th Grade is going to San Angelo for the Chrism Mass on Thursday next week. We will still have practice. 7^th graders going to San Angelo are expected to be back before school’s dismissal, but if for some reason arrival is delayed, you can join at practice whenever you return.

5.       We have some matches coming up:

a.       Saturday, April 8^th at the Bush Tennis Center against Bonham and Bowie Junior Highs. We will play Bonham at 8:30 a.m. and Bowie at 1:30 a.m. If for any reason you do not believe you can be at this match, please let me know as soon as possible. We are expected to submit a player line-up before the match to plan and I want to be sure have all the correct players.

b.      Tuesday, April 11^th at the Bush Tennis Center. This will be a Tri-Match with Goddard and Abell. We will meet at 4:00 p.m. and begin at 4:30 p.m. Again, I ask that you please let me know if you will be at this match as we also need to submit a line-up.

Other than that, I just wanted to say that all the coaches were extremely impressed with the players’ performance on Saturday. With the limited amount of practice we had, several matches were well played and close. We also came out with some victories and Sasha Mancilla came out in 2nd place in the Girls' 8th Grade Singles Division. Keep it up Saints. If you have any questions or concerns regarding practices or matches, please feel free to contact me. Thank you so much! See you tomorrow. Please respond with your player’s plans to participation in the April 8^th and April 11^th Matches.

Tournament Tomorrow!

Hello families! Well, sadly yesterday's weather did not cooperate with us, so I wanted to relay to you the information that would've been given to your child during practice yesterday regarding tomorrow's tournament.

1.   Our team uniform is the grey, dry-fit St. Ann’s Athletics Shirt purchased through the tennis fee. Please wear your uniform with any suitable practice bottoms. Tomorrow's weather will be slightly chilly in the morning, but expected to warm up nicely. Nylon or sweat pants over tennis shorts would be a great idea for the day.

2.   Come Prepared – Bring your tennis racquets and can of fresh tennis balls. Have your own water jug filled with ice and water. Take snacks and meals with you as appropriate. There may be a small lunch break where parents are able to bring their child lunch, however it is the player's responsibility to be aware of their next match time given by the tournament desk.

3.   Please arrive NO LATER than 8:30 a.m. and meet the coaches and the rest of the team at the front of the facility. We will begin warm-ups and review tournament draws and procedures. The duration of the match will depend on your progress through the draw in your event All players are expected to be guaranteed two matches.

4.   Respect your teammates and opponents. Belittling a teammate has no place on the court. Be supportive and united at all times. Always act with utmost professionalism on the court, even if it’s not reciprocated. Always offer to shake hands after a match. Remember: ALL the players out there are playing to experience the game of tennis. Be sure to contribute to that positively. Feel free to encourage your teammates! Simply remember rules of court etiquette. 

5.   No one leaves the courts until all the scorekeepers and trash has been picked up. Leave the courts, stands, and grounds in better condition than you found them. Use recycling bins appropriately.

6.   Communicate- Email or call coach if there are ANY concerns or questions. 

7.   Parents:  Your support is greatly appreciated and we are so happy that you have chosen to allow your child to play in the program. UIL ruling states that no coaching is allowed by parents at tournaments DURING match play. Thank you for your cooperation. If you have any questions or concerns about during match play about anything, please feel free to ask ANY coach or official at the facility.

8.   Remember, you represent St. Ann’s Catholic School. You are a considered a Christian Athlete and your behavior should exemplify the title. Be a good sport. This means no tantrums on the court, no bad language, no racquet abuse. Bad sportsmanship and/or racquet abuse can ultimately get you taken out of a match.

Players are expected to: 

Follow the instructions of the coaching staff. 

Treat coaches, fellow classmates, opponents, spectators, and staff with respect.

Refrain from using inappropriate language

Maintain a positive attitude

Stay safe while on the tennis court

Represent our school in a positive manner.

Have fun!

I hope I was able to address everything, however if you think or ANY questions or concerns you may have, please feel free to contact my via email or phone. Thank you so much for all you do and see you all tomorrow!

Practice Cancelled: March 23rd

Tennis practice will unfortunately be cancelled today. The Bush Tennis Center is reporting high winds and has plans to cancel their lessons and clinics if conditions do not improve. I encourage all players that are participating in this Saturday's tournament to review the "Resources" section to continue working with keeping score and match play. I will send more information regarding Saturday's tournament as it becomes available to me. Thank you for all your help and support!

Tournament Information

Hello Families!
We are preparing for our upcoming tournament this Saturday on March 25th! We have been informed of the tournament format and I wanted to share the information with you:

Location:             Bush Tennis Center, all 6th, 7th, and 8th Grade Matches

Format:                The tournament will have a main draw and a consolation bracket.  All matches are        no add scoring and will be a regular set tie breaker at 6 all.

Time:                    Matches will begin at 9am, with arrival and warm ups beginning at 8:30 a.m.

Teams :                (Alamo, Goddard, San Jacinto, Abell, St. Anns, Ector, Crockett, Nimitz, Bonham,         Bowie, Wilson & Young, Midland Christian.)

Fee:                       No Entry Fee: Please provide a can of new tennis balls for the tournament per                                       player.

Divisions:             Boys Singles, Boys Doubles, Girls Singles, Girls Doubles, Mixed Doubles

Awards:               Individual awards will be given to 1^st 2^nd and consolation winner in each event.                  

Individual Format: Players will play one division. The current plan is for 6th and 7th grade players to play their respective divisions first and 8th grade to play theirs second. As any new information is available I will make you aware. As of now, players can meet at the facility by 8:30 for warm up and team information. If your player is awaiting a match they are welcome to spectate any of their teammates' matches. Thank you for all your help and support, and please just contact me if you have any questions or concerns. See you all tomorrow!

Spirit Shirts Have Arrived!

Thank you to all who purchased spirit shirts for the tennis program. They will be distributed to your child today to be sent home to you. See you tomorrow for practice!

Happy Spring Break!

Have a great break! See you all next week!

Practice Begins Tuesday!

Hello Parents and Players!
We're looking forward to a great program this spring! We have 23 awesome players signed up and several knowledgeable and skilled coaches. Looking forward to see you all on Tuesday! We will meet at the front of the Bush Tennis Center Facility at 4:00 p.m. We will walk to our designated courts and begin warm-up routines and practice. We will finish and be at the front of the facility promptly at 5:30 p.m. If you have any questions or concerns, please don't ever hesitate to contact me. Also, as a reminder if your child ever can not attend practice, please let me know beforehand.

March 9th Practice

Hello Families!
We're so excited to begin the tennis season next week. I just wanted to make you aware of a change in our March 9th practice. The director of the Bush Tennis Center let me know that they will be hosting a Collegiate Tennis Tournament on March 9th and will be utilizing the practice courts. We have been invited to come watch, which will give our players an opportunity to see some high quality tennis, as well as work on keeping score which will be a big focus our first week. Your child will not need to suit out on this date and this practice is not mandatory. I just wanted to make you all aware. Our regular practices will resume March 21st, the week after Spring Break. Thank you again and see you all next week!

Tennis Spirit Shirts for Sale!

Hello Families!

St. Ann's Tennis Spirit Shirts are for sale. Your player has already purchased their official team uniform through their fee. These shirts are not mandatory, rather an option for any player or family member to purchase if they would like to show school spirit for our tennis team. T-Shirts will be for sale until February 24th. An order form has been sent home today with your child for those interested. Please simply detach the bottom portion and return to school before the deadline. Thank you for your support of our Middle School Tennis Team. 

Tennis Deadline: February 1st

Don't forget! Tomorrow is the last day to sign up for the Tennis Program if you'd like to play this season. Just send the appropriate forms and payment to the school office no later than 3:30 tomorrow. If there are any issues, concerns, or questions, please don't hesitate to contact me at: towen@stanns.us. Copies of the information and forms can be found in the Parents Section. Thank you for you interest in the Tennis Program. Looking forward to a great 2017 season!

Curious About Racquet Size?

If you're curious about the racquet size you should get, please check the "resources" section for a quick guide on height and grip size of an appropriate racquet.