Print

Email story

Comment

Email editor

Tennis

Clearwater player going strong at 80

By NANCY MORGAN
Published August 4, 2005

Growing up in Brooklyn, N.Y., tennis didn't exist for Jack Turk.

Instead, stickball and baseball were the activities of choice in the 1930s.

Not until Turk moved to Clearwater in 1977 at 52 did tennis appear on his sports radar. Since then, the retired aeronautical engineer has competed in individual tournaments and league team play.

Turk, who turned 80 in April, displays no signs of stopping and is on the courts four times a week at Clearwater's McMullen Tennis Center.

"I don't go out to just hit the ball around - I'm competitive," Turk said. "I play mostly doubles now, although sometimes I play singles if someone doesn't show up for the group."

Turk's main sport while living in New York was skiing, but he also was in softball, bowling and ice skating.

His first experience with tennis came while working for the War Department. Near the end of World War II, Turk was assigned to help re-assemble fighter planes that had been shipped to the island in parts.

"I worked nights and took some classes at the Territorial University of Hawaii during the day," Turk said.

"I was able to live on campus, and I took advantage of all their athletic facilities, including the tennis courts," he said. "After about 20 months, I went back to Brooklyn."

Turk's move to Clearwater 28 years ago not only opened the door to tennis but also slow-pitch softball, which he plays nearly as often as tennis.

When Turk retired after 25 years at Aerosonic Corporation, a Clearwater aircraft instruments company, the 67-year-old joined the city's 3-Score Softball League.

In March, Turk won the 80-84 division singles tennis championship in the Good Life Games and qualified for the Florida Senior Games. In 1993, he reached the National Senior Games in Baton Rouge, La., in the 65-69 singles and doubles divisions.

"I can still be competitive," said Turk, who was a private pilot for more than 30 years. "Whenever I do have to give up tennis, I have always enjoyed reading, working puzzles and going to the theater. "I'll just keep doing what I'm doing until I can't do it anymore."

LEAGUE NEWS: Treasure Island Tennis and Yacht Club clinched the Combo 8.5 Women's League title with a 2-1 win over Royal Racquet Club.

TI finished the season with a 4-2 record, and it was followed by Shipwatch Tennis Club and Royal Racquet.

In the league's 7.5 division, a match Aug. 11 between Treasure Island and Shipwatch will determine the champion. Winners advance to state competition.

In the Combo Men's League, Largo Tennis Center improved to 4-0 in the 6.5 division with a 3-0 victory over the Renaissance Vinoy.

Playing for Largo were Eddie Earls and Joe Campbell, in the No. 1 position; David McNally and Larry Ruby and Larry Giuffre and Phil Bayly. In the 7.5 North, Shipwatch I beat Safety Harbor Spa 2-1 to raise its mark to 3-0.

Treasure Bay leads the 7.5 South after wins over the Vinoy, Feather Sound and the Racquet Club in a four-team triple round-robin format.

NET SHOTS: Largo's Rafeal Kucharski defended his top seed to defeat No. 2 Jeswin Jolly of Clearwater 4-6, 6-1, 7-5 in the men's open final of last month's Temple Terrace Adult Summer Bash.

Oldsmar's Nancy Boyce won the women's 50-and-over singles title.

Belleair's Kara Kucin upset top-seeded Fatima Ouattara of Bradenton 6-3, 6-2 to win the girls 16-and-under crown in last weekend's Tampa Bay Junior Championships. Clearwater's Natalie Boruk was a finalist in the 12 division.

Collecting singles victories in last month's North Florida Designated in Tallahassee were Alexis Dorr (girls 18-and-under class) and Joel Samaha (boys 16).

Among the third-place finishers were Rianna Valdes (girls 10), Rebecca Bodine (14) and Anthony Barrancotto (boys 12). Alexandra Kitchen was a girls 10 consolation finalist in the 400-plus player competition.

Tyler Berning finished first in the boys 10 round robin in the Summer Classic Too last month at Safety Harbor's Phil Green Tennis Academy. Finalists included Jayla Smith (girls 10) and her sister, Jade (12), Gabriela Ospina (16), Fernanda Ospina (18), Matthew Smith (boys 14) and Garrett Betsarakis (16). Gabby Houck won the girls 16 consolation draw.

TRADE IN: Advantage Yours Tennis is offering $20 toward the purchase of a new racquet when a used one is brought into its Clearwater specialty store. Used racquets are refurbished and donated to the Suncoast Tennis Foundation, Pinellas County's community association, for distribution to schools and facilities teaching grassroots tennis.

For information, call 442-7923.

COUNTRYSIDE: The Countryside Country Club 3.0 women's team finished second in the USA League Tennis West Regional Championships in Naples last month.

Countryside defeated Tampa 3-2 and Fort Myers and Marco Island with 5-0 scores before falling 3-2 to eventual champion Sarasota.

Countryside's 7.0 mixed doubles team advances to the USA Tennis Florida Sectional Championships in October, along with Royal Racquet Club's 8.0 and McMullen's 9.0 squads.

COMING UP: Royal Racquet Club has its Summer Classic on Aug. 13-15 for men and women's open, 35-and-over, 45 and 55 singles divisions and 35, 45 and 55 mixed doubles. For information, call Donna Coddington, 799-3200. ... The Hot, Hot, Hot Rookie Tournament is scheduled for Aug. 13-14 at Largo Tennis Center for girls and boys in 18, 16, 14, 12 and 10 singles divisions. To enter, call Linda Kettell, 518-3125. ... East Lake Woodlands will have its Local Junior Championships Aug. 13-15. Call Rick Workman, 785-2212, for information. ... Westin Innisbrook Resort is offering an Aug. 13 Junior Grand Prix competition for singles players 18-and-under. For information, call Jim Hord, 942-5241.

- News for this column may be faxed to Nancy Morgan, 796-5559; e-mailed to namorgan46@msn.com or sent to 710 Court St., Clearwater, FL 33756. Please include phone number.

[Last modified August 4, 2005, 01:05:20]