Community

Wager joins Belleair as director of tennis

By NANCY MORGAN, Times Sports Correspondent
Published January 3, 2008

ADVERTISEMENT [Handout] Drew Wager, 39, began playing tennis at age 8, and has been teaching and coaching it for 17 years.

Little did Drew Wager realize that when he tagged along with his dad to the tennis courts as a kid that his life would revolve around the sport for the next 30 years.

For the past 17 years, Wager has devoted his life to teaching and coaching. Before that, he competed at the junior, college and professional levels.

Last month, Wager was named director of tennis at Belleair Country Club.

"There's huge potential here at Belleair, and I think the sky's the limit," said Wager, 39. "It's a beautiful facility, and we want to offer something for everyone, from tiny tots to adults."

Wager and his family moved from New York when he was 2, and he got his first lesson at the age of 8 from Don Kaiser at Shipwatch Tennis Club. Wager's on-court success began after he turned 16 and was ranked No. 1 in Florida in the 18-and-under division.

He also collected two national doubles titles in the 18 division. After graduating from the Thom Howard Academy in 1987, Wager played briefly at the University of South Carolina before turning professional in 1988.

"I played satellite and challenger tournaments at the professional level a couple of years and then started teaching at Seminole Lake in my early 20s," Wager said.

"My teaching is a combination of what I learned from some of my coaches. ... One of my best strengths, I think, is that I'm a pretty positive person and encourage whoever I teach. I always want them to have a good experience on the court."

Over the past 17 years, Wager has been a teaching professional at Seminole Lake Tennis Center, Bardmoor Golf and Tennis Club, and Shipwatch. Since 2000, Wager has served as Shipwatch's director of tennis.

Wager will be joined at Belleair by teaching pro Cricket Manuel, Kentuckian Tabatha Beach, who will be teaching full time, and Holly Lorensen and Duffy McKenna, who will work part time.

For more information, call the club, 812-6353.

TENNIS LOSES A FRIEND: Longtime tennis enthusiast Merle Dennard passed away last month. For many years, the ardent league player and Royal Racquet Club member organized a charity tennis tournament for the American Cancer Society.

CLUB CHAMPS: Countryside Country Club recently named its 2007 champs in singles and doubles. Singles champions were Kim Rega open, Lisa Pratt (4.0), Bryan Lauer (open), John Ekers (4.0), Joe Haas (3.5) and John Carlson (3.0).

Women's doubles winners included Dina Glover and Therese Gardner (open), and Yael Ellis and Kathy Duncan (3.5). Claiming men's doubles titles were Lauer and Colin Hill (open), Haas and Mark McComeskey (4.0), Guy Pearson and Dave Anderson (3.5), and Jerry Walker and Patrick Nehls (3.0).

Mixed champions were Kenni Freire and Ken Emery (8.0), and Isabelle Blainey and Brian Glover (7.0).

LEAGUE NEWS: Local league coordinator Ruth Ann Ott was named the first region league coordinator for USTA Florida and will oversee Region 3 league activities in Pinellas, Polk, Pasco, Hernando and Hillsborough counties.

- Local league champs preparing for the Jan. 11-13 USTA Florida Combo Sectionals in Daytona Beach include adult teams Eastlake 6.5, Countryside 7.5 and Royal Racquet 8.5 among the women and Countryside's 6.5 and 7.5 and McMullen 8.5 in the men's.

In senior competition are Treasure Island Tennis and Yacht Club 6.5, SPTC 7.5 and 8.5 women's teams and Treasure Bay 6.5 and McMullen 7.5 men's.

TOURNEY OF CHAMPS: The Suncoast Tennis Foundation, the county's charitable volunteer organization, is hosting its sixth annual Tournament of Champions on Jan. 18-20 at Eastlake Woodlands.

Eligible players are winners, finalists, semifinalists and consolation winners from charity tournaments Frenchy's, Eastlake Woodlands Memorial Day, Stroke for Stroke, Humane Society of North Pinellas, Pretty in Pink and the fifth annual Tournament of Champions.

Cost is $45 per person for one event, and all players are guaranteed at least two matches.

Register online at www.ourtennis.net. For questions, contact tournament director Rick Workman at 785-2212.

COMING UP: The St. Petesburg Tennis Center hosts its Local Junior Championships, beginning Saturday. Call 823-2225 or 360-2643. ... Nike Junior Tour Tournaments are Jan. 12-14 at Bardmoor for girls 14-and-under, McMullen for girls 12, Seminole Lake Tennis Center for boys 12 and Cheval for boys 14. Winners advance to the NJT International Masters Tournament in September at Stanford.

News for this column may be faxed to Nancy Morgan, 445-4119; e-mailed to namorgan@tampabay.rr.com or sent to 710 Court St., Clearwater, FL 33756. Please include phone number.

Results

Seminole Lake Tennis Center New Year's Super Series, Dec. 29-30 final singles results

Girls. 18-and-under: (1) Keri Frankenberger, Gainesville d. Laura Gutsche, Sarasota 6-4,6-3. 16: (2) Gyanna Mandic, Bradenton d. Danielle Truitt, Sarasota 6-4,6-1. 14: (3) Carolina Berry, Bradenton d. (1) Amy Lowther, Seminole 6-2,6-1. 12: (1) Anastasia Nefedova, Palm Harbor d. (2) Angel Deng, Safety Harbor 6-2,6-2. 10: (4) Gabrielle Rodriguez, Tampa d. (1) Jennifer Nechanicka, Sarasota 6-2,6-3.

Boys. 18: (4) Mitchell Wong, Tampa d. Garrett Betsarakis, St. Petersburg 7-5,7-6. 16: Jun Yu, Bradenton d. Oliver Plaskett, Bardenton 4-6,6-3,6-1. 14: Yulin Liu, Bradenton d. (2) Ricky Symanski, Clearwater 6-4,4-6,6-4. 12: (2) Dan Stefan, Largo d. (1) Nikola Samardzic, Bradenton 7-6(3),6-1. 10: (2) Aaron Carey, Seminole d. (4) Jasen Norris, Largo 6-1,6-0.

[Last modified January 2, 2008, 21:19:09]