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By NANCY MORGAN
© St. Petersburg Times, published January 9, 2001
Brent Wellman's love of working with young people has led to a career he never imagined. Some years ago, Wellman thought tennis was a sport for sissies. Now, however, the former basketball coach is a tennis advocate and earnestly believes it is the sport for a lifetime. So much so that he offers junior tennis clinics in the New Port Richey area.
"I love to work with juniors and am hopeful to develop a junior tennis camp by the summer," said Wellman, the first-year women's tennis coach at Pasco-Hernando Community College. "We'll keep the clinics fun but we'll also be making advancements in learning the skills of the game."
Wellman, from the land of Indiana basketball, concentrated on coaching men's basketball after graduating from Indiana State and later became an assistant coach at Osceola High in Kissimmee. In his four years there, Wellman also coached the tennis team.
"After that, I sort of got away from tennis for a while until I was teaching at the University of Central Florida," Wellman said. "The volleyball coach there was also the tennis coach and she asked me about mid-December if I would take it over."
In a year's time, the UCF team improved from a last-place finish in its conference to a first-place tie with Stetson University, earning Wellman coach of the year honors.
"Their turnaround really had nothing to do with me," Wellman said. "The girls on the team just became so close and I think that's what allowed them to be successful."
Following a stint coaching basketball at UCF and Palm Beach Atlantic College, where he was also the athletic director, Wellman was hired for the PHCC position last year.
"We're building a tennis team here at PHCC from athletes," Wellman said. "Many of the girls have not played a lot of tennis, but they're good athletes. I believe a lot of other sport skills can be adapted and incorporated in tennis."
Wellman's belief is strengthened by the fact that his two girls, Nicola, 8, and Angela, 6, are learning to play and his wife, Belinda, is starting to learn.
"I'm not a superstar and have never played Pete Sampras or Martina Hingis," Wellman said. "What I am is passionate about the game. I just love tennis."
Junior clinics this month at the PHCC tennis courts will take place Saturday from 9 to 10:15 a.m. There will be a second clinic at the same time the following Saturday. There is a $20 fee for both clinics or $12 per session. Call Wellman at (727) 816-3397 or (727) 859-9696.
CAPTAINS MEETING: A meeting for USA League Tennis team captains begins at 7 p.m. tonight at Feather Sound Country Club. Information about the introduction of online registration, player dues, local rules and reporting scores will be discussed and distributed.
For more details, contact Carol Levin at (727) 797-8416 for the women's division and Clark Higgs at (727) 724-0509 for the men.
WEEKLY LEAGUES RESUME: The Satellite Ladies Doubles League resumes action this morning with Innisbrook meeting Feather Sound. At the end of the first half of competition, Feather Sound was one point ahead of the defending league champion Innisbrook. In the first match of the season, the teams tied, scoring nine points each.
Also facing Feather Sound this week will be Innisbrook's Pinellas Area Doubles League team. Thursday's match will be the first between the two teams this season.
SENIOR LEAGUE UPDATES: This weekend, Innisbrook defeated a team from Countryside Country Club in the women's 3.5 division of the USA Senior Doubles Tennis League. Taking victories were Debbie McGinley and Maureen Sternberg in No. 1, Anne Hammond and Jocie Doucette in No. 2 and Judy Murphy and Cheryl Cravener in No. 3. Currently, Innisbrook is tied with Timber Pines Tennis Club with undefeated records.
Saturday, the Innisbrook team travels to the Bardmoor Golf and Tennis Club.
In men's 3.5 senior action, both Innisbrook squads netted wins. In the 3.5 North division, Willie Coquelet and John Kuhn scored a 6-4, 6-4 win in the No. 1 position over East Lake Woodlands and Ed McGinley and Skip Parker won 7-5, 6-0 in No. 2. A forfeit by East Lake in No. 3 assured Innisbrook of a 3-0 victory to raise its overall record to 4-1. Saturday, Innisbrook plays Countryside.
Innisbrook's second team handed Royal Racquet Club its first loss of the season when Bob Barry and Ellis Gant in No. 1, Bob McKenzie and Jerry McDowell in No. 2 and Malcolm Slive and captain Dick Willets in No. 3 all earned straight-set wins. With a 3-2 record, Innisbrook meets Shipwatch Tennis Club on Saturday.
SUPER SENIORS: The USA Super Seniors Doubles League begins next month for players at least 61 years of age this year. Contact Jocie Doucette at (813) 862-1656 for the women's league and Al Heller (727) 397-2825 for the men's.
K-SWISS: Sign-ups for the K-Swiss 2001 Spring Season continue through Feb. 8. Divisions of play include men's and women's singles and doubles and mixed doubles, all in a variety of skill levels. The league will begin Feb. 24 and continue through Apr. 22.
The K-Swiss Masters Tournament is Jan. 20-21 at the Racquet Club of St. Petersburg. The tournament is an invitational event with top finishers from each of the three previous seasons encouraged to enter. For more details, call (727) 865-0615.
THIS WEEKEND: A new ranking year begins for juniors in the year's first designated singles tournament. Boys and girls in the 18-and-under division will play at the Tampa Tennis Complex at Hillsborough Community College; the boys and girls 16s are in Lakeland; boys 14s are at Bardmoor; girls 14s are at Seminole Lakes; boys and girls 12s are at the McMullen Tennis Complex; and the boys and girls 10s are at Royal Racquet Club.
COMING UP: National Tennis Rating Program (NTRP) evaluations this month are scheduled to begin Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Bardmoor (727) 391-2205; Saturday at 2 p.m. at Seminole Lakes (727) 394-1733; Jan. 23 at 7 p.m. at the McMullen Tennis Complex (727) 669-1919; and Jan. 27 at 2 p.m. at Countryside (727) 796-1136. Call to schedule a rating time. ... A Tennismith School Adult Classic is Jan. 19-21 at the Carrollwood Tennis Club in Tampa. Call Steve Smith at (813) 961-1366. ... A Top Gun Satellite Circuit is Jan. 20-22 at Train Smart Tennis in Tampa. Call Alan Williams at (813) 962-4253.