New Westin director is at your service

By NANCY MORGAN

© St. Petersburg Times, published January 25, 2001

Members are the top priority to Scott Coleman.

He likes to see growth, strives to have an impact on people and thrives on seeing them smile.

Since becoming the tennis director at Westin Innisbrook Resort in September, Coleman has begun efforts to provide more activity to result in growth. He has met with the members and management to better understand the needs and desires of both audiences.

"I think my biggest challenge is to make certain I'm honest and fair at all times," said Coleman, 33, "and, to train the staff to be the same."

Coleman first became involved in directing and overseeing tennis activities after a four-year stint in the Navy, which included a year in Dessert Storm.

He volunteered his teaching at a Tampa YMCA, then worked in the Jacksonville area before landing a job at Walden Lakes Country Club. He settled down at River Hills Country Club in Valrico for about five years.

"After that, I took some time off and traveled," Coleman said. "Then, I was hired as the director of Racquet Sports for the city of Temple Terrace."

When the opportunity to be the director of the tennis, fitness and massage divisions became available at Westin Innisbrook Resort, Coleman saw it as a good career move.

"I plan to bring competitive events back to Innisbrook and continue with our league involvement -- maybe even increase it," he said. "We also want the community to become more aware of our presence."

Promoting the programs and becoming more visible will help rejuvenate tennis at the resort, said Coleman.

"I don't stress the financial bottom line, and I'm ready to open up to the members to address what they want. I believe that if the members are happy, that bottom line will improve."

Coleman was first introduced to tennis when he was about 12 and his family moved from Lynchburg, Va., to Tampa.

The sport seemed natural for him, Coleman said, and he continued playing through his junior years and into the men's open division. An arm injury limited his playing until last year, when he attained a top-12 state ranking in the 30-and-over division.

Coleman recently accepted the district president's position in the USPTA, a professional tennis teachers' organization, and hopes to help facilitate unity among the county's teaching pros.

"If we teaching professionals will unite, we can help each other promote our programs," Coleman said. "'I want to see us get away from the idea of what can the game do for us and adopt the idea of what can we give back to the game."

Coleman sees his directorship at Innsbrook as 85 percent administrative and 15 percent teaching. He relies on Rafael Muzquiz, Greg Houck and Curtis Ingram to provide the majority of the teaching.

"I love to teach and will fill in when needed," he said. "We've got the players here -- top adults, up-and-coming juniors and others of a variety of levels. There's a level for everyone that would come to see us."

To learn more about the possibilities at Westin Innisbrook Resort, call 942-2000.

JUNIORS AT DESIGNATED: Alexandria Liles defended her top seed to win the girls 18-and-under singles title in the David Barksdale Junior Dixie Designated Championships in Tampa this month.

Liles won five matches in straight sets.

Finishing third in the boys 18 division was No. 14 Goran Dragicevic, who upset No. 3 Sukhwa Young. Boys 18 second seed, R.J. Murray, advanced to the semifinal round in the 64-player draw.

In the boys 14 class, George Navas won two rounds before falling to top-seeded Christian Guevara of Boca Raton in the round of 16.

Lindsay Dvorak won three rounds in the girls 10 before losing to eventual champion Monica Chow of Miami. Dvorak placed fourth in the 32-player draw.

Ashley Hungerford took one round in the girls 12 main draw, then advanced to the third round in the consolation draw.

The next designated tournament for juniors is Feb. 17-19 in the Miami area.

USTA CHALLENGER: Preliminary wildcard competition in the USTA Challenger of Clearwater, a women's $25,000 professional tournament, begins today at the McMullen Tennis Complex.

Qualifying action starts Sunday.Competition in the main draw is scheduled for Tuesday.Singles and doubles finals will be Feb. 4.

For specific playing times, call the complex, 669-1919.

K-SWISS MASTERS: The K-Swiss Tennis League 2001 Masters Championship Tournament was played at the Racquet Club of St. Petersburg last weekend.

Competitors included winners from the three league sessions in 2000 in the Bradenton, Fort Myers, Venice, Sarasota, Tampa and Clearwater areas.

Among the winners were local players Nadine Verebout (2.5), Laura Hungerville (3.5-minus), Linda Thompson (4.0-minus), Susan Hobbs (4.5), Margaret O'Grady-Roset (5.0), Scott Kroeger (3.5-minus), Robert Starzl (3.5) and Dan Mollica (4.5-minus).

Registration for the K-Swiss spring session continues through Feb. 8.Competition will begin Feb. 24 in men's and women's singles and doubles and mixed doubles. For further details, call 865-0615.

LEAGUE TEAMS WANTED: Competition is available for women on Monday and Friday mornings.

The Future Champions League is designed for players from the beginning to 3.0 levels to gain experience in doubles competition. The five-year Bi-County League is for players at the 3.0 to 3.5 skill levels.

Both leagues are coordinated at East Lake Woodlands. The club's director, Bob Butterfield, first introduced the women's doubles leagues.

For more information, call the club, 785-2212.

NET NOTES: George Navas defended his boys 14 top seed in last weekend's SPTC Junior Championships.

Navas defeated No. 2 Robert Wald of Brandon in straight sets in the title match. Christian Yepes won the boys 12 consolation, and Garrett Betsarakes captured the boys 10 consolation.

Allison Sakiotis took the girls 12 round robin competition. Morgan Basil and Emilie Sechaud were finalists in the girls 10 and 18 divisions, respectively.

Bardmoor Golf and Tennis Club placed second overall behind Harbour Island in the 14-team Suncoast Ladies Doubles League. Bardmoor was second in the B division and third in A.

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