Zephyrhills pair prove golden in Senior Games

© St. Petersburg Times,
published October 31, 2001

Zephyrhills players Jean Stallcup and Dick Moffatt won gold medals in this month's Tampa Bay Senior Games at the Temple Terrace Tennis Center.

Stallcup won two gold medals, one for tennis in the 60-64 age division and another for pingpong; Moffatt won the men's 60-64 singles.

"This was the first time I played and thought it was a great thing," said Stallcup, 64. "I only had one opponent, though."

Moffatt had two opponents in his division.

"I didn't know either player, but I played them well," said Moffatt, 64. "I have a pretty good serve and return of serve."

Moffatt is also proud of his drop shot, which he practices on his Zephyrhills Tennis Association crowd regularly.

Stallcup, originally from Chicago, lived in St. Petersburg from the age of 14 until she was 20. Massachusetts-born Moffatt was in St. Petersburg from 1954 until his family sold their marmalade and jelly business in 1966.

'I learned tennis on the clay courts and took lessons from Dan Sullivan in St. Petersburg," said Moffatt. 'In 1955, I was ranked sixth in the state in the 18-and-under.'

Stallcup learned tennis from her father, Lyle McCannon, a teaching pro, while living in St. Petersburg and went on to play on the high school team in 1955.

"When I learned tennis, it was taught nothing like it is today," said Stallcup. "Today, it seems they teach you to go to the net right away. I was taught a lot on forehands, backhands and serving before we even worked on volleys. To this day, I still prefer to play more at the baseline."

Another member of the ZTA was among the medalists in the Tampa Bay Senior Games. Roy Nyren, former president of the ZTA, was third in the 65-69 division.

NET NOTES: Denis Nayberg of Wesley Chapel teamed with Guillaume Schils of Ohio to win the boys 16-and-under doubles title in last weekend's Pete Wolfberg Super Series held at Royal Racquet Club in Clearwater....Wesley Chapel's Yui Shimizu and Conner VanElswyk captured the girls and boys 16 singles titles, respectively, in the Halloween Classic at the Temple Terrace Tennis Center. . . . The senior women's 4.0 team based at the Treasure Island Recreation, Tennis and Golf Center narrowly missed advancing to the final four in last week's USA League Tennis National Championships in Palm Springs, Calif. The TI squad of seven finished its flight matches in a three-way tie. To break the tie, the team with the fewest sets lost was named the winner. TI lost nine sets, while Georgia lost just four sets and advanced.

COMING UP: Today is the deadline to enter the K-Swiss Doubles Tennis Championships on Nov. 3-4 at the Glen Lakes Tennis Club. Register with Judy Jeanette at (352) 684-4321.... The Ariel Goldman Tennis Classic, a fundraiser for the free Good Samaritan Health Clinic in New Port Richey, begins Thursday with its Tennis Ball draw party and continues with play Friday through Sunday at the Paul Kronk Tennis Club in Crescent Oaks. Call (727) 934-6920 for information.... A Junior Super Series is Nov. 10-12 at East Lake Woodlands. Call the club at (727) 785-2212 before the Nov. 5 deadline.... The Frenchy's Gumbo Tennis Classic, a fundraiser for Big Brothers and Big Sisters, is Nov. 9-11 in Clearwater. Call (727) 669-1919 by Nov. 5.... A Top Gun Satellite Circuit is Nov. 17-19 at Train Smart Tennis in Tampa. Call Alan Williams at (813) 962-4253 to enter.

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