THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, May 10, 1996 TAG: 9605090176
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 22 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PAUL WHITE, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 58 lines
Watching some of the best wheelchair tennis on the East Coast may not have been on Gov. George F. Allen's schedule Sunday, but when he saw what was going on at Owl Creek Municipal Tennis Center, he made it a priority.
``The governor said he was just passing through on his bike and the action caught his eye,'' Sherry Hawkins, a recreation specialist with Virginia Beach Parks and Recreation, said of Allen's visit to the Virginia Beach Classic. ``That was a real highlight for us. He actually dropped in and wound up speaking to all the athletes.''
Well, maybe not all of them.
``I was on the court when the governor came by, so I missed him,'' said Virginia Beach's Lonnie Kirkland, who used a strong serve and forehand to win the quadriplegic A division. ``But it was still a nice thing for him to do.''
Kirkland was one of 37 players who took part in the Classic, an event sanctioned by the National Foundation of Wheelchair Tennis. Players came from as far away as New England and Florida, and competed over three days. Last year, the event took two days and featured 27 players.
``Everybody loves to come to Virginia Beach in May,'' Hawkins said.
The Classic was formerly held in conjunction with the Neptune Festival, but was dropped from that schedule in 1993. Hawkins said it took a communitywide effort to put the event back together.
The Virginia Beach Tennis Patrons Association contributed volunteers and tennis balls. The Sun Wheelers, a non-profit organization sponsoring wheelchair athletics, hosted the athletes, provided door prizes and sponsored a banquet. The facility and staff came courtesy of Parks and Rec.
``Everybody did a little something to make this work,'' Hawkins said.
Specially designed chairs, equipped with a rollerblade-sized wheel on the front, provide the necessary mobility for the athletes to cover the court.
``The only difference from able-body tennis is that we're allowed to let the ball bounce twice,'' Kirkland said.
TENNIS ACROSS AMERICA: Adults and children can work on their games Saturday during the United States Professional Tennis Association's ``Tennis Across America'' Promotion, which will be held at Owl Creek from 1 to 3:30 p.m.
This is the sixth year of the USPTA's Tennis Across America event. For more information, call Owl Creek at 437-4804.
TRAINING CENTER: Several of Virginia Beach's most promising juniors will take part in the Mid-Atlantic Tennis Association Area Training Center Rally May 17-19 at Old Dominion.
Hampton Roads is one of six area training centers in the Mid-Atlantic Region and are designed to develop the skills of the 24 top players between the ages of 10 and 14.
Virginia Beach players involved include Chris Bulkeley, Emily Byrne, Michael Downing, Jordan Fanney, Chris Jastzrebski, Whitney Johnson, Dana Lilli, Riana Rich, Rachel Schultz and Austin Siegel.
Bobby Delgado, Mike Miller, Julie Shiflet and Bobby Walsh, all of Virginia Beach, serve as coaches. by CNB