DATE: Sunday, April 6, 1997                 TAG: 9704040239

SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER      PAGE: 14   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY REA McLEROY, CLIPPER SPORTS EDITOR 

                                            LENGTH:  118 lines

CLUB PRO STIRS UP QUITE A RACKET AT GREAT BRIDGE SWIM AND RACQUET CLUB, PAT GLAUNERT IS CHURNING OUT A BATCH OF NET KINGS.

IN A QUIET CORNER of Great Bridge, a tennis dynasty is being built.

Every Wednesday afternoon, teen-age students travel to the Great Bridge Swim and Racquet Club to practice for Mid-Atlantic tournaments. The students froze through winter practices, diligently preparing for upcoming tournaments. Now, the welcome warmth of spring greets them each week as they practice volleys and serves.

Heading the group is former collegiate and USTA player Pat Glaunert.

The clubhouse, tucked away in a wooded area of the city, is becoming home to some of the strongest talent on the East Coast.

Several students have risen to the top level of Pat Glaunert's training camp and are ranked in the state and Mid-Atlantic region. More are poised to break into Mid-Atlantic standings as the season progresses. Just who are these young people who work out hours a week, trying to put themselves and Chesapeake on the national tennis circuit map?

Chip Howard, Ashlyn Reveley, Chris Newman and Joe Neely are four of the youngsters who have joined the upper tier of the new generation of tennis talent.

Howard, 15, is currently ranked 42nd in the state of Virginia in boys 16-and-under singles.

Ten years ago, Howard was watching his dad play tennis and thought it would be fun to give it a shot. He picked up his racket and eventually found his way into Glaunert's program. Although he has improved dramatically, he still can't knock off his dad.

The same cannot be said for Mid-Atlantic opponents.

``I've changed a lot in the last year,'' Howard said of his playing style. ``I'm always playing better people.''

He won his first satellite tournament in his current age group in Charlottesville last year. This year, Howard wants to win both in Mid-Atlantic play and at Great Bridge, where he is a sophomore.

``I'd like to win a couple more tournaments than last year and make my ranking better,'' he said. ``I want to play No. 2 singles instead of No. 3 and hopefully do better at regionals.''

After a season of grueling play for Glaunert - ``It's easier in high school. Pat runs you a little more'' - and competition on the circuit, Howard is ready for whatever obstacles the high school season presents. After all, he has learned to master the greatest potential roadblock of all - his emotional play.

``I've learned to play smart and not always try to hit the ball hard,'' he said. ``I'm learning how to play different players. I used to be nervous, but I just got used to it.''

Reveley, 13, is 43rd in the state, 61st in the region.

Tennis has been a part of Reveley's life for so long . . . she can't even remember when she started. That's quite a statement on the intensity she puts into her game.

``My 22-year-old sister played and I kind of had to go watch her,'' Reveley said. ``I've been playing a long time.''

Reveley was one of Glaunert's first students and has become one of his most aggressive. She has had to work to overcome nerves at matches and intimidation by opponents.

``It's hard,'' she said. ``You go out and compete with people a lot better than you. You get there and some of the stuff people do, it's real nerve-wracking.''

How does the Nansemond-Suffolk player overcome the jitters?

``Most of the time, I bounce balls,'' Reveley said. ``That kind of calms me down.''

And helps her play more like her favorite player, Steffi Graf.

Newman, 14, is 27th in the state in singles, seventh in doubles. Regionally, he is 48th in singles and 11th in doubles.

Glaunert's school is Newman's only outlet for tennis. He attends the new Hickory middle school - a school with no tennis team.

Newman is handicapped, oddly enough, by his birthday. Last year, he competed in the 14-and-under group. But, since his birthday is in December, this year he is one of the youngest in the faster, more physical, 16-and-under division.

``It's a lot harder,'' Newman said. ``In the 14-and-under, there are a lot of younger players. They don't have as much power. Now it's a lot different. There's a lot more consistency and power. If I was still in the 14-and-under, I'd probably be in the top 10.''

Instead of whining about lost opportunities and chances to win championships, Newman puts a positive spin on his sudden move into the tough division.

``I'm in a group with better players,'' he said. ``I'll get a lot of good experience.''

In fact, Newman has been successful in his transition. He lost his opening match in a 16-and-under qualifier, then played in an open championship and won. Recently he reached the quarterfinals of a tournament, so he is 2-2 overall at this level.

Neely, 15, was the No. 1 boy in 16-and-under futures class last season.

Just more than a year-and-a-half ago, Neely's grandfather asked Joe to play tennis with him. The teen-ager decided to give it a shot, took to tennis and then found Glaunert's camp. Glaunert said he has improved more quickly than any student.

Now, instead of playing his grandfather - ``he's too slow; he's 77'' - Neely is competing against the top teens in the country.

Coaching Neely has been as much of a learning experience for Glaunert as his student. Neely, a Tallwood student, is deaf. The coach has learned to sign some things and simply to demonstrate others more clearly.

``We have worked very well together,'' Glaunert said. ``We communicate well. His parents come out and help me. We have our difficulties, but there is probably more expected of him.''

One of the difficulties was convincing Neely he needed a solid backhand to remain competitive in the Mid-Atlantic tournaments.

``When first playing, I did not think about the backhand,'' Neely said. ``I didn't like the backhand, so I didn't practice.''

Now, he practices constantly. Neely reached the quarterfinals of a qualifier recently - one round shy of qualifying for the championships. He has several more chances to qualify and is expected to be a top contender this season.

``He's mentally tough,'' Glaunert said. ``He's a fighter. He will not give up.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo by GARY KNAPP

Pat Glaunert shouts instructions to players during his training camp

at Great Bridge Swim & Racquet club. Among them is Chris Newman,

left, 14, a Hickory Middle School student who competes in the

16-and-under division.

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