Past Events
To All Who Participated,
The 1st Annual Winter Workout was a big success! 18 players and 7 coaches participated. All the coaches agreed that the players brought their motivation and intensity to the courts. I saw some terrific tennis. Kareem Berdai knocked down all five cones for his team and of course John Pettit's heroic cone saved his group from 50 sprints.
After the first hour of drills Dorian Ross (4 time Tai Chi national champion and world silver medallist), the Director of Fitness at Los Gatos Swim & Racquet Club, taught us about core body strength and how we can train our bodies more effectively. Chris Rasmussen demonstrated the effectiveness of the walking slowly technique and proved why he is one of the smoothest players in NorCal.
The day continued onto King of the Court. This was my favorite part of the day. I really had the opportunity to see all the top players in NorCal train and compete with (not against) each other. Pramod Dabir quickly showed why his competing skills are amongst the best in the nation. It was refreshing to witness his ability to challenge himself to keep getting better at all times. Tyler Browne backed up his National Open title by dominating each of his courts with terrific energy and pinpoint accuracy, finishing the day on court 1. Willie Phan and James Davis also competed hard, joining the top NorCal players on the top 4 courts.
Next, came the best part of the day to some, the food. I'm sure that myself and the rest of the participants would like to give a big thank you to Patrice Davis for all her hard work.
Fun and games started with team triples led by Byron. It was an intense game with butts up on the line. Lastly, we finished with a relay race, which ended in a tie. AJ Kerin's speed and tenacity saved his team butts up.
What I'll remember most about the first Winter Workout was the cheering, fun, and camaraderie. We had some of the best coaches in NorCal ( Chris Magyary, Bryan Junio, Byron Nepomuceno, Tony Yang, Brian Cummings, Daryl Lee) supporting this event with their own time and energy. The players truly made it worthwhile by giving their best. I would love to keep running these workouts in the future. I know that having the best players and the best coaches in one place is how we are going to raise the standard of tennis in Northern California.
Tennis is a team sport that takes a lot of support from coaches, family, friends, sponsors, and the community. That is why our motto at the AATF is Serving Together. When we compete and practice with each other it makes us better, stronger, and mentally tougher. These training days focus on bringing each of these pieces together. Till the next workout ....support your fellow NorCal players. It only takes a few players to break through at the national level and if they can do it, so can the rest of the team. Remember to please keep in contact with the coaches that helped out. (Let me know if you need their contact information) They are interested in seeing your progress.
Lastly, I would like to give a special thanks to our sponsors K-Swiss, Los Gatos Swim & Racquet Club, the USTA Minority Participation Committee, and all the coaches. Each of them clearly understands the meaning and benefits of Serving Together. Without their help and support the longevity of our programs would be endangered. Thanks again to everyone that supported our event and good luck with your tennis in 2003.
 Best Wishes,
Michael Chan Jessup
AATF President
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