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Independence, MO —
For some of the players and spectators at the 10th Independence Tennis Association Tournament, the three-day tournament at Santa Fe Trail Park had the feel of a clinic.
Michael Draper, a 2011 Grain Valley High School graduate who plays for the Johnson County (Kan.) Community College men’s team, was among those who used the tournament as a clinic-type of experience. Specifically, it helped him with adapting his game to a certain type of opponent.
“I struggle with guys who slice – and I rarely see that,” said Draper, who placed third in the men’s open division by defeating former Blue Springs South varsity player Steve Bodenheimer 6-2, 6-2 on Sunday at Santa Fe. “In this tournament, I see that. Therefore, it’s a good learning experience.”
Draper got a lesson in playing slice hitters during his 6-3, 6-4 semifinal loss on Sunday to Jim Stoner, he said. In fact, the overall field included “some hard slicers,” according to Draper’s father, Grain Valley girls tennis coach Randy Draper.
The hard slice is difficult to play, the elder Draper suggested.
“It (hard slice) really makes you bend your knees and get low – and nobody wants to do that,” he said. “And you have to do it consistently if you’re … going to do well in this tournament.”
On the other hand, Stoner, said he felt that he learned a few tips from playing Juan Estepa in the men’s open final that will help him with coaching boys and girls tennis at Lafayette County High School in Higginsville. One tip he’ll probably share is the importance of preparing to make forehand shots.
“Kids don’t get their rackets back soon enough – and obviously, if you watched Juan play, his racket preparation on his forehand side was awesome,” said Stoner, who lost to Estepa 6-2, 6-4, but teamed with Mike Clemons for a men’s open doubles championship victory over Steve Winship and Jeff Launius.
Estepa, who played collegiate tennis at Southwest Baptist and then at Johnson County, suggested the tournament provided a lesson about the joys of playing tennis.
“It doesn’t have to be for money or anything,” said Estepa, a Lee’s Summit resident who plays at Metro East Tennis Center in Blue Springs. “It’s for fun. It’s awesome.”
For Bodenheimer, a University of Missouri-Kansas City graduate student who plans to play individually in tournaments, the competition helped him return to tennis after a few years absence. He started hitting the ball again “in the past two weeks” because “a kid wanted to take lessons from me” and “it was fun to hit around at South,” he said.
For some of the players and spectators at the 10th Independence Tennis Association Tournament, the three-day tournament at Santa Fe Trail Park had the feel of a clinic.
Michael Draper, a 2011 Grain Valley High School graduate who plays for the Johnson County (Kan.) Community College men’s team, was among those who used the tournament as a clinic-type of experience. Specifically, it helped him with adapting his game to a certain type of opponent.
“I struggle with guys who slice – and I rarely see that,” said Draper, who placed third in the men’s open division by defeating former Blue Springs South varsity player Steve Bodenheimer 6-2, 6-2 on Sunday at Santa Fe. “In this tournament, I see that. Therefore, it’s a good learning experience.”
Draper got a lesson in playing slice hitters during his 6-3, 6-4 semifinal loss on Sunday to Jim Stoner, he said. In fact, the overall field included “some hard slicers,” according to Draper’s father, Grain Valley girls tennis coach Randy Draper.
The hard slice is difficult to play, the elder Draper suggested.
“It (hard slice) really makes you bend your knees and get low – and nobody wants to do that,” he said. “And you have to do it consistently if you’re … going to do well in this tournament.”
On the other hand, Stoner, said he felt that he learned a few tips from playing Juan Estepa in the men’s open final that will help him with coaching boys and girls tennis at Lafayette County High School in Higginsville. One tip he’ll probably share is the importance of preparing to make forehand shots.
“Kids don’t get their rackets back soon enough – and obviously, if you watched Juan play, his racket preparation on his forehand side was awesome,” said Stoner, who lost to Estepa 6-2, 6-4, but teamed with Mike Clemons for a men’s open doubles championship victory over Steve Winship and Jeff Launius.
Estepa, who played collegiate tennis at Southwest Baptist and then at Johnson County, suggested the tournament provided a lesson about the joys of playing tennis.
“It doesn’t have to be for money or anything,” said Estepa, a Lee’s Summit resident who plays at Metro East Tennis Center in Blue Springs. “It’s for fun. It’s awesome.”
For Bodenheimer, a University of Missouri-Kansas City graduate student who plans to play individually in tournaments, the competition helped him return to tennis after a few years absence. He started hitting the ball again “in the past two weeks” because “a kid wanted to take lessons from me” and “it was fun to hit around at South,” he said.
Having finished the first tournament since his return, the 2008 South graduate knows what aspects of his game need improvement.
“I need to work on backhands, I need to work on forehands, I need to work on volleys. … I need to work on the whole game,” Bodenheimer said.
However, the tournament also provided Bodenheimer with a pleasant surprise.
“I didn’t even think I’d get past the first round, with (being only) two weeks back,” he said. “So I was just happy to do anything.”
The younger Draper, Stoner, Estepa and Bodenheimer were among approximately 65 players ages 12-74 who competed for gold, silver and bronze medals in their respective divisions. Typically, the tournament gives out first- and second-place medals, but the gold/silver/bronze system was used this year to commemorate the Olympics, tournament director Jody McClain said.
Usually, the tournament draws between 75 and 85 players, estimated McClain, who attributed the participation dip to concerns of playing in this summer’s hot, dry weather. However, any concerns of slogging through another weekend of temperatures topping 100 degrees were unfounded. On Saturday, cloud cover kept away the sweltering heat. Sunday morning brought “lows in the 60s for the finals,” McClain said.
“We couldn’t have asked for better weather this year,” she said.
Although the overall turnout was down, the tournament “had a big draw” in the girls divisions, according to McClain.
“It gives them a jump-start into their season,” she said.
Missouri girls high school tennis season practice got under way on Monday.
In girls 16U bracket, Isabella Bowling topped Talia Yeager for the title. In girls 14U, Syndey Halas defeated Kaylee Smith 6-0, 6-1. In the ladies open singles championship, Cassie Long topped Mansu John, 6-3, 7-5.
Chad Stohlmann of Blue Springs High School defeated Matt Halas, 6-3, 7-6 for the boys 18U title. In boys 16U, Mitchell Wilhoit topped Sam Phillips 6-4, 6-7, 12-10 (tiebreak), and in boys 14U, Blake Savidge beat Chase Kloesner 6-1, 6-0.
In men’s 55 and over singles, Dave Phillips won a tiebreak to take the title 6-2, 2-6, 11-9 over Bob Alumbaugh. In men’s 55 and over doubles, Phillips and Allen Crute defeated Terry McClain and John Grieving 6-2, 6-1 in the final.
