Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Top 10 Reasons to join Seminole High Performance Tennis
Over the next ten days we are going to countdown the TOP 10 reasons to join the Seminole High Performance Tennis Programs. One of our top coaches, Katie Rybakova, who is an English Master's student has written the TOP 10 list for you using her humor, intelligence, and wit! I hope you enjoy our camps as much as I know you will her writing! Go Noles!!
Monday, March 26, 2012
Andy Gerst talks about the Return of Serve
Earlier in the year Nick did a blog on the serve, and the common elements that all of the best servers share. Now, I’d like to take a look at the return of serve, so that you can neutralize your opponent’s big serve. The return of serve has always been the strength in my game, and with a few simple tips I think it can be a strength in your game too.
Like the serve, there are many different styles of good returners. Some returners, like Andre Agassi and Novak Djokovic, are very offensive with their returns and try to take control of the point right away. Other returners, like Andy Murray, are great because they make an extremely high percentage of returns back in play, and are able to play them deep to neutralize the big serve. Like the serve however, all great returners shared a couple similar traits, in that they take COMPACT SWINGS and they move FORWARD to the ball.
A big serve can be coming at you upwards of 130 mph in the modern game, and when the ball is coming that fast there is not enough time to take a big swing at the ball. In Agassi’s return shown below, the racquet barely gets behind his right hip, and with the compact backswing he is able to time his return perfectly. Make sure you use an abbreviated take back, and use the pace of the serve instead of trying to generate pace yourself.
Another element you can notice in Agassi’s return is that he moves forward to the ball, even when faced with Sampras’ world class first serve. His legs stay down and his chest stays forward, which enables him to use the pace of the serve to his advantage. If he were to “pop up” with his legs, or lean backwards as he hits the return, his body would absorb the energy of the serve and he would not be able to hit the return as “solid” as he’d like. Make sure you move forward to the ball and stay down with your legs.
When I learned the return from a young age, my coach preached to me a three-word motto that stuck with me for the rest of my life. It broke down the return into its three crucial elements…
The first element of the return is a good, strong SPLIT STEP. Your feet should be shoulder-width apart, you should land on your toes, and you should be balanced enough to explode in either direction. Next is an immediate SHOULDER TURN to get the racquet back in hitting position. Like I previously mentioned, the back swing should be compact, and a quick but full turn of the shoulders should get the racquet back far enough. The last element of the return is to make sure you GO FORWARD, instead of popping up or leaning back at contact. Your legs should be bent, your chest should be down, and you should be going to the ball at the point of contact.
So remember my three-word motto to a good return…SPLIT, TURN, GO!!!
Friday, February 3, 2012
Katie Rybakova on College Tennis Experience
Let’s put away the sarcastic tone for a little while. I miss
college tennis. I know that when I look back on the memories that I’ve had,
even when I’m the shriveled up ninety-four year old woman, I’ll smile. College
tennis makes me that person in the
grocery store that picks up a tomato and starts cracking up about something
that someone said that day, and everyone thinks to themselves “I wonder what’s
so funny about that tomato,” or, more likely, “That chick is off her rocker.”
Tennis being an individual sport, team tennis sometimes just
doesn’t make sense. How can you put six girls on six consecutive courts and
expect them to play for each other rather than for themselves? It took me two
years to figure that out- how my court and my match, even though I’m playing
individually, counts for a great goal, that my attitude affects the attitude of
my friends on the courts beside me, and that a look and a simple “let’s go
Noles” and a slap of a hand can start an electricity of camaraderie that can be
felt but not only us but by the fans and the other team.
Your team become your sisters, your family- regardless of how much they annoy you sometimes, you’ll always be there by their side if anything happens to them, and always are there for a hug and a good laugh. The memories that I will remember rarely have something to do with tennis, ironic enough. Yes, I’ll remember how we beat the Gators, and how a freshie clinched a match for us. I’ll remember ACCs of my senior year, when we got to the finals. How amazing it feels to clinch a match for your team. But the memories that are more near and dear to my heart are the silly laughs that we have in our hotel rooms and at home just hanging out, the deep debates about the meaning of life (and marriage!) on road trips, and the feeling of knowing that you have a group of girls in your life that you would do anything for, and would in return to anything for you.
Your team become your sisters, your family- regardless of how much they annoy you sometimes, you’ll always be there by their side if anything happens to them, and always are there for a hug and a good laugh. The memories that I will remember rarely have something to do with tennis, ironic enough. Yes, I’ll remember how we beat the Gators, and how a freshie clinched a match for us. I’ll remember ACCs of my senior year, when we got to the finals. How amazing it feels to clinch a match for your team. But the memories that are more near and dear to my heart are the silly laughs that we have in our hotel rooms and at home just hanging out, the deep debates about the meaning of life (and marriage!) on road trips, and the feeling of knowing that you have a group of girls in your life that you would do anything for, and would in return to anything for you.
Now that I’m done being a weepy powder puff, I’ll make a
list so you know what you’re getting into:
23 things/advice/ect. about college tennis:
After a while, it becomes a waste of time to unpack your luggage.
You will inadvertently find yourself with a new nickname or “line,” and it probably will be embarrassing (i.e. Would you rather be really smart or really dumb? Okay, I admit, not very clever. BUT I did have an underlining, deeper metaphor that no one really understood or understands, but I won’t waste my breath...)
What is said in the van on road trips, stays in the van.
Sign up for Delta sky miles.
You’ll feel like a mini-celebrity when someone comes up to you and mentions your good match that you played against so-and-so, and you have no clue who they are.
On that note, it makes you smile when an opponent’s fan yells at your court for you calling a ball out, and your own fans yell “You want some cheese with that whine?”
7
Guys play lets on serves, girls don’t.
Guys play lets on serves, girls don’t.
8
Go to class. Go to class. Go to class.
Go to class. Go to class. Go to class.
It is possible to play in the line-up and still have a good GPA. On that note, remember that you didn’t come to college to play professional tennis- you’re a student first now, an athlete second.
After four years, you won’t have enough closet space to fit all your clothes.
1
You’ll lift more weight, run, bike, swim, row, more than you ever thought you’d be able to.
You’ll lift more weight, run, bike, swim, row, more than you ever thought you’d be able to.
1
The ice tub is cold. Just thought you should know.
The ice tub is cold. Just thought you should know.
People will assume you have a bunch of kids when
you buy Pedialyte for the team on road trips, but really it prevents cramping more than Powerade does.
You do not drink Gatorade. Anything with Gator
in it is automatically off limits. (That’s if you play for the Noles, that
is)
1No mascot is cooler than your mascot. No anthem
is cooler than your anthem. No color is better than your colors.
I It will all fly by in a blink of an eye.
1So enjoy it. Let things go. Hug more. Try your
very hardest.
College will be an amazing four years of your
life. You’ll juggle tennis, school, and social life in an unimaginably busy
schedule, but at the end of the day...
You’ll always remember the way your coach said “I’m proud of you,” will always remember the players that hug you when you lose a clinching match, and will always remember the feel of your racquet, the sounds of the crowd, and the looks of the players by your side when you step on the court to play the final match of your career.
You’ll always remember the way your coach said “I’m proud of you,” will always remember the players that hug you when you lose a clinching match, and will always remember the feel of your racquet, the sounds of the crowd, and the looks of the players by your side when you step on the court to play the final match of your career.
And you’ll always be there, whether physically
or in spirit, and you’ll be a true fan of your team forever.
-Katie
Friday, January 20, 2012
Pre/Post Match Nutrition (Eat like a Pro)
by Katie Rybakova
Are you drinking soda before a match tomorrow? Naughty,
naughty. That’s basically saying “Hey, guess what world, I want to cramp!” What
you want to drink is water, and plenty of it. Especially if you travel- your
body dehydrates more on the road sitting in a van/plane on your rump than you
can imagine. Any kind of sugary, syrupy concoction reeks havoc on your
wonderful athletic metabolism, so stay away from the delicious talking bowl of
Kool-aid (I’m too old if you don’t get that reference, shame on me for not
keeping up with you youngsters), lemonade (sorry, couldn’t think of any
euphemisms worth attempting), iced tea, ect. Speaking of iced tea, say NO to
caffeine the day before your match. Now, certain peeps say that caffeine is
actually a type of athletic enhancer prior to a match, but honestly, they
haven’t tried to stick it out on the court in Florida weather in a three
setter, now did they? They, whoever “they” are, are talking about athletic
enhancement for a short period of time, so don’t listen to them. Listen to me. J And if you don’t
“like” water (spoiled!), stick some lemon slices in it and be quiet (and
drink).
Pre-match food: carbs, protein, and fat. Yes, fat. Not
jiggly-snickers-bar fat, but fat that comes from foods like avocado, olive oil,
and nuts. Hold the thought on carbs and protein- why do we need to eat mono and
poly-saturated fat (fancy scientific terms for “good” fat- that nutrition class
didn’t go to waste after all!)? Answer: so you maintain your weight and don’t
act like a coo-coo bird on court- “good fat” stabilizes your metabolism and
digestion and enhances your emotional well-being.
Holding that thought of carbs and protein? Good. Very
straightforward- carbs equal energy. Here’s an algorithm for protein- oil is
for the car like protein is for your body. It keeps your body running smoothly,
and, unlike oil in the car, needs to be replaced quicker than every 3000 miles
and also happens to do some rebuilding of body tissue (show me a car oil that
can do that!).
A science lesson later, we’ve discovered that a meal like
pasta, chicken/steak, and a small salad with olive oil based dressing (bonus
points for the dark leafy greens- Popeye-also super old, ugh I’m aging- was
right about spinach!) is spot on for a meal prior to match day. If you want to
skip the salad, go for salmon- it’s high in protein and “good fat.”
Match day: now the amount of food and what you eat will
depend on when you play. If you play in the afternoon, have a good hearty
breakfast with hot food and cold food- knock yourself out at the buffet.
Obviously stick with the same plan- protein, carbs, and fats. Eggs, toast, and
some almonds sounds delicious. If you want to stay away from cholesterol (hi
butter on toast and yolk in egg), have some oatmeal with some nuts on top. Your body will have enough
time to digest the food and you won’t take a nap on the court and realize you’re
down 6-0 when you wake up (blood rushes to stomach to digest food- thus absence
of energy and thought process J).
Now if you’re close to your match and hungry, you need to eat something that
digests quickly but will sustain you through the match. Stay away from diary,
and go for some quick carbs and protein. Hi bagel with peanut butter, nice to
meet you. Stay away from larger meals, or you’ll turn into a lump of coal, or,
my favorite expression nowadays, a tree stump.
During the match: drink PowerAde (Gatorade, whateverade). If
you need to eat something, take a power bar or some kind of quick granola bar
to munch on between sets (or between breaks, whatever floats your boat). Now
let’s put to rest the whole banana thing- although Sharapova’s pantomiming
father is rather amusing, bananas are a long-time “tennis match” food that
actually don’t give you much. Gwen Stefani’s ode to the banana got us extra
excited about this fruit, and although it’s loaded with potassium and carbs, it
doesn’t prevent cramping like it claims to. Cramping is actually lack of sodium
(salt) rather than lack of potassium. Sports drinks have plenty of sodium in
them, but a rather peculiar drink is taking the nation by storm (or at least
I’m predicting it)- Pedialyte. Pedialyte is a baby-formula for children
suffering from diarrhea- hang with me here. It replenishes sodium and
electrolytes lost out of the body; when your playing, Pedialyte is a good
substitute for sports drinks because it actually has a better balance of
electrolytes and sodium than sports drinks do! Disclaimer- it’s gross. You’ll
want to drink it really cold to get it down, but you’ll thank me later.
Post-match: coconut water. Along with its not so tasty
Pedialyte, coconut water has more potassium (now you need it, so eat all the
bananas you want), more electrolytes, and less sugar and grossness (color dyes,
ect.) than any sports drink on the market. Not to mention, it’s delicious and
nutritious. Lots of protein is good now, as are carbs to replenish the energy
you’ve lost. Keep drinking water and Pedialyte but add coconut water. Side
note: if you happen to have stiff joints and issues with inflammation, say
hello to another health-nut inspired drink that helps ease inflammation; tart
cherry juice. Yes, it’s not Advil, but drinking tart cherry juice is a good
long-term medicine to avoid inflammation and tendonitis.
Here are some more fun facts regarding food:
·
Kiwis have more vitamin C than oranges
·
Coconut, avocado, and dried apricots have more
potassium than a banana
·
Coconut water, since it’s pH is very similar to
that of our blood, has been used as a transfusion for people who are cramping
or extremely low in nutrients
·
Chicken soup is a known cold fighter (so is zinc-
it’s highest in foods like oysters, dark chocolate, and peanuts)
·
The food highest in carbs is a baked potato, not
pasta
·
Greek yogurt is high in protein- mix it with
nuts and a bit of honey and you have yourself a delicious, quick breakfast that
will digest pretty easily.
·
Onions absorb flu bacteria- don’t eat it if it’s
been lying outside the fridge, but put it by the bedside of someone who’s sick.
·
Garlic is a natural antibiotic- eat a clove
(stinky breath!) with food when you’re sick or feel like you’re getting sick
I’ll leave you with this- the more you pay attention to what
you do outside the court, the more it influences how you feel and how you
perform on the court. So put that soda down, and drink some water instead. J
Sunday, January 15, 2012
FSU Men Open Season with a 7-0 Victory
"To me, since I've been here, I'd say it's the best UNF team that they've had," head coach Dwayne Hultquist said. "They had some really good fall results; their number one player won the State of Florida Tournament. They have some good players and compete really hard. It was a good win because at all nine positions we played well and played hard and came through at important stages."
"It was a very good crowd," continued Hultquist. "I think one of the things I liked was our ability to play hard. When you play hard with a lot of enthusiasm people want to come out and watch you play. I thought it was very entertaining and well played on both sides."
On court three, freshman Benjamin Lock made his debut in Garnet and Gold to team up with junior Andres Bucaro to win 8-5 over Moritz Buerchner and Leonardo Nahar.
"We got off to a really good start in doubles," continued Hultquist. "We got up a quick break on all three courts and I thought that was important."
After taking the 1-0 lead from doubles, the team went to work in singles winning five of the six first sets. Coming off first for the Seminoles was Bucaro who dominated court three winning 6-2, 6-1 over Nemcsek. Following him off the courts was Davis who won 6-3, 6-1 over Sotomarino on court two.
Clinching the match for the Seminoles was Reed on court six. Only needing two sets, the junior topped Graham Edgar 6-4, 6-2. Kelly-Houston was off next for the Seminoles with a three set match against Buerchner on court one. Kelly-Houston won the first set 6-0 but the talented Buerchner won the second set 6-2. After a tight beginning in the third set, Kelly-Houston came out on top to win the match 6-0, 2-6, 6-2.
"North Florida has been a tough team," said Kelly-Houston. "We had a tough fall with them. The guy I played (Buerchner) is obviously a good player. It was a little deceiving after the first set and I knew he would come back strong. I'm glad I was able to come out in the third set and get back to where I was in the first and finish it out strong."
Playing in the first collegiate duel match, Cristian Gonzalez Mendez forced a first set tiebreaker against Belair which he won. Using the momentum from that first set, the freshman finished out the match with a 7-6 (5), 6-2 win on court four.
"I felt like a couple of matches could have swung either way in the first sets," said Hultquist. "After Blake and Cristian won their tight first sets, we won five first sets. We pretty much dominated after that."
After losing his first set and being down in the second, senior Jason Zafiros knew he needed to come back strong and did just that. Building off the energy from the crowd, he came back to win the second set. Using that drive, he came won the third set decisively to with the match 3-6, 6-3, 6-1.
"It was really important to take UNF very seriously because they beat us during the fall," described Zafiros. "It was huge to have a 7-0 win across the board. It gives us a lot of confidence going to the next match. It was a really big confidence booster. The crowd was extremely helpful and I hope they realize that can help us win a lot of matches down the stretch. A lot of us feed off energy so it's really important for the crowd to be involved."
Florida State returns to the courts on Monday at 10:00 a.m. against Florida A&M and 4:00 p.m. against Troy. All matches are playing at the Scott Speicher Tennis Center. Call (850) 645-GAME for updates. Follow the team on twitter at twitter.com/fsu_mtennis.
RESULTS No. 44 Florida State 7 d. No. 74 North Florida 0 Doubles 1) Kelly-Houston/Davis (FSU) def. Belair/Treyz (UNF) 8-3 2) Cotrone/Reed (FSU) def. Nemcsek/Sotomarino (UNF) 8-4 3) Lock/Bucaro (FSU) def. Buerchner/Nahar (UNF) 8-5 Order of finish: 1, 2, 3 Singles 1) Jordan Kelly-Houston (FSU) def. Moritz Buerchner (UNF) 6-0, 2-6, 6-2 2) Blake Davis (FSU) def. Daniel Sotomarino (UNF) 6-3, 6-1 3) Andres Bucaro (FSU) def. Norbert Nemcsek (UNF) 6-2, 6-1 4) Cristian Gonzalez Mendez (FSU) def. Julien Belair (UNF) 7-6 (5), 6-2 5) Jason Zafiros (FSU) def. Leonardo Nahar (UNF) 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 6) Anderson Reed (FSU) def. Graham Edgar (UNF) 6-4, 6-2 Order of finish: 3, 2, 6, 1, 4, 5 --www.seminoles.com--
Friday, January 13, 2012
Australian Open Bracket Challenge
Thursday, January 12, 2012
FSU Men's Tennis Opening Weekend!!
Please come out and support the Men's Tennis Team as they take on in-state rivals the University of North Florida. Match starts at 1pm with doubles and followed by 6 singles matches!!
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