Baltimore Wheelchair Tennis Classic

For more information about this tournament, visit the following site:

• USTA.com

2008 Results
2007 Results
2006 Results
2005 Results
2004 Results
2009 Information
2010 Information
Events
Entries
Directions to McDonogh School
Parking on Campus
Tournament Hotels
Hotel Subsidy
Weather Information
Schedule and Meals
Volunteers
C&A Sports
Pictures

2008 Results

The 11th annual Baltimore Wheelchair Tennis Classic, once again operated by the Baltimore Tennis Patrons at McDonogh School, was blessed with great (if occasionally threatening) weather, terrific volunteers, and plenty of fine tennis action.

In the Men’s A division finals, local (Bel Air, MD) Pat Burns, last year’s runner-up as well, dropped a marathon three-setter to Mark Jenkinson (Martinsburg, WV) 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(5). Paul Hart (Odenton, MD), the tournament’s original organizer, again finished third.

In Men’s B action, Terry Hurst (Easton, MD) won his first-ever championship trophy. He bested youngster, and new-comer, Steve Bobadilla (Rockville, MD), who complemented his finalist finish with this year’s Paul Hart Sportsmanship Award.

Running the tournament was a real tester as a number of our traditional sponsors were unable to contribute this year. (We hope to be able to get them back - along with free meals, hotel subsidies, etc.!) We were delighted, however, to have terrific high-tech performance t-shirts from Under Armour, towels from PNC, and some help from C&A Sportswear.

Staff included organizer and referee Laddie Levy, tournament director Natalie Ferguson, umpire Sharon Spangenberg, and the Stowers family, who operate the food concession stand. Certified athletic trainer Keith “Doc” Hnilicka ably assisted. The much-appreciated volunteers came from area schools and BTP tennis programs.

2007 Results

The 10th anniversary edition of the Baltimore Wheelchair Tennis Classic, once again operated by the Baltimore Tennis Patrons at McDonogh School, was blessed with great weather, terrific volunteers, and plenty of fine tennis action.

In the Men’s A division, long-time local (Bel Air) participant Pat Burns sneaked past # 1 seed Billy Eno (Wilmington, NC) 3-6, 7-6, 6-4 but lost to # 2 seed Todd Cox (Falls Church, VA) 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 in the finals. Paul Hart (Odenton, MD) finished third, while Cox and Eno paired to win the A Doubles. In Men’s B action, local Brad Evans (Owings Mills) just edged Mark Chilutti (Philadelphia) 7-5, 5-7, 7-5, who paired with Mel Curry (Fredericksburg, VA) to win the B doubles.

Again this year, the tournament was generously supported by Mercantile Bank and Trust, enabling the organizers to provide free meals, hotel subsidies, shirts, hats and other amenities to the players, including the new sportsmanship trophy, named for tournament originator Paul Hart and won, aptly, by his doubles partner Pat Burns.

Many of the traditional staff was back as well, including organizer and referee Laddie Levy, tournament director Charlotte Pinkard, umpire Sharon Spangenberg, and the Stowers family, who operate the food concession stand. Certified athletic trainer Rebecca Strycharz ably assisted. The much-appreciated volunteers came from area schools and BTP tennis programs.

2006 Results

This year’s Baltimore Wheelchair Tennis Classic, operated by the Baltimore Tennis Patrons and hosted by McDonogh School, was marked by unusually warm and humid weather, fended off by the omnipresent counterattack of the certified tournament athletic trainer Keith Hnilicka, whose icy towels were the hit of the event!

The 2006 Sportsmanship Award was won by Mark Jenkinson of West Virginia, a veteran of the event. New this year was the much-appreciated sponsorship of Mercantile Bankshares, which allowed the tournament to continue its tradition of providing breakfast and lunch to the players (prepared as usual by the Stowers family) and reinstate its policy of providing hotel subsidies, free bottled water and sports drinks, and other amenities.

The main topic of conversation involved plans already in place for 2007, the 10th anniversary of the event. On the docket: The creation of a permanent sportsmanship award honoring all past and future winners, the establishment of a major prize for the most promising newcomer to the event, and a special function for all participants on Saturday night. Details will follow!

Special thanks go to the tournament staff, especially tournament director Charlotte Pinkard, USTA umpire Sharon Spangenberg, athletic trainer Keith Hnilicka, and the many volunteers who toiled tirelessly in the daunting heat, many of whom also took the challenge and spent quite a bit of time in chairs themselves playing with tournament participants, who were great sports and teachers!

2005 Results

The 8th Annual Baltimore Wheelchair Tennis Classic again cast a wide net, with players hailing from eight different states. Hosted by the Baltimore Tennis Patrons and BARS (Baltimore Adapted Recreation and Sports), the tournament ran from Friday, June 17th through Sunday, June 19th at McDonogh School in Owings Mills, Maryland.

While many of the players are old-timers at the Classic (a few were identified as having played every year since its founding!), a number of first-timers, including twelve-year-old phenom Dylan Levine from New Jersey, also participated. In order to encourage play and improve the level of play, the BTP and BARS will continue to conduct some evening training sessions at McDonogh this summer (and indoors next winter); for information, call 410 296-2100.

Among the amenities of the tournament are free breakfasts and lunches for participants (prepared on site, as always, by the Stowers family), generous gift bags (with oversize balls from Holabird Sports!), a Sportsmanship Award (this year garnered by local Brad Evans), t-shirts provided by C&A Sports, and special tournament rates from the three official tournament hotels: AmeriSuites of Owings Mills, the Owings Mills Hilton Garden Inn, and the Pikesville Hilton.

For 2006, the tournament is actively seeking a presenting sponsor to allow us to offer a Saturday evening picnic, the services of a full-time trainer, a wheelchair repair station, and hotel subsidies, services provided at most wheelchair tennis events nationwide – and ones that would encourage wider and deeper participation. Over the past few years, the tournament has been able to offer singles and doubles events in Men’s A, B, C and Quad divisions and Women’s B division, a good range but not as broad an array as we would like.

Among the winners this year were repeat Men’s A Singles Champion Todd Cox from Falls Church, VA, and Men’s B Champion Tam Albertson, last year’s runner-up. Especially exciting was seeing Matt Bellen winning the Men’s C division in only his second appearance at the tournament.

Not to be omitted is note of the terrific contributions of our volunteers, particularly Matt Ford, and perennial USTA officials Vicki Ferguson and Sharon Spangenberg. Once again we coaxed some of the volunteers into chairs themselves to play with tournament participants! The results were memorable for all!

2004 Results

The 7th Annual Baltimore Wheelchair Tennis Classic was marked by sharply higher entries this year with players hailing from nine different states. Hosted by the Baltimore Tennis Patrons and BARS (Baltimore Adapted Recreation and Sports), the tournament ran from Friday, June 18th through Sunday, June 20th at McDonogh School in Owings Mills, Maryland. Results can be accessed through the usta.com link above.

While some of the players are old-timers at the Classic (a few were identified as having played every year since its founding!), a number of first-timers (and even some local beginning players) also participated. In order to encourage play and improve the level of play, the BTP and BARS will be conducting some evening training sessions at McDonogh this summer; for information, call 410 296-2100.

Among the amenities of the tournament are free breakfasts and lunches for participants (prepared on site, as always, the Stowers family), generous gift bags, a hopper of goodies from Holabird Sports to the Sportsmanship Award winner Jeffrey Levoie, and special tournament rates from the three official hotels: AmeriSuites of Owings Mills, the Owings Mills Hilton Garden Inn, and the Pikesville Hilton. The tournament is actively seeking a presenting sponsor for 2004 to allow us to offer a Saturday evening picnic, services of a full-time trainer, a wheelchair repair station, and hotel subsidies, services provided at most wheelchair tennis events nationwide.

The tournament was delighted this year to welcome C&A Sportswear as a first-time sponsor of the event, and we look forward to working with them again next year!

Not to be omitted is note of the terrific contributions of our volunteers, particularly Matt Ford, Lyssa Cleary, and Nicole Christy. All spent the entire weekend doing whatever was needed and then were rewarded on Sunday by being “encouraged” to get in chairs themselves and play with tournament participants! The results were memorable for all!

Thanks go to all the players and volunteers who made the event so enjoyable! See you again next year!

2009 Information

PLEASE NOTE: The organization for this tournament has just been entirely restructured. Due to the abruptness of the change, the proximity to the start date of the event, and some impending surgery (just a knee, but that week), the 2009 tournament has been canceled. We do expect, however, to be up and running (both literally and figuratively) for 2010!

2010 Information

Events

• Men's and Women's Open, A, B, C Singles FMC (First Match Consolation) & Doubles
• Quad A Singles FMC & Doubles

Entries

Tournament dates are June 18-20, 2010. Registration deadline is Monday June 14. Entries only by TennisLink (through usta.com). To register, click on usta.com. (If you go to the searchable schedule on usta.com, this Tournament ID is 302754210.) On the tournament Home Page, click on the TennisLink Register Now link and follow the simple directions.

You will need a current USTA number (you can sign up on the usta.com site while you are registering) and a major credit card. The entry fee: $45.00 (includes singles, consolations, and doubles). If you have trouble registering, call the Baltimore Tennis Patrons at 410 296-2100.

Directions to McDonogh School

To get to McDonogh School, take the Baltimore Beltway (I-695), which is accessible from the north or south by I-95 and from the west by I-70 or I-83, to Exit 20 (Garrison-Pikesville). Go north on Reisterstown Road (toward Garrison - NOT Pikesville). At the sixth light, turn left on McDonogh Road. Continue about one mile; the School is on the right. For a map, click here.

Parking on Campus

Enter McDonogh via the WOODS ROAD entrance. Park by the athletic center. Note: Parking for handicap vehicles ONLY is available by the courts. Call 410 581-4760 to get the NEW code for the gate at the end of Woods Road. Then, continue straight, turn right by the track onto the grass, and cross the softball outfield (PLEASE stay off infield) and park by courts. If you are having trouble once you are on campus, call the on-site phone: 410 935-8331.

Tournament Hotels

The tournament hotels are Hyatt Place right next to campus (410-998-3630), the Hilton Garden Inn Owings Mills (1-800-Hiltons, 1-410-654-0030, or www.hilton.com), which is just beyond it, and the Pikesville Hilton (410-653-1100 or 1-800-283-0333), which is located at the corner of Reisterstown Road and I 695 (a little farther from the tournament site but a hotel with an indoor tennis facility). Reserve as soon as possible and mention you are with the tournament. Rooms are available from Thursday; check out on Sunday. To get to the first two hotels, continue on McDonogh Road (see directions above) past the school. At the light, turn right on Painter's Mill Road. Hyatt Place is on the left just before the second light (at Red Run Blvd). To get to the Hilton Garden Inn, turn left on Red Run Blvd. then turn left at the light onto Owings Mills Blvd; the hotel is on the corner on the right. As noted above, the Pikesville Hilton is just south of the intersection of I 695 and Reisterstown Road.

Hotel Subsidy

Depending upon sponsorship, a $50 hotel subsidy should be available to the first twenty entrants to book hotel rooms at one of the tournament hotels. To qualify, make your reservation and IMMEDIATELY email llevy@mcdonogh.org.

Weather Information

Weather updates will be available at 410 581-4760 during the tournament. NOTE: If we go indoors, we will play at the Green Spring Racquet Club (check out the link, above left). Directions and a map will be available at the desk and in the tournament program. The phone number there is 410 821-LOVE.

Schedule and Meals

Matches are tentatively scheduled to begin at noon Friday and at 9 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. Note that players must be ready to play when their match is called or strict USTA penalties will be applied (from loss of toss to default). (So have your equipment ready and your breakfast finished!) Breakfast (8 a.m.) and lunch are provided for players and available for sale to spectators and guests. A special Saturday night activity may be planned.

Volunteers

Volunteers are needed to serve as ball boys and ball girls and just to generally help out. Email llevy@mcdonogh.org to volunteer to work a few hours, a half-day, or more. Thanks!

C&A Sports

C&A Sportswear, the producer of all our logos and t-shirts, is a proud sponsor of the Baltimore Wheelchair Tennis Classic. For more information about C&A Sportswear, go to www.casportswear.com

Pictures

Photos here are from various years and sources, but many were taken by Match Point Images and some published in our favorite tennis publication: Mid-Atlantic Match Point Magazine.