News

OCTOBER

I canceled the October tournament due to projected unhealthy air quality levels.  We had 3 players that were already or potentially having respiratory issues so it seemed like the safest bet.  The social at the Jordans, however, was held as expected.

 

John & Natalie had just finished their remodel and treated us to tours of their lovely new home.  Everything was thoughtfully and elegantly designed.  My favorite room was the master bath and closets ... so gorgeous!  The living areas were perfect for RSTC socials as there was plenty of room for all of us to mingle, move, sip, and dine.

 The social theme was “Fall Colors” and it set the table for a feast that was dazzling to our eyes.  Bright greens (salads) and golds & oranges (carrots, sweet potatoes) were in the palette.  Penny Chin’s chocolate trifle was bright white layered with dark brown and crowned with red accents.  A delicious and warming beef stew, earthy potatoes, caramel apple and pecan pies brought plenty of fall flavors.

 

 

Everyone enjoyed the dinner and it was a very relaxing evening.  Thank you to the Jordans for hosting.  An extra thank you to Penny for making and Bob Evans for delivering the trifle even though Penny was sick and unable to attend; we hope you feel better!

 

NOVEMBER

Our final tournament of the year is November 11 and will be Team Tennis.  Format subject to change if we don't have enough players registered.  Cross your fingers it is not rained out!  Register now.

 

Rain is currently forecast for November 4, but, if it doesn't rain and the courts are dry, feel free to use them for November Open Play.  RSTC does have the courts reserved.

The social is November 4 and will be rain or shine.  The theme is "Signature Dish".  Bring a dish that people have asked for the recipe of (especially RSTC people), raved about, or you always make (e.g., for the holidays). Whatever is your "signature dish". Bring a card with your name/story and the recipe to share.

 

If you have past RSTC recipes that you aren't making for the social but you would like to share, please bring them too.  We'll post them up on our Wall of Fame!

 

We are in the final stretches of our 2017 season. Remaining events are

• the October tournament & social, coming up this weekend
• the November tournament & social on November 4 with a final open play on November 11
• the holiday party in January

 

Interest in the October Fixed Mixed tournament has been unusually light this year.  We are changing the format to Mixed Scramble so, if you like that format better, please register ASAP!  For those that have already signed up with a partner, your first match will be with your partner and, after that, your partner will change.  The deadline to register is still Tuesday as we need time to do the draw and send out court assignments.

 

The social is at the Jordans’ newly remodeled home.  Parking is limited so we’ll email the registrants on Friday to help recommend carpools.

 

 

A brief look back at the summer:

 

• I was unable to attend the July events.  Barb hosted the Fruity social.  It was Barb’s second time hosting this year as she stepped in to save our May social.  Double thank you, Barb!  Someone left a pair of prescription glasses at Barb’s house.  If you have not yet done so, please contact Barb to claim it.

 

• The August BBQ tournament & social were popular and fun.  Cynthia Hunton ran the tournament (thank you!) and opted to change things up: From playing 8 games to playing 1st to win 6 and from 6 to 9 rounds.  We liked the format but after 6 rounds got tired and decided to go eat BBQ: The “1st to win 6 games” part had already given us more tennis play than usual and worked up a mighty appetite!  The feast was delivered from Armadillo Willy’s by Ruth & Phil Waters (thank you!) and augmented with member appetizers, sides, and desserts.  Due to the fact that we didn’t actually finish the tournament (and that we forgot to buy prizes), we decided to dispense with prizes.  Everyone had a good time and nobody was (or ever is) in it for the trophy.

 

• The September tournament was Mixed Scramble (also lightly attended) followed by a social at Micki Carter / Mike Venturino’s (thank you!) with a Russian theme to celebrate Micki’s new book “From Under the Russian Snow”.  Members rose to the challenge with many delicious dishes.  Yes, some of them involved beets!  I happen to love beets but beet-disliking Bob totally agrees the dishes were delicious.  RSTC Chefs are the best!  Prizes were Russian vodka!

 

• Pajaro Dunes was spectacular with great weather, lots of high quality tennis, and amazing food.  Irene Muzio simplified the Friday progressive and got lots of comments that it was an excellent change.  It was less time-consuming to set up (and thus more time available for enjoying ourselves on Pajaro Dunes beaches or tennis courts) and we had more time for conversation during dinner.  Thank you to Irene and Michael Garb for a wonderful weekend.

 

 

Finally,  I am thrilled to announce that we have a 2018 RSTC Board for next year.

• Nicola Tidwell will be president
• Kathy Miles will be vice-president
• Cynthia Hunton will join John Hogan as tournament directors
• Jennifer Dickinson will join Sundar Venkateswaran as social directors
• Irene Muzio will be treasurer

 

Thank you to Nicola, Kathy, Cynthia, Jennifer, Irene, and John and Sundar for keeping the club running next year.  We will begin the transition in December so that the new Board gets to set the 2018 calendar and prepare for Membership Mania 2018.

 

Michael Garb & Irene Muzio have volunteered to continue running the Pajaro Dunes Weekend Away. Monique Seibel has volunteered to continue doing flyers and posters for the Club.  I will continue to maintain the website.

[by Ivan Quinones, Founder and Executive Director of Educa2]

We are excited to announce Educa2, an organization dedicated to strengthening our community by helping Latino students reach their full potential. Over half of the Latino students currently enrolled in Elementary schools are performing below proficiency level statewide, including close to 5,000 of the 10,000 Latino students the San Mateo and the Redwood City Elementary School Districts alone. This problem has reached crisis proportions as Latinos are now the largest and fastest growing ethnic minority in California and in the US.

The foundation of Educa2 is a partnership of mentors, teachers, parents and community members creating a nurturing environment for Latino elementary school students to instill motivation and mindset for long-term learning and acquire skills that will help them through school and life experiences. Under the leadership of members of the Stanford University Graduate School of Education with knowledge and experience in addressing the challenges of Latino English Language Learners, our goal is to develop a scalable model that can eventually be applied in other schools and geographies where Latino students face similar challenges.  We are launching our first after-school program at an Elementary School in the Peninsula in September 2014.

To learn more about us, please visit our website at  www.educa2california.org  and donate generously to help improve the future of these children and of our whole community. 

Thank you !

Iván Quiñones
Educa2, Inc
Founder and Executive Director

 

It is with great sorrow that I am sharing the news that Rick Urrutia passed away on August 27^th.  Rick was a long-time member of the Redwood Shores Tennis Club.  He was a really nice guy: always ready with a joke and a laugh; a tennis player who was fun to play with, and a great friend.

 

When he was diagnosed with myelofibrosis, Rick fought back with everything he had, and he maintained his optimism, sense of humor, and enjoyment in life the entire way.  Rick was so full of energy, it was hard to believe he was facing such a serious disease.  It is hard to believe he is gone.

 

You may send cards to Barb at 423 Bark Dr., Redwood Shores, CA 94065.  In honor of Rick, please consider signing up at BeTheMatch.org at no cost to be in the stem cell registry.  Also, contributions can be made to the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Peninsula (bgcp.org.)

 

A tribute to Rick is planned on Friday September 20 at 2pm at Skylawn Memorial Park.  There will be an open speaking section for a portion of the service that those close to Rick can speak at. Due to the large gathering of friends and family who are attending and limited time, please keep your comments to 1-2 minutes. Feel free to write any thoughts you might have and to bring a copy as the family would appreciate any memories of Rick you might have, even if not spoken.

 

A reception will follow from 3-6pm and there will be time to share stories in greater detail.  We hope it will be a special time to remember an amazing father, husband and friend to those who attend as well as those who can't.

 

[by Louie Bulka, who participates in the SVTA Juniors Program]

 

My name is Louie Bulka and I am doing a project in school called “Ropes” and I am collecting shoes for children and adults in Haiti.

 

Just to let you know there is a bin at Arguello Courts for donation.  There is also one at Central Middle School (San Carlos) right next to the office. It will ONLY be up until April 1^st!

 

I just want you to know that some schools in Haiti won’t let kids in school without shoes. And, the rubble from the 2010 earthquake is dangerous and can infect barefoot children and adults.

 

Thank you very much in advance for your donation.

Louie Bulka

[by Kristian Nergaard]

 

As many of you know, RSTC’s Doug McCracken is the principal bassoonist in the Redwood Symphony Orchestra. They are currently enjoying a very interesting season, playing music such as Beethoven’s 7^th Symphony (as realized by Gustav Mahler); music by Harrison and Debussy; and Sweeney Todd, including a full cast and chorus.

 

But a concert they’re particularly excited about is coming up November 17^th, when they’ll be performing a composition for three Bassoons and Contra-Bassoon called Hell’s Angels (a Contra-Bassoon is basically a Bassoon that’s about twice as big). Doug will be performing the first solo Bassoon part in this rather boisterous work.

 

The orchestra performs at Canada College in Redwood City, and there’s more information available at http://www.redwoodsymphony.org/ . Some RSTC members are already attending these concerts, and this time we hope to see even a few more of you there.

 

 

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

“I have been attending the Redwood Symphony’s concerts for several years, and they are wonderful. The director/conductor (Eric) is young, energetic, very creative, and has a good sense of humor. Their performances are lively and interesting and the musicians are clearly enjoying themselves. The venue is a fairly small auditorium, so all seats are “front row.” Canada College auditorium is just off of 280, and it’s easy to get there from just about anywhere.

 

Although we also attend the SF Symphony, the Redwood Symphony performances are a lot more fun.”

 

Anita Stewart

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Well, I hope we will be able to avoid April showers for our next tournament.  March was all wet!  Membership Mania and the Tournament were both canceled due to rain.  We said “NUTS!” and went to the RSTC social to kick off our year with good wine and amiable company.

 

There were a plethora of nut appetizers to start with – mixed nuts, spiced nuts, apples and creamy peanut butter dip, and much more.  When we chose the theme, we did not, perhaps, remember that nuts are very, very filling.  By entrée time, we were already rather full.  But, showing the same determination with which we pursue tennis balls, we did find room for chicken, pork, and more, basted and roasted under various nut-based sauces.  Thank goodness there was chocolate for dessert!!!

 

Oh my.  I think the next social theme needs to be skinny food.  Many thanks to Annette Vernon and Paul Reinhardt for a terrific evening.  And many thanks to our army of volunteers who did the work for Membership Mania and the Tournament even though the events were canceled.  A special thank you to Shane Dickenson who organized his first tournament and agreed to do it again for April.

 

Speaking of April, it is going to be Team Tennis.  (If we get rained out in March, we try, try, again.)  Team Tennis is a great format for new members, and we like the start the year with it.  You get to spend the day on a team with 3-5 other players playing against other teams.  That gives you more opportunity to get to know some other members of the club.  May will be Women’s and Men’s Doubles (changing partners).  If you are not a member of the Redwood Shores Tennis Club and would like more information about the club or joining, please check out our website www.rstc.org or contact us by email at info.rstc@gmail.com.

 

Redwood Shores Tennis Club’s 2011 season has just about ended.  Our final tournament was scheduled for November 12 – unfortunately, rained out.  The last social of the year was held in the evening at the home of the president and we enjoyed a theme of “Home Sweet Home”.  Everyone brought a family favorite, reminiscent of the upcoming holiday season.  We watched the Stanford-Oregon game with everyone groaning over the outcome (the San Jose Sharks game didn’t cheer us up either.)  Desserts were the highlight with bread pudding and cranberry bread pudding earning raves from everyone.  Our final event of our season will be our holiday party, held in January.  A new season will start in March 2012 with our Membership Mania event.

Over the year, I’ve had a lot of inquiries regarding tennis opportunities and tennis lessons in the Bay Area.  Here are some frequently asked questions and my answers.  Please visit www.rstc.org for more information about our club and joining next year!

What is the Redwood Shores Tennis Club?  We are a non-profit, volunteer neighborhood club located in Redwood Shores.  We hold friendly tournaments once a month on the public courts in Redwood Shores and we have fun potluck parties in the evenings after the tournaments.  We have other events as well.  Please visit www.rstc.org for more information about our club.

What level do you have to be?  We welcome players of all levels but most of our players are 3.0 or 3.5 with some 4.0s.  It is more important that you are more interested in having fun than in winning every point.  In order to enjoy the tournaments (and have others enjoy playing with you), you should be able to serve the ball into play and rally a moderately paced ball.

 

Where do you play?  We play primarily on the public courts in Shorebird Park and Dolphin Park.  There are two other tennis court sites in Redwood Shores, at Marlin Park and Preserve Park.

 

How often do you play?  We have 9 tournaments a year, from March to November.  In addition we have Open Play opportunities and a Tennis Weekend Away event.

 

How much does RSTC cost?  Basic membership is $35 a year; tournaments are additional $10 per event and socials are free for members.   A tournament membership is $75 and includes all tournaments for no additional cost.  The social membership at $25 is for a non-player (such as a spouse) to attend the socials.

Do you have a USTA team?  RSTC does not have USTA teams.  It’s difficult to host USTA matches in Redwood Shores as we do not have a site with at least 3 tennis courts.  Nearby clubs that do have USTA teams are the Pacific Athletic Club, the San Carlos Tennis Club, and the Foster City Tennis Club.  PAC (recently renamed to the Pacific Sports Resort Redwood Shores) is a for-profit private club located on Redwood Shores Parkway.  In addition to lighted tennis courts and indoor courts, they also have a full fitness facility, swimming pool, etc.  SCTC and FCTC are non-profit neighborhood clubs like RSTC and they play on public courts.  More information on all three groups is available on their respective websites.

 

Do you offer lessons?  RSTC is not a teaching organization.  Sports in Action is a non-profit organization that offers tennis clinics to Redwood Shores children at Preserve Park.  Redwood City Parks & Recreation Department offers tennis clinics at Red Morton Park.  PAC has excellent private and group instructions for adults and children.  The Silicon Valley Tennis Academy offers tennis clinics and private lessons to adults and children at their San Carlos location.

How do I join RSTC?  Membership Mania will be in March and we will publish the date on our website, in the Pilot, and on the Redwood Shores Community Board (announcement board on Redwood Shores Parkway) once it is determined.  You can come meet us and pick up an application.  We usually offer refreshments and an opportunity to play some tennis as well.  Alternatively, you can join at any time by submitting an application on www.rstc.org.

I hope this FAQ helps you find the right venue for you to enjoy some tennis.

 

Karen Brodersen, President, Redwood Shores Tennis Club

 

The weather was absolutely delightful for our July tournament: Hot with a touch of cooling breeze, sunny but not glaring.  What more could you ask for?

We squeezed 28 players into the draw (the limit is 24 but some players played half days).  I’m thrilled that our tournaments are so popular.

 

We had a very good time!  Even those of us struggling with our games a bit had fun, which is the whole point of RSTC tournaments.  The winner on Quay Courts was newcomer Nicola Tidwell.  Welcome to the club!  The men ended in a 3-way tie with Jim Schwartz, Ivan Quinones, and Shane Dickinson earning top scores.  We chose the winner at the social via our version of trivial pursuit.  Jim was a master of tennis trivia, and won with answers to “Which Grand Slam Tournament did Bjorn Borg win six times?” and “Bjorn Borg never won a U.S. Open; he lost two finals to lefty Jimmy Connors, and two other finals to this lefty: ___?)  Congratulations!

 

For the Shorebird Court men, it was a very close contest but Dennis Murphy squeaked it out to earn the win.  Robin George was a clear winner amongst the women.

 

The prizes in keeping with RSTC’s grand cooking tradition (and the BBQ social theme) were a paella pan (Jim), hamburger slider kit (Robin), cast iron grill press (Nicola), and cast iron/griddle (Dennis).  Hope they make us something yummy at a future social with those!

 

The Burgers & AMAIZEing Social (such corny title!) took place at Irene and Jay Muzio’s home.  We had burgers – beef burgers, lamb burgers, turkey burgers, veggie burgers, and more!  We had corn appetizers and side dishes, some non-corn appetizers and side dishes, and non-corn desserts (thank goodness).  Everything was great!  Even the water was delicious – it was steeped in piles of sliced lemons.  Thank you Irene & Jay for a wonderful evening!

 

Trivia Answers: French Open (Bjorn Borg also won 5 consecutive Wimbledon titles) and John McEnroe.

May was our very popular Men’s and Women’s Doubles.  Cynthia Hunton created a great tournament with many close sets decided by tiebreaks.  In addition, many players were either inspired by the beautiful day or had been taking lessons over the winter because the quality of play was great.  In one of her service games, Barb Urrutia was hitting winner after winner, saying with disbelief, “I can’t believe I did that!!!”  It couldn’t have happened to a nicer person – Barb and hubby Rick brought the refreshments for the tournament AND were the social hosts for the evening.  Thanks to Cynthia, Barb, and Rick for a great day!

 

The #1 Woman was Annette Vernon and #2 Man was Bob Porter.  In a very tight tournament, June Walker, Laurie Coleman, and Cynthia Hunton tied for the Women’s 2^nd place prize and Sundar Venkateswaran and Bob Brodersen tied for the Men’s 2^nd place prize.  Prizes were gift certificates to Safeway (to get fixin's for a Memorial Day BBQ.)  Thanks to John Hogan for getting the prizes and to Janice Carter, Sundar, John Hogan, and Bob B for photography.

 

We celebrated Memorial Day a week early at RSTC’s evening social.  Barb told us to be creative with Red, White, and Blue and we did our best.  Blueberries were a popular ingredient in the salads.  Janice made a lasagna (white ricotta and red sauce) and topped it with blueberries (just a few!) to complete the color scheme.  “Red, White, and Blue Burgers” incorporated red onions, white ranch dressing, and blue cheese into the patty.  For dessert, there was a beautiful American flag cake (red raspberries, white frosting, blueberries) and a fluffy cheesecake by Laurie Merrill which my 5 year old declared to be “the best cheesecake EVER!”  And many more delicious items that I cannot recall.

 

Sundar joined Cynthia in washing up dishes.  Thanks Sundar and Cynthia!  And thank you again to Barb and Rick for opening your beautiful home to us.  The new landscaping was lovely!