From the USTA Mid-Atlantic website
 
10 and Under junior players came from near and far to converge on the Junior Tennis Champions Center in College Park, MD, for the inaugural Capital Clash Intersectional Team Rally. Coming from as far away as the Austin Tennis Academy in Austin, Texas and Puerto Rico the Capital Clash allowed the players to experience the excitement of travelling and playing as a team in an otherwise individual sport.
 
Lucie Schmindhauser, coach of the Lone Stars and Stripes, believed that the team atmosphere was one of the best aspects of the event. Throughout the complex the shouts of “Come On!” and “Vamos!” could be heard as the intensity and excitement was high among each of the teams.

 
“Being able to travel as a team and playing other kids from other sections is a wonderful experience for these kids and that overall the team environment helps make the game fun and exciting and will ultimately help grow the sport,” said Schmindhauser.
 
Jose Caballero, coach of the Pirate of the Caribbean, echoed the same sentiment, saying that the “opportunity to travel and play other kids plus playing for a team and not one’s self is great for the kids.”
 
Each team consisted of 8 players with four girls and four boys. The teams competed in a round robin, which according to Larry McDonald, father of Evin McDonald of the FiliBUSTERS, “created a great atmosphere with a lot of enthusiasm and a Davis Cup like feel for the players.”
 
The team atmosphere was only one bonus of this event. At the same time on the nearby hard courts, the Junior Tennis Champions Center was hosting the U.S. Open Wildcard Playoff in which the winners would receive a main draw wildcard into the 2011 U.S. Open. The participants of the Capital Clash were able to watch the professionals play for free throughout the entire weekend. The kids were event treated to a couple of special visits from the Playoff players.  First to visit was Bobby Reynolds (pictured left with players from the FiliBUSTERS), member of the 2011 undefeated WTT Champion Washington Kastles.  The kids swarmed with anything they could grab in order to receive an autograph from one of the local favorites. One player asked if they could have his towel in which he used after completing a warm up hitting session.
 
The Capital Clash players were also visited by Madison Keys, who, at the young age of 16, is currently ranked #17 in the ITF World Junior Rankings.  Keys (pictured right with players from the Pirates of the Caribbean) posed for pictures with the kids, signed autographs and talked about her experiences with junior tournaments and turning professional at age 14.  Both Reynolds and Keys would go on to win the Wild Card Playoff.
 
The close proximity to the professional matches and interaction with the pros was a “huge bonus for the kids and the event,” said Andy Raczka, father of Ela Raczka from the Lone Stars and Stripes. During the night before match play began, Lew Brewer, USTA Director of Junior Competition, addressed the players with two main points for them to take home.  His first point was that every player competing in the Wild Card Playoff that weekend began right where the kids are today and that anyone of them could someday be playing for the U.S. Open.  He also told the kids that they needed to make sure to thank the most important people involved in their tennis, their parents. 
 

 

The format for the match play was designed to maximize the number of matches each player would have over the weekend and to also help players develop their games.  Each match was played on a full size clay court using the green dot compression balls.  By using the compression balls the players were forced to carry out long rallies and construct the point in order to set up a put away shot.  Each player also had one doubles, singles and mixed doubles match with each team match.  When asked about their favorite part of the event, the girls of the Pirates of the Caribbean all replied with the same answer. They all enjoyed the matches and being able to play as a team. The scoring was set up so that the final team standings was based upon games won and not matches won. This added some extra pressure in that every game counts.
 
After two intense days of competition, a winner was crowned with the FiliBUSTERS of the Mid-Atlantic section finishing in first place.
 
Final Standings
1st Place FiliBUSTERS 
2nd Place Secret Servers 
3rd Place The Lone Stars and Stripes
4th Place Pirates of the Caribbean
 
Proper sportsmanship was also a vital aspect of the tournament and was greatly encouraged by the coaches.  Each coach selected one boy and one girl from their team to receive a Sportsmanship Award.  This award was based on both their on-court behavior and also on how supportive the player was towards their teammates.

    


Sportsmanship Award Winners

Sarah Darbar - The Lone Stars & Stripes


Max Schmidhauser - The Lone Stars & Stripes


Reilly Tran - FiliBUSTERS


Thomas Kallarakal - FiliBUSTERS


Nicholas Mueller - Secret Servers


Emnet Simunyola - Secret Servers


Daniela Latoni - Pirates of the Caribbean


Alexandro Rivera - Pirates of the Caribbean
 

Thomas Kallarakal of the FiliBUSTERS and Max Schmidhauser of the Lone Stars and Stripes pose for a picture showing off their team and sportsmanship award medals.

 

The Lone Stars and Stripes - Austin Tennis Academy


Coach:  Lucie Schmidhauser
Max Schmidhauser          Ela Raczka
Pearce Strickland          Sarah Darbar
Jackson Foreman          Tyler Anson

Gabriella Cusano          Kristin Kerrigan