Tennis players serve up smiles in D.C.

Ten members of Pepperdine University's 2006 NCAA Division I national championship-winning tennis team spent Father's Day afternoon conducting a tennis skills clinic for approximately 20 youths in southeast Washington, D.C.

The clinic coincided with a June 18 White House ceremony with President Bush in honor of recent NCAA champions.

Hosted in association with the Southeast Tennis and Learning Center (STLC), the two-hour clinic at the STLC facilities included intense doubles and singles drills led by Pepperdine head coach Adam Steinberg. Pepperdine players led drills and instructed the clinic students, ranging from age 7 to 17.

"Today, I want you all to get a taste of what it's like to be in coach's practice," Steinberg told the group of students before heading to the courts. "I want you to sweat and work like we do in a college practice. This is all about teamwork."

In addition to the Pepperdine players, participating students shared the experience with tennis officials from hosting groups, STLC, Washington Tennis Association (WTA) and the United States Tennis Association (USTA), who expressed delight at the opportunity to receive coaching from the top collegiate team of 2006.

"This is a red-letter day for Washington, D.C., and STLC," said Rose Hobson, president of the USTA midAtlantic section.

"To have an opportunity to share the game of tennis with Pepperdine's 2006 NCAA championship team is an honor."

Said Washington Tennis Association president Maurice Patterson: "You just never know how this visit will impact these students years from now."

To kick off the tennis clinic, the United States Tennis Association, through the WTA, sponsored a lunchtime cookout for the Pepperdine team and clinic participants.

The day ended with a questionandanswer session between clinic participants, their parents, the Pepperdine team and Steinberg.

Steinberg encouraged the clinic participants to practice hard and study hard; he attributed the success of all athletes, particularly the 2006 team members, to diligence and teamwork.

"Winning the national championship was both an honor and a responsibility," Steinberg said. "We are grateful that our team had a chance to inspire and help a young generation of athletes and citizens to pursue their own dreams on and off the court."