European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 11, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse Lamar Smith an All european military Champ played German club team Tennis last season. Glen Andersen helped his Russel Shell Germany club move up to a better league. Sten Carlson one of the twin towers his club team to a championship. That led european Tennis clubs great places to develop camaraderie and Competition by Ron Mckinney staff writer there s More to the German Tennis club scene than hoisting a few Quot we Zens Quot while watching Boris Becker and Stolfi Graf on the tube in the clubhouse. There s German Michael Stich to watch too whether it s the convivial Post match atmosphere or the competitiveness of the matches americans living in Europe Are slowly gravitating to the clubs Mitch Manns a Soldier from Grafe Wohr Germany joined a club last year and lit right in a even it he did lose two of three matches As the team s no 2 player. Quot it s More of a social event than matches Back in the states Manns said the americans note that the get mans consider it very important to develop team camaraderie by drinking and eating together after matches and training sessions for some that s reason enough to join a club when Pete Bradley began playing for the Tennis club Ost Hofen in Worms in 1982, it was More to integrate into the German Way of life than to Chalk up the victories on sunday afternoons. He and h s doubles partner Berndt Gruber became close friends Quot it was always a real Joy playing with this Guy. I miss the solid Friendship we developed Quot said Bradley who left Worms in 1988. Bradley said that when he joined the team not everyone welcomed him with open arms. Quot there was some resentment to an american coming to a club. But the club players said a hey if he can play Tennis Fine Quot he said then Bradley became club Champion in 1982-83 and 1985. Quot i was readily accepted after they saw me play Tennis. I was like part of a family Quot said Bradley a retired army colonel who now works for a dept of defense contractor. Axel Reinhardt Captain of the to Russel sheim club team also in Germany said he never thought about having an american player until Glen Andersen showed a amps photos by Dave Casey up in 1988. Since then a Parade of american soldiers have marched into the club including former army european champions George Tate Scott Poirier Stacy Gilbert and this coming year Erin Majury Quot it s something special to have an american Quot Reinhardt said. Quot it was very different but also very Nice and i think it was also Good for the americans to play at a after three straight undefeated seasons to Ober Ramstadt is close to moving up to the German Verban Sliga but without an american to Lead the team. Since 1989, the team has had a Darmstadt Soldier As their no. 1 player a first Clint Osborne and later Sten Carlson. But now with both americans out of the army and Back in the states team Captain Wolfgang Schweke will have to contend without the twin towers As Osborne and Carlson were known. Although the team does t receive prize Money for winning its division. Schweke said it draws better Tennis players to the club and makes the Competition More fun Quot it has nothing to do with Money. Schweke said technically the american players add a new dimension to the germans games Schweke said. A the americans play different Tennis Schweke said. It s Good experience to see that and play with them. They often serve and Volley so they Are really Good training because we prefer to play Normal Sand Tennis More than anything Schweke said the twin towers fit Ober Ramstadt like the Eiffel Tower does Paris they travelled together with the team often twice driving to Yugoslavia to spend a week at a Tennis Camp Osborne was instrumental in getting his Darmstadt Engineer unit to level land at the City owned club As part of a Community assistance project so two More Clay courts could be built. The twin towers left behind More than a void on the Ober Ramstadt Tennis team. Osborne and Carlson left behind close friends. Yet to Many Friendship takes a Back Seal to winning. The main driving Force to luring Good american Tennis players to the German clubs is to win division championships and climb to higher leagues for the clubs it is a sense of Pride to play in a higher league. Americans Tate Poirier and Andersen helped to Russel sheim s menus team climb from the Bezer Sliga a to the Verban Sliga. In american circles that could be compared to climbing from a City Competition through county to state. Quot that was very important Quot said Reinhardt of his team championships. A Quot it s the most competitive Tennis i be Ever played Quot Andersen said. Quot they done to have a College program Here so winning at the clubs is very on Clay with the germans has helped Andersen come into his own As a Tennis player he said. Andersen had to learn How to contend with the drop shot used effectively by the germans on Clay. Quot i started utilizing it myself Quot he said. Teams generally play a six match season each Spring with each match consisting of six singles and three doubles matches. Each team is restricted to two foreign players. The team with the Best record advances to the higher class the next year the team with the worst record drops a level. The leagues Are from Bottom to top Kre Sliga cd a Bezer Sliga a a Gruppen Liga Verban Sliga Ober Liga regional Liga and the Bunde Sliga. Some of the top Tennis players in the world including Stich this year s Wimbledon Champion Are paid up to 200,000 Marks $136,000 to play in the Bunde Sliga. However Many players a even in the Kre Sliga a receive benefits that Range from free club memberships to racquets and other accessories. Players begin receiving Money generally in the Verban Sliga where they can get paid about 250 Marks $150 a match. Tate for example was flown Back from the states this year to play five matches for to Russel sheim. As zealous As the germans Are about winning both Schweke and Reinhardt say americans Are known for their tenacity on the Tennis court. Levander Kelley a sergeant first class previously stationed at Bamberg still groans about his two losses in eight matches last year. In his three previous seasons at mtg Tennis club Kelley had not lost and his now blemished record caused him some grief. Quot they take it More serious Quot Kelley said of the germans. Quot they work at the game from every aspect the physical and the mental understanding of How you play the game. They learn How to play under pressure a most americans could t define that if they had to. Kelley this year s army european Junior Veteran Champ said the slow red Clay surface makes it a Quot thinking Man s Quot you have to have a variety of shots a variety of patterns to win on Clay Quot Kelley said. And winning is really what it s All about on the German dub circuit. Until Andersen began winning for to Russel sheim he did t really feel that comfortable around his new German friends. Then came the season opener and Andersen showed he could win. And at his club winning is As Good As buying a round of a military police woman who takes no prisoners a on the court by Ron Mckinney staff writer two time armed forces Tennis Champ Erin Majury is known around the courts As the ice Maiden. That distinctive title stems less from her coolness under fire than her stoic Demeanour As she impassively dismisses her opponents with an Arsenal of ground strokes Majury accepts the Moniker with a shrug and a hardening of her Hazel eyes she had deliberately refined her on court composure while growing up watching cons Evert on television. Sometimes it bothers other players to play against someone who shows no emotion. I would find it irritating Majury said. That does t mean the ice Maiden is willing to change her on court Demeanour. After taking up Tennis at 14, Majury developed this game face to maintain her composure in the heat of Battle As she eventually played no. 1 at the University of Washington graduating with a degree in history in 1987. Not that Maury is used to the heat being on her usually it s Majury turning on the Torch from the Baseline and keeping things Cool with her tee Maiden approach. Majury has every bit the look of a serious player the Ponytail the concentrated countenance and a potent two handed backhand. The game of Tennis is not necessarily a social event for the 26-year-old military policewoman assigned to the 527th military police co at Camp Pieri in Wiesbaden Germany it is a passion. Hammering ground strokes from the Baseline is Majury s idea of removing herself from life a problems Quot in be been playing so Long that if i done to play i get depressed and frustrated Quot she said. Majury from Mercer Island wash., modestly goes about her Tennis training regiments with a Blue Collar attitude. She spends As much of her free time As she can on a Tennis Majury a specialist in the army has won the last two armed forces titles without losing a set. Erin Majury is used to being the Best on the courts in College and in the military. Court camped behind the Baseline while trading ground strokes with anyone who will accept the Challenge and with her Power that Means she hits with the tug boys Quot it really surprised me the first time i hit with tier How hard she hits the said Glen Andersen who placed second this year in the men s army european championships Junior Veteran division. Quot she works you my the army specialist did not just win at the v corps army european All army and armed forces championships this year. She crushed her opponents with the same gusto that she crushes weak approach shots and without a hint of a smile. Not that Majury is an unpleasant person to the contrary she always has Tennis buddies flocking around hot at the Tennis tournaments. And her Boyfriend who does t play Tennis usually is there cheering her on but even when among friends Majury does no to run her Mouth like she does opponents. Quot in be always been a pretty quiet person and i guess i m hard to get to know she said Monica Mendez would attest to that. In being is n in out h 0, 6-0 in the semifinals of the army european championships in july Mendez barely had the Chance to say Quot Nice shot1&Quot to Majury if not a Friend of Majury s. She s definitely an admirer. A she did l say much the whole match Quot Mendez said Quot she Steps on the court and takes care of business she total Tennis that a Why she a such an excellent player Mendez the Vii corps singles Champion said Majury brought out her Best Tennis. Quot unfortunately Hie score was not indicative of that Quot she said Quot eventually it came Down to where i would make an error i knew i ust was not on the same level she has tremendous concentration in winning the army european championships Majury gave up just two games in three matches she has t dropped a set in winning the armed forces Hie two years running in 1990 and 1991joyce Aguilar the airman Majury laced in the me service finals this september managed just three games >1 >-2 but to listen to Majury it was a Tough match i was pushed with that one girl Aguila she said i could i try a lot of the stuff i could normally try with others Don t expect Majury to bask in the glory of being an armed forces Champion no with another hour of Pra it Hei set aside for tomorrow i m never emotional Aboul it winning Majury said i Don t really think the moment lasts that Long but i d Lathi f have a few moments of relishing the Victory rail i hmm thinking about it Day after Day thai s enough or me Page 14 b the stars and stripes wednesday. 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