USTA Georgia welcomes home our National Champions!

Peach State Poachers - Don't Ever Give Up
The Peach State Poachers, coming from Alpharetta, Georgia and representing the USTA Southern Section 14 and under Intermediate division, had a tough start to the season.  It was by chance that they put together their USTA Jr. Team Tennis team for this season.  Not expecting to accomplish much more than good tennis and good times, Team Peach State Poachers didn't even make it to their city finals, losing a play-off match to another team who eventually went on to win.  Despite losing, they were fortunate enough to be invited to play the their District Championships in Macon, Georgia.  To their total amazement, they would win their District Championship, then go on to win their Sectional Championship earning a spot in this weekends National Championship event.  Coach Jill Connor stated, "we are totally overwhelmed by how far we have come.  We are just a team from a sub-division called Glen Abbey in Alpharetta, Georgia, put together by chance."

All but 4 members of our 13-member team live on the sub-division.  The four that don’t live in Glen Abbey are good friends with kids from Glen Abbey, Georgia and came on the team to play tennis with their friends.  Adding to their dramatic season, one of their players, Andrew Carlton, broke his collarbone the day after the District Championships playing street hockey and was forbidden by his doctor to play tennis for six weeks, which meant that he was not supposed to play at the Sectional Championships.  Coach Connor stated, "he couldn’t bear to just sit and watch that tournament and begged to be allowed to play.  He wanted to play singles, but we compromised and he played a mixed doubles match and boys’ doubles match for us.   He won a total of 14 points for us during that tournament.  This was an awesome achievement considering his injury.  I’m pleased to report he is now fully recovered!"