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On The Ball: News from USTA EasternPage 6Longtime League CoordinatorKathy Miller Retiresdevelop because of the Leagues.”In fact, it’s what drew Kathy to the rolein the first place.“Some of my closest friends are friendsthat I made playing tennis 30 years agoin USTA Leagues,” she notes.captains have always been receptiveand appreciative. And I’ve also enjoyedwitnessing the camaraderie, likewatching a team win regionals toadvance to sectionals and seeing all theKathy continued to emphasizefriendships and bonds as the programbecame more competitive and grewexponentially in the ensuing years.Today, an astounding 4,000 playersAfter more than 35 years leading USTA participate in USTA Leagues on LongLeagues on Long Island, Adult League Island and, up until announcing herCoordinator Kathy Miller stepped down retirement, Kathy managed all aspectsfrom her position in April to enjoyof the operation (scheduling court timeretirement.for all the divisions, communicatingrule changes, handling disputes, etc.)Throughout her tenure in the role,completely by herself, just as she hadexcitement from that. I’ve lovedKathy single-handedly managedwhen she first started. Looking back on running the leagues. And I love all themultiple moving parts and shepherded her time with USTA Eastern, she’s most people that I’ve met along the way.”the program through many iterationsproud that she helped foster anover decades. She is unquestionably the environment for that growth to occur.Volunteer with Usface of the USTA Leagues operation inthe region.“And just keeping everybody andWe want your help! In 2022, USTAeverything in order,” she adds with aEastern is planning to offer moreKathy had just begun working forlaugh.volunteer opportunities throughout theCarefree Racquet Club in North Merrickwhen the USTA LI board approachedIn addition to managing USTA Leagues section. Interested in supporting us atevents and with other initiatives? Pleaseher about handling League logistics for in the region, Kathy also continuedcomplete our brief volunteer surveythe area as an extracurricular activity of working at Carefree, where she servesif you haven’t already so that you cansorts. Back then, the gig was anas the facility’s general manager.independent contractor position andBetween these two roles, she proved to receive our volunteer newsletter.the program itself was “called thebe an invaluable asset to the LongMichelob League,” Kathy says with aIsland tennis ecosystem over the years. USTA Eastern’s Juniorlaugh. It was 1986 and only five yearsFor all her efforts to support the sportremoved from the program’s debut,locally, she was named Eastern’s Tennis Newsletterwith around 500 players competingWoman of the Year in 2014.under Kathy’s purview.Upcoming junior tournamentOf course, for Kathy, the biggest honor information, results and need-to-know“It was much smaller and much morehas been to work in service of a gamelocal tennis news sent right to yoursocial back then,” Kathy recalls. “It was she loves, with people she enjoys—and inbox! Click here to sign up for ournice to watch people meeting each other who enjoy her just as much. It’smonthly competitive newsletter![through tennis]. I’d be working atbuilding these kinds of relationshipsCarefree, so I’d see people come in tothat Kathy will miss the most as sheplay League matches. After theyembarks on her next adventure.finished playing each other [officiallyfor Leagues], they’d come back to the“I’ll miss meeting people,” she says.lobby, and they’d start making plans to “I’ve met wonderful people. I’veget together and play again [socially]. I enjoyed getting to know the otherreally enjoyed watching the friendships Eastern coordinators. The Long Island

On The Ball: News from USTA EasternPage 7Applying Tennis Skills to HisMedical TrainingWhile it’s notuncommon fordoctors and othermedicalprofessionals toplay tennis, it isunusual formedicalstudents—with aton of schoolwork, studying, exams,rounds, etc.—to play at a high level.Great Neck’s Paul Abrudescu hasmanaged to accomplish it. He also hasused tennis as a guide in his medicalcareer: his early experiences withanxiety and tournament-induced stresshelped inform his decision to specializein psychiatry.Paul began playing tennis as a childwhen his father took him to EisenhowerPark, rented rackets and tried to volley.It didn’t go well, Paul says. But, he sayshe wanted to keep at it and his parentssigned him up for lessons. “After thefirst few sessions, my coachrecommended more intense training.Several months later I (was) competingin tournaments.”Paul says he played his first tournamentat age 10 and did not fare well. “I wouldget extremely nervous before matchesdue to performance anxiety, and Isuffered from panic attacks. Whilereading about performance-relatedanxiety, I learned about the differencesbetween eustress and distress; oftenthere is a fine line that separates them,and it is critically important to realizewhen stress is conducive to success andwhen it becomes detrimental.“Eventually I found that fine balanceand began performing well. I went fromcompeting in local tournaments toregional events then to state-level and,ultimately, national tournaments.” Paulsays that as a junior, he reachedrankings as high as #1 on Long Island,top 20 in Eastern and top 200 in theU.S. He is proud to have received aUSTA Long Island Region JuniorAward for his tennis play in 2008.choice, psychiatry. Since then he hascompeted in four states and reachedPaul says he was recruited to play D1Men’s Open rankings as high as #1 incollege tennis but instead stoppedLong Island, #1 in Eastern and #8playing to focus on school. After college, nationally. In May, Paul won the USTAhe took time off to study for the medical New York Sportime Hempstead Lakeschool entrance exam and took upRed Clay Kickoff Challenger Men’stennis again. “I felt euphoria being onOpen championships.the tennis court again, competing sointensely.” He was training with the“Having a background of being amen’s team at his undergrad collegecompetitive tennis player helpedand decided to join team memberstremendously during my . medicalplaying in ITF and USTA Men’s Opentraining. On my journey to becoming atournaments.physician, I realized that my experienceplaying many years of performance“Waiting to see if I got accepted totennis gave me skills and traits that Imedical school was one of the mosthave been able to apply to the medicalstressful times of my life,” Paul says.field. Since coaching during a match is“Playing tennis was unbelievablynot permitted, I had to develop my owntherapeutic for me and offered me anpersonal strengths, includingescape from that constant, anxietymotivation, strong work ethic, ability toprovoking stress I had regardingstay calm under pressure whilemedical school. It was almost as if Imaintaining my focus, to developtemporarily entered a different worldproblem solving skills, resilience,where I forgot about all thoseperseverance and humility. While Idistressing emotions.”initially applied these traits to athletics,I carried them over to life, and now findHe was accepted to St. George’smyself applying them to almostUniversity School of Medicine ineverything I do, and especially to caringGrenada and again took a break fromfor patients.”tennis. During the third year of medschool, he says he was able to playIronically, Paul’s medical schooltennis a few times. “While in medicalgraduation in May took place at theschool, having even a few hours toBJK National Tennis Center — perhapsyourself is rare and when thata sign of his continuing success in bothhappened, I would eat, shower or try to medicine and his favorite sport.sleep. It was more work than I everimagined but looking back, my years asa performance tennis player preparedme to deal with the workload very well.After passing all my major exams andapplying to residency this past year, Itook up playing tennis again.”As a 4th year medical student, Paulbegan training again to playcompetitive tennis and played in hisfirst Men’s Open event a few weeksafter applying to residency. Both tennisand career went well. He says hereached the tournament final and gotthe news that he would begin hismedical residency in his specialty of

IN THENEWS .The USTA Long Island RegionalCouncil and the Long Island JuniorCouncil were thrilled to participate inthe 15th Robbie’s Run in Merrick,which returned after a two-year hiatusCongratulations toAnnabelle (right),winner of the L3National 14s atJunior Team Tennis League (above)held its team championships in April.Robbie Wagner’s Four teams from Eastern Athletic ClubCongrats to AllieBlue Point and SCJTL CompetitionRajpal (left),Squad competed. Winners were: 1stchampion at thePlace- Comp Squad - Joe Team (Ray,USTA Junior CircuitLeah, Hana, Katie & Ashley), 2nd PlaceGreen Ball- Comp Squad - Jimmy Team (Eric,tournament at Robbie Wagner’s Bella, Tori, Abby & Gabby), 3rd PlaceDeer Park Indoor (below) recentlyTie- EAC Teams Blue and Red held a successful mixed doublestournament. Winners were: 1) Debbie Arthur Ashe Kids' Day powered by NetGeneration is back for the 2022 US& Mark, 2)Steven & Jen Open Fan Week and USTA volunteersand 3) Jim & are key to making the day a success.Interested inMaggie helping?Congrats toCompleteBlake Changthis form(right),forwinner of thevolunteersconsolationby Junematch at the19 USTA National Level 3 Girls’ 12s atGlen Cove The Suffolk CountyUSTA Eastern Long IslandLike us on Facebook:Play Tennis Long IslandFollow us on Twitter: USTA LITo subscribe to On the Ball: News fromLI, please send your email address to:ustaonlongisland@gmail.comVisit us at: www.usta.com/longislandregiondue to COVID. Long Island volunteersenjoyed teaching Net Generationtennis to children who were attendingthe 5k run and community festivalwith their families. The event raisesmoney to place defibrillators at youthsports facilities and for CPR trainingto save lives. The LI Junior Councilis coordinated by KerriAnn Janotte.Also helping at Robbie’s Run wereLI Council members DeniseSchmidt and Hilary Bressler USTA Eastern Long IslandRegional CouncilExecutive CommitteeJonathan Klee, Regional DirectorMichael Pavlides, Past Regional DirectorSunny Fishkind, Vice Regional DirectorRandi Wilkins, SecretaryNeil Thakur, USTA Eastern Manager of LongIsland Region Schools and Community Tennis(thakur@eastern.usta.com)We are committed to the promotion and growth of tennis, the "lifetime sport," forpeople of all ages and abilities to play and enjoy the game. Through the efforts ofvolunteers, USTA staff and strategic partners, we are dedicated to the higheststandards of integrity, honesty and ethics in developing tennis programs in localcommunities throughout Long Island. Our mission will be served by having ouryouth, our adults and corporate partners enjoy the "sport for a lifetime."On The Ball: News From LI is published quarterly by the USTA Eastern LongIsland Region. Written and produced by Jacki Binder. Edited by Michael Pavlides.Founded by Daniel Burgess.

Long Beach Gets Upgraded Court Hall of Fame basketball player Nancy Lieberman . USTA Long Island High School Rep. "Boys' high school tennis (as well as all spring sports) lost their 2020 . Leagues on Long Island, Adult League Coordinator Kathy Miller stepped down from her position in April to enjoy