FAC Tennis Network Interview with Julie McClendon

1. Where did you grow up? I grew up in Conway, Arkansas
2. If not from NWA - what brought you here? I came to the University of Arkansas, then went back to Conway to get my Master's degree, Married Lewis and came back for Lewis's job with Tyson Foods. We've been here since 1999 and it's home now.
3. Marital status, spouse’s name and children's names? Married for 14 years to Lewis McClendon & have 2 children, Anna Scott is 10 & Drue is 8.
4. How did you and Lewis meet? I've known him since his family moved to Conway when we were in the 5th grade! We went on our first date when we were 17, then dated off & on through high school & college.
5. Other than tennis what do you do for recreation, relaxation, hobbies: We have a boat and a canoe so we spend a lot time on the water in the spring & summer. I also love yard work and cooking.
6. Do you have a favorite cook book, celebrity cook or recipe? My favorite cookbook, B's Kitchen, was put together by the Nabholz family in Conway. It's a collection of their favorite family recipes. It's fantastic. My own favorite dish to make is homemade chicken and dumplings. When I was little, it was my favorite dish that my grandmother made. Now, I make it in the same old pan that she did & my own family loves it. I don't really follow celebrity chefs, I just love reading recipes & trying new ones!
7. What do you like most about your current job? What do you dislike? I am a speech language pathologist with Springdale Public Schools. It is the best job in the world and there really isn't anything that I do not like about it. It's perfect for me-I LOVE to talk:)
8. What motivated you to pursue being a Speech Language Pathologist? My paternal grandmother had a stroke when I was in Jr High & had speech therapy. That was the first time I had even heard of the profession.
9. What is your current NRTP ranking? 3.0
10. How many years have you been playing tennis? Consistently for 4 years
11. What prompted you to play tennis regularly? I was trying to become more active and fit. I was looking for a form of exercise that I really enjoyed doing. I never enjoyed running or walking on a treadmill.
12. What is your favorite thing/enjoyment about playing tennis? I love the exercise, meeting new people, making friends & challenging myself to be a better player.
13. What is your own favorite tennis shot/worst? My backhand has been suffering lately. I love any down the line winner, makes me so happy!
14. Is there any life lessons learned by playing tennis? I think tennis reiterates many life lessons such as treating others as you would like to be treated (on the court). Also, perseverance and never giving up no matter how far behind you may be.
15. What is your most memorable tennis accomplishment so far? Gwendy[Lefforge]and I won the 3.0 division at the Fayetteville City Tournament at FAC this summer. That was huge for me because I had been bumped up from 2.5 to 3.0 in December and really struggled during my first 3.0 team tennis season. That win really gave me confidence that I could really compete at the 3.0 level.
16. Do you have a particular pet peeve that tennis opponents do that bother you? I really don't like it when people question a line call because I always try my best to be very fair and honest when making calls.
17. Do you learn more from your wins or losses and why? I learn much more from my losses because I tend to analyze what I did wrong, I break down 'game film' in my head about the match afterwards. If I win, I just tend to celebrate & move on!
18. You and Lewis play well together in mixed doubles and you’ve been a captain of a 6.0 mixed team – any advice on what not to do as a husband / wife mixed tennis team while on the court so the marriage stays healthy? I have really enjoyed playing tennis with Lewis. It has been a very positive experience for us. My advice would be to to treat your spouse on the court just as you would other doubles partners (respectfully & encouraging) and not to be critical of their play. I don't always follow my own advice though!
19. What is your favorite NWA restaurant and why? Bonefish Grill in Rogers. I love seafood & their food is fabulous.
20. What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you? I was very quiet & painfully shy as a child!
21. When I was 10, I wanted to be…an elementary school teacher.
22. Books I would suggest to a friend: The Help is one of the best books I've ever read. I love anything based in the south with rich characters.
23. Favorite movies: I don't get to see many movies....my old favorites would be the Vacation & Christmas Vacation movies. I love a movie that I still can quote after 20 years.
="font-weight:bold;">24. The guests at my fantasy dinner party would be: Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Princess Diana, my grandparents & great-grandparents
25. Where do I spend most of my disposable income: on my kids!!!
26. I ‘ve been fortunate to: have wonderful parents
27. One word to sum me up: Happy

FAC Tennis Network interview with Bob Shoulders

Bob Shoulders and his wife Katherine owned and operated FAC for nearly 15 years and have seen it’s start in 1995 and it’s growth from a small start-up one building athletic club surrounded by cow pastures in the far NE corner of Fayetteville in 1995 to a premiere athletic club with now 7,500 members. FAC Tennis Network interviewed Bob to gain insight and appreciation into the start of FAC and FAC Tennis. The top right 2004 photo was taken when the bubble was erected for the first time. Fayetteville FD wanted to inspect the bubble because it was the first air suspended building covering 6 tennis courts they had ever seen. [Please note in the interview where ‘narrative’ is placed -indicating the preceding answer by Bob is not a direct quote but a narrative of our conversation.]

1. Where did you grow up? St. Louis, MO generally… but more specifically the ball fields in my neighborhood.
2. If not from NWA - what brought you here? I moved here in the mid 80’s from KC MO to work at the precursor of Arvest Asset Management; back then we were Walton Bank, Investment Management Group.
3. Marital status, spouse’s name and children's names? Katherine is my beautiful wife, Nick is a senior at the U of A and Patrick is a sophomore at the U of O (ask Taylor[Dodds] what that stands for).
4. What do you do for a living now? I am heading up a new division for a company out of Charlotte that specializes in health club communication and member retention.
5. You’ve played in some FAC tennis tournaments over last few years– do you still play now? A torn rotator cuff and torn labrum in my right shoulder don’t allow for tennis, throwing to deep wheel routes, or middle relief.
6. What do you like and dislike about tennis? I love the sense of community it creates. I disliked Reuben [Ruben Reina, FAC Trainer and frequent tennis tournament partner of Bob’s] and I getting beat by Junior High kids at FAC tennis tournaments.
7. Speaking of young tennis players – you’ve seen a few promising young tennis players come through FAC Tennis: [Narrative vice quote here] Yes, my wife and I were recently thinking about a few; the Lundstrom kids, Kyle Henry, Robby Hotus who had never picked up a racket and now has a tennis scholarship – seeing those kids grow and develop in tennis is rewarding.
8. What else do you do for recreation, relaxation, hobbies: Until my shoulder surgery this summer, I was a decent golfer. I still stay fit with most other forms of exercise and try to keep up with my wife’s travel ideas and watching my sons become young men.
9. Have you played sports at the college level? Yes, I played football for two years until the aforementioned shoulder (ironic eh?) was damaged and then went across the street to the soccer team. William Jewell College outside of KC was a great place to go to school.
10. What has playing / competing in sports taught you about life? I was (and continue to be) slow, white and skinny. About 80% of my success in athletics was due to hard work and passion for the games I was playing. I admire pure talent but in the long run, I don’t think it gets you as far as hard work and perseverance.
11. What has been your most memorable athletic event / feat? Two of my three holes in one (or is it hole in ones?) dropped in the same years as my sons were born (‘89 and ‘91).
12. How did you start in the athletic club business? About the time Katherine and I got married, her family was building the Little Rock Athletic Club. They needed some help pre-selling memberships so I got started out in a trailer…down by the river.
13. When and how did the idea of a FAC begin? I lived in Fayetteville when Katherine and I met so when we got married and moved to Little Rock, we talked about how nice it would be to move back to NWA and raise our kids. Ken Wright had built and sold clubs in Russellville and Conway and when we saw him doing the same thing in Fayetteville in 1995, we jumped on raising the capital to take the project over.
14. Who is Ken Wright? [Narrative vice quote here] Ken was an investor/builder of convenience stores and who expanded into building athletic clubs – his first were in Russellville and Conway. Ken did the same here in Fayetteville, with what is now FAC. Ken was building FAC and was approached by two prospective buyers – Washington Regional and Katherine and I. Katherine and Bob was able to secure funding and had a buy/sell agreement with Ken a few months after FAC opened in the fall of 1995 and the Shoulders took over ownership and operations in 1996.
15. Starting anything of this size had its challenges – was there something that drove you to finish building FAC? We saw the growth opportunity in the region and knew there were not any large, multi-sport clubs to serve the area’s many new citizens. There was a burgeoning number of “small market dominators” such as LRAC, Red Larille’s, Genesis and other large health clubs in mid-sized towns so we really liked the business model and the potential. It was a lot of hard work but it was also very rewarding to positively affect people’s lives.
16. What challenges and opportunities did you see in investing in a tennis center? We knew we wanted to do build a “world class” tennis center and sought to incorporate design characteristics we saw at other clubs around the country. Food service, quality playing surface, spectator areas, tournament/event staging, year round programming and pro-shop became key elements for the facility. Not cutting corners was expensive but I think the FAC Tennis Center is exceptional. Keeping programs going all year is a challenge but the bubbles function quite well for winter play.
17. Was there any debate about the design, size, clay, hard, indoor, outdoor, # of courts, etc? We spent over a year working with architects, designers, engineers and construction people to incorporate the various elements into the site plan which was limited by the necessary additional parking spaces, landscaping, drainage, available acreage, etc. Ultimately, the six court configuration ended up fitting perfectly. From an expense standpoint, clay was never really an option so we opted for a “soft-hard court” or Plexipave cushioned surface poured over a post-tension slab. It’s as fine a playing surface as you will find anywhere and the Kinsey family that did the finish is a little known local treasure.
18. No doubt you evaluated the tennis environment in Fayetteville, NWA and the state before you built the center – what were your observations? There was definitely room for a quality offering. The youth/development market was underserved; leagues, professional instruction and team tennis have all been spurred on by FAC tennis. I love the progress FHS has made with their tennis program and watching kids that developed through the FAC junior programs is awesome.
19. Where there early family, community, government supporters in your dream of building a tennis center? From 1996 through 2004, I can’t tell you how many people told us they wanted tennis at FAC. When we finally built it, not all of them showed up but the program has grown nicely over the past seven years. Taylor [Dodds] and his staff have done a tremendous job and Rhonda’s [Baxter] commitment during her time at FAC was fantastic.
20. Was it originally called FAC? [Narrative] Yes. At the time Bob bought FAC, the total square feet was basically only 40,000 sq feet – which is the original main building without today’s pools, health and wellness (east side), child care building, and tennis center. The one original FAC building was basically the basketball court and child care which was in a little hall going to the left as you enter the main entrance. There were only 20 pieces of cardio equipment! You wouldn’t recognize it today. Though the original building was quite small compared to what FAC is today the original design features were advanced for fitness centers of the time allowing for ideally located add on buildings and features that allowed you to stand in anywhere in the main club and see 2 or 3 other activities going on at the same time. If you were at the Tennis Center you could see what is happening at the pool, if you were at the pool you could see the Child Care, etc. The original building plan worked out pretty well.
21. How large was the acreage? [Narrative] Originally it was 4 acres. We then bought 2 acres in 1998 and then we bought another 2 acres later. We ended up with about 9.5 acres.
22. Did FAC’s location (back in 1995), which was out in the country surrounded by cow pastures, in the far northeast corner of Fayetteville ever concern you? [Narrative] Some of the bankers were concerned and asked questions about its proximity to the Jones Center who didn’t charge for using their fitness equipment. One realtor said this wouldn’t work – you need to be closer to the Bypass. There were some original concerns at the time with so few homes in the area, but it all worked out.
23. Looking back, do you still consider it a good location? [Narrative] I think it all worked out well. The location worked out well because it is on the Fayetteville / Springdale border. Most of Fayetteville can get to FAC now quite easily.
24. When did the Tennis Center open up? It was November of 2004 – near Thanksgiving.
25. When did you put up the Bubble? [Narrative] We were unable to put up the first bubble in that first November because of post 9/11 shipping / import regulations and security checks and slowdowns. The bubble was fabricated in Italy, got hung up in shipping/security delays and changes and instead of arriving on an east coast port it arrived later than expected in a west coast port. In the end , the bubble didn’t arrive and get erected until February 2004. As soon as the bubble was erected, it was taken down 1April. It was quite quite a learning curve getting that first bubble up.
26. Is the bubble specially designed? [Narrative] Yes the bubble design is very customized to be installed on the sides of the building and how those corners are set up so that the walls of the bubble go straight up. If you ever notice on the outside alleys of courts 1, 3, 4 and 6 – its pretty hard to hit the side of the wall even when you are on the far side of the doubles alley because of the design of the sides of the bubble go straight up instead of a bell shape and that is somehow has to do with those engineering of those corner enclaves that allow for the connected walls to go straight up.
27. I never knew those odd small corner cubby holes in the bubble are really there for a purpose – to hold the walls up almost vertically.
28. I have have always heard that the elevated gravel parking lot was to be the location of the permanent indoor tennis courts – is that true? [Narrative] No – no truth to that at all. Laugh. It was just about the only excess space we had or anything and since it was leveled off and we were stretched for parking space we got permission from the city to make it an employee parking lot.
29. I have heard the tennis court surface – Plexipave, is it special. Why? [Narrative] If you Google Plexipave or California Courts, which has about 10 different types of rubberized surfaces you can pour. We choose to have 4 layers of additional rubberized surface that is mixed with sand to give it some grit. Because of that it does play a little bit slower than a lot of hard courts but it also has a fair amount more cushioning for your knees than most hard court surfaces and poured on a post tension slab which is a huge advantage of not cracks.
30. Has there been much interaction / cooperation with UofA Tennis or Fayetteville HS Tennis Programs and FAC Tennis? [Narrative] There was time when the Razorbacks didn’t have their current Indoor/Outdoor Billingsley Tennis Center on the UofA campus and would have a number of their outdoor tournaments at the Walton Life Fitness Center and have their practices here at FAC. There were a couple of years where FHS played their tournaments at FAC and I believe some of the FHS players are using the FAC courts with Taylor Dodds early in the morning before school starts. We have always had a working relationship with both FHS tennis and swim teams as well as UofA Tennis. Of course UofA Tennis now has one of the finest indoor/outdoor tennis facilities probably anywhere.
31. Over the years, it seems like Little Rock tennis teams have won a disproportionate number of State Tennis Championships as compared to other areas of the state. What can NWA team do to better compete at the state championship level? I think it is just a matter of playing in higher level tournaments more frequently and getting “tourney tough”. NWA players have the talent, they just need to get the mileage.
32. What is your favorite NWA restaurant and why? Bordino’s. Joe Fennel.
33. What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you? I do a mean rendition of the” Star Spangled Banner” from my shower.
34. When I was 10, I wanted to be…..Bob Gibson.
35. Books I would suggest to a friend: Blue Ocean Strategy, Just a Range Ball in a Box Full Of Titleists, anything written by David Halberstam
36. Favorite movies: The Big Lebowski, Pulp Fiction, Repo Man
37. The person I most admire is: My wife Katherine for putting up with me for 25 years
38. The guests at my fantasy dinner party would be: My grandparents. All four of them were very interesting and lovable characters.
39. I ‘ve been fortunate to: Have the opportunity to build a career in the health club industry. I cannot imagine doing anything else.
40. One word to sum me up: Bob

FAC Tennis Network Interview with Tom McCartan

1. Where did you grow up? Montrose, PA. In Northeastern PA.
2. If not from NWA - what brought you here? Walmart Stores, Inc. Technology - Project Development.
3. Where do you live? On the east side of Rogers, 1 mile from the lake.
4. Marital status, spouse’s name and children's names? Wife Judith (met her on the registration line when I was a freshman at SUNY - she loaned me a #2 pencil- and she made her move), son Thomas (35), son Michael (27), daughter Elizabeth (23).
5. Other than tennis what do you do for recreation, relaxation, hobbies: Portfolio management, research - stock picking. Biking. Travel.
6. What do you do for a living/profession? Retired IT project manager.
7. What led you to get you into that profession? I started work at the Exxon Byway NJ Refinery after finishing my MBA. I was tracking toward a finance job in short range economics, which in those days included a year of training in the systems group. After 6 months I told them that I was right where I wanted to be - and they let me stay. In 2 years I moved to Houston and managed systems support and development for the various affiliates, e.g., shipping, pipeline, insurance, Exxon Coal and Minerals and several others.
8. What is your current NRTP ranking? 4.0
9. How many years have you been playing tennis? 20+
10. What prompted you to play tennis regularly? Needing to get fit. That and the great programs and facilities here at FAC.
11. What is your favorite thing/enjoyment about playing tennis? The inner game of tennis. Sometimes I can find a way to win when it's a very close match. Sometimes ...
12. What is your own favorite tennis shot/worst? I like to hit the ball deep to my opponent's backhand and then follow it in for a volley finish. Worst? I prefer the cool/risky shot to the disciplined-high percentage shot. I make a lot of mistakes accordingly.
13. Is there any life lessons learned by playing tennis? You just never know what kind of game you're going to face on the other side of the net. Better figure it out fast. Focus helps.
14. What is your most memorable accomplishment playing tennis so far? Team from my subdivision won the Houston suburban tennis championship - a long time ago. I recruited the team and we were all friends when the season was over - which is a big part of how I measure success.
15. Do you have a particular pet peeve that tennis opponents do that bother you? I hate lobs. I really hate them.
16. Do you learn more from your wins or losses and why? I keep making the same mistakes over and over, so I'm not sure I'm learning from either.
17. What is your favorite NWA restaurant and why? Bonefish. Terrific shrimp, scallops and associated veggies.
18. What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you? I was once fit: I once rode my bike from Houston to Austin (150 miles). And I ran the Houston Tenneco Marathon in 4hrs and 57mins. (Several people had better times that year, but nobody had more fun).
19. When I was 10, I wanted to be… A pin setter at Carney's bowling alley. Pay was just .10 a game.
20. Favorite movies: The Natural 2001 Space Odyssey
21. The person I most admire is: Tie: Steve Jobs and Peter Lynch (Fidelity Magellan)
22. The last book I read was: Too Big to Fail
23. The guests at my fantasy dinner party would be: John Stewart Tina Fey McEnroe Arianna Huffington Debbie Wasserman-Schultz
24. I ‘ve been fortunate to..... live in the times and places I've lived - with an emphasis on the people.
25. One word to sum me up: Simple

FAC Tennis Network interview with Chris Cash, new FAC Tennis Pro

1.Where did you grow up? Pine Bluff, Arkansas.
2.From where are moving to NWA from? The Mile High City. Denver, Colorado.
3. Other than tennis what do you do for recreation, relaxation, hobbies? Recreation: playing guitar and singing - watch out Dickson Street! Relaxation: hitting on a ball machine, road trips, going to any lake or beach with friends and playing piano. Hobbies: guitar, songwriting, cheering/yelling at the Razorback and Denver Bronco football teams, flag football.
4. You’ve been teaching tennis since 2005 – what drew you to teaching tennis?
The opportunity to be outside and have some physical activity in a job. Working in tennis is a blast because, at the end of the day, it's always going to be a game. There's always a way to find enjoyment with any student. I've never had a problem taking myself too seriously and with tennis I get to have fun with the people I'm around. There's also a fantastic social scene within tennis.
5. What are some of the joys and challenges of teaching youth tennis? Joys: What they say. It might sound cliché, but I've heard some hilarious comments over the years. Another is how quickly they progress. Because they're learning basics they can pick it up very quickly if taught in the right environment. The last is how much fun they have. As long as you put up the energy they do and find a few games they will not be able to wait for each lesson.
Challenges: Keeping them involved the whole time. The new 10 and Under Tennis mentality blows the old one out of the water. Now our job as coaches is to keep the kids moving the entire time they're in the lesson and not have them waiting in lines. If a coach has 10 kids in a class you've really got to get creative for 45 minutes to an hour. The challenge is fun in itself sometimes. It keeps me on my toes and keeps my creativity up.
6. What are some of your goals in your role working with FAC Tennis youth? The first
is making sure that we establish a love for tennis at an early age. Because baseball, soccer and other sports have been around for so long they have an advantage on tennis. Now we've got some programming together and are ready to start competing against the sports traditionally aimed at children. I want it to be fun for them first and foremost. If the games are fun enough they'll want to come back. If they come back they'll keep learning better shots. If they learn better shots they'll fall into the game because they can see how they're progressing. Fun should be the foundation of youth tennis. The other is collecting a group of kids who absolutely love the game and have them compete throughout the state. If that fun foundation can be built after a year or two those kids will be ready to take on anyone, anywhere. This also builds a team mentality that so many people feel tennis lacks. A group of FAC kids is a team and teaching them sportsmanship, team support and encouragement are all part of that team experience.
7. What would you like to accomplish in your first six months on the job? Utilize the new 36' courts and build a strong program based around them. A tournament on those courts next spring and summer. Creating an after school program that shows how much fun tennis is. Doing a big social event that involves games that kids can play with their parents no matter their skill level. Making an FAC youth team that wants to compete in the spring and summer of 2012. Get a CDL [Commercial Drivers License to drive a bus] and with the kid's help create the most awesome tennis bus on the face of the planet.
8. What does it take to be a very good youth tennis pro? Energy. If you're not excited, why should they be? Patience. Kids progress at different rates and if a pro can't find a way to incorporate varying skill levels in lessons then some students aren't going to enjoy tennis. Communication. Parent's like to know what's going on with their kids but also need to know when they're getting too involved. Willingness to learn new things is a big one some pros forget about. There are new drills coming out all of the time. Learning new drills, new methods and new techniques allows the coach to make a game plan for each student.
9. Which are harder to teach – youth or adults? Adults. Most adults take tennis too
seriously. That's not necessarily a bad thing but it sometimes interferes with the reason we play the game in the first place. Kids, especially 10 and under, are still forming opinions and their view of the world. If they're playing a game and smiling they don't think twice and just have a good time. At the end of the day I love teaching both. There's definitely a competitive mentality I can be empathetic with in adults.
10. What is your current NRTP ranking? 4.5. Teaching has become much more of a passion than playing so I don't compete as much as I used to. I've always had a basketball point guard's point of view: I'd much rather see someone else scoring points than myself. Hence, the love of coaching.
11. How many years have you been playing tennis? I was a late bloomer and got serious about it when I was 16. This year marks the 10th year anniversary of tennis for me.
12. What prompted you to play tennis regularly? The Pine Bluff High School Zebras getting our tails kicked when I was 16. I hated losing so decided to go all-in with it the summer before my junior year and played five days a week until I got to college. We won district my senior year so it was good to see the work pay off. The summer after graduating gave me a lot of opportunities to travel around and compete as well. That made me train more because my parent's gave me permission to travel by myself and have some independence.
13. What is your favorite thing/enjoyment about playing tennis? The ability to play it for a lifetime. I played doubles with a 75+ years group and they could still compete! Being able to do something you love for that amount of time is outstanding. If I can make it to 75, I'll still be playing.
14. What is your own favorite tennis shot/worst? Drop shots are my favorite. It takes so much out of your opponent when they lose a point to a drop shot. It's also a good way to build confidence in a match. When I get a drop shot with nice touch I load up with confidence and start playing more aggressive. The worst is my serve. I broke my arm in the same spot twice as a kid so I can't generate much power due to injury. Luckily, power is the least important factor of a serve.
15. Is there any life lessons learned by playing tennis? Yes. The three I find the most are commitment, team building and handling life's ups and downs. Commitment to your club, your doubles partner, your USTA League team and your love/enjoyment of the game. Team building is important, especially in doubles, because you have to work together to get a win. Sometimes you'll struggle but together can find ways to overcome. The final is learning how how handle life's ups (wins) and downs (losses). You need to experience both because life's never perfect. You have to learn from your mistakes and move on when you're low. You have to analyze what you did right and celebrate when your high.
16. What is your most memorable accomplishment playing tennis so far? Winning district my senior year with the Pine Bluff High School team. I lost my finals match but our doubles team stepped up and took down theirs. That was fun because the school had never won it. My best friend was on the 1 doubles team so that was a good way to go out because we had lettered all 3 years.
17. Do you have a particular pet peeve that tennis opponents do that bother you? "COME ON!" It makes me laugh now when someone hits a bad or good shot then screams that. I'll sometimes respond "Where are we going?" to get anyone who is watching to laugh.
18. Do you learn more from your wins or losses and why? Wins. I'm too hard on myself so really drill myself when I lose. In a win, I can go back and watch footage to see what was done right without emotions getting involved. In loses, I find too many things wrong. It's hard to make a game plan with so many things to fix. I fix a few things after a win and really concentrate on solidifying those.
19. What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you? Before getting back in to tennis I spent two years playing music and touring around the United States with three different bands. The last project played Rogue Pizza on Dickson street in February of 2011.
20. When I was 10, I wanted to be… The shortstop for the St. Louis Cardinals. I vividly remember telling my dad when I was 10 that, "I don't need to go to school. I'm going to be playing shortstop and should concentrating on practicing." Needless to say, I went to school that day.
21. Favorite movies: The Shawshank Redemption, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest,
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Anchorman and Toy Story 3.
22. The person I most admire is: My dad Walter. It took me a while to find my niche but he was supportive the whole time I was doing music. He's very focused, loyal and could make friends with a brick wall. As I get older I see more and more of me turning into him and I'm fine with that. I have to give my mother Terri some props too. She was a little more patient and together they let me find my way. I'm glad because I found it with a tennis racquet and get to move back to Arkansas.
23. The last book I read was: The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell. Economics has
always been one of my favorite subjects and this is the best economics book I've read.
24. The guests at my fantasy dinner party would be:
Andre Agassi, a Tennis legend.
John Paul Jones (bass player from Led Zeppelin)
Ozzie Smith (Hall of Fame Shortstop for the St. Louis Cardinals)
Lou Holtz, TV Analysis and renowned former Football coach.
Brad Pitt, actor.
Alicia Keys, songwriter/performer.
Betty White, actress.
Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple
Joe Namath, Hall of Fame Quarterback.
25. I‘ve been fortunate to……Land an amazing job with specialized 36' co in the state
where my lives and I love.
26.One word to sum me up…..Fun.

FAC Tennis Network interview with Ann Gallaher, FAC General Mgr

1. Where did you grow up? Ann: Born and raised in Springdale, AR Graduate of Springdale High School and University of Arkansas
2. If not from NWA - what brought you here? Ann: 8 generations of my family are from either Benton or Washington Counties.
3. Marital status, spouse’s name and children's names? Ann: Married 26 years to Marty Gallaher. Two children Bannon - 21 yo Jr. at University of Arkansas College of Education; Jessie 16 yo Jr at Har-Ber High School and Tennis Star!
4. What do you do for recreation/relaxation/hobbies? Ann: Anything outdoors (hiking, biking, camping, fishing, swimming, kayaking, canoeing, and playing with my 3 dogs, cat and rabbit)
5. Do you play tennis? Ann: Not very well, but love to watch my daughter. She has taken lessons from Taylor for 3 years.
6. If you were a FAC Member before taking the job as FAC General Manager, what attracted you to being a member? Ann: yes, I joined in 2009.
7. Generally what is your duties and responsibilities as FAC General Manager? Ann: Primarily budgets, capital improvement projects, and personnel matters.
8. What do you like most about your current job? Ann: the people are the best. I love to see their growth and development over time. What do you dislike? mean people
9. What is your favorite NWA restaurant and why? Ann: Greenhouse Grill everything is fresh and delicious!
10. If you could have dinner with a famous person - dead or alive - who would it be and why? Ann: Jesus Christ for obvious reasons
11. What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you? Ann: I drive a 10 year old Jeep with manual windows and locks
12. When I was 10, I wanted to be…Ann: a nurse
13. Favorite movie …. Ann: To Kill a Mocking Bird
14. The person I most admire is: Ann: my Mother and Grandmother because of the way they have overcome adversity in their lives
15. The last book I read was I can't remember. Ann: I don't have time for pleasure reading… ugh!
16. The guests at my fantasy dinner party would be … Ann: my entire family from generations past to present
17. I ‘ve been fortunate to live a..... "charmed" life.
(Format below is now narrative vice quotes by Ann as found above)
18. Who are the new owners of FAC? The owners are a conglomerate investor group who bought a bundle of notes and FAC was in that bundle.
19. How do you see the investors involvement in FAC? The investors have taken a supportive role rather than taking a direct involvement or hands on role in the management and operation of FAC. The investors are very supportive financially and are willing to give us the tools and resources to make FAC better. The investors have hired a 30 year veteran of fitness club management as a consultant who is directly involved with Ann and her management team. Club members can rest assured the club is in capable hands. The owners have already supported FAC with capital improvement money that will fund a number of large improvement projects throughout FAC. We just bought $750,000 new equipment that will replace almost all the workout equipment on the 2nd floor of the gym area. The Tennis Center is getting an entirely new roof to fix the leaking that has plagued the Tennis Center for years. Also the Tennis center will get new tiles / flooring. Ann wishes she had a way to expand the tennis center to provide more room but there is no room to expand with the current structure. The only option is to take over old Camille’s – which is not out of the question. Ann is currently working with a realtor to find the right tenant for Camille’s– but no takers yet. Ann realizes the need is to get the right ternate which will have the right menu options and similar hours as the tennis center. If a tenant cannot be found for the Camille’s area, one of many options is to make it FAC’s own special events catering kitchen. Ann realizes that her team has their work cut out for them since normal maintenance has been deferred for a number of years. Ann and her team has a number of big maintenance items scheduled and if the our members can be patient, Ann’s goal is to make the Tennis Center nice again. She doesn’t want to just get caught up on maintenance, she wants to get ahead of the maintenance cycle – and it will take time.
20. Tell us about your FAC Management Team: Ann’s management team consists of 8 members: William Prince who is Assistant GM (former football star at Mississippi State who Ann asks if all members can help teach him how to call the Hogs!). Monika Wiederkehr is Child Care Director, Stephanie Liles is Office Manager/hr Director, Mica Mitchell is Group Fitness Director, Virginia Kelsey is Personal Fitness Director, Taylor Dodds is Head Tennis Pro, Rob Clark is Maintenance Director and the Aquatics Director is open.
21. How should a tennis member submit a suggestion, compliant or recommendation to FAC Management? Ann said there are ‘comment cards’ which are probably the best, easiest and most effective way to forward a complaint, comment or suggestion to her. Ann reads all comment card personally and takes the comments seriously. Ann made a note to ensure these ‘comment cards’ are also placed in the tennis center.
22. Where does the Tennis Center fit into the whole FAC enterprise? The Tennis Center is a huge component of FAC, like a spoke in the wheel, each of FAC’s Centers makes up the whole. There is not one center more important than another. And Ann would like to ensure that the Tennis members, though the tennis center is remote in terms of distance from the club – Tennis is critical to success of FAC as a whole and she wants to make sure tennis members are happy.
23. What do you see as the issues and opportunities facing the Tennis Center? Ann said she is a ‘block and tackle’ girl – first taking on the fundamentals of the business which are the structures. Some fundamental type things which are primary for her are: repairing tennis center roof, tennis center flooring, putting up the bubble and ensuring minimum interruption of service to the members, etc – these are the type of operational concerns she knows they have to do properly. Ann mentioned the many other non structural items such as: when she walks out of the tennis center going toward the pool on a rainy day there is a large puddle of water because the side walk is too low – those are the types of things she see’s and wants to fix after the primary items are addressed.
24. What are the opportunities facing the Tennis Center? “Wow – when I think of the tennis center, I just think about the great people at the tennis center. I have never been over there when there wasn’t a real positive energy – what an upbeat group of members”. Tennis Center members have put up less than the best for so long without complaint - and that stupid broken couch. The things that the folks at the tennis center endure and put up with and haven’t even complained about. Those stupid tennis carts that the pro’s use which has only 3 wheels – can’t we do better than that old beat up couch and 3 wheel carts? Some current big opportunities for the tennis center: we have two new pro’s coming on board; Chris Cash who will be working with the Junior Tennis Development, Keith Heinz, another tennis pro, coming in from Tulsa in the middle of October. We have a huge opportunity developing our Junior Tennis Program so our kids have the same tennis skill development opportunities earlier as other have like in Ft. Smith, Bentonville, Little Rock, etc. We have to start kids in tennis at an earlier age so they are better positioned to develop a life long love of tennis, become better fit and for those youth who pursue tennis competitively – we want them able to compete for sports scholarships. FAC as a whole faces the same opportunity – to help get kids healthier at a younger age. We are hiring trainers now to develop these kind of programs for that age group, age 13 to 18, which often is being overlooked by fitness clubs. We have a number of initiatives being rolled out that will focus on getting that young age group more involved in fitness.
25. Taylor and Bobby just returned from a USPTA (US Professional Tennis Association) World Conference at Saddlebrook Resort in Tampa – was this a FAC management imitative? This was a mutual initiative by FAC, Taylor and Bobby. FAC paid for the whole trip and was part of FAC’s continuing education program required of our Pro’s by FAC. As we do with every training conference, we expect the participants to write a recap report which summarizes what they learned and what we can apply to FAC and the other centers. We will be using their written recap to help all our centers and learn from the best practices discussed at this conference.
26. Is there an ideal or ‘break even’ number of tennis memberships and is there a target court utilization %? I am sure there probably is, I don’t know if we ever had it, and I don’t know what it is right now. I know at some point, if we have too many members and if the courts become unavailable available to our tennis members – that would be a problem which we would have to address.
27. We asked out FAC Tennis Network Facebook members what questions they’d like to ask you during this interview:
28. There is no room to change in the Tennis Center or try on clothes: Not only is there not changing room but we don’t have lockers and Ann sees it is an inconvenience for tennis players to walk over to the gym to use the lockers. Again, the issue is the limited available space in the current tennis center building. Ann will continue taking any tennis member input on this an all issues and will continue trying to find solutions.
29. Why can’t FAC have court side tennis benches with shade: Ann has, instead of the simple court benches, she has bench cabana’s (like WLFC) earmarked for our capital improvements for 2012.
30. Early Morning Cardio for those that work: Ann welcomed the idea and recommendation and briefly asked about what would be an ideal time or number of days per week and asks that we continue this dialog about early morning cardio and determine possible days of the week, ideal times and who would be interested in participating.
31. Many Tennis Members question why they have to play a full FAC gym membership plus the tennis add-on fee when they never use the gym or pool. Why couldn’t there be a Tennis Only membership? Ann was very open to investigate this option. We discussed various challenges such as ‘how do you execute a tennis only membership without being a policeman’ without having gates, scanning devices at every entry; into tennis, from tennis to pool, from tennis to gym and adding personnel to enforce. ‘At the moment our current scanning system does not give us the option of separating gym only, gym and pool, tennis and gym, tennis and pool, tennis only, etc. Ann was eager to discuss this issue and was all ears in thinking through how it effects our members and any effective solution. Ann also doesn’t want to make it ‘laborious for members with multiple check in /scans for gym, then pool, then tennis and visa versa. Ann also saw the concern of those tennis players who year after year pay the FAC gym fee plus the tennis add on fee and never set foot in the main facility.
32. Shouldn't FAC have a Student Tennis Membership like other tennis clubs in the area?: Ann was eager to learn about this ‘student membership discount’ that other tennis clubs offered. We discussed the members FAC loses because of this student membership discount and that it would seem with our close proximity to UofA to be an attractive option for UofA students to become tennis/club members. Ann was curious how student memberships worked with other clubs; is it full time, part time, 1 course, local colleges and universities only, on-line, all colleges and universities, etc. She will investigate.

FAC Tennis Network Interview with Jackie Shearman

1. Where did you grow up? In a small seaside resort called Southport, 25 miles north of Liverpool, England.
2. If not from NWA: The Marine Corps brought my husband and us to NWA from Gainesville, Georgia- 10 years ago.
3. What is one thing that can be found in England and not found in the US – that you’d wish for? Good grocery stores.
4. Marital status, spouse’s name and children's names? Married to Steve. I have 2 boys, Matthew 25 and Michael 23 and a daughter, Jessica who is 10.
5. How did you and Steve meet? On a blind date. My brother and Steve worked together at a Military Academy in Georgia. I was visiting him one summer and he asked Steve to “take me out”. 7 months later, after only spending approximately 5 weeks in each other’s company we were married. It took a year for us to get our visas and we finally got to the US in December 1998.
6. Other than tennis what do you do for recreation, relaxation, hobbies: I don’t have much time left after my tennis commitments. I do love to read. I also watch too many dramas on TV. Not much into reality shows though.
7. What is your current NRTP ranking? 3.5
8. How many years have you been playing tennis? 3 1/2 years
9. What prompted you to play tennis regularly? We had just moved back to NWA after a 3 year Marine Corps assignment in New Orleans and Steve’s retirement from the Marines and I was determined to find a way to exercise that I would enjoy. I knew playing some kind of sport would be the answer so I went to look around FAC to see what I could do. The poor lady who showed me around must have wondered why I was joining FAC when I hated gyms, weights, exercise classes. In desperation, I’m sure, we went to the tennis center and spoke to a very pleasant lady called Rhonda (shout out!) who told me I would be very welcome at FAC tennis center and that they had programs for all levels of ability. I started with cardio tennis, which I still love and think it’s a great starting point for anybody wanting to take up tennis.
10. What is your favorite thing, enjoyment about playing tennis? I love the camaraderie. I have met some great friends playing tennis.
11. What is your own favorite tennis shot and worst? I’m told I have a good, topspin lob. I hate my backhand!!
12. What is your most memorable accomplishment playing tennis so far? Our FAC 2009 Women's 2.5 team going to Nationals in Indian Wells, CA, the first year I played.
13. Do you have a particular pet peeve that tennis opponents do that bother you? When someone tells how my shanked, down the line ball, which goes out, would have been a great shot! No it would not, it was shanked and went out of the court!! Or tell me “good serve” when they killed my serve for a winner – it wasn’t good – you killed it!
14. Do you learn more from your wins or losses and why? I learn more from my losses as I will try and analyze what I did wrong and what I could have done better.
15. What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you? While in England I was actively involved as a singer and actress in our local amature theather production company for over 15 years and participated in over 40 Broadway and Gilbert and Sullivan musicals (Annie, Oklahoma, etc) and was leading actress in The Mikado, Iolanthe, etc.
16. Favorite movies… Amadeus, Shawshank Redemption, Highlander to name just a few. Favorite band/musical artist: Not one, but a few.. Genesis, Stereophonics, Deacon Blue, George Michael . More current would be Keane, Coldplay, John Legend, Adele.
17. The person I most admire is: Kind of corny, but it would have to be my husband.
18. One word to sum me up: Outspoken!

FAC Tennis Network; Interview with Gwendy Lefforge

1. Where did you grow up? Georgetown, TX (Austin area)
2. If not from NWA - what brought you here? Jay's job - formerly with P&G.
3. Marital status, spouse’s name and children's names? Married to Jay Lefforge. 3 kids: Annie (12), Sam (10), Tillie (7)
4. How did you and Jay meet? We went to high school together but didn't start dating until I ran into him at a bar in Dallas after college.
5. Other than tennis what do you do for recreation,relaxation, hobbies: photography, drawing, reading, a little jogging with friends
6. What do you like most about your current job? What do you dislike? I do some copy editing for CitiScapes Magazine. I love being part of such a cool publication that really promotes our great part of the world. I get to work from home on a very flexible schedule. Can't think of anything NOT to like about that.
7. What is your current NRTP ranking? 2.5
8. How many years have you been playing tennis? Played all the time growing up and played in high school. We even had a court in our backyard. Took a 20-year break and have been playing again for about 2 years.
9. What prompted you to play tennis regularly? I used to love it so much so I thought I'd try it again. Most of you know that leads to permanent addiction!
10. What is your favorite thing/enjoyment about playing tennis? I love that it's social and I've met so many great friends. But I also really just love hitting a tennis ball.
11. What is your own favorite tennis shot/worst? Liking my forehand slice right now. Hate overheads.
12. Is there any life lessons learned by playing tennis? Don't be afraid to push yourself out of your comfort zone and try new things. Even at age 40 or beyond, go for it!
13. What is your most memorable accomplishment playing tennis so far? Winning 3.0 doubles tournament with Julie McClendon.
14. Do you have a particular pet peeve that tennis opponents do that bother you? Taking themselves too seriously.
15. Do you learn more from your wins or losses and why? I think I learn from both. I can usually look back and see where it went right or wrong either way.
16. Have you been to one of John Newcombe’s Tennis Camps and what did you like about it? Yes! Growing up in Texas, Newk's was a big deal. This summer my college roomate invited me to go down with her team from Dallas. That's where I learned my forehand slice! We had a great time and I loved getting to check off a bucket list item.
17. What is your favorite NWA restaurant and why? Savor. I just love the food!
18. What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you? Yikes... maybe that I have 3 tattoos.
19. When I was 10, I wanted to be… A TENNIS STAR! (for real)20. Favorite movies: Waiting for Guffman, Taladega Nights
21. The last book I read was…. Mr. Popper's Penguins (I try to read what my kids are reading every now and then.)
22. The guests at my fantasy dinner party would be…. , Will Ferrell, David Letterman, Bono, Stephen Colbert
23. I ‘ve been fortunate to…. marry a great guy, have 3 awesome kids, and end up in this fabulous part of the world. I love my life!
24. One word to sum me up: ecclectic
25. Where I spend most of my disposable income: tennis, of course
26. Motto: Make 'Em Wonder ;)
27. Favorite vacation spot: Disney World

FAC Tennis Network: Interview with Bobby Kirwan

1. Where did you grow up? I grew up in Dallas Texas but I spent most of my free time and weekends in Athens ( a small town in East Texas).
2. If not from NWA – what brought you here? I came to Fayetteville because of School. In high school we had a Bible teacher that ran track for the Hogs and he really sparked my interest in the University of Arkansas and the SEC.
3 .What is your wife’s name? My beautiful wife’s name is Mary Lauren Kirwan and we have a little dog child, Riley.
4. Other than tennis, what do you do for recreation, relaxation, hobbies? I love to watch and in many cases immerse myself in almost every sport. I love the Cowboys, Mavericks(CHAMPIONSHIP), Rangers, Stars, Tennis, and golf. I also love to hunt and especially bow hunt. I primarily hunt deer and hogs, but do a little duck hunting also.
5. What do you like most abut your current job and what do you dislike? I am currently the Assistant Tennis Pro at FAC and I love pretty much everything about my job. I love the interaction with the members, flexibility of hours, and being able to stay active. The one thing I can think of that I dislike is the heat.
6. What is your current NRTP ranking? 4.5
7. How many years have you been playing tennis? Probably around 18.
8. What prompted you to play tennis regularly? Well both of my parents and my grandparents played college tennis so I think it was inevitable that I started playing tennis.
9. What about tennis do you like? I like that tennis requires so many different athletic and mental skills. Balance, Speed, Strength, Endurance, hand eye coordination, and mental toughness are all so important to being a good player. I feel like it is pretty easy to transition from tennis to other sports but that it is much harder to become a football player and switch over to tennis.
10. What is your most memorable accomplishment playing tennis so far? My doubles partner and I won the TAPPS 6A State Championship in 2004 down in Texas. That was probably my highlight up to this point.
11. Do you have a particular pet peeve that tennis opponents do that bother you? I don’t really have one but I guess it bothers me if I feel like a team is stalling when they are down. Extra long changeovers or breaks in between sets sort of bug me.
12. Do you learn more from your wins or losses and why? Definitely losses. I always feel like I reflect more accurately over my losses than I do my wins.
13. What is your favorite NWA restaurant and why? I would say Theo’s just because they have the best mushroom soup in the area.
14. If you could have a dinner with a famous person – dead or alive, who would it be and why? I think I would want to meet Dirk Nowitzki. I know I am probably still riding the high of the Mavs championship but he has been my favorite Dallas Sports team player for years now. He has been in Dallas since he was drafted in 1998 and will be there until he retires. That is pretty rare in sports today.

FAC Tennis Network Interview with Ralph Henry

Where did you grow up? Larned, KS (on the prairie).
2. If not from NWA - what brought you here? I was hired as a faculty member by the University of Arkansas in the Biological Sciences Department. I moved from Florida where I was a researcher at the University of Florida. I love NWA, but I still miss being 45 min from the beach 
3. Marital status, spouse’s name and children's names? I am married to Christine Daugherty (since 1992) and have two kiddos, Kyle (16) and Aaron (14). One kicks my ^&*% in tennis and the other could do the same in soccer if I played.
4. Other than tennis what do you do for recreation, relaxation, hobbies? I go to tennis and soccer tournaments around the South Eastern U.S. to watch my kiddos play tennis and soccer. There is little time to do more so my relaxation and recreation is socializing with other parents who do the same.
5. What do you like most about your current job and what do you dislike? I love to work with researchers and technical people like myself and with students to create useful products and information from basic research. It is the main reason I started a company with my colleagues at UAMS and direct a research group at the U. of A. I dislike the pressure of competing for federal grant funds that support my university research and technical staff…If I fail to get research grants, technical staff who have worked for me for years will lose their jobs…in that sense my job at the university is much like running a small business.
6. What is your current NRTP ranking? Having gotten bumped up last Fall, I have a ranking of 3.5, but I often feel like I am trying to rise to that ranking with my real level of play.
7. How many years have you been playing tennis? 4yrs
8. What prompted you to play tennis regularly? I was too old to keep playing men’s softball and had quit playing an organized sport by my early 40s. Watching my son Kyle play tennis and seeing people of all ages at the tennis courts reminded me of how much fun it was to be active in a sport. That said, I am still looking forward to playing ‘regularly’…summer is about the only time when I can say that I play every week at least once.
9. What is your favorite thing/enjoyment about playing tennis? There is always a new skill to learn and a new skill level to achieve. I can have fun just serving by myself for an hour. Then there are the people that I play with or against, who are almost always enjoyable and interesting. What’s not to like.
10. What is your own favorite tennis shot/worst? My favorite shot is a heavy topspin forehand from the baseline that accelerates and elevates after it hits in the opponent’s court. But just because its a favorite does not mean I have found consistency with this shot. I hate trying to hit a high backhand because the footwork and timing are difficult to coordinate.
11. Is there any life lessons learned by playing tennis? For me it is persistence and patience. I wish I was so good at tennis that I had to learn to be humble…but that lesson is not something I face often in tennis.
12. What is your most memorable accomplishment playing tennis so far? Believe it or not, there are too many memorable accomplishments to name just one…and they did not always involve winning the match…but I wish I had won them all 13. Do you have a particular pet peeve that tennis opponents do that bother you?Not yet…even the ‘scream’ breathing that some male opponents do (to imitate Sharpova) is not bothersome…but I have to keep from laughing.
14. Do you learn more from your wins or losses and why? To quote a friend who is a tennis coach, there are winners and there are learners. I am still learning a lot.
15. What is your favorite NWA restaurant and why? Bonefish…the menu and atmosphere reminds me of being near the ocean.
16. If you could have dinner with a famous person - dead or alive - who would it be and why? Steve Jobs of Apple Inc. He is a visionary in how technology can be used to change the way people interact or live there everyday life. I would love to brainstorm with this guy.
17. What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you? I don’t think I hold too many surprises…not after this interview.
18. When I was 10, I wanted to be… a professional baseball player.
19. Books I would suggest to a friend -The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot.
20. Favorite movies…. Indiana Jones (Raiders of the Lost Arc), Bull Durham, and Casablanca
21 The person I most admire is: Too many to name including my wife.
22. The last book I read was …..The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot.
23. The guests at my fantasy dinner party would be: The list is too long, but would include: Steve Jobs, Bill Clinton, Sandra Bullock, Rachel McAdams, Jennifer Garner, Don Tyson, Greg Allman, Kenneth Cline, Frank Broyles, my wife and many friends from NWA. This would be an eclectic gathering, but full of interesting people to talk with before and after dinner…and dinner would be a BBQ held outside in late September.
24. I ‘ve been fortunate to….be married to Chris, have two wonderful children, and find a job/career/friends that I enjoy most every day.
25. One word to sum me up……Optimist

FAC Tennis Network; Interview with Eve Smith

1. Where did you grow up? I was born and raised in Columbia, La
2. If not from NWA - what brought you here? My twin sister lived in NWA, so when I decided to move it was a given that my new home would be close to her.
3. Marital status, spouse’s name and children's names? Divorced, single, with three teenagers! Dustin, Skylar and the 14 year old baby girl Aslyn! Oh and don’t forget our dog Clementine!!!
4. Do your children share your passion for art? Yes! Dustin the oldest (17) draws really well, loves to write, dance and also break dancing and Aslyn is very talented.
5. Other than tennis what do you do for recreation,relaxation,hobbies: I love to Mt. bike(slaughter pen is my favorite), I love hiking with the kids and kayaking!! My relaxation time is sparse, so when it does happen it usually involves a great book and a glass of malbec wine! My hobbies tend to be similar to my career(painting, drawing, creating)
6. What is Slaughter Pen? Slaughter Pen is a mountain bike trail located in Bella Vista.
7. What do you like most about your current job? What do you dislike? I am the Director of Visual Arts at the Arts Center of the Ozarks. The old proverb saying "Do what you love and you will never work another day" I can honestly say this holds true to my life. I am very fortunate to have an art degree and actually be successful in the arts economy. I search for artist, I teach art, and work with a group of great creative people, what is there to dislike!!
8. Who is your all time favorite painter and why? Edward Hooper, an American modern art painter, is an amazing artist who has captured my attention for the longest time. One of his famous paintings is called Nighthawks. This painting and most all of his painting are so cinematic to me. They hold these mysterious questions that command the viewer to take interest in what he wants to say. So, he is one of my many favorites.
9. You are a very good painter yourself and painted the male and female tennis portraits auctioned for charity at the Botanical Gardens of the Ozarks Tennis Tournament last month. Of all your own paintings you done, which one do you consider your favorite and where is it now? Two of my favorites I did my senior year in college One I will not let go and the other is in a private collection that belongs to the Imagination Group in Ft Smith. They are rather large paintings. The one I still have is of my sister washing her hair in the sink! I’ve had many bids on this painting, they all say it reminds them of their grandmother or mother washing their hair! The one that is in the private collection is of my sister (model) holding a laundry basket who has stopped in the doorway with her ipod and trying to find the “perfect” song. For some reason I am always drawn to the mundane … objects, acts…. Etc.
10. What is your current NRTP ranking? 3.0
11. How many years have you been playing tennis? I have a twin sister, whom she and I started playing tennis when we were 12! We came from a single parent home so we didn’t have a lot of money for lessons, so she and I checked out a tennis book from the library and TAUGHT OURSELVES HOW TO PLAY!!!! We tried out for the tennis team our freshman year in high school and made the team. I can honestly say there is a certain advantage to having a twin as a doubles partner. We were an unbeatable duo!!! I miss those days!
12. What prompted you to play tennis regularly? I was heavy into mountain biking, but was somewhat of a "kamikaze" on the bike. I decided that before I really hurt myself I better start doing something else!! So, I decided to pick up my racket again!!
13. What is your favorite thing/enjoyment about playing tennis. This year has been tough on me personally in some regards, so tennis has been my refuge! Tennis can build your self esteem and make you a stronger person mentally, physically and spiritually!! I’ve met some really great people playing tennis at FAC. That’s my favorite thing about tennis is meeting new people and sharing that love of the game!!!
14.. What is your own favorite tennis shot/worst? My favorite shot is when I’m in the zone and I rip my cross court backhand with killer angles!! I hate my overhead shots, with a passion!
15. Is there any life lessons learned by playing tennis? Plenty! My favorite "corny" lesson though would be.....Tennis is all about love!!!! Which I think is one of the most important lessons to learn in life!!! :)
16. What is your most memorable accomplishment playing tennis so far?Well, there are two....we would have to go back 21 years ago to a tournament my sis and I played in Monroe, la at a very competitive tennis club. It was our first tournament outside of high school play. We were so nervous, and felt out of our league! We were 16, playing 3.5 doubles against some pretty awesome ladies! We went all the way to the finals!!! We lost in the finals but I will never forget the literal battle we fought to get there!!!! Number two would have to be placing second in the first tournament I have played in over 19 years!
17. Do you have a particular pet peeve that tennis opponents do that bother you?I would have to refer to my buddy Jay on that one! I really don’t like it when people talk during play! Even the gabbing during the match is hindering!! I’m a single mom with a single income budget....my time on the court is worth every penny! So lets play some tennis and gab over a beer later!!!
18. Do you learn more from your wins or losses and why? You can not succeed if you don’t know what it feels like to fail! When you lose it should make you want to work harder to achieve your goals!!
19. What is your favorite NWA restaurant and why? Taste of Thai! Hands down! I love Thai food!! Well, I love Creole and Cajun food more but my mothers kitchen is the only place you can get real coonass flavor! (Am I allowed to say coonass!!??)
20. If you could have dinner with a famous person - dead or alive - who would it be and why? Artemisia Gentileschi!!! She was an Italian painter in the early Baroque era. She is my artistic hero! She was determined to paint during a time when women were definitely not recognized in the arts!!! When I was in Italy I had the chance to see her work in person and had tears, so to have the chance to sit down and speak with the person who painted better than any male during her time would be amazing!
21. What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you? I have no idea....I have a fear of going over bridges!!! :P
22. When I was 10, I wanted to be… a fashion designer! which is crazy cuz now I could care less about fashion!
23. Books I would suggest to a friend: The alchemist, The help, The Object of Beauty, and my all time fav....john steinbecks East of Eden!
24. Favorite movies: Steel Magnolias, The English Patient, Roman Holiday!!!
25. The person I most admire is: My Mother!
26. The last book I read was: Gosh...hmmm...I was reading three at the same time...Ways of Seeing, Gilgamesh, and currently on One Day
27. The guests at my fantasy dinner party would be: McEnroe, Agassi, Bjorn, Becker, and Me!!! Ok...well maybe just me and Boris!!!
28. I ‘ve been fortunate to: have been the mother of three amazing young people!!
29. One word to sum me up.....passion

Long List of Great Liberty Bank Charity Tennis Challenge Auction Items for your review and preparation

2011 Liberty Bank Charity Tennis Challenge Auction Items (as of 25 Aug 3pm)

• Post Familie two night stay at the Homestead Farmhouse on top of St. Mary’s Mountain. Each couple will experience a tour of the Post winery and vineyards as well as wine tasting. At the end of the trip pick a case of your favorite wine to take home. (Value: $1,500 – 6 ppl)
• One week stay in a beautiful 4-bedroom Charleston, SC beach house located on the Charleston Boardwalk with access to two golf courses. Isle of Palms area. (Value: $2,500 – Up to 8 ppl)
• Four tickets and $300 cash credit to the Thanksgiving Day Dallas Cowboy football game vs. the Miami Dolphins; November 24th, 2011 – 3:15pm. (Value: $1,000 – 4 ppl)
• Four-person VIP table to enjoy a night with The Charlie Daniels Band at the AMP. Charlie Daniels will autograph a fiddle the night of the concert and $100 Gift Certificate to Noodle’s – Priceless
• A custom made Allan Tomkins guitar, made specifically for Joe Nichols with St. Louis Cardinal Design. Autographed by John Nichols. Includes personalized package from Joe Nichols. (Value: $4,000)
• One “Atlantis” Outdoor Play Set donated by Leisure Time Products, includes assembly at plant and delivery. (Note: Setup is not included. (Value: $1,000)
• Four custom wine baskets (Value: $100 - $150/each)
• Razorback tennis package
• One hour private lesson with Taylor Dodds of FAC. (Value: $50)
• One hour private lesson with Bobby Kirwan of FAC. (Value: $50)
• Two tickets to a Kansas City Royals game vs. the Cleveland Indians in the Dugout Box section in Section 133, Row G, Seats 3 and 4; September 3rd, 2011 – 6:10pm. (Value: $96 – 2 ppl)
• Four tickets and parking pass to a Kansas City Royals game vs. the Cleveland Indians in the Dugout Box section in Section 136, Row H, Seats 1-4; September 4th, 2011 – 1:10pm.
(Value: $192 – 4 ppl)
• A two hour organizing session with Simple Spaces; Expires 12/31/2011. (Value: $150)
• Four rounds of golf with range balls and carts included, at Branson Creek. (Value: $400)
• A Cherokee Casino gift certificate for a one night stay and dinner for two at Flint Creek; Expires 10/26/11. (Value: $169 – 2 ppl)
• A Cherokee Casino gift certificate for a one night stay and dinner for two at River Cane Buffet; Expires 10/28/11. (Value: $89 – 2 ppl)
• Daisy Air Rifle package that includes a Build Your Own Red Rider along with a tour of the Daisy factory. (Value: $50)
• Premium Flex Pack for 2012 – 30 undated vouchers for premium seating at a Natural’s game (Value: $255)
• A Natural’s autographed baseball by the 2011 Natural’s team. (Value: $100)
• A certificate to be a Natural’s Honorary Batkid for one game in 2012. (Value: $150)
• One Abu Garcia Fishing Reel from Hook Line & Sinker with an Arkie Lures rod and fishing assortment. (Value: $70)
• A private “Party for Five” at Bath Junkie where each party guest and Bath Junkie’s mix masters will create products in scents and colors unique to each of you. (Value: $150)
• A silver Zable charm bracelet with a sterling silver Razorback charm from McCarty Jewelers. (Value: $100)
• Colton’s Steakhouse Dinner/Lunch certificates w/peanuts. (Value: $25)
• One four - five hour guided Striper fishing trip on Beaver Lake. (Value: $450 –2 ppl)
• A Downstream Casino gift certificate for a one night stay and round of golf for two at Eagle Creek. (Value: $300 – 2 ppl)
• A Downstream Casino gift certificate for a one night stay and round of golf for two at Eagle Creek. (Value: $300 – 2 ppl)
• One “Atlantis” Outdoor Play Set donated by Leisure Time Products, includes assembly at plant and delivery. (Note: Setup is not included. (Value: $1,000)
• “Night Out On Dickson” package that includes a $100 gift certificate for Bordinos, a $30 gift certificate for Common Grounds, and a night at the Dickson Street Inn. (Value: $400)
• Two 18 x 24 abstract paintings by Karla Keller (Value: $500)
• A photography session with Chris Stinson at Chris Stinson Photography. Includes time and talent but does not include proofs. (Value: $136.56)
• Rejuvenation Package donated by Revive Day Spa –(Value - $125)

Interview with Delani Richart

1. Were you born in NWA? Yes I was born in Fayetteville, and I've lived here my whole life.
2. What grade are you currently in this year? I'm going to be a High School sophomore this year.
3. Other than tennis what do you do for recreation, relaxation, hobbies: I love reading and listening to music
4. How many years have you been playing tennis?
I have been playing tennis for 3 years after doing gymnastics for nine and a half years.
5. What prompted you to play tennis regularly? I started playing because I knew it would be a challenge and I was up for it!
6. What is your favorite thing/enjoyment about playing tennis. My favorite thing about playing tennis is that I can always play with my dad and you can never stop improving no matter how good you are, you can always be better.
7. What is your own favorite tennis shot/worst? My favorite shot in tennis is my back hand, and my least favorite is my overhead.
8. Is there any life lessons learned by playing tennis? One of the lessons I've learned from playing tennis is to always keep your cool, once you get angry or upset, things can only go downhill.
9. You have just been accepted as a year long resident at the John Newcombe Tennis Academy just outside San Antonio, run by legendary tennis player and 7 grand slam tennis title winner – John Newcombe - Congratulations. Tell us about the academy. The Academy is already really fun, I've met people from Spain, Australia, Argentina, Chile, and Brazil. It's awesome meeting new people and learning their playing styles from all over the world.
10. Do you think during your year at the academy you will meet some of the successful Academy Alumni like Ryan Harrison, Llewton Hewitt, Li Na, etc.? . John Newcombe is supposed to be here in the next two weeks to meet the academy, I'm not sure about the others though. If they do come, I would be extremely star struck.
11. Will you be attending a local high school or one on the academy grounds? I'll be attending the local high school, it's called New Braunfels High and their mascot is the unicorn!
12. Leaving Fayetteville, your friends and family to attend a tennis academy took guts – what is your goal by attending the Newcombe academy? My goal is to be offered a scholarship and be able to play tennis in college. An opportunity I wasn't sure I could get in Fayetteville.
13. Any estimate on how many hours of tennis you will play in a normal week being at the academy? They've told me I'll be playing around 24 hours a week and I'll be doing fitness and working out around 6 hours a week.
14. Is there an aspect of attending the academy that you think will be the most challenging? I think the most challenging thing will be getting in really good shape and being able to play tennis to my best ability.
15. The Newcombe Academy has the slogan ; Team, Family, Team. How has that manifested itself to you so far? The team-family-team slogan made me realize that Newks really is a big family and everyone is so accepting, that's what makes it easier leaving Fayetteville, is that I have a second family here at Newks. .
16. As you were contemplating whether to stay at FHS, with friends and family or leave familiar territory of NWA for Texas – was their one thing that stuck out as a driver in your decision to attend Newcombe’s Academy? The one thing that stuck in my mind most is that I have the chance to get a full ride scholarship to a good college and play tennis for them. That was what really made me want to come here and be the best player I can be.
17. We are proud of you and are excited for you – will you keep the FAC Tennis Family updated on your progress and experiences? Yes I will most definitely keep FAC up today's on what's going on and I will come back to FAC when I'm home during thanksgiving and Christmas.
18. What is your most memorable accomplishment playing tennis so far? My most memorable accomplishment playing tennis was probably when I had been playing under a year and I played my first tournament at Summerhill and won, I was really surprised and proud of my self.
19. What is one thing people would be surprised to know about you? One thing people would be surprised to know about me is that I don't get homesick, even when I would go to camp for a week at 7 years old I would be completely fine!
20. When I was 10, I wanted to be… When I was ten I wanted to be a doctor or a nurse, that's still my ambition!
21. Books I would suggest to a friend: Books I would recommend to a friend would be the Harry Potter series or anything by Dan Brown.
22. Favorite movies: My favorite movies are: The Godfather, Sixteen Candles, The Breakfast Club, The Notebook, Jaws, The Titanic, Tommy Boy, Dazed and Confused, and Forrest Gump.
23. The person I most admire is: The person I admire most: my great-grandmother because she was always very ambitious, lived out all of her dreams, and was always a very classy lady.