Limerick Lawn Tennis Club

(Megan Mawhinney, Sponsor John Fitzgerald and Robbie Pratt)

LLTC - U.S. JUNIOR TENNIS

EXCHANGE A HUGE SUCCESS

Earlier this summer, Chris Sabaitis from the Atlantic Club in Spring Lake, New Jersey arrived at Limerick Lawn to play in the Junior South of Ireland. Chris made a big impression in his short stay and was very warmly received at the Club along with his Dad, Jim. This was the first leg of an exciting tennis exchange programme in early development between LLTC and the Atlantic Club. The idea was brought to the Club by Limerick businessman, John Fitzgerald and George Parnell, a New York lawyer and a member of the U.S. Lawn Tennis Association who has a great love for Ireland. John and George very generously sponsored the programme so two Juniors from Limerick Lawn could travel to the U.S. to experience tennis and coaching American style along with some fun and games on the side.

In late August, LLTC Juniors Robbie Pratt and Megan Mawhinney travelled to Spring Lake, New Jersey, affectionately known in the U.S. as The Irish Riviera, a beautiful seaside town about 50 miles south of New York City. Alongside this piece are Megan and Robbie's "blogs" recounting their week long experience in late August. As you will read, they had experiences of a lifetime to associate with their involvement in tennis.

The Club is extremely grateful to John and George for spearheading this initiative and, in conjunction with them, we will explore ways in which this programme can be further developed over the next few years.

Daniel O'Leary

Tennis Captain

My trip to amazing tennis trip to Spring Lake, New Jersey..............USA!

Megan's Blog

Day 1 Aug 21^st: Left Shannon for US with Robbie on 9am Continental flight. Arrived in Newark after a 7 hour flight and was greeted by my host family, George Parnell and his daughter Katie, they had huge welcome posters! Then headed back to their fab house on the beach in Spring Lake. Met Katie's mum, Barbara........then George brought Robbie and I for our first hit, he said 'so we could get used to the heat!' went home played hoops with Katia and had a barbeque.

Day 2 Aug 22^nd : Got up feeling a bit jetlagged, but still headed up to the Atlantic Club and played with for 3 hours with Jordon, Colette, Lynsey, Graham and Robbie, it was great, after that we went to check out the Bath and Tennis Club (B+T). It was fab and really old. Went home to the Parnells, while Robbie stayed at Chris's house.

Day 3 Aug 23^rd: Got up to RAIN ........had breakfast. Robbie came back. .After a while the rained stopped and Katie took me out cycling around the town, Spring Lake is so beautiful. Went to hit with the coach Stu, great fun, then went to a different court to hit with Collette, started to rain so went home.

Day 4 Aug 24^th:  Got up to Rain again today, so unlucky and week going so quickly! Got up to a House empty because the Parnells had to go out, so Robbie and I chilled and waited for Mr. Stabus to go hitting,  unfortunately it was raining so hard we couldn't go so watched some excellent matches from the tournament that was going on in NY, it was an ITF.  Later at home Katie, Robbie and I watched the movie 'The Blind Side'. It cleared after dinner, so Robbie, George and I went for a hit it was really good.

Day 5 Aug 25^th: We got up early to go shopping at the Short Hill Mall. I bought some really cool clothes and on our way back we back we got some lunch. At 2.30 I went to hit with Collette until 5pm. Getting really good practice. Mrs Parnell ordered us PIZZA. It was another great day..!

Day 6 Aug 26^th: At last.....I woke up to the sun shining!! After breakfast went for a good hit with a lovely girl named Emma from 11 until 12.30, it was really good, then hung out with Katie for a while before I went for some coaching with Stu........ I have really improved my backhand ........afterwards I hit with George and Robbie. Went home.......... Trip going so quickly having a blast..!

Day 6 Aug 27^th:  Woke very early to hit with Lynsey, it was really hot but a great hit. When I came back we  headed to the beach and went swimming, it was really nice and refreshing, what a life.........Soon after we went home to have lunch, Katie and I cycled to the park it was fab. When we arrived home Barbara took us for ice-cream. By the time we got home we quickly had to change into our all whites and make our way to the grass courts. The grass courts were super they were in excellent condition, I didn't think I would but I really enjoyed playing on them.  The club is America's second oldest club and I loved it!! But by the time we finished up I was exhausted! It was a long but amazing day!

Day 7 Aug 28^th: Got up early after breakfast, we all headed into New York to spend the day at the Arthur Ashe Day in Flushing Meadows, home of the US Open! It was so great. At first we went into the games tent to play tennis games like, Speed Serve and lots of others. After that it was time to see some of the Pros playing we got to see Fella Lena Lopez, Kim Clijsters and much more. Then Katie and I went into the big Arthur Ashe Stadium and got to see Andy Roddick and Novak Djokovic!  Next The Jonas Brothers, Demi Lovato, David Archuleta, All Star weekend and Shontelle played a concert and Djokovic joined The Jonas Brothers on stage!  Awesome.........when they finshed we went outside,l eft Flushing Meadows it was an Amazing Day never to be forgotten. I enjoyed every last second. We headed back to Manhattan and had dinner overlooking Times Square!!  Said goodbye to Barbara and Katie cos I won't see them at the Airport and spent night in NY with Mom.

Day 8  Aug 29^th :  again got up early had a quick look at Grand Central Station, had breakfast in The Brooklyn Diner near Central Park walked up 5^th Avenue and finished with a visit to the Empire State Building! Got taxi to Newark Airport, met George and Robbie said goodbye to George and checked in to our flight.

Wish I could go back again next year. Awesome!

Megan Mawhinney

Robbie's Daily Diary, Spring Lake, New Jersey, August 2010

Sat. 22^nd: An early start for Shannon Airport- checked in at 7 a.m. for Continental's 9 o'clock departure to Newark, New Jersey. Hoping racquets are o.k. in the checked bag- I've put plenty of padding around them. Clearing U.S. Customs and Border controls at Shannon makes for an easy arrival after the seven hour flight. Our host George and his daughter Katy met us in Newark and the journey to Spring Lake took about an hour.

George's home is a short walk from the beach (the "Jersey Shore" as it's called) and we looked around the area and had a knock up in the public courts of the local park before settling in to our home from home.

Sun. 23^rd: Went to the Atlantic Club to watch qualification matches for an International Junior tournament being held there. A match was arranged for Megan and me in the indoor courts against a local pairing- he was 6'6"! (We still managed to win). I was reacquainted with Chris Sabaitis that evening and stayed over at his house.

Mon. 24^th: Very high temperatures and thundershowers kept us at home for much of today but we managed an hour of play with George in an indoor court at the Atlantic Club.

Tue. 25^th: Finally a chance to spend our hard-earned dollars (thanks to my summer job with Parks Tennis). We visited a nearby mall and I updated my wardrobe with a load of my favourite brands.

Wed. 26^th: Went to a local court this morning and was met by Mike Lampa, a 19 year old college tennis player from Spring Lake and his coach Steve. Steve turned up wearing a green outfit and carrying a shillelagh in honour of the Irish visitors! Spent an hour hitting with Mike and Steve. In the afternoon I knocked up with Chris at the exclusive Spring Lake Bath & Tennis Club.

Thur. 27^th: Had another session with Mike Lampa and his coach and after lunch went to the Bath & Tennis Club for another knock with Chris, followed by a swim in the Ocean (my first this year) via the club's private access point.

Fri. 28^th: This morning George arranged for me to play with Sam Rispaud, a 17 year old who hopes to gain a tennis scholarship at university, in the local public courts. After lunch we swam at the beach near George's home. It was great to be able to change and shower 100 yards from the sea. That evening George took us to the joint 3^rd oldest club in the U.S. - the Seabright Lawn Tennis & Cricket Club, incorporated in 1877 (same year as Limerick Lawn). This spectacular club has 32 courts, many of which are grass, and members are very proud of its heritage. The club is on the Register of National Historic Places and the beautiful clubhouse is designated a National Historic Landmark. A strict dress code applies in the club and George had advised us in advance so we could enjoy our hit on the grass courts.

Sat 29^th:- Today was to be a special day- a trip to Flushing Meadows for the Arthur Ashe Children's Day. George drove his family and their two Irish guests up through New York City for a long day of tennis-themed fun at the U.S. Open venue. We spent the day watching the pros practice, buying some U.S. Open merchandise and visiting the various pavilions where we could have our serve speed measured and "Play with the Pros". We saw some of the current greats of the pro game practice, including Kim Clijsters and Robin Soderling, and George introduced us to some of the U.S. players.

A dinner stopover in Times Square on the way home was a real New York experience- surrounded by the buzz of the Big Apple in the recently pedestrianised heart of the city.

Sun 30^th: Departure day and George made sure I had tennis up to the last possible moment. He arranged a final knock with Sam Rispaud for me before lunch and bag-packing. At this stage I had broken strings on all three racquets I'd brought and needed to borrow one from George- I really need to start hitting on the sweet spot!

The week in Spring Lake had passed so quickly- what a great experience for a 16 year old from Limerick to play in some great facilities with players of my own age. I can't thank George and John Fitzgerald enough for putting together this exchange programme and I look forward to helping to welcome next year's U.S. visitors to Limerick Lawn.

Robbie Pratt.