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Locals headed for USTA Midwest Section Championship
Fry’s Avalon program
building momentum
with high-profile events
By CURTIS PULLIAM
VIENNA
Colin Graham is ready for a second trip to Indianapolis.
Graham competed last year in the United States Tennis Association Junior Team Tennis Midwest Section Championships on the 14-and-under advanced team. Graham just turned 11 last year.
“I’m really excited,” Graham said, now 12. “I think we have a much better chance than we did last year.”
This time Graham has company.
Along with the 14-and-under advanced team, the 14-and-under intermediate won the Northeast Ohio Championships and the 18-under intermediate team earned a wild-card berth by placing second at the Northeast Championships in Medina. Sixteen teams will compete at the Midwest Championship starting today in Indianapolis.
“For me to get a chance to do this with these kids is just amazing,” said Brian Fry, director of tennis at Avalon Lakes Golf and Country Club. “Five years ago there was nothing here.”
That’s when Avalon owner Ron Klingle set up the dome where they practice.
“He bought it with no tennis program in place,” Fry said. “A few months later they approached me with the opportunity.”
Since then, Fry has coached the team and was named director of tennis at the club in May.
“It took a while to build it,” Fry said of the tennis program.
After dominating the Youngstown Tennis League for the last three season and offering the USTA program, the club now consists of close to 140 members.
“It really became a magnet for the best players in the area,” Fry said. “It’s pretty exciting.”
The USTA does not offer tennis in Youngstown so Fry takes his teams to bigger cities to compete.
“We travel to Akron, Canton, Cleveland and Pittsburgh,” Fry said. “We do that year-round.”
Tennis runs in Brian Fry’s blood. Fry played at Youngstown State and his grandfather played professionally in the 1930’s and ’40s.
“It’s been fun to watch,” Fry said about the rise of the program. “It’s been extremely rewarding for myself and the kids.”
Fry recognized the program would not be where it is today without help.
“We have a lot of families that are very dedicated,” Fry said. “Tennis is a difficult sport to learn. Most of these kids are here minimum four days a week.”
Claire Casalnova, 15, from Grove City Pa., and a member of the 18-and-under intermediate team, says it’s fun playing for the program.
“This is the closest indoor place for tennis that’s good and high-quality tennis for me,” Casalnova said.
According to Fry, the oldest member of the 18-under team is 17 and most are younger.
“This team will play together and compete for a chance to go to Nationals for the next three years,” Fry said.
The 14-and-under advanced team was the only squad that qualified last year, finishing seventh out of nine teams but Fry had larger goals for this year.
“The stated goal this year was to qualify three teams and we succeeded in doing that,” Fry said. “We already said next year we want to send five.”
Emily Swift, 13 and a member of the 14-and-under intermediate team, is thrilled to play in Indianapolis.
“I can’t wait for it,” Swift said.
Graham is not worried about playing at all.
“I’ve already experienced it,” Graham said. “So I don’t think I will be as nervous.”
The teams will compete starting today and through the weekend.