Tennis Update 2018-2019 School Year

Storm Grove has had a tennis team the last 6 years. It is a club sport and has been entirely funded by the Mardy Fish Children's Foundation. We are hoping that the MFCF continues to fund Middle School Tennis in Indian River County and it is likely that they will, but not certain.

The season typically begins after Spring Break and lasts approximately 7 weeks.

Please check back periodically as we get closer to the Spring Tennis Season.

We appreciate your interest.

Coach Mike Daugherty on behalf of SGMS

Final Week of Tennis for 2018 / Banquet Scheduled for May 19

Hello Parents,

This is the last week of tennis practice and competitions. We have practices scheduled for Mon, Tues, and Weds. On Thursday, we have a rematch with SRMS, at the Sebastian High School tennis courts. Same place as last Friday. Same time. This will mark the end of our regular season.

Saturday, May 12, is an optional Table Tennis clinic/round robin at The Vero Social Club, located at 7500 US1 North, in Wabasso. Space is limited to the first 16 players who sign up. It is from 12 noon until 2 p.m.

Our End-of-Season banquet/celebration has been scheduled for Saturday, May 19^th, at 3 p.m.. It will be held at the Vero Beach Tennis Club at Timber Ridge. We’ve played a couple matches there this year, but in case you forgot where it is, it is located in South Vero Beach, on Oslo Road, ½ mile east of US1. Team members will be recognized for their participation. Then we will be eating pizza. Then from approximately 4 p.m. until 5:30, we will have the use of the courts to play some tennis!

Please let me know if you are going to be able to attend the banquet or not. Also let me know if you want to sign your child up for the table tennis (ping pong) on Saturday, March 12.

I hope your child has enjoyed tennis as much as I’ve enjoyed coaching them! Below are some pictures from our last match. Sorry I didn't get everybody!

See you soon!

End of Year Schedule

Dear Parents,

This Friday, May 4th, we have a match at Sebastian River High School against Sebastian River Middle School. You should park in the East Parking Lot between the High School and the Performing Arts Center. The courts are behind the high school, so park in back. Make sure your child brings something to drink, either water or a sports drink such as Gatorade and perhaps an apple or a banana. I will bring extra bottled water just in case.

Next Friday, May 11^th, there will not be a match or a practice as both 6^th and 8^th grades are having a field trip.

Next Thursday, May 10^th, we will have a rematch with Sebastian River Middle School, again up in Sebastian. This will be our final match of the tennis season.

On Saturday, May 12^th, kids will have an opportunity to get some table tennis coaching and then play a round robin of table tennis at the Vero Social Club, located at 7500 N. US1, in Wabasso. Space is limited to the first 16 kids who sign up, so reply to me directly if your child wants to participate.

Finally, I would like to schedule an end of the season party and I am trying to secure a location and time for this event. As soon as I have confirmation, I will let you know.

Many thanks for your support.

Coach Mike

Remaining Schedule for Storm Grove Tennis Beginning Monday, April 23, 2018

Parents,

Here is the remaining schedule for the rest of the tennis season. The two Fridays in May have not yet been officially confirmed, but as soon as they are I will let you know.

Please take note that there is no practice this Wednesday, April 25, due to that day being an "Early Release Day".

Also, this Friday the match is at Riverside Park against St. Ed's. Players should report no later than 3:45. Both teams are playing and I ask you to confirm by replying to my email.

Here is a picture from last Friday's match at Timber Ridge.

Hope you enjoy what's left of the weekend and I will see you soon!

Coach Mike

Tennis Update: Week of April 16, 2018

Dear Parents,

Thank you for coming to the match last Friday at the Vero Beach Tennis Club at Hidden Palms. I was disappointed that they didn’t field a team of beginners. There were a lot of them there, but their coach told me it was their first practice of the season and they weren’t ready for match play. I urged him to have them play, that our team has a lot of beginners too, but it didn’t happen. So our team played a lot of practice matches. They had a roster of 9 kids, all who were experienced. We had a few players at their level, but many of our players were over-matched and I don’t like that. Anyway…

This week is a little confusing. We have three matches this week. Friday is a rematch against Oslo/St. Helen’s/Imagine. Same team we played last Friday. Same location, Timber Ridge. We will be done by 5:30. Kids should report at 3:45. Hopefully, they will have their beginners playing against our beginners this time.

Kids who normally practice on Tuesday (the Manta Rays) have a match this week instead of practice. The match is at Grand Harbor. The kids will be playing against a squad of players who go to Masters or are home-schooled.

Kids who normally practice on Weds (the Electric Rays) have a match this week instead of practice. The match is at Grand Harbor. The kids will be playing against a squad of players who go to Gifford Middle School.

To get to Grand Harbor from Storm Grove, turn right on 58th Ave, turn left on 53rd St, cross US1, and turn right on Indian River Boulevard. The Grand Harbor entrance will be 1/2 mile down Indian River Boulevard on the left. It is a gated community. At the gate you will need to tell them your child's name and whoever else is in your car. Tell them you are there for the Middle School tennis match. They will have a list of all of the players on the team. They will give you a permit to enter and give you directions to the tennis facility.

Practice will be as usual on Monday and Thursday.

Finally, I have another opportunity for the kids. It is to be a “ball kid” at the upcoming Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Professional Tennis Tournament later this month at Grand Harbor. I am helping the MFCF organize a team of kids who will serve as ball kids on three different days: Monday, April 23, from 5-7 p.m. and Finals Weekend, Sat and Sun, April 28 & 29, from 12 Noon – 3. Kids get to see a professional tournament with players from all over the world, up close, court-side, which is AWESOME, but they need to learn their duties as ball kids. As I said, I will train them this week on Monday and Thursday. If your child is a ball kid, parents get to attend and watch the matches at no charge. Tickets are $10 normally. Please let me know if you and your child are interested and if so, what dates you are available. Have a great rest of the weekend!

Coach Mike

Tennis Update: Week of April 9, 2018

Parents,

It was good to see so many of you at our first match last Friday at Hidden Palms. I was proud of the way our teams competed and happy with their respectful behavior. Hidden Palms management told me that they were impressed with the way our kids behaved. That is always good to hear.

There is no practice tomorrow, Monday, April 9th. The rest of the week will go as usual. Practice on Tues and Thurs for the Manta Ray team, Practice on Weds for the Electric Rays team, then a match on Friday for both teams, at the Vero Beach Tennis Club, located at Timber Ridge, on Oslo Road in South Vero Beach. The Manta Rays will be playing against Oslo MS and the Electric Rays will be playing against St. Helen's. Those teams are not as big as our teams, so we may end up playing some practice matches against each other again or against both of the other teams, so that we get more match experience.

To get to the VBTC at Timber Ridge (from SGMS), head south on 58th, all the way to Oslo Road (9th St. SW). Turn left on Oslo Road, then head east about 5 miles. Drive past the traffic lights at 43rd, 27th, 20th and then look for the church on the left, about a mile east of 20th. It is called Morning Star Church. There will be a sign saying Timber Ridge. Turn left there and follow the road slowly until you reach the Vero Beach Tennis Club on the right.

OK, one last item. The Mardy Fish Children's Foundation, which sponsors our tennis program, has a professional tournament this month. It is called the Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation Tennis Championships. They need "Ball Kids" to work some of the matches. It is a great way to watch professional tennis up close and in person! If your child is interested in being a "ball kid" they may sign up at this link: https://campscui.active.com/orgs/MardyFishChildrensFoundation. I encourage our players to be a "ball kid" but they would have to sign up quickly (like today) because training is tomorrow night, April 9th, at Grand Harbor Tennis Club from 5pm to 6pm.

As always, thank you for your support!

Coach Mike

Storm Grove Middle School Tennis Team 

Welcome Back! Get your tennis shoes on! Here we go!

Greetings Parents and Players!

I hope you’ve all enjoyed your spring break. I’m sure some of the parents had to work, but for students and teachers it was a welcome break. At least for me. I feel refreshed now and am ready for the next six weeks of tennis!

1. Practice on Monday!!! Originally, I used the old school district calendar when I made the schedule and I thought kids were off April 2, this coming Monday, but I forgot about Hurricane Irma and that the school district is using April 2 as a “make-up day” for students, so yes, there is school on Monday. We will be having practice that day for those who practice on Monday and Wednesday!
2. Please note that next Monday, April 9, there will be no practice. I have to take my mother to an important doctor visit that day.
3. Please remind your children that it is OK to drop off their rackets in my room beginning of day, before bell, if they like. And to come to my classroom as quickly as possible at the end of the day! And, when they take a drink break, that it is not a 10 minute break! Some of the girls did that the first week of practice.
4. If your child needs a racquet and you are on a budget, I have a limited amount of racquets that I can give to those in need.  They will be given to those most needy. I have some racquet money in my tennis budget (thank you Mardy Fish Children’s Foundation) so I do have some to give away. When selecting the proper racquet there are some important considerations to keep in mind. Should you select an adult size (27 inch) or child size (24 – 26 inch)? How big is the child’s grip (hand size)? It is Important to have the correct grip size. Many adult rackets (27 inch) have grips that are too big. Please send me a separate email if you need a racquet and I will see if I can help you out.
5. The team Shirts have been ordered. We should have them by Thursday afternoon at the latest. Can someone pick them up for us, if I can't? A company called Morningstar is doing the order and they are located on Old Dixie Rd in South Vero.
6. Our Team photo and first match will be this Friday, April 6^th,, between 3:45 and 5:45 at Hidden Palms Tennis Club. The address is 4291 5th Pl SW Vero Beach, FL 32968. To get there, head south on 43rd Ave, past US1, all the way to 5th St. SW. There is a traffic light at that intersection. Make a left. Take your first right and then a quick right. Follow that road all the way to the end. It will curve to the left and you're there!. Everybody (both teams) will be playing. Please be sure your child wears his/her shirt! It will be a friendly match between both of our teams,  Manta Rays vs Electric Rays. I will mix and match between teams. We will start with Doubles so kids don’t have to sit so long before playing. Some kids will be done playing by 5.
7. If rain procedures... to be announced at school if practice/match is cancelled and kids should then go home their usual way.

Enjoy what’s left of your weekend and I will do the same. See you soon!

Coach Mike

SGMS Tentative Tennis Schedule for 2018

Greetings Parents and Players!

The schedule is shaping up. We still have matches to schedule with Sebastian River Middle School. Most of the matches will be played on Friday, but not all matches. Two Fridays and two Saturdays in May have been left open for now. They will be filled once the schedule is complete. Please plan on doing something those days.

As you know, I have split our 34 players into two different teams, both representing Storm Grove Middle School. For now, the kids who practice on Monday and Wednesday are the Manta Rays team. The kids who practice on Tuesday and Thursday are the Electric Rays team. Our first match will be SGMS vs SGMS, Manta Rays vs Electric Rays, on Friday April 6.

I've color-coded Manta yellow and Electric blue. Hopefully, that helps when checking the schedule and doesn't make it more confusing.

I will be sending out an email this weekend letting kids and parents know what team they are on, what days they practice, and what days they compete against other teams.

Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Thank you.

Coach Mike Daugherty

SGMS Tentative Tennis Schedule for 2018

Event	Location	Date	Day	Time
Practice - Manta	Storm Grove MS	March 20	Tues	2:45 – 5:00
Practice - Electric	Storm Grove MS	March 21	Wed	2:45 - 5:00
Practice - Manta	Storm Grove MS	April 3	Tues	2:45 – 5:00
Practice - Electric	Storm Grove MS	April 4	Wed	2:45 - 5:00
Practice - Manta	Storm Grove MS	April 5	Thurs	2:45 - 5:00
Manta vs Electric	Hidden Palms	April 6	Fri	3:45 – 6:00
No Practice Today		April 9	Mon	No Practice Today
Practice - Manta	Storm Grove MS	April 10	Tues	2:45 - 5:00
Practice - Electric	Storm Grove MS	April 11	Wed	2:45 - 5:00
Practice - Manta	Storm Grove MS	April 12	Thurs	2:45 - 5:00
Manta/Electric vs Oslo/St. Helen’s	Vero Beach Tennis Club (Timber Ridge)	April 13	Fri	3:45 – 6:00
Practice - Electric	Storm Grove MS	April 16	Mon	2:45 - 5:00
Manta Match vs MA/HS	Grand Harbor	April 17	Tues	3:45 – 6:00
Electric Match vs GMS	Grand Harbor	April 18	Wed	3:45 – 6:00
Practice - Manta	Storm Grove MS	April 19	Thurs	2:45 - 5:00
Manta/Electric vs Oslo/St. Helen’s	Vero Beach Tennis Club (Timber Ridge)	April 20	Fri	3:45 – 6:00
Practice - Electric	Storm Grove MS	April 23	Mon	2:45 - 5:00
Practice - Manta	Storm Grove MS	April 24	Tues	2:45 - 5:00
No Practice Today	(Early Release Day)	April 25	Wed	No Practice Today
Practice - Manta	Storm Grove MS	April 26	Thurs	2:45 - 5:00
Manta/Electric  vs St. Ed’s	Riverside Park	April 27	Fri	3:45 - 6:00
Practice - Electric	Storm Grove MS	April 30	Mon	2:45 - 5:00
Practice - Manta	Storm Grove MS	May 1	Tues	2:45 - 5:00
Practice - Electric	Storm Grove MS	May 2	Wed	2:45 - 5:00
Practice - Manta	Storm Grove MS	May 3	Thurs	2:45 - 5:00
Open		May 4	Fri
Open		May 5	Sat
Practice - Electric	Storm Grove MS	May 7	Mon	2:45 - 5:00
Practice - Manta	Storm Grove MS	May 8	Tues	2:45 - 5:00
Practice - Electric	Storm Grove MS	May 9	Wed	2:45 - 5:00
Practice - Manta	Storm Grove MS	May 10	Thurs	2:45 - 5:00
Open		May 11	Fri
Open		May 12	Sat