Melting Pot on the Court

DIVERSE TEAM SHARES SAME GOAL

By Amanda Tobin & Jennifer Pollack/USTA Southern

The members of this Men’s 4.5 team share the same goal but not the same zip code. With members spread out around a 200 mile radius in Georgia and one member living in Las Vegas, it is a wonder this team, whose home courts reside in Cherokee County, Georgia, is able to come together and consistently win. Since the team formed in 2001 they have compiled an impressive record of 123-19 and won USTA Atlanta six times. Team Captain Todd Holcomb is one of four native Georgia players along with 16 other players from around the United States as well as other countries including Russia, Spain, Venezuela, Canada, Mexico and England.

Many of the international team members are former college tennis players that came to the U.S. to study and complete. The youngest member on the team, 19-year-old Felix Mann from Russia currently plays for Oglethorpe University. While college tennis is one connection for the members of this team, there are two who reconnected after 20 years of separation. Aaron West and Mason Green, former junior rivals who happened to cross paths, made the decision that it would be better to play on the same team this time around rather than against each other. Another unique feature to this team is two members whose parents are from the same country. Both Don Ceniza and Erman Tanjuatco are from South Georgia and have parents who emigrated from the Philippines.

One player in particular moved to Las Vegas for his job and continues to fly back for matches. He went so far as to fly to Georgia from South America where he was conducting business to compete in the 2008 state tournament. Having players from around the world seems to give this team the advantage it needs to win.