45 Years and Counting

COUPLE STILL ENJOYS TENNIS, Dancing

By Jason Steinberg

For some, age is simply a state of mind. When Carlene and Victor Cefalu are not the first ones out on the dance floor, they are most likely enjoying themselves on the tennis courts. Carlene is in Mobile this week competing with the Senior Women’s 3.0 team from Mississippi and her husband Victor has come along on the trip in support. More

From the Light-hearted
To the Serious

‘BARBIE’ NAMES HELP DEAL WITH KATRINA’S AFTERMATH

By Ron Cioffi

Their team name is 10S BABs and one of the words in the “BAB” stands for a human body part and can’t be printed here. More

Breaking the Mold

KENTUCKY ENJOYS DIVERSITY ON THEIR TEAM

By Emma Knight

The ladies 4.0 Kentucky team prides themselves on being diverse. “We are not a cookie cutter team,” said Lesa Clark. Not many teams in Mobile have a lawyer, dairy farmer, college student, personal trainer, psychologist and a college tennis coach,” Clark said. More

Tournament of Champions

A PLAYERS MAKE FOR YET ANOTHER STELLAR TOURNAMENT

By Jason Steinberg

This year’s USTA League Tennis Southern Sectional Championships presented in Chrysler in Mobile, Ala. has been a tournament filled with friendships, pleasant competition and a whole lot of fun. The second half of competition is coming to a close, and there are only champions leaving the courts. More

Friday, July 25

Crusher … Dusty … Too Good … Lollipop

NICKNAMES ABOUND ON GEORGIA TEAM

By Emma Knight

When you watch the Georgia Women’s 4.0, you might think they have pretty unusual names. Names like Crusher, Dusty, and Mighty Mouse. After talking to these ladies from Atlanta and Athens, you learn these are nicknames given to each member of the team for a specific reason. More

Pump Us Up!

SENIOR WOMEN USE ‘POTIONS’ TO RELIEVE ACHES, PAINS

By Ron Cioffi

In a age where every athlete is looking for an edge, the Tennessee Senior Women’s 3.5 team admits using every new concoction to help them compete. Captain Pat Yung-Okamoto said the team has been buying up every new chemical to get them through the torrid heat of States and Regionals. More

Just a Matter Of Doing It

MOTIVATION AT ITS BEST

By Jason Steinberg

The 4.0 Men’s team from Jonesboro, Ark. is at Sectionals for the second straight year and has won their state championship four out of the last five years. The team brings this experience and a little motivation from their captain into Mobile with the purpose of advancing to Nationals in Tucson, Ariz. More

Working Together

THIS TEAM DOES EVERYTHING TOGETHER

By Jason Steinberg

The 5.0 Men’s team representing Greensboro, NC, while all tennis pros, make for a very unique team. This team is made up of the pros from many of the different tennis complexes around Greensboro, but they all come together as a group of friends to play tennis. More

Thursday, July 24

The Cancer Comeback

DOUBLES PLAYER READY TO PLAY after surgery

By Jason Steinberg

It’s tough for a team to recover from seeing one of their best doubles players being afflicted with a serious medical condition. But the Tennessee Men’s 4.0 team from Nashville has advanced. More

Camera Crew
Covering the
Joys of League Play

TV SPOTS WILL GO NATIONAL

By Ron Cioffi

Smile pretty for the camera … you could be going national. A video crew shot interviews and yards of action footage at the USTA League Southern Sectional Championships presented by Chrysler on Thursday. Sometime in about six months the 30-second spots will air around the country. More

Rusty Racquets
Are Here to Stay

THESE RACQUETS ONLY GET BETTER WITH AGE

By Emma Knight

The Senior Women’s 3.0 South Carolina team from Lexington may be called the “Rusty Racquets,” but their game is definitely not rusty. The Rusty Racquet tennis team was formed with seven members in 1991 and was the first senior team in the Columbia area. More

Friends On and Off the Court

STRONG BONDS GROW FROM TEAM PLAY

By Jason Steinberg

The Kentucky Women’s 4.5 team from Lexington is at Sectionals for the third time. The team is hoping that their experience will give them a leg up on the competition as the tournament progresses. Aside from the experience, this team is tight and eager to compete together on the court. More

Tennis Players Know How to Party

TENNIS WAS PUSHED ASIDE FOR A NIGHT

By Emma Knight

Last night’s player party proved that tennis players really do know how to have a good time. The party, located next to the historic USS Alabama Battleship, featured a luau theme. With flowered leis on tables and island-inspired dishes, food and atmosphere were defiantly a big hit. More

The Spirit Leads

TEAM FORMS BOND WITH PRAYER

By Ron Cioffi

With hands held in a large circle the Women’s 3.0 team from South Carolina begins each match with prayer. For the ladies from Lexington, this is a special bonding experience that has formed a special spiritual bond that makes the team stronger and closer. More

You Got Served

TENNIS AND DANCE COME TOGETHER

By Jason Steinberg

The North Carolina Senior Women’s 4.5 team hails from all over the state. With players from different places such as Charlotte, Wilmington, Greenville and other locations, this team enjoys the time they get to spend together playing tennis. They even use the time to do a little bit of dancing. More

Everybody Needs a Little ‘Bling’ ...

... OR AT LEAST SOME MOTIVATION

By Jason Steinberg

Two things that the Senior Women’s 4.0 team from Nashville, TN brings to the courts that help them be successful are experience and “bling.” With these big keys and the ability to have fun, this team has been very successful thus far in Mobile. More

Saturday, July 20

Davis Cup on Display in Mobile

PLAYERS LINE UP TO SEE BUT NOT TOUCH – TROPHY

By Emma Knight

Tennis history came to Cox-Copeland Tennis Center today. Arriving in an armored car, guarded by several men ready to step in at any moment to keep it from being if touched, the trophy drew hundreds of awestruck tennis fans. Standing 3.5 feet high and weighing in at 231 pounds, the trophy is not what most onlookers expected. More

Family Comes First

TENNIS HELPS RELIEVE
STRESS OF ILLNESSES

By Jason Steinberg

It has been a very trying year for Debra Horsman and tennis has been a way for her to escape from the stresses of her everyday life. Debra came into this year’s USTA League Tennis Southern Sectional Championships presented by Chrysler ready to compete with her teammates on the 4.0 Senior Women’s team from Lexington, KY and happy for the opportunity to get away. More

Rainbow Team Carries Many Colors

TEAM IS PREPARED FOR COACH’S FASHION DIRECTIVE

By Ron Cioffi

Some teams haul numerous racquets, plenty of socks and even cases of water bottles on top of cases of water bottles. This team believes in colors. More

The Birmingham Zoo Boys

WHEN CHARACTERS TAKE THE COURT

By Jason Steinberg

Joking around and overcoming injuries is what the Men’s 3.5 team from Alabama is all about. This team likes to have fun on the court, and at the expense of their own teammates. The team is hoping to carry this fun all the way from the USTA League Tennis Southern Sectional Championships presented by Chrysler to Nationals. More

Friday, July 19

Stuart Jones of Arkansas (A) Men's 3.5 warms up by jumping rope.

‘Hey Mom,
Cover That Shot’

ARKANSAS TEAM FEATURES
THREE MOM/DAUGHTER PAIRS … PLUS A SISTER

By Ron Cioffi

It’s a family affair in triplicate-plus on the Arkansas 3.5 Women’s team. Three mother/daughter combinations grace this team. To add to the mix, the sister (and aunt) of one of the pairs also plays on this tightly-woven team. More

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

ON AND OFF COURT ALABAMA WOMEN KNOW
HOW TO HAVE A GOOD TIME

By Emma Knight

The women of the Alabama 3.0 team have a distinct advantage when they step out on the court. As self-described “gym rats” this team met at their local gym. Pushing themselves through tough classes such as spin and extreme conditioning has helped them push through during their tough matches this week. More

Reminiscing About
the ‘Old Days’

TIMES HAVE CHANGED FOR THIS ARKANSAS TEAM

By Jason Steinberg

Some things in the tennis world will never change, but over the year’s different aspects of the game have evolved. Changes have caused the Senior Men’s 4.5 team from Arkansas to reflect about the ‘old days’ of tennis when they began playing. The changes range from the evolution of wooden racquets to such things as the style of clothing. More

The Tailgaters

A LOVE OF TENNIS AND FOOTBALL

By Jason Steinberg

There are many things that bring the Senior Women’s 4.5 team from South Carolina together. While tennis is the sport they all compete in, each of the team members enjoy watching football. They never miss the opportunity to tailgate and support their favorite teams. More

Wednesday, July 17

Rivalry, Family and Jokes

WHAT MORE COULD YOU ASK OF A TEAM?

By Jason Steinberg

Arguments over whether their mascot should be a cardinal or a wildcat, brotherly quarrels on the court and consistent injuries are just a few of the things that the Men’s 2.5 team from Louisville, KY had to worry about on and off the court. This group of guys come into Mobile for the USTA League Tennis Southern Sectional Championships looking to advance in the tournament despite these tribulations. More

Who Knew?

THE LADIES OF TEAM GEORGIA KNEW

By Emma Knight

The ladies of the 3.0 Georgia team come from a wide array of backgrounds, but their bond for the game they love has brought them all together. “Without tennis we probably never would have met or come together like we have,” said captain Heather Gray.  More

The Team that had Nine Lives

TEAM LOOKS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF EXTRA OPPORTUNITIES

By Jason Steinberg

Guy Harrison has been on teams that have won plenty of state championships and shown up to compete in the USTA League Tennis Southern Sectional Championships over the years.  However, with all the success Harrison’s teams have had, none of them have gone through quite the season that this year’s team has endured. More

‘Mother Hen’ Leads North Carolina Seniors

OVERCOMING HEAT IS ONE OF HER GOALS

By Ron Cioffi

She calls herself the “mother duck” as she has gathered her “ducklings” for their first trip to the 2008 USTA League Tennis Southern Sectional Championships. Mary McQueen is using her organizational skills to ensure the team is prepared for the rigors of Sectionals. More
 

Welcome!
Welcome to the daily news area of www.southernleaguetennis.com. Throughout the championships this page will be updated with exciting and fascinating stories about the players and teams competing here in Mobile and as well as daily wrap-up articles highlighting the scores and standings. 

If you think your team has an interesting story to tell please contact Ron Cioffi. Download the Team Media Questionnaire and tell us about your team's journey to the "World's Largest Tennis Tournament."

In addition to daily news stories, please read our Road to Mobile stories or visit the question of the day.