Little Mo Tournaments made a lasting impression on our whole family
Hope all is well.
Nick Chappell played 4 years of Li Mo going through the Midwest Sectionals and Regionals. Sylvia and her staff at Homewood Flossmour were great with the kids. Those tournaments were Nick’s first exposure to tennis tournaments.
The friends he made during those tournaments are his close friends on the junior USTA circuit today. Evan King, Augie Bloom, Justin Rossi. Nick has played several tournaments since those days(started in 2000) and still enjoys the game. He plays doubles with Justin Rossi when and where ever he can. If you look up Nick on Tennis Recruiting and Juniortennis.com you will see his results. Nick and Justin won the Bronze Ball at the B12 Clays in Greensboro and the National Open, B14, in Midland last July. Justin has been hurt so they have not been able to play in the last few(Super) Nationals but are hoping to play at the Easter Bowl this April. All 4 boys(Nick, Evan, Augie, and Justin) have been invited to the High Performance Camp April 2-7 ,2007 in Carson, Ca- warmup for the Easter Bowl.
Nick is having a very productive junior career. He finished his B12’s in the top ten, and is currently ranked 8th in B14’s. He won the Gold ball at the Winter Nationals in Tucson, Dec.27,2006 with a boy he had never played with(Jammin Ball-CA). This last year he has finished 6th in singles at the B14 Clays, 6th in singles at the B14 National Hardcourts with the bronze in doubles with Shane Vinsant-TX, that is the 2nd bronze in doubles he has won with Shane), and 4th in singles at the Winter Nationals with the Gold in Doubles.
With all his accomplishments so far, he holds the “Li Mo ” days above any tournament. The experience not only paved the way for his love of the game but the friendships he made during those days will last him his lifetime.
Nick played his first National Li Mo in Georgia( his first Li Mo year). His second Li Mo year took him to St. Stephens Academy in Austin. His 3rd year he was the first alternate to Nationals(the rain year), and his last year he went to the Austin Academy. He had a great time. During the 2nd year he was accepted in the B12’s Clays in Greensboro, NC, but chose to play Li Mo instead. He really loved those tournaments.
Nick’s brother, Paul, also played Li Mo for one year. We didn’t know about your tournaments until Paul’s last year of eligibility. He also went to Nationals in Georgia but he made a lifetime friendship with a player from Chicago(now in Georgia), Donald Young. After getting beat by Donald in the finals of Sectional and Regional they hung out together and became friends. They played doubles at the National Open in Indianapolis years ago. It was the first USTA National tournament for Paul(besides Li Mo). In fact we did not know the National Open was being held at our club until a friend of Paul’s told him about it. He called Donald right away and they were able to play together. Paul has played 4 years for his high school and has spent 2 winter terms at Saddlebrook Academy in Wesley Chapel, Fl. He has played ITF tournaments and still plays all the Nationals. In 2005 he won the silver ball at the Winter Nationals B16 in Phoenix. He’s a senior and is currently going taking official trips to colleges so he can play college tennis.
The Li Mo Tournaments made a lasting impression on our whole family. We still talk fondly of those days.
Wishing you all the best,
Regards,
Greg Chappell