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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, September 20, 2009

Celebrating Play for a Cure


Advertiser Staff

This year's 23rd annual Tennis Weekend will showcase a Play for the Cure charity tournament, the annual awards banquet, Youth Day at the State Capitol and Champion Serve, a two-day Community Tennis Development Workshop designed to "build healthier communities through tennis."

The tennis celebration is Oct. 3 and 4, at the Patsy T. Mink CORP Tennis Complex, the Pacific Beach Hotel and the Capitol. Vailima Watson and Jim Schwitters will be inducted into the Hawai'i Pacific Section Tennis Hall of Fame at the Oct. 3 banquet.

Schwitters, inducted a few years ago for his coaching at the University of Hawai'i, will be honored this time for his legendary playing career. Watson is being inducted in the non-player category for her work with Kokua Kalihi Valley. She started the free program in 1990 and has introduced tennis to nearly 1,000 juniors.

The second annual Play for the Cure tournament is Oct. 3, from 9 a.m. to noon at CORP. Entries are open for the round-robin competition, with teams made up of two men and two women. Entry fee is $100 per team with proceeds benefiting the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Hawai'i affiliate. Entry forms are at http://www.hawaii.usta.com. Call 585-9534 for more information.

The annual banquet is that night, from 5:30 p.m. at Pacific Beach. It will include the Hall of Fame inductions and announcement of the section's award winners. Cost is $40.

Youth Day is Oct. 4, with the free Tennis Block Party from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Punchbowl Street between King and Beretania.

Champion Serve involves Oct. 3 afternoon workshops at CORP and Oct. 4 seminars at Pacific Beach. Topics include QuickStart, Tennis Organizer 101, the Future of American Tennis and Your Local Community and Called to Serve. The cost is $50.

Registration deadline for Champion Serve and the banquet is Friday.

NOTES

The second annual Hawai'i Children's Cancer Foundation Tennis Tournament at Moanalua High School's courts raised $1,600. The benefit has raised $3,810 for the foundation the past two years.

Beginners and advanced players are invited to enter the Punahou Jr. Novice Tournament. For the 8- and 10-under divisions, six courts will be transformed into 20 courts to utilize the USTA's new QuickStart program. It uses modified equipment and balls for smaller courts. There are also boys and girls Open and Novice 12-under divisions. Entry deadline is Sept. 30. Entries available online at http://www.punahou.edu.