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10 • The Morrisville and Preston Progress, Wednesday, May 29,1906 New tennis pro brings skills to Prestonwood’s courts By Bon Page The new tennis pro at Preston- wood Country Club’s tennis facility is 24-year-old Mike Rayos, a native of Tcffonto, Canada, who started playing at age nine. Rayos came on board at Preston- wood a month ago, arriving here after holding pro positions in Kinston and Hilton Head Island, S.C. His chores include more than teaching tennis, but his background has prepared him for his new as signment. "I guess you can say I’ve had tennis on my mind almost from the time I started playing the game," he says, "although not always as a career. My fathCT played, and the interest started from watching him. It started out just bitting the ball back over the net, which was fun, especially when it went over the net. The competitiveness that fol lowed just heightened the interest” But even after his prowess cm the courts eventually earned him a scholarship at UNC-Wilmington, Rayos didn’t consider tennis as anything more than a sport he real ly enjoyed. He took courses in edu cation and got a degree in commer cial recreation. "But like many at that age, I really wasn’t sure about the future," he says. "I didn’t know how usable a commercial recrea tion degree could be." So he l(X)ked into tennis positions that were available throu^out the country. He said there are several publications which hst jobs in the spent and he was able to get an in ternship at the VanderMeer Tennis Club at Hilton Head. "I spent the summer of 1994 there and then was hired full time as tennis instructor and reservations agent at the hotel," he explains. "Hilton Head is a beautiful resort area, and the job provided me with a great deal of experience. There were tons of tennis players, and every class was full, wi^ several classes a day." Rayos says there were 35 pros, including eight head pros. He was one of the staff pros. "A good part of the experience came with dealing with people - all ty|»s of personalities and abilities," he points out. Prior to joining the VanderMeer staff, Rayos had interviewed with the Kinston Country Club in North Carolina. It was while he was in Hilton Head that a call came frenn that club, asking him if he’d be available. He said he was and spent the past year there as assistant pro before joining Prestonwood. As a resident pro, Rayos’s other daily duties include running the fully-equipped pro shop, which is a separate brick building to the right of the main clubhouse, and maintenance of the nine courts, six clay and three hard surface. "We check and care for the clay courts at night, after the day’s activities have finished,” he says, noting that the club is just now finishing the league season which runs from March to May. Prestonwood offers tennis year round, although the number who play drops off consid erably during the winter. Does he have a preference for clay OT hard courts? "Further north you’ll find more hard court sur faces," he says. "They’re faster, of course, and the ball bounces quick er. On clay surfaces, the balls stay in play longer because of the slower movement. Footwork, there, is also different, but I really have no preference." More junior tennis takes place during the summer along with a va riety of clinics for all ages. Rayos says you must be a member of Prestonwood to use the courts, but those who take, private lessons are also permitted use. "Tennis has in creased in popularity throughout the country in recent years," he says. "Television gave it a big boost in the 1970s, but today it’s growing on its own. People like the sport because of its competition. It Prestonwood couple share more than love of tennis READY TO SERVE-Dan Weant, left, and Mike Rayos, right spend a good part of their days teaching tennis lessons at the Prestonwood Country Club. Weant is director of tennis and Rayos is the new tennis pro. starts out as a social thing to many people, but the competitiveness is what holds the interest. And it’s a great way to exercise. "Tennis is an easy game to learn, but a difficult one to play well. One of the nice things about the sport is that you can go anywhere in the world and you’ll find tennis court rules and boundaries the same," he says. To those who have been thinking about taking lessons, Rayos says to look for a certified professional to provide the instruction. "There are a lot of non-certified professionals making a living. Everyone has their style of play. A coach might affect it somewhat, but personal style al ways comes out Loc* for someone who is enthusiastic about teaching.” Despite his young years, Rayos has had a wide variety of students. "I’ve had a few youngsters who were about four years old when their parents brought them in for lessons. At that age you introduce them to the spc»t by making it fun, by showing them hand-eye coor dination, and play games. You don’t try to teach specifics such as wrist movement or footwork. Make it simple and fun," he says. The oldest student he had was an 80-year-oId man he taught during a summer trip back to Canada. He says there was a lot more depth to those lessons and the man was a quick learner. Rayos says he approaches every day as a learning experience. He’s no different than anyone involved in tennis. He keeps up with devel opments, new equipment, racket styles, and changes and innova tions. He also does a lot of running and lifts weights. Does he miss Canada? He insists he doesn’t "I went back at Christ mas, and my parents are coming down for a visit late in July," he says. "I know they’ll like North Carolina. Who wouldn’t?” Spanish dish adds pizzazz to summer gatherings If you are looking fca" any excuse to cook outdoors, entertain, or bet ter yet, cembine the two, but want to serve something with a little more pizzazz than your standard grill-fare, then you may want to try your hand at the Spanish dish paella On the other hand, if the idea of a pot of rice combined with a variety of seafood sounds a^ieal- ing, but you don’t want to bother with paella pots, saffron strings, aborio rice, and are perhaps even intimidated by the possibility that this somewhat costly menu could crane out too dry from "coring over the coals," you may want to try my simplified version. You can save the grilling for the ac- cranpanying com on the cob and large sections of red and green bell pq)pers. This dish is simple to prepare and beautiful on the table with the vivid and exciting color contrast of the red lobsters and black mussels paired with the also colorful platter of grilled vegetables. It is also high in flavor and nutrition and VERY low fat! In fact, this dish is so good that a good friend of ours who is better known as "No Show Al" is guaranteed to show up if it is being served! As for dessert, why not stick with the Spanish influence and prepare a flan? This simple, light and cool Prestonwood Gourmet By Roxanne Powers dessert is the prafect complement to a hearty me^, and can made up a day or two in advance. Mock Paella Light vegetable oil cooking spray 1/2 cup dry white wine 1 med. to large onirai (chopped) 1 cup frozen English peas 3-1/2 cups chicken broth 2 cups long grain rice 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts 1/2 lb. bay scallops 1/2 lb. med. shrimp (peeled and deveined) 12 mussels (scrubbed and beard removed) 3 6-8 oz. lobster tails (halved) Season to taste with following: salt, pepper, seafood magic, small sprigs of thyme, rosemary and Preheat dutch oven over medium- high heat. Spray 4-5 times with cooking spray. Saut6 the onion un til limp. Add the rice and saut6 un til golden. Meanwhile, in large skil let combine half the chicken broth, half the wine, chicken breasts and lobster tails. Cook on medium heat Baseball tournament took efforts of 200 volunteers • In just a few hours a week this summer, we can give your child a big head start on next year's classes. • Through our testing, individual programs, and positive environ ment, students learn faster than thought possible! Individualized programs for all ages PROGRAMS: GRADES: -Reading/comprehenslon 1-12 - Reading Readiness K-1 ■ Math 2-12 - Pre-Algebra 6-8 - Algebra 1 or II 8-12 • Geometry 9-10 - Writing 4-College - Study Skills 6-College ■ SAT/PSAT/ACT 9-12 Call Now For Summer Enrollment! , By Ron Page Prestonwood Country Club’s Director of Tennis Dan Weant and his wife, Ginny, who runs the club’s tennis pro shop, do things well together. Each has a master’s degree firan East Carolina Univer sity, each likes teaching, and each missed their same-day graduation ceremonies for master’s degrees for the same reason-tbeir first baby. "It was in the spring of 1982 and I was getting a master’s in teaching physical education, and Ginny was getting hers in adult education," Weant says. "But our son, Patridc, scheduled his debut for the same time as the cerranonies so we both spent the time at the hospital." Today Patrick has a toother, Aaron, 11, and a sistra, Kyrie, 7, and all three show an interest in playing the sport that their father has been involved with since he was about 10 years old. "My entire family played tennis,” Weant says, describing his pre-college life and growing up in Salisbury with his toofiier, Ted, and sisters Linda and Elaine. It was a close family, and his father. Dr. Ted Weant, and mother, Kathleen, used to lake their four children on weekly picnics to various tennis sites. "Some families went out to din ner," Weant explains, "but ours packed a picnic basket and drove off to the tennis courts where we all played together. My father was an avid tennis player and taught us in those early years.” Weant played a lot of junior tennis and ranked fourth in singles in the state and second in doubles in those days. He played in college at Appalachian State, both doubles and singles, and held the number one spot in singles as a senira. In the 1970s and 1980s Weant says many young players who had pro aspirations piay^ a satellite circuit, moving from tourney to tourney in cities such as Raleigh, (jreenville and Richmond. "It wasn’t an easy life," he says. "They literally lived in their cars to save just until chicken breasts begin to mm opaque. Remove lobster tails and set aside with mussels. Add all ingredients but lobster tails and mussels to dutch oven and stir. Tuck lobster tails into the rice shell-down, and mussels into rice mixture joint-down. Place covered dutch oven in oven (preheated to 350 degrees) for 30 minutes. Remove lid (do not stir) and con tinue cooking in oven until excess moisture is cooked out. Divertir! MAKE GOOD USE OF YOUR SUMMER VACATION Sylvon Lraming Center 1428-D AVERSBORO RD • GARNER 779-2229 109 KILMAYNE DRIVE • CARY • 467-8097 Tom Miller had plenty of help as coordinator of volunteers for the Atlantic Coast Conference Baseball Tournament held this month in Durham. Millra, a Morrisville resident who is a sales representative for Cad- Plus Plain Paper Solutions, super vised the efforts of 200 volunteers ranging in age frran 16 to 70. Their woric became even more hectic when rain forced posqwnements and led to simultaneous play on the second day in both Durham and Chapel HUl. Miller, however, brought experi ence to bis assignment It was bis ninth year as coradinator, the {we- vious eight being in Greenville, S.C., where he lived befxe moving to Morrisville. A N.C. State fan and a member of the Wolfpack Club, Miller says he’ll probably pass up next year’s tournament in St. Petersburg, Fla., and instead will follow Slate when it lakes a regular season trip to New Orleans. Two members of the Department Town Crier of Public Woilcs have received let ters of commendation fer the Mor risville Board of Commissiraiers for giving the Town of Zebulon a helping hand in its recovery from the devastating tornado that swept through that Wake County corn- muni^ last month. "We called the day after to see if we could help them in any way," Town Manager David Hodgkins said. "We offered to send equip ment or whatever they might need. They accepted." Hodgkins said Public Worics Director Steve Lawrence and em ployee Walter Stroud spent the bet ter part of a day clearing up debris at a trailer parlc They brought the town dump truck and other equip ment to help in die woik. "We had a presence; we pitched in," Hodgkins said. "I’m sure they would do the same for us." Sm DEVELOPER, page 12 Smoking may be eliminated for millions (SPECIAL) A new formulation of health-promoting herbs has been developed to help you stop smoking, or drastically reduce your smok ing habit, in just seven days with no nicotine withdraw al effects. This \mique formula is exciting news for the approximately fifty million people who try to quit smoking each year. HERBAL SMOKE BUSTER contains a special blend of herbal ingredients that accelerates the body's ability to eliminate nicotine from its system, therefore eliminat ing your craving Available at: for more. If a per son really wants to stop smoking, this product will help them comfortably lose that desire. HERBAL SMOKE BUSTER is avail able in tablet form without a prescrip tion and is guaran teed to work. Use only as directed. Medical Center Pharmacy 211 S. Salem St. • Apex 362-8330 Carolina Pharmacy #2 120E. Chatham St. -Cary 467-6366 Carolina Pharmacy #3 4240 N. West Cary Pkwy. • Cary • Carolina Pharmacy #1 204 Asheville #20 • Cary 233-0300 money, many doing it just so they could say they played pro tennis. A winning purse may have been about $2,000. Today purses may be in the area of $10,000, but the teumaments are fewer and fartbor ^art in places all over the coun try." But be passed up the tour route, citing instead for a summer stint as assistant pro at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro as his flret job aftCT college. 'That was followed by court maintenance at the Raleigh Country Club, everything from repairing courts to fixing seats in the stands. In 1983 be got a caU to be the pro at Cary Country Club whrae he stayed for three years be fore returning to Raleigh in the as sistant pro’s job for a year and a half. He was hired AjhtI 1, 1988, as director of tennis at Prestonwood Country Club, and his wife was hired to run the pro shop. The Weants live in the Huntington sec tion of Morrisville. He says most people don’t realize the intense desire and training that is needed to be successful as a competitively professional tennis player today. "They have to be in great shape, of course, and off the court ne^ to lift weights, jump rope, run miles and sprints con sistently, and couple that with the right mental attitude," be says. "Those in the top 10 or 20 carry a certain arrogance if you will, some thing that shows they feel they can beat you. Remember, they have managers and personal coaches who handle all of the boddngs and paperwrak. The player’s sole re sponsibility is to concentrate on playing the game. Evraything else is handled by someone else. "I guess tf you asked what my forte was. I’d have to say bustle," Weant says. "I believe in a strong mental approach to the game and I try to instill that in my teaching. If it’s hot for me, it’s hot for you, too. 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Morrisville and Preston Progress (Morrisville, N.C.)
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