Sam Kromer, former Athletic Director and coach at St. Clair County Community College, came up with this format in 1973. He wanted to see that every player had a chance to win. Every tennis-playing community needs a flight tennis tournament to compliment the traditional tournaments. Because of the established practice of seeding in the traditional tournament most novice players draw a more skilled player, making their tournament exposure brief. Therefore, approximately half of the players in most tennis tournaments play one match, then it is all over.
We have been playing both singles and doubles Flight Tennis in Port Huron since 1974, and it is appealing to a wider spectrum of participants continually. Of course, flight tournaments attract experienced players, but just as important flight tennis appeals to the players who may avoid tournaments in which they could anticipate early termination. The idea is to assign players to flights with players of like ability. Six players (or teams) constitute the ideal flight. A local committee does our flighting and with few exceptions this arrangement works well.
All six players/teams participate in round robin competition. During the round robin phase an 8-game pro set is played. Each flight is assigned two courts twice during the week to play their matches. Time and motion are important. Brief warm-up time, fill the courts quickly, and generally keep things moving. Each flight should play three matches the first night and two matches the second night. The top four players/teams qualify for the semi-finals played on Saturday. The first place player/team plays the fourth place, and the second place player/team plays the third place. The winners play for the flight championship on Sunday. The semis and finals are the best two out of three sets.
Flight Doubles, July 9-15, 2012
Sam Kromer Flight Doubles Entry Form
(entry deadline July 3)
Flight Doubles “News”
“Kromer wraps up; Robinson on deck” – Port Huron Times Herald, 7/16/12
WOMEN’S |
TEAMS |
SEMI-FINALS |
FINALS – Congratulations! |
| Championship Flight | B. Lynch/T. Odlum A. Jacobs/S. Smith-Westrick A. Sweeney/T. Sweeney K. Kinney/L. Thomson G. Furlan/C. DeGroot |
A. Sweeney/T. Sweeny d. K. Kinney/L. Thomson 6-1, 6-3 B. Lynch/T. Odlum d. A. Jacobs/S. Smith-Westrick 6-0, 6-2 |
B. Lynch/T. Odlum d. A. Sweeney/T. Sweeny 2-6, 6-2, 6-2 |
| First Flight | J. Brettschneider/M. Neaton D. Slonac/M. Bryan L. Samman/M. Polakovic A. Tseng/M. Bacheller K. Karadjoff/C. Gauss |
J. Brettschneider/M. Neaton d. K. Karadjoff/C. Gauss 6-3, 6-4 A. Tseng/M. Bacheller d. D. Slonac/M. Bryan 7-6 (3), 6-3 |
A. Tseng/M. Bacheller d. J. Brettschneider/M. Neaton 6-3, 6-4 |
| Second Flight |
B. Knust/J. Sapp C. Rastin/C. Rastin I. Murray/M. Smith M. Vandervest/M. Hartman C. Schott/A. Hartman A. Kennedy/K.Kennedy |
C. Rastin/C. Rastin d. I. Murray/M. Smith 7-6, 6-0 A. Kennedy/K. Kennedy d. B. Knust/J. Sapp 4-6, 6-2, 1-0 |
C. Rastin/C. Rastin d. A. Kennedy/K. Kennedy |
MEN’S
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| Championship Flight |
J. Hepting/C. Flann D. Joy/M. Coleman D. Johnson/D. Clutts F. Palazzolo/M. Neldrett |
D. Johnson/D. Clutts d. F. Palazzolo/M. Neldrett 6-2, 7-5 D. Joy/M. Coleman d. J. Hepting/C. Flann |
D. Johnson/D. Clutts d. D. Joy/M. Coleman 6-4, 7-6 |
| First Flight |
C. Bankson/J.Luce D. Capps/D. Sawdon G. Gale/J. Ariganello G. Nelson/L. Drews D. Sweeney/R. Kovar |
D. Capps/D. Sawdon d. C. Bankson/J. Luce 6-4, 7-6 (3) D. Sweeney/R. Kovar d. G. Gale/J. Ariganello 6-3, 6-4 |
D. Sweeney/R. Kovar d. D. Capps/D. Sawdon 6-4, 6-4 |
| Second Flight |
C. Johnston/A. Cansfield J. Vanderheuvel/I.Mehta D. Wong/L. Ingles J. French/D. Burns W. Gaul/N. Tumma |
C. Johnston/A. Cansfield d. W. Gaul/N. Tumma 6-0, 6-2 J. Vanderheuvel/I. Mehta d. D. Wong/L. Ingles |
J. Vanderheuvel/I. Mehta d. C. Johnston/A. Cansfield |
| Third Flight |
P. Brettschneider/N. Makim A. Davies/A. Acker |
P. Brettschneider/N. Makim d. A. Davies/A. Acker 6-3, 1-6, 6-2 |
P. Brettschneider/N. Makim d. A. Davies/A. Acker 6-3, 1-6, 6-2 |
Flight Mixed Doubles, June 27-July 1, 2012
Sam Kromer Flight Mixed Doubles Entry Form
(entry deadline June 20)
FLIGHT |
TEAMS |
SEMI-FINALS |
FINALS – Congratulations! |
| Championship | Connie Kleeves/Mike Kleeves Tracy Mosurak/Mike Cansfield Stacy Westrick/David Joy Barb Lynch/Steve Pillon Taylor Sweeney/Brett Lynch |
Lynch/Pillon d. Westrick/Joy 6-0, 6-1 Mosurak/Cansfield d. Sweeney/Lynch 6-2, 6-7, 6-4 |
Lynch/Pillon d. Mosurak/Cansfield (default) |
| First | Maggie Bacheller/Darren Wong Sarah Barry/Luke Ingles Lizzie Brozovich/Conner Johnston Fran Basha/Stephen Gossman Sweeney/Betrus |
Sweeney/Betrus d. Barry/Ingles 6-1, 6-0 Brozovich/Johnston d. Bacheller/Wong 6-1, 6-3 |
Sweeney/Betrus d. Brozovich/Johnston 6-2, 6-3 |
| Second | Tracey Stablein-Brooks/Terry Curley Mary Bruce/Greg Gale Karen Basha/Tom Lees Kristy Kinney/Todd Kinney Samantha Pallazollo/Frank Pallazollo |
Basha/Lees d. Bruce/Gale 6-3, 6-3 Stablein-Brooks/Curley d. Pallazollo/Pallazollo 6-4, 7-5 |
Basha/Lees d. Stablein-Brooks/Curley 6-4, 6-1 |
| Third | Taylor Lees/Nate Labelle Alexandria Moran/Phil Johnson Kelsey Leveille/Paul Leveille Lees/Dave Labelle |
Leveille/Leveille d. Moran/Johnson Lees/Labelle d. Basha/Gossman |
TBD |
| Fourth | Catherine Rastin/Tyler Dibattista Clara Rastin/Andrew Davies Katrina Marshall/Jeremy Marshall Lindsay Schadd/Jonathon Semeyn |
Rastin/Davies d. Schadd/Semeyn 6-4, 6-2 Marshall/Marshall d. Rastin/Dibattista 6-1, 7-6 (4) |
Rastin/Davies d. Marshall/Marshall 6-1, 7-6 (4) |
Flight Singles, June 18-24, 2012
Sam Kromer Flight Singles Entry Form
(entry deadline June 12)
Flight Singles “News”
“Sunday Scoreboard” – Port Huron Times Herald, 6/25/12
“Lynch claims Kromer Champ” – Port Huron Times Herald, 6/25/12
“Kromer Finals are Set” – Port Huron Times Herald, 6/24/12
WOMEN’S |
PLAYERS |
FINALS – Congratulations! |
| Championship Flight | Colleen Kustowski, Gail Furlan, Alice Mariani, Karen Basha, Betty Latosinski | Alice Mariani d. Gail Furlan |
| First Flight | Maggie Bacheller, Mysha Bryan, iLina Krishen, Catherine Rastin, Clara Rastin, Ally Kennedy | Mysha Bryan d. Maggie Bacheller 7-5, 6-1 |
| Second Flight | Breana Knust, Isabella Murray, Sydney Sepsey, Margaret Smith, Murphy Vandervest | Breana Knust d. Isabella Murray 6-3, 6-1 |
MEN’S |
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| Championship Flight | David Joy, Jamie Hepting, Carl Preston, Brett Lynch | Brett Lynch d. Carl Preston 6-2, 7-6 (2) |
| First Flight | Collin Lilley, Joe Ariganello, Larry Drews, Steve Chandler, Greg Gale | Greg Gale d. Steve Chandler 6-3, 6-3 |
| Second Flight | Matt Gossman, Mike Gossman, James Wollman, Louis Lamb, Joel Klass, Rob Barrett, Jonathon Semeyn, Jake Tracy | Mike Gossman d. James Wollman 7-5, 7-6 (4) |
| Third Flight | Nishaan Makim, Andrew Davies, Seth Pinnoo,Eli Pinnoo, Chase Brown, Conner Brown | Seth Pinno d. Andrew Davies 6-3, 6-3 |
| Fourth Flight | Derek Distelrath, Ian Pinnoo, Evan Duggal | Evan Duggal d. Ian Pinnoo 4-2, 4-1 |