Tennis Topics
Published: June 13, 2009, Richmond Tennis Association website
Whitlock is a hit on the court -- and on the stage
by John Packett, RTA Staff Writer
On the tennis court, Callie Whitlock enjoys hitting winning shots, and she does it quite well.
On stage with her brother and sister, the 16-year-old tries to hit the right notes, too, and usually succeeds.
Whitlock, who played No. 1 singles for St. Catherine’s School last fall as a sophomore, is seeded eighth in this weekend’s Mid-Atlantic #3 girls 16-under tournament, which is being conducted on the clay courts of Willow Oaks Country Club.
Whitlock coasted through her opening match today against Claire Spencer, 6-0, 6-0, before pulling out a much tougher 6-2, 7-6 (10-8) decision over Erdenesuren Erdenebat in the second round.
In the quarterfinals tomorrow at 9:30 a.m., Whitlock will face Faby Chaillo, who ousted third-seeded Lauren Davis in the first round.
Whitlock has been singing with her brother, Eddie, 15, and sister, Ellie, 13, for about eight years.
"They started singing in a little youth choir at church," said Whitlock’s father, John.
"They’d get in the car and sing. I said, ‘Man, you guys are pretty good.’ So I started trying to teach them how to sing harmony. At first, it was very difficult. Then all of a sudden, it started to click. Then we started working with a couple of different people.
"We’ve had a number of different coaches over the years. It all culminated in this CD project we just finished."
The Whitlocks’ first CD will be available in about two weeks, said John Whitlock.
The music is a "combination of Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift," according to the elder Whitlock.
"It’s sort of like a soft rock mix," said Callie Whitlock. "We’re getting a band but right now we just have a studio group come and do the music."
Local writer Chris Adams penned the songs for the group, which is simply called ‘Whitlock,’ and they had the CD produced by Far West Audio in Richmond.
"It’s really good," said Dad, beaming. "They had a lot of fun with it."
Being involved with the group doesn’t take away that much time from Whitlock’s tennis game.
"We usually practice a lot before we have to perform," said Callie Whitlock. "And we have voice lessons twice a week."
Whitlock said the trio performs at small fairs, nursing homes and special events like the Virginia State Fair.
"We’re hoping some people will hear [the CD] and it’ll get on the radio," she said, smiling. "That would be neat."
Even though Whitlock’s high-school season ended in the fall with a loss to Flint Hill Academy in the League of Independent Schools state final, she feels her game has gotten better by working with Jamie Morgan and Damian Sancilio in the Tennis4Life program at Courtside West.
"Usually the high-school tennis isn’t as strong as people want it to be," she said. "So during my high-school season, I’ll play tennis before school and then on the weekends, so I can get the same level of practice that I need to do well in tournaments.
"In the offseason, I practice every day. I definitely think I’ve improved and I’m glad of the spot I’m in now."
Three other Richmonders were in the draw, although one of them, fourth-seeded Emily Hahn, pulled out on Friday with a shoulder injury.
Thirteen-year-old Abbie Pahz, playing up an age group, routed Milena Aksentijevich 6-0, 6-0 in her opener before bowing to Chaillo 6-1, 6-1 in the second round. Chaillo won the state Group AAA singles championship earlier this month.
Elizabeth Stone, who plays for Deep Run High School, lost to Morgan Yang 6-3, 6-0 in the opening round.
The 16-under tournament runs through Monday. The 18-under girls division is being held at Woodlake Swim and Racquet Club. The boys 16-under group is at the Dominion Club, while the boys 18-under category is at Salisbury Country Club.
U.Va. coach Boland, staff will conduct clinics at Willow Oaks
University of Virginia coach Brian Boland and his staff are holding an adult clinic at Willow Oaks next Friday and Saturday. The Friday clinic runs from 5:30-8 p.m., while the Saturday session is from 9-11 a.m. The cost is $65 for one session or $120 for both.
Contact the pro shop at Willow Oaks to register. The number is 804-320-3244.
Boland has led the Cavaliers to back-to-back unbeaten regular seasons, as well as semifinal and quarterfinal showings in the NCAA tournament. He was named the 2008 Intercollegiate Tennis Association national coach of the year.