Published: March 26, 2008 05:53 pm         

Van Kuren has several rising stars in junior tennis

Crossville, Fairfield Glade, and the surrounding areas should congratulate the four young scholar athletes who have worked so hard on their game and the accomplishments they have made. These potential rising talents were selected by the Van Keuren Tennis Academy (VKTA) with the support of the Fairfield Glade Racquet Club. They were able to hone their skills at the racquet club while taking private and group instruction from tennis pro Bill Van Keuren at least once a week for a period of three months during the past two years.

Nithya Kanagasegar, a student at Homestead Elementary, started playing tennis at eight years old. She is currently ranked 42nd in the 12's in the state of Tennessee. She was ranked as high as 10th in the 10's and she qualified and placed sixth in the state tournament to go on to the Southern Sectionals. Her mother, Sumathy, has been a main influence in her life and she has been supported by her dad, Sivalingam, and her brother Keerthighaan. The VKTA helped her improve and hopes to continue to work with her in the year 2008. Her father and brother also took lessons and Keerthighaan also is ranked in the state and is playing No. 1 singles for CCHS. Nithya is a bright kid and her positive attitude and her desire to be a great tennis player is apparent and she definitely has a great future to look forward to.

John Taylor, a junior at Stone Memorial High School, started playing at five years old. His main influence and support came from his mother and older brother, William. William has taught at Fairfield Glade and enjoyed a successful playing career at University of Tennessee at Martin. John achieved a top-3 ranking in the 10's and was in the top 25 in the 16's. He is now currently playing the 18's and will be playing No. 1 singles for SMHS for his second consecutive year. John is 6'4" tall and has a big game, and if he continues to work hard he will be a force to be reckoned with at the college level and beyond. John was an easy pick for the academy. When Van Kuren first saw him hit the ball as a 14-year-old, he relates, "I said to myself, 'This kid's got game.'" John, like his brother, is developing into an excellent player and can hopefully be recruited into VKTA's Advanced Men's League that will be starting soon in Crossville.

Daniel Koehl is 13 years old and has been playing since he was 6 years old. Daniel was selected for his great potential as an athlete, and his desire and love for the sport of tennis is evident. He hasn't had much time on the court to practice as of yet, but during the spring, summer and fall seasons, he will be working on technique, movement and match play experience. His parents, Damon and Pat, and his sister, Courtney, have been great influences on his life and they will continue to support his efforts in the future. Daniel is a seventh-grader at Pleasant Hill Elementary. Like his sister, Courtney, who is a successful triathlete, Daniel possesses a focus and a drive that is very evident when he gets on the court. Courtney, who takes lessons also, will be playing a top singles position for the CCHS team this season. Daniel reminds Van Kuren of how he was when he was his age, "Just not quite as smart or good-looking as him though," said Van Kuren, who will be looking forward to seeing his progress during the 2008 year and how the sport of tennis will mold this young man's character and direction.

Ali Harris just turned eleven years old and is currently playing the 12's in the state of Tennessee. Her brother Josh (who played No. 1 singles for CCHS) is currently attending Tennessee Tech and is working as assistant pro at the tennis academy. Ali is the daughter of Kim and Jerry Harris and is a fifth-grader at Martin Elementary. While growing up and watching her brother Josh play tennis, Ali demonstrated an interest in the sport at an early age. Ali took her tennis to the next level last summer when she began receiving instruction. Ali started playing USTA tournaments and achieved a ranking of sixth in the state in the 10 and under junior girls division. Just having started the 12 and under division, Ali has already earned a ranking of No. 69. Her goals are to keep playing tournaments through her junior year and raise her game to the highest level. With the support of her parents, her brother and VKTA, Ali can grow and become a great player from Crossville, TN.

The Van Kuren Tennis Academy has been privileged to work with such great junior talent and the goal is to continue promotion of the sport of tennis to the Crossville and Cumberlands area.

This summer, the academy will be running and expanding the programs to reach as many juniors as possible. Summer camps, leagues and lessons will be offered from April through October. To register or get additional information, please call Bill Van Kuren, at 484-5855, or Kim, at 484-3350.

Tennis is a sport of a lifetime and VKTA's next article will be addressing the mini-boom the sport is experiencing throughout the country and the world.