CHAMPIONS
Jeannie Vogel
Women’s Gladiator of the Year
Tennis has been part of my life since I was 10 when I discovered old wood rackets in the garage and went to the park with a friend to hit balls. I didn't play HS tennis, but when my small Bible college begged for volunteers for their new woman's tennis program, I joined. For the first time I had some coaching, plus someone donated a nice racket to replace my wood one. I played number one singles in that small college division, and although I lost plenty of matches, I was shocked that I won about half with my unconventional style and defensive approach. After college, I taught my husband to play. We played regularly outdoors for about 20 years until an injury sidelined him. When I finally joined an indoor tennis club, the club owner saw my old college tennis racket, and gave me a demo to keep, which I still use.
When we moved to Chicago, I joined Gladiator to meet new players at my level in organized competitive tennis. This is my second year of GT and I have appreciated the good tennis, great people, and wonderful sportsmanship of this league. Even though I travel a lot, the flexible schedule allowed me to play about 95% of my matches. And for the third time in my life, I have been given a tennis racket. But unlike the others, I will probably not be playing with the racket that Wilson gave me as Gladiator of the Year, because of the amazing signature of Billy Jean King on the handle. However, since I am moving back to NY next year, I will cherish this gift as a reminder of some great years of Chicago tennis.
Angela Vaughn
4.0 Women’s Champion
I started playing tennis when I was about 12 and played regularly for a few years with neighborhood friends while growing up. But, since my high school wasn't large enough to have a tennis team, I never played competitively in school. I ended up putting the tennis down for several years and turned mainly to running for exercise. Then, about a year and a half ago, I bought a new racquet and decided to take some beginner lessons through the Arlington Heights Park District. It started to come back to me quickly and I was soon looking to play tennis every chance I could get. I joined a USTA league and played indoors all winter. I remembered from a singles match I had, a guy had told me about Gladiator and I thought this would be a good way to supplement my tennis habit. Plus, I really enjoy playing singles because I am always moving. So when Spring rolled around I signed up. I won enough to qualify for the playoffs and to my amazement I did really well. I had a nothing to lose mentality, and it played in my favor. I feel fortunate to have played against some excellent players who enjoy the sport as much as I do.
Christy McGovern
3.5 Women’s Champion I have played tennis sporadically throughout my life. It started as a hot Kansas summertime habit that I especially enjoyed because we always visited Dairy Queen afterwards. Some of my closest friends to this day are the ones that I played with in high school and college. I really enjoy the sportsmanship and camaraderie that is found on the courts. I went to Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas on a track scholarship, but due to injury and (the “freshmen fifteen”) I was close to losing my needed scholarship. Luckily, I was able to transfer it to tennis. We were a small team from a small school, but we won the Heart of America Championships in 1994. After college I put down my racket and focused on coaching track and field. After having three kids I heard about Gladiator and thought it would be so much fun “to get back into the game”. I had a blast and was so pleased at how friendly and flexible the league was. I took some seasons off while pregnant with my fourth son, but now I cannot imagine ever giving up this enjoyable outlet in my life.
Beth Gay
3.0 Women’s Champion
My parents are avid tennis players, and as the youngest in my family, I remember my siblings and I following them around as they played in local tournaments. I really didn't take tennis seriously until about 10 years ago, when I started playing year round in both singles and doubles leagues. Then I stepped away from it for about 6 years until I found a flyer for Gladiator at my local Pot Belly's. This is my 3rd season and it was such a great way to "get back in the game" and redevelop my skills. I look forward to the next year and one day may even be able to get a few games off my parents!
Zach Miller
Men’s Gladiator of the Year
Growing up I really didn't play much tennis, only 2 summers in the parks and recreation league when I was 11/12. I tried out for the team at Quincy University 8 years later on a chance encounter with the coach and found myself playing 4 seasons of Division II tennis. I went from a 2-12 record my freshman year to making All Conference in my senior year. After that I didn't pick up a racket for 3 years until another chance encounter put me in front of a Gladiator flier at Potbelly in Naperville. Since then I have played 3 full seasons (would have been 4 but for a torn ACL).
I really love the Gladiator league for two reasons. Flexibility of scheduling and the constant growing and changing competition. There is a place for players of all skill levels.
Sandro Ochoa-Lubinoff
5.0 Men’s Champion
I have been playing racquet sports almost all my life. My first time playing tennis was in my home country, Peru. My brothers and I used to watch my father playing on a red clay court, and only after he and his friends finished were we allowed to jump on to the courts and play.
I used to play in a league when I was a kid, and I won some tournaments, but nothing high profile. Besides tennis, I have played squash, table tennis, badminton and another racquet sport that is played only in Peru. It’s called “Paleta Fronton”, and somehow, I managed to become national champion of this sport for a couple of years.
My family and I decided to move to United States, and as I was looking for partners to play I found Gladiator Tennis. 2011 was my second season, and just now I feel that my game in hard courts has improved to the point where I am playing up to my ability. I am pretty sure that the key to developing your game rests in the opportunity to play with different partners, and you can find this in Gladiator Tennis.
Tim Banas
4.5 Men’s Champion
Both of my parents enjoyed playing tennis, so they taught all of us--my sister, my brother, and me--how to play at a pretty young age. I remember taking lessons at public parks in Chicago and River Forest when I was 8 or 9 years old. As a family we played casually; no one took it too seriously.
I played on the St. Patrick's High School tennis team my freshman year, but then I decided I'd rather join a band. Unfortunately there wasn't time for both tennis and rock stardom. And, also unfortunately, I never achieved rock stardom. Still, I played casual tennis with friends and family throughout high school and college.
Later, I started a tennis club. This eventually turned into a team at Schurz High School in Chicago, where I taught for several years. I coached the boys and girls teams for two years and had some of the best times of my life, tennis-related and otherwise.
Finally, after a year playing USTA leagues in Minneapolis, I moved back to Chicago with my wife, Sandra, and our two dogs. I then heard about the Gladiator Tennis League and really liked the flexible formatting, so I joined right away. I have found the Gladiator experience to be truly excellent. I have met several partners at my skill level to hit with regularly, and the league matches are always a blast. All of the Gladiators I have competed against have been true sportsmen, and I look forward to competing again and again in the years to come.
Ryan Rymarzak
4.0 Men’s Champion
I started playing tennis when I was probably 14 going into High school. I played other sports growing up, yet tennis was what I had the most passion for.
I remember watching Sampras play Wimbledon and just got hooked on how passionate the top guys were for the sport. Throughout high school I played on the varsity squad and made state my senior year. I took a break going into college and after finishing I felt I was missing something I was truly passionate about. Gladiator tennis restored this passion I had for the game.
The league is outstanding and the people you meet have all been very competitive, passionate, and overall good people. I look forward to playing each season now and can't wait to watch the league continue to mature.
Matt Martin
3.5 Men’s Champion
Baseball was my #1 sport growing up, but I also enjoyed playing tennis for fun. I would have played for the high school team, but tennis was a spring sport just like baseball was, so I chose baseball. Baseball was very good to me, beause I received a 4 year
scholarship to play Shortshop at IIT. After school ended, I continued to play tennis for the next 10-12 years but only with the same 2-3 friends whom I knew played. It is pretty difficult to get any better playing the same people year in and year out, so tennis was growing somewhat tedious and boring. As luck would have it I stumbled upon
Gladiator Tennis through Groupon of all things this spring. I decided
to try it since I had never played in any organized tennis league
before. I’m glad I did because it is a great league which is well run
and kept me somewhat in shape. I also met some great people along the way, and I’m dedicating this win to Bob Muench, who was one of our fellow Gladiators, and a great person that I had the honor of playing. Look forward to next year and possibly playing in the winter session.
Labinot Avdiu
3.0 Men’s Champion
I started playing as a 9 year old in Kosovo. We didn't have courts where I grew up, so we would use chalk to draw the court in our neighborhood street, and than tie a string across as the net, and yes, we would have to untie it every time a car came by. So, my friends and I taught ourselves the rules and how to play from watching endless games on TV, especially Wimbledon during the summer. The kid with the coolest/newest racquet in town was always the envy of our group, each kid trying to out-do him next time he came across a new release racquet. Finally, someone got the sense to get the specs of a tennis court, and we actually painted it on our school grounds. Then we dug in the holes for the poles made by our local welder, and my father ordered a regulation net from abroad. That was in 1989, and as time went by, the sport took on like wildfire in our country. Today, there are numerous competitive leagues with many members in Prishtina, Kosovo. The sport has really progressed, and is producing some really quality players.
I stopped playing after I moved to the US in 1994 because there was not much tennis played in my new home of Oklahoma City. But after moving to Chicago, I picked it up again when I came across the ad in Groupon, and boy am I glad I did! I love the guys I played against. It’s a competitive league, with really high quality sportsmanship and fun guys to knock it around with. The playoff and the finals event was a really nice cap to a great spring/summer/ and fall season. Can't wait to play again next year, and maybe challenge myself up to the next level.