You asked for it, Atlanta ...

Doubles League EXCITEMENT is here!!!

The FIRST 100 teams to register receive two $10-dollar Dicks Sports Gift Certificates!
Leagues begin October 4th.

Visionary Tennis Doubles Leagues have come to Atlanta!

The buzz is building as we prepare to launch the most EXCITING doubles leagues in America.

Over the past year we have read and listened to your requests.

You asked for really flexible doubles schedules. You will have it!
You asked for easy scheduling of your opponents. You will have it!
You asked for a great post-season tournament. You will have it!
You asked for bigtime rewards for playing your matches — just like in our exciting singles leagues, you will have it!

EXCITING, flexible, five-match seasons with prizes riding on every game, set, and match. Register now!

Play a match and post your score online — league rankings are updated instantly, and both you and your partner will receive the coveted PlayerPoints in your personal online account.
League players have already been awarded over 250,000 PlayerPoints, which have been cashed in for tons of prizes, including:

• Head and Dunlop Tennis Racquets
• Massage and Spa Treatments
• Dinners at Great Restaurants
• Private Tennis Lessons
• Over 500 "I'm A Player" tee shirts
• Over 1000 "I'm A Player wristbands
• Cases of Penn Tennis Balls
• Ball Hoppers, Hats, Grips and Strings
• and the list goes on and on ...

This season, the prize Redemption Center will be filled by participating sponsors such as:
Dicks Sporting Goods
I Play Tennis
Mambo Italiano Restaurant
Fishbone Wood Grill Restaurant
Netcord.com
Concourse Athletic Club
... and many more.

Got YOUR partner lined up?

Online registration is open now.
Remember, the first 100 teams to register receive two $10-dollar Dicks Sports Gift Certificates.
Click here to register now!

Doubles Tournament of Champions details:

Mark the weekend of December 2 & 34 on your calendar. Racquet Club of the South is the place to be.

It will be two days of fun, games, prizes, exciting tennis, and the, quickly becoming legendary, "Really Big Trophys". The top three teams from each eight-team league will be invited to play in the tournament.
Every league member is invited for the fun, games and prizes.

Picture you and your teammate on the winner's podium!

Congratulations to our Summer Season Player Referral Champion

For telling some friends about Visionary Tennis leagues, Randall Wilson received a $50-dollar Dicks Sporting Goods Gift Certificate and a 1000-PlayerPoint bonus.

Know some friends who enjoy exciting tennis?
Let them know at www.TheMostExciting.com!

We do the rest for you and you receive 25 PlayerPoints in your account for each friend who registers for any Visionary Tennis league.

Our Partners, Sponsors and Supporters

Nothing of real value can be accomplished all alone — it takes the hard work and support of many! Visionary Tennis would like to extend warm thanks to all those who have helped us turn the vision of America's most exciting tennis leagues into reality.

Advertise in VISIONS!

Reach a wider audience of tennis players and fans through this newsletter! Visionary Tennis welcomes all inquiries and will help style your promotion to best suit your needs. For more information, please contact Mimi Cain at 770-329-1219, or email mimi1951@comcast.net.

Message from the Editor

With temperatures soaring once again this summer, we can only hope for a cooler fall. Not only will we be concluding our third season of Singles Play, but we gear up for a Fantastic Fall of Doubles.

Be sure to read Rocket's message above for complete details, and check back with www.VisionaryTennis.com for updates. We want to continue to make Visionary Tennis the best league in the Atlanta area!

And don’t forget — the US Open starts August 28th. Grounds passes are still available through the USTA. If you’ve never been, it will be a trip you’ll never forget. Come to the Big Apple for the time of your life. You may even get a glimpse of Andre or our local favorite, Robby Ginepri.

Remember: Work hard ... play hard ... and just have fun!

MiMi Cain
VISIONS Editor

Lifestyle & Leisure

Keep salt to a sprinkle

Story by Carolyn O'Neil, as told in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's “Better Health” section.

First, let’s shake a myth about salt and health. Salt is not a nutritional no-no. In fact, sodium, the mineral that combines with chlorine to form salt, is a needed nutrient involved in the body’s fluid balance and helps nerves and muscles do their work.

So, when nutrition experts recommend limiting salt intake for good health, they are not talking about salt use — they’re referring to salt abuse. Too much of anything is not a good thing, and some research suggests that a low-sodium diet can help control high blood pressure once you have hypertension. The jury is out on whether eating too much salty food leads to blood pressure problems.

Nonetheless, the 2005 U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend that healthy adults consume less than 2,300 milligrams of sodium (about one teaspoon of salt) per day. Most of us consume about 4,000 milligrams a day.

The good news is that scientists who study taste have found that when you cut back on salt, you get used to it. Denise Johnson, a dietitian at North Fulton Regional Hospital, says, “It takes about three weeks for your taste buds to adjust, and then I’ve had people tell me, ‘I can taste the potato! I never knew what a potato tasted like I used so much salt.’ So they rediscover the real taste of foods.”

If you do choose to limit sodium intake, nutrition facts labels on packaged foods list sodium content to help you keep track, but when it comes to dining out, you’re on your own. Some restaurants provide sodium information on their Web sites, so that’s helpful. But here are a few salt-savvy tips for dining out:

• Order items you can season yourself at the table, such as a baked potato instead of mashed potatoes.
• Pickles, cheese, smoked meats, gravies, sauces, salad dressings, barbecue sauces, soy sauce and broths are usually high in sodium, so use sparingly.
• Ask the server for help. Request that foods be prepared without added salt, or ask for sauces and salad dressings on the side. For low-sodium dressings, try lemon or a splash of vinegar.
• Surface salt, such as a light shake on scrambled eggs or fresh sliced tomatoes, can give you the salt flavor hit you crave with a small amount.
• Eat more spinach, cantaloupe, oranges and other fruits and vegetables. They’re naturally low in sodium and are good sources of the mineral potassium, which acts as the counter-balance to sodium in body fluid regulation.

Carolyn O'Neil is a registered dietician and former CNN Food & Health correspondent, and co-author of The Dish on Eating Healthy and Being Fabulous. Check out more tips and recipes on her website: www.dishdivas.com.

Chef of the Month — Brian Whitcomb — ESPN Zone Atlanta

Growing up in Winter Haven, FL, Brian Whitcomb found out early on that playing tennis could get him noticed on and off the courts. He had the opportunity to meet Martina Navratilova, while his sister was elated to hit with Billie Jean King. Tennis wasn't his only interest -- he soon discovered that cooking would become his passion. As he puts it, "I was the little pest in the kitchen -- always had a finger in the bowl!" It was his mother and grandmother that greatly influenced Brian to follow his heart.

Brian's family moved to Georgia in the late seventies. He worked for a neighborhood Atlanta Restaurant doing anything they needed: prep work along with dishwashing. A typical teenager, he had plenty of other interests, including music (guitar and sax); but one day, he "just grew up", he says, and started cooking.

Fast forward 20 years: By chance, he met Dennis Hord, the director of tennis at Suwannee Station, where he helped design their clubhouse kitchen. It was then that he knew what his calling was -- become a chef. He held several cooking jobs, one being Morton's Steakhouse, but all along it was his dream to own a restaurant.

He opened Del Pizzo's in Lawrenceville and soon found himself busy -- too busy, eventually; the long hours kept Brian from his wife and daughter. So he switched aprons, as it were, becoming pasty chef at Bones Restaurant in Buckhead, where he received most of his formal training. Another highlight on Brian's resume is that of "acting sous chef" for the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. His tent served up to one million VIP's during the Olympics' two week duration.

Still looking for his dream job, (where does one go who has years of cooking experience plus a love of sports?), he eventually found the perfect fit at ESPN Zone. Brian was immediately hired as their executive chef, where for the past four years he has delighted not only college students with his culinary talents, but the Falcons and Georgia Force as well. With three sous chefs under him and an environment with over 350 employees, Brian sums up working there as "a life experience".

In his spare time, he trains interns at the ESPN Zone for the Culinary Arts College of Atlanta. A typical day can start as early as 3:45 am (where he can be found at Fox 5 TV station doing a shoot for Good Day Atlanta). He has even been honored by ESPN as the chef who sets the standard for all other ESPN kitchens.

Be sure to visit ESPN Zone at 3030 Peachtree Road, Atlanta, to sample some of Brian's creations. You just might rub elbows with a Falcon or Captain Outrageous!

Recipe of the Month: Shrimp Cocktail

Serve on warm summer nights when your friends stop by for a visit.

	1 pound fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
	Fill a medium saucepan with the cold water and bring to a boil.
	Add shrimp and cook for 5 minutes until they are pink and firm.
	Drain shrimp in a colander, place in a bowl, cover, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
	Serve shrimp Cocktail Sauce for dipping.
	Cocktail Sauce (the BEST you've ever tasted)
	1 bottle Heinz Chili Sauce
	1/2 bottle prepared horseradish
	1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
	1/4 tsp Tabasco Sauce
	1/2 tsp Hungarian paprika
	1 tbsp chopped parsley
	1 tbsp chopped basil
	1 tbsp oregano
	1 tbsp celery seed (not salt)
	2 tsp chopped garlic
	1/4 tsp dry mustard
	1/4 tsp black pepper
	2 shakes ground red pepper
	1 lemon, juiced
	Serves 4 - 6
Restaurant of the Month — ESPN Zone For sports lovers of all types and ages, ESPN Zone is an all-encompassing sports dining and entertainment mecca where guests are immersed in an ESPN experience. ESPN Zone offers the ultimate viewing experience on more than 150 monitors, including a high-definition big screen. In addition to expertly- prepared American grill food and over-the-top service, guests can enjoy more than 10,000 square feet of interactive games and attractions. Short on time but still want a great meal and outstanding service? ESPN Zone is perfect for private business meetings or group lunches. Check out their new lunch menu featuring great items at lower prices, Monday-Friday, between 11:30am-4:00pm. Relax and unwind with lunch at ESPN Zone! During the NCAA Tournament, ESPN Zone is the perfect place to have your company function with great food, fun, and a whole lot more! Private event packages are available for groups of 25 or more. Contact the sales team at 404-682-3776. Looking for even more? Try their new Braves Power Lunches! Starting on April 28th and continuing once a month, you'll have the chance to have lunch with your favorite Atlanta Braves players and coaches. Visit us at 3030 Peachtree Road in Atlanta, 404-682-3776. We're open for lunch and dinner every day of the week! See our website for full details: www.espnzone.com/atlanta
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A D V E R T I S E M E N T Don't forget to make your reservations now. Come to the OPEN and see your local favorite, Robby Ginepri.
On Court   with Jay Jordan, M.E. “Gear wise ” Jay’s Tip of the Month: Orthotics could be the answer to your hip and knee problems. With summer in full swing and the heat and humidity rising, most tennis is played outdoors on hard or clay courts.  This brings a whole new set of challenges to us as we try to perfect our games.  The courts are dirtier, the air thicker, and sun brighter than at any other time of the year.  Wise choices in the gear you use during this time of year can make the difference between winning and loosing a close match. Let’s start from the ground and work our way up.  There are shoes that are made for clay and shoes made for hard courts.  Clay court shoes have herringbone patterns on the soles and tend to be lighter not holding up well on hard courts.   There are shoes made for feet that pronate, supinate, and are neutral.  Pronated feet roll inward with shoes showing wear on the insides while supinated feet roll outward with shoe wear being on the outside.  Wearing the wrong type shoe can cause ankle, heel, knee, and back problems. Players with neutral feet are the blessed ones.  They can wear just about any shoe comfortably.   In the summer, wear a sock with good wicking properties that will get the sweat away from your skin as quickly as possible.  Cotton is out.  Most companies now have a line of clothing and socks made of wicking materials.  Wearing cotton socks is an invitation to blisters and corns.  Research has shown wearing a spandex type under garment with a 5-6 inch inseam reduces muscle strain and fatigue in the quadriceps and hamstrings up to 20% in some test cases.  NBA players have known this for years.  Moisture wicking shorts and shirts will keep you dryer than conventional cotton and do not lose their sun-blocking properties as badly as cotton does when wet.  Which is better for your head: hat, visor, or a head band?  Does it really matter?  The answer probably depends more on the amount of foliage nature has allowed you to keep on your head over the years.  Many of us chrome-domes prefer hats, but it does not seem to have affected Andre’s game, although in his latter years he seems to prefer a hat to a headband when he chooses to wear something.  The original baseball hat was designed to keep the sun and sweat out of eyes and keep the head cool.  Those baseball hats have crowns which keep their shape and shade the scalp and allow for air flow.  The modern version which collapses on the head may look cooler, but is literally not cool.   How about sunglasses?  Why don’t any of the pros wear them?  There are two reasons:  1. Many players feel the darker lenses distort depth perception.  2. The lenses themselves whether clear or dark distort vision and make it harder to react to the incoming ball.  My opinion is that for us mortal tennis players, sunglasses probably help more than hurt.  There is nothing like looking into a bright sun when trying to serve and then not being able to see the return coming back at me because my eyes now have what I call “sun streaks” in them.  Give me the sunglasses any day. Let the other guy overlook gear issues.  Let him say it doesn’t matter that much.  You control these issues like the other aspects of your game so that you have the advantage.  Remember:  each advantage you give yourself adds up over the course of a match -- and becoming “gear wise” will give you that extra added advantage the next time you are On Court. Jay Jordan
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A D V E R T I S E M E N T
The Last Word...
Somewhere along the path of ‘growing up’, the essence of play becomes more and more elusive, like a dream’s receding memory. Many of us give in and allow the sheer fun of life to be discredited, forced to cower behind a wall of ‘reasonable expectations’. But once in awhile, something rekindles that spark, awakens that child to come out and play. It is that moment that gives us all hope. Visionary Tennis is all about that moment, and about bringing it back to you again and again and again. We want you to play. We want to remind you that ‘playing tennis’ really is just that. It’s not a job, it’s not a discipline — it’s a game.
Know anybody else who’s into sports as much as you? Why not forward VISIONS to them and spread the word!
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