TENNIS / JEFF RILEY : Lynch Growing Along With Ventura County Juniors Group

The Ventura County Junior Tennis Assn. has come a long way since Terry Lynch volunteered her services as chairwoman five years ago.

Only 175 players were part of the organization when Lynch went to work, but membership has skyrocketed to 650 this summer.

In part, it is because Lynch herself has come a long way since she organized her first tournament in 1987.

In her initial effort, Lynch, 45, of Ventura, mistakenly used the wrong chart in determining the age groups for a VCJTA tournament.

“I used an old USTA book, and everybody was in the wrong age group,” Lynch said. “So my husband (Ed Lynch) stayed up until 3 a.m. fixing the draw, and I had to call everybody the next day and give them their new starting times.

“It was my first big job and I blew it.”

But she has learned, and the result is perhaps the finest junior program in the area.

When Lynch isn’t flying around the country as a flight attendant for a major airline, or playing team tennis at Pierpont Racquet Club in Ventura, she volunteers her time for the VCJTA.

She says she spends about 30 hours a week running the VCJTA, but some feel Lynch works twice as long as that.

“We used to have eight people who did the job that she does,” said Polly Metcalf, a former VCJTA vice president. “We offer to help her, but she seems to be able to handle it. If you don’t do it, she’ll do it.”

Lynch organizes 17 tournaments each year, which includes such duties as selling advertising for tournament programs and officiating matches.

Her success with the VCJTA led to a paid job with the Ventura Parks and Recreation Department as a tennis tournament director.

As matriarch of one of Ventura County’s most avid tennis families, Lynch has a natural inclination to serve the tennis community. Husband Ed played at Auburn University; Amanda, 21, is a former Ventura High player who plays No. 3 singles at UC San Diego; and Alex, 18, will attend Washington State in the fall on a tennis scholarship.

“It’s really been very, very rewarding,” she said. “It’s fun to watch all the kids who were 10 years old yesterday, and they’re earning college scholarships today.”

And there are always a few parents who help keep her job interesting. Once, a parent angrily accused Lynch of ranking his son behind another player because he felt Lynch disliked him.

“After we work real hard putting on a tournament, the topic of conversation always somehow ends up about parents,” Lynch said. “There are more arguments between them than there are between the children.”

The entry deadline for the 27th Ventura County championships ends today, but tournament director Lynch still faces a busy schedule. And if that isn’t enough, membership in the VCJTA is expected to again increase when the season resumes in October.

“It gets kind of hectic, but I really enjoy it,” she said.

Add county championships: Alex Lynch, who last year at 17 became the youngest winner of the men’s open division, will not be able to defend his title because he will leave for school in Pullman, Wash., on Aug. 17, the first day of the tournament.

Sherwood opening: Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks officially will open its state-of-the-art tennis facility Saturday at 1 p.m. The ceremony is open only to members.

Included on the grounds are eight hard courts, four clay courts and three grass courts.

“We believe it’s the finest tennis facility in the country,” said former touring pro Roscoe Tanner, the director of tennis at Sherwood.

Oxnard Sports Festival: Six area players each won two titles last weekend in the 31st Oxnard Sports Festival at Oxnard Tennis Center.

Westlake Village’s Tony Cohen won the men’s A singles and teamed with Camarillo’s Matt Simpson to win the men’s A doubles. Simpson combined with Oxnard’s Midori Katsura to win the A mixed doubles.

Ventura’s Glenn Hamashita won the men’s B-plus doubles with Ventura’s Scott Brayman and combined with Ventura’s Lynda Fulford to win the B-plus mixed doubles. Fulford added a title in the women’s B-plus singles.

Oxnard’s Leslie Balta won the girls’ 14 singles and combined with Oxnard’s Donella Bernardo to win the girls’ 16 doubles. Camarillo’s Derek Carson won singles titles in the boys’ 16s and 18s.

Wheelchair results: Ventura’s Tim Ambler won two titles in the first Gold Coast Classic wheelchair tournament at Ventura College last weekend.

Ambler won the men’s B singles and teamed with Oxnard’s Glenn McIntyre to win the men’s B doubles. Vince Pena of Ventura won the junior division.

Senior Satellite: Eight local players won titles in the fourth Senior Satellite championships at Braemar Country Club in Tarzana on Sunday.

In singles play, winners included Lily Reeves of Reseda (women’s B-plus, 30-year-olds), Craig Wada of Sherman Oaks (men’s B-plus, 30s), Joe Brown of Sherman Oaks (men’s C-plus, 30s), and Chuck Schmelter of Simi Valley (men’s C, 60s).

In doubles play, winners included Eric Book and Vishnu Ramyead of Woodland Hills (men’s B-plus, 30s), and Todd Brown and Lee Siegel of Woodland Hills (men’s C-plus, 30s).