Wednesday, August 5, 1992 PhotoFE ATURE - Summertime at @ Wednesday, August 5, 1992 FastLAN ma ¢ Win, loss or draw, it’s In The News Jonathan Green 365-7266 "JOIN THE KIWANIS The Castlegar Kiwanis Club is hosting a gathering at the Castlegar Golf Course on Tuesday. The local club has invited fellow Kiwanians from Trail, Nelson, Colville, Chewelah and Republic to join them for a round of golf. Kiwanis members should contact Brian Brown at 365- 6677 or 365- 2151. LAKESIDE FUN Christina Lake has a whole slate of activities planned for Aug. 15 and 16. The 10th Annual Men's Fastpitch is set to roll. For information contact Dennis at 447-9581. Also, the Christine Lake Open Tennis and United Way Bocce Tournaments are ago. For information on those, contact 442-2202. Last, but certainly not least, a sports card show will be held during the two-day event. For info, call Mr. Fastpitch, Dennis, at 447- 9581. LocadaSPORTS Stolz makes the tennis grade @ Castlegar youth making the most of his recently-discovered tennis talent Scott David Harrison EDITOR In the summer of 1991, Wayne Stolz was introduced to the game of tennis. Holding a racquet like the foreign object it was, Stolz trotted off to the Castlegar tennis courts to “hit a few balls around with my friend.” He beat friend Andrew Peterson that day and he’s been winning regularly ever since. So much so, that the game of tennis now finds itself being introduced to Wayne Stolz. In one short year, the 15-year-old Castlegar native has turned raw talent into polished play. And this weekend, that polished play earned him a third-place finish at the prestigious Spokane Inland Empire Junior A Championships. “I think I could have played better in the last match, but that’s okay,” the media-shy Stanley Humphries Secondary School student said. Stolz cruised through the American competition in his first matches, dumping three Spokane opponents. He toppled Wes Ruemping 6-0 and 6-1 in opening-round action of the United States Tennis Association-sanctioned tourney before ousting Rafe Hewitt 6-4 and 6-2. Stolz hammered his way to a 6-1, 6-0 victory over John Wrigley in his third contest, only to fall to American Corey Hooke in the semi-finals by scores of 3-6 and 1-6. Hooke later scored a three-set victory in the finale to-take top honors at the 32-player tourney. “Who knows, if I would have beat him, I may have won the tournament,” a sheepish Stolz said. Stolz’s climb has been impressive, but it hasn’t come without dedication. Stolz spends some three hours a day hitting balls with whomever he can find. “When I first started, I really wasn’t any good,” he said. “I like playing so I decided that I’d better practice.” And practice he did, hitting, missing and downright blowing shots. It was only when Stolz arrived at school last September that‘he decided to give tennis a shot. He tried out for the Stanley Humphries team, only to surprise himself. “I didn’t even think I’d make the team,” he said, shifting in his chair. “But once I got on the team, I figured maybe I could play after all.” Stolz said Humphries teacher and tennis coach Barry De Paoli helped refine his play to a point that surprised even him. “He helped me a lot,” Stolz said. “He gave News photo by Scott David Harrison Castlegar’s Wanye Stolz is making a name for himself with a game he only played for one year. me the confidence that I needed to become a better player. I owe him a lot of thanks.” Stolz took De Paoli’s lessons to heart and took his game on the road, signing up to attend the Kimberly Tennis Camp in July. He got his first taste of victory, winning the camp tournament while working on his forehand play. The fine-tuning paid off on July 27 when he finished third in his first major tournament, the Penticton Junior Open Tennis Championships. He followed that up with a seventh place finish at the North Central Washington Burger King Junior A Championships in Wenatchee. He’ll round out his first-year of tournament action this month with events in Vernon and Kelowna. Stolz is refreshingly level-headed about the game he plays. He dreams of a-college scholarship, but says he’s determined not to let the game change him. “I. don’t take the game too serious,” he admitted. “A lot of people that I play in tournaments will throw their racquets and swear. I’d never want to be that way. “I can take it seriously when I have to. When you make a bad shot, you have to forget about it and go on. “You have to keep it fun,” he said. “That’s important to remember because it’s only a game.” Vacation loan? We'll make it happen.