Just like every other major* sporting league, the midway point the season means it's time to rest, reassess, and ... SELECT THE ALL-STAR TEAMS!
That's right, it's time for the long awaited 3.0 all-star team selections! As you know (at least now you know), the midway point of the USTA 3.0 league season gives us a chance to celebrate the best 3.0 players the near-lowest level of tennis has to offer!
The criteria is pretty simple - who is having the best seasons? Who is having the best season at singles? Who is having the best season at doubles? Who is having the ... well .... actually, that's about it. Anyway, remember it's not about how good of a tennis player you are, it's about how good of a 3.0 tennis player you are!
And since in regular, non-pandemic times, we'd be playing matches with two singles courts and three doubles courts, we're going to maintain that formula for our selections - two singles players from each flight and six doubles players from each flight! And, since this is a 3.0 rec league where the saying "availability is the best ability" is sometimes the truest statement of all, we'll also include three sub players, one for singles and two for doubles, because at this level we all know you always need a guy who's ready to go ... almost every week!
Flight #1 All-Stars
Captain - Jeremy Benjamin (Force)
Leading an undefeated Force team, finding new talent, undefeated in doubles play ... is there anything Jeremy "the Bill Bellichick of 3.0 tennis" Benjamin can't do?!
Co-Captain - Rick King (MVRC)
Leading his team - which is also his family - of 3.0 rookies to 2nd place status at the break is a made-for-tv movie just waiting to be filmed!
Singles - Travis Haselswerdt (Avon Oaks/Bay)
Undefeated in singles (3-0), Travis has enjoyed an incredibly lucky start to his year as almost all his opponents have gotten injured during match play!
Singles - Andrew Payerl (Force)
Easily could have been selected in both singles (2-0) and doubles, Andrew is the midway point favorite for Flight #1 3.0 Rookie of the Year!
Doubles - Scott Mellino (Force) & John Prince (Force)
Their undefeated run at the break (3-0) gives this duo their first of what will no doubt be many 3.0 All-Star selection (unless they get promoted to 3.5, that is).
Doubles - Adnan Kazazic (Force) & David Ries (Wembley)
Adnan (4-0), undefeated in doubles, teams with David (3-1) in both players' first All-Star selections (which is technically true as this is the first ever time this has been done)!
Doubles - Brian Chambers (Avon Oaks/Bay) & Tony Slabicki (Avon Oaks/Bay)
Undefeated (2-0) together in doubles, these best friends are a tandem both on and off the court!
Singles Subs - Christian King (MVRC)
Rookie Christian (2-0) gives the Flight #1 team a combination of raw talent and somewhere around 47 other King family members coming off the bench!
Doubles Subs - Jimmy Heiman (CVAC) & Rick King (MVAC)
Both players are enjoying a fine season, with Jimmy (2-0) undefeated in doubles while Rick the Elder (2-1) is a main reason MVRC is enjoying such a fine season!
Flight #2 All-Stars
Captain - Frank Licari (Towpath)
In what is a loaded field of teams with a number of fantastic captains, Captain Frank has led his time to 1st place at the mid-way point of the season!
Co-Captain - Ronald Thomas (La Tuchie)
In second place at the break, Captain Ronald has navigated the choppy waters of one of the best land-locked Flights in all of Northeastern Ohio!
Singles - Jason Dzik (Towpath)
With an amazing career 3.0 singles record and another fantastic singles season thus far (4-0), it's no surprise Jason is enjoying an All-Star invitation!
Singles - Munir Ahmad (NCRC)
Tied for the Flight lead in overall wins, Munir is a singles stalwart (3-0) who is an obvious choice for Flight #2 All-Star status!
Doubles - John Consilio (Towpath) & Craig Warner (Towpath)
Two veteran 3.0 stars, they're both enjoying fantastic seasons with three doubles wins a piece and are undefeated when paired together (2-0)!
Doubles - Jeff Sterling (La Tuchie) & Craig Warner (Towpath)
With great 2020 seasons (3-0), both players can be counted on to score major wins for the team whenever the team needs wins the most ... which is, well, almost always!
Doubles - Bryan Dudiwka (Towpath) & Denny Huff (Paramount Medina)
Two veteran 3.0 players with amazing 3.0 records (3-1), any team that can line Bryan and Denny up at any doubles spot is promised 3.0 glory!
Singles Subs - Douglas Leohr (Fairlawn)
Enjoying a fine singles seasons, Douglas takes on the best Flight #2 has to offer weak in and week out!
Doubles Subs - Jonathan Glazer (Paramount Medina) & Timothy Booher (NCRC)
Both are enjoying fantastic seasons on the doubles courts (3-1) and can be counted on to come in at a moment's notice to rally the team to certain 3.0 success!
Conclusion
Well, there you have it! The best of the 3.0 best! There is absolutely little doubt this list leaves some noted (how is JP Ayyappan not on this list?) and important (how can Roderick Yamat with all his 60+ wins not be here?!) and deserving (how is Captain Phil, who is doing amazing work, not be on this list?!?! WHO IS WRITING THIS GARB ... oh ... never mind) people out, which is testament to just how 3.0 good these Flights are and how horrible this blog's research is! But be that as it may, congratulations to all of the 2020 3.0 All-Stars, apologies to those who were left off (how is Scott Hovey not here, what a rookie season?!?!?!) or left out (yes, there is only ONE picture for all of Flight #2 ... once again, the Cleveland-Akron Divide still exists) and remember to collect your prize - a nod of respect (or mockery) - from your teammates the next time you see them!
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