We, who love the game of tennis, know that it is a lifetime sport and that we can still enjoy it in our teens all the way through life. Jim Roulias, Henderson, Nevada, has played tennis for 51 years and enjoyed every minute. Jim started playing tennis when he was twelve, fairly late for a junior. He played collegiate tennis at UNR for four years, 1964- 1968, in the old Far West Conference, Division II. He once competed against the legendary Art Larsen, when he played at California State Hayward, in 1967.
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Jim says that Art Larsen was way past his prime and had suffered a serious motorcycle accident, previous to his days at Cal State Hayward, but Jim says "it was just a pleasure to be on the same court with such a legend". Jim also coached and travelled to tournaments with promising junior players from Reno into northern California, where he first met well known and beloved Las Vegas pro, Marty Hennesy, when Marty was a junior player in Northern California. Jim says that "Marty was as nice as a junior player as he is today, which isn't always the case". Jim has played USTA League tennis since its inception, having been a 4.5 level player in Reno, Cleveland (where he captained a 4.5 sectional men's team), and in Las Vegas, where his rating changed to a 4.0 when he was 55 years old. Jim says that "4.0 is a great competitive level, because you have so many levels and types of players within the 4.0 rating".
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This year has been a special year, because Jim has been fortunate enough to play on the Southern Nevada Super Senior (60 and over) Intermountain Sectional Championship team, the Senior NTA District Championship team and the Adult Men's 4.0 NTA District Championship team, all in 2009. Jim has been an active player on all of these teams, going undefeated in the Super Senior, Senior and Men's league play and undefeated in the Men's district playoffs. Jim says that he "has been playing doubles long to know that one of the biggest secrets to success is having good doubles partners". Jim relates "I have been very fortunate over the years and especially this year, to play with some great partners. My partners this year have included Dennis Stein, my Super Senior and Senior partner and good friend, and many great guys and partners in the men's league, including Mark Siegel, Kevin Faber, Ivan Friedmutter, Tom Piazza, and Jeff Ng, who have all managed to hold the old man up in some very competitive matches. Jim also credits his captains, Fred Aguillar (Super Senior and Senior Captain) and Law Bowman (Men's captain) for great leadership and inspiring the teams to always be ready to pay their best. Last, but certainly not least, Jim says that "he owes a lot to his cheerleader and favorite doubles partner and practice partner, wife Donna, who is a very successful 4.0 woman player in all of the leagues. This what league tennis is all about, family, partnerships, friendships, great competition and FUN for LIFE!!
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