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THE MID-ATLANTIC CLUB (MAC)
CONTINUES THE TREND
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In 1992, nine
players from the region formed a team and entered (and won) the newly established
55-age bracket at the USAV National Championship Tournament in Reno, Nevada.
That nucleus of players has gradually expanded over the years and has continued
to win at least one gold medal at the “Nationals” every year since.
In 1995, 1996, 1998, and 1999, MAC teams won gold medals in two age brackets.
Several MAC teams have also won Silver and Bronze medals in the 1992–1999
Nationals, sometimes being defeated by another MAC team for the Gold.
MAC teams have also been very successful in
State and National Senior Olympic and International competition. The National
Senior Olympic games are held every other year, and MAC teams have won
a gold and a silver medal in the 1995, 1997, and 1999 competitions. A MAC
team won the gold in the 1994 World Masters Games in Brisbane, Australia.
These past successes have produced two results:
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outstanding players from across the country have asked to join MAC teams,
and
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other teams have set their sights on knocking MAC teams out of their winning
ways.
Both of these results have made for exciting competition.
MAC entered eight teams at the 2000 Nationals in Columbus. These teams
included BayMagic/MAC 50, The Keystone MAC 55s, The Keystone MAC 60s, The
MAC Classics (60 and 65), the Mid-Atlantic VBC 60s, and the Mid-Atlantic
70s and 75s. In addition to the eight teams that had MAC or Mid-Atlantic
Club in their name, there were some additional teams such as the PEN DEL
MAR 65s that were closely allied. All MAC and related teams rooted for
each other, at least when we were not in head-to-head competition. MAC
teams won two gold and two bronze medals at the 2000 Nationals and, as
in the past, a substantial number of MAC players were elected to the All-Tournament
teams and/or designated Most Valuable Players. In Columbus, these included:
Jim Hopton, Hans Sammer, Frank Barthlow, Mike O’Hara, Charles Campbell,
Harold Freeberger, Harry Pincus, and Donald Kerivan. Two things were
obvious at the Nationals this year:
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the competition gets more challenging every year, and
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there is a camaraderie among MAC players that is built on respect and the
enjoyment of playing with and against each other.
The age differences on the various teams produce
a different mix of players each year. One MAC player said “I hope members
of the group continue to form and play on different teams until all of
us are playing in the 100+ Super Senior competition …with a net that is
6’7" or a little lower.” |
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