JWI 2009

The John Weaver Invitational has come and gone yet another summer... and yet another summer, I am rendered immobile. Avid Reader, I am having a hard time moving, much less getting up and down or even sneezing! All in all, however, it's a pretty darn good pain and I'm excited to have gotten to play in my one outdoor tournament with so many close friends.

From a play perspective, I had a great time in pool play with Sean Smith, John Weaver, Jake Putnam, Mike Walton, Chris Costa and Jeff Baldwin. It was a pretty even pool, ultimately won by Chris; I think I was 4th or 5th based on record (3-3) and points for/against.

This put me smack dab in the overall standings of 28 guys and I was ultimately paired up for the tournament with Alan Wittren. Alan was SUPER excited to play -- and had the energy to boot. We were a good pairing altogether -- with his size and net play and my focus on defense (OK, really just trying to play smart behind a big guy), we knew our roles and played them well. In fact, well enough to win the tourney title!

We played a number of great teams, including Jake & Jason, Mike & Moses, Mark & Chuck, John & Alex, then Mark & Chuck again in the final. I'm not going to claim that any of our matches were filled with highlight reel shots, but we were consistent and had a few plays here and there when we needed them!

So, here's to you, Alan Wittren, JWI 2009 Champion!

(If you are interested in all of my photos from the JWI, Avid Reader, click here.)