Pelham wins four more state titles
Published 12:00 am Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Pelham Racquet Club appears to be the place to play if you want a state title.
One month after two PRC teams won a Senior State Championship in Pelham, four other squads took first in the Adult League State Championships in Mobile.
&8220;I can&8217;t remember a weekend where we had as many teams that have won,&8221; said PRC director Ann Ethridge.
A unique twist on the victories was that four couples came out with state titles, including North Shelby residents Bill &8220;Bubba&8221; Bussey and his wife Betty.
&8220;That was a once in a life time thing,&8221; Betty Bussey said of winning state the same weekend her husband did. &8220;I bet that would never happen again.&8221;
Her husband, who started playing tennis with his wife during an anniversary trip in 2005, takes the game serious but has fun as the captain of the 3.0 &8220;Net Patrol.&8221;
&8220;We&8217;re just enjoying playing. Let me tell you it was hot in Mobile. I knew it was going to be hot from being down there with Betty last year,&8221; said Bubba Bussey, who made sure to note the IV station set up in case of dehydration.
Betty Bussey returned to Mobile this year after winning the 2.0 championship last summer. She and 2.0 team members Karen Cross, Daphney Wallace, Julie Hurst and Lisa Lillie joined with new members Angela Chandler, Mindy Shunnarah and Amy Barker to win the 2.5 championship.
Pelham&8217;s 3.0 women and 4.5 men also earned state victories along with the Greystone YMCA&8217;s 3.5 women&8217;s team.
All winners advance to the Southern Sectional Championship to be played in Mobile July 21-24 and July 26-29