Trio Of GB's Tennis Teams
Three different age groups competing in the tennis side make Games' squad the largest ever tennis delegation which Team GB has ever taken to Israel - encompassing a total of 45 players - and were it not for injuries and the credit crunch, the number could have been significantly higher.
The junior squad trials were held last summer with the final squad picked at the end of 2008 with competition for places was very fierce especially amongst the boys.
The manager/coach for squad is Michelle Wayne, who's a professional tennis coach and herself a Maccabi bronze medalist in the 70's. Michelle still plays competitively and only recently won the mixed doubles competition at her local club, Chandos LTC.
The squad have been training together since September 2008 every other Sunday at David Lloyd Bushey, and since 1 April every weekend at Chandos LTC on their hard courts, to prepare for the surface they'll face in Israel.
A broad age range within the squad, one of their hopes is the doubles pairing of Michael Cohen and Myles Golding, known on court as Little and Large.
Greg Rack, the Chair of all the Squads, said: "One of the pleasures of working with the squad over the last year has been watching how all the players have improved their game. Outside of training, all the players are hitting with their own coaches and playing matches for their schools, clubs and counties.
"The competition is likely to be incredibly strong since our squad are quite young (average age of 16) and will be coming up against 18-year-olds from USA and Israel, some of whom may be world ranked. We will certainly giving it our very best shot and I would hope that between the squad we will pick up some medals."
Two of the girls (Emma Gibbor and Candace Press) competed in the European Games in Rome in 2007 but for all of them it's their first experience of the Maccabiah in Israel.
The Senior squad was chosen in November 2008, and they have been training together since that time at Chandos LTC every Sunday and Rack has high hopes for them.
He says: "All but three of the squad have been before as juniors, with Marc Baghdadi and Sam Stiefel winning medals in previous Games, the former of which could do some damage in any one of his three competitions.
"Although some of the squad have been training together for a long time, half of the squad have been away at University, and it is only now that the exams are over that the whole squad are hitting together. Most of them are now playing every day, and before we leave, will be playing a full match against the Chandos first team, so as to get some great match practice in before the Games."
Rack will be competing in the 40+ category, and for him it will be his first experience of the Maccabiah, with him stating he's 'unbelievably excited about it'.
He says: "Being Chairman has been great fun, I love tennis, networking and Israel, so it brings together three of my passions. I'm delighted we are taking such a large delegation, particularly since some of the players have not been to Israel either ever before or for more than 20 years. Not only are they coming, but they are bringing their family too. For others, such as Kenny Collins, it will be his fifth Maccabiah. He is determined to bring back a medal, and is certainly one of the fittest 65 year olds I have ever come across.
"It is difficult to know what the competition will be like but amongst the squad there are some very talented players. Emanuel Mond and Clive Schaller are a strong pairing in the 50 plus, as are Tim Allan and Barry Isaacs in the 45 plus.
"Many of the masters' players are either winning or reaching the finals of their club competitions. But we recognise that the international stage will be a completely different ball game."
The squad will though go into the Games on the back of tragic news, following the passing away of one of their Masters players, Anthony Hockley.
Rack said: "The Masters Squad travel with a great sadness due to the untimely death of one of our players Anthony Hockley who died tragically on 14 June. Our best wishes go to surviving members of his family."
Junior Squad: Alex Koslover (Boys captain), Myles Golding, Michael Cohen, Charles Salmon, Grant Goulden, Adam Mizrahi, Candace Press (Girls captain), Gabrielle Kleimberg, Emma Gibbor, Aisling Leonard, Hannah Solomon, Georgia Kirsch
Senior Squad: Stuart Levy (men's captain), Marc Baghdadi, Andy Hurwitz, Jamie Gibbor, Greg Tarn, Andy Lee, Samantha Cohen (ladies captain), Amber Silverstone, Julia Nehorai, Samantha Stiefel, Olivia Davies
Masters Squad: Greg Rack, Timothy Allan, Stephen Carlin, Stephen Cole, Kenny Collins, Andrew Goodman, Lara Greenfield, Paul Huberman, Barry Isaacs, Maurice Kindler, Len Sisskind, Emanuel Mond, Dawn Moses, Alan Rechtman, Clive Schaller, Ezra Nahome, Paul Sheeter, Anthony Tropp, Danielle Wagerman, Graeme Warner
