Coach Todd Seltzer Leads Midtown Bannockburn Women's Team To Nationals
Tennis Team Director Todd Seltzer from Midtown Athletic Club in Bannockburn, IL is an incredibly humble man, but he has much to boast about in his 27-year career teaching people to play tennis.
This year's highlight is the fact that the club's USTA Women's 3.5 tennis team is headed to Nationals, taking place in Mobile, AL October 7-9 of this year.
The 2016 team is the fifth team that Todd has coached to this level of play.
Todd’s tennis teaching career began 27 years ago, and Midtown has been fortunate enough to have him on the team full-time since 1998. He’s been the Team Director since 2004.
A superstar player on his high school’s state championship team in Winnetka, Todd went on to play Division 1 tennis for Tulane.
Once he arrived at Midtown, it didn’t take Todd long to begin helping develop his tennis teams into winners.
In 2008, Todd coached his first team that made it to Nationals.
The remarkable thing about this team?
It was comprised of 3.0 level players who were Tennis in No Time students just two years prior.
From that point on, Todd was on a roll, and so were his teams.
He coached teams to Nationals every year from 2008-2011, and each year his job was made more challenging because as players improved their rankings, the members that comprised each team were different. Todd’s formula for creating winners, however, remained the same.
This year’s Nationals team is comprised of a group of talented women who have been playing for at least 3 years. Most of the team have become experienced players by training at the club for more than 8 years.
Together with several other veteran coaches, Todd leads a team practice three times a week for a minimum of two hours. Many of the members also take private tennis lessons.
The group of players have a wonderfully supportive relationship. They practice diligently and they are committed to improving their games.
Several team members cross-train. Two of them run marathons.
Todd says, “This Nationals team is one of our greatest and scrappiest teams. Their hunger and desire to win helped propel them to this level.”
Throughout the long season, Todd has kept the team focused, reminded them about the skills and qualities that have led to their successes, and helped them perform at their peak throughout every match along the way.
Good luck at Nationals! We’re with you every step of the way.