Sports Authority
Century of Aces
Sutter Lawn Tennis Club celebrates its 100th birthday in September, which prompts one Grand Slam question: How did the little East Sacramento jewel manage to last a century?
A tempting story would tell how Sutter Lawn’s guardians intuitively aced the future and moved with the times at 39th and N streets. They adapted to changing tastes, acquired nearby properties and relentlessly expanded to become the city’s dominant sports facility.
Rarified Winner
Raquel Atawo is among the best tennis players in the world. She has made more than $2.2 million and built a comfortable life with her husband in Sacramento on the strength of her speed, reflexes and groundstrokes. She is tenacious and tough and plays with energy that does not betray her age, 36.
Yukon Gold
There is no easy way to train for a race that requires two or three days in a kayak paddling 444 miles though the pristine wilds of the Canadian Yukon. For practice, there’s a 100-mile paddle event on the Sacramento River from Redding to Chico. But that’s hardly the same.
So how does Marsha Arnold, a 63-year-old case management nurse at Sutter Medical Center, get ready for the most difficult physical challenge of her life?
Popularity Contest
As the Kings rolled to their annual demise without the playoffs in sight, my friend Peter Monson, who owns the Fox & Goose pub on R Street, mentioned how things were getting better.
The Downtown arena had delivered on its promise to enliven a neighborhood devoid of charm and relevance. The Kings had shown improvement and potential for next season. But there was something different about the NBA crowds at Golden 1 Center.
“They aren’t the same as they used to be,” he told a few of us at the pub. “They’re just not.”
Bet on Burkle?
How nice it would be to write that Ron Burkle is the ultimate thumb on the scale, the billionaire whose name, reputation and bank account guarantee Sacramento a golden admission ticket into Major League Soccer. Unfortunately, putting the words “Burkle” and “guarantee” in the same sentence turns the story backward. Burkle doesn’t give guarantees. He takes them.
Professional Touch
For people new to cycling, it’s nice to know Mike Sayers and Julie Young are here to help.
They spend hours making sure a new bike fits the rider. They write training plans and advise on everything from clothing and equipment to diet.
Many personal coaches provide similar services. But many coaches are not Sayers and Young.
Sayers coached the U.S. Olympic men’s road cycling team at the London Olympics in 2012 and the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in 2016. He was a professional cyclist for 13 years, competing across the U.S. and Europe.
