Friday, February 22, 2008

Getting to Know the WTT: Boston Lobsters

As you eagerly await the release of the Washington Kastles' World TeamTennis schedule, something the team's Web site indicates should happen "by end of February," it's as good a time as any to start learning a little bit about the Kastles' potential opponents.

I'll profile one team in this space every Friday for the next 10 weeks, by which point you still won't care that D.C. has a tennis team and Washington management will, fingers crossed, have scrapped its current logo for this. Well done, notions capital. Well done, indeed.

Let's begin with one of the Original 16 -- the Boston Lobsters.



The History: The Lobsters were a charter member of the league, which began play in 1974 with a 44-match schedule. Boston's owner? Bob Kraft. Perhaps you've heard of him.



The Owner: Businessman Bahar Uttam, who is on the fast-track to leading a major New England franchise to multiple titles in about 20 years, relaunched the Lobsters in 2005. Uttam was once selected as the Tennis Nut of New England by the USTA. John McEnroe must have a few of those awards.



The Coach:Licensed psychologist Anne Smith, a member of the original team, leads the Lobsters. She is the author of two books, including "Grand Slam: Coach Your Mind to Win in Business, Sports, and Life." The book has one review on Amazon.com:

By Slick (Boston, MA)

I found this book very enjoyable to read and very inspirational. The insights from Dr. Smith about winning and competition from her own personal triumphs are intuitive and applicable to parents, coaches, employers and employees. I have a new perspective about what "winning" truly means in life.
It's good to see that Bill Belichick finds time in his busy schedule for some recreational reading.



The Players: Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario, a recent International Tennis Hall of Fame inductee, headlines the Lobsters' roster, while Legal Sea Foods and Sam Adams are two of the team's main sponsors.

The Logo: There’s just something about a lobster holding a tennis racquet that makes me smile. Maybe it’s the thought of eating said lobster. Coupled with its creativity – lob-ster, get it? – the logo and team name are brilliantly delicious.

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