Published October 20, 1992

MONTICELLO - We all have had the experience of sending away entries in response to prize contests, without ever really hoping we'll win anything; the odds always seem astronomical. Well, this story has a different ending.

Amy Davidoff of the Monticello High School girls tennis team sent an essay to the L'egg's Corporation's “Dream Team” contest last fall, never expecting anything to come of it. A year later, it bore fruit.

Through the Women's Sports Foundation, which administers it, the “Dream Team” program awarded the Monticello tennis program a check for $2,531.65, having found merit in Amy's 150-word essay. In it, she had to explain her idea of a dream team (see copy, below).

“L'eggs is very supportive of women's sports, especially tennis,” said Monticello girls tennis coach Urvashi “Tutu” Gupta, who helped Davidoff with the letter. Gupta said that “Amy happened to be there” when athletic director Ken Garry gave the tennis coach the entry rules and regulations.

Davidoff, a sophomore who is the team's first singles player, said she would like to see a clinic or a camp set up to help the middle school and younger tennis aspirants. Both she and coach Tutu would like to see the money used to promote tennis in the school district.

“I would like to congratulate the athletic department, coach Tutu, and Amy for this prize,” said Monticello school superintendent John Lawler. “It's the first time I can recall anything like this happening.”

ESSAY COPY/in sep. box:

Dream Team

My idea of a dream team is one full of champions and has all that it needs. Our team is far from a dream team, but with a little help we could come pretty close. Our team needs money for essential items. For example with the money donated we could buy new t-shirts. The t-shirts we have now are ancient and the new shirts would make our team feel and look more confident so that we could play better. The team could also use a ball machine. While our coach is working with one group of players the other group can be practicing their technique with the ball machine. We are also in need of money in order to build tennis courts. Presently we do not have tennis courts at our school. We are lucky to have the support of a nearby hotel where we can practice. Our team has improved greatly over the last two years. We went from winning no matches in 1990 to winning 5 matches in 1991. With the money donated by L'eggs we could do even better and maybe go on to sectionals, states… Tennis is an important part of our lives and we don't want to see it disappear.

Signed,

Amy Davidoff