03/30/2026
SkyMed Takes You Home
Come join a FREE informational ZOOM and learn why ALL Boaters and RVers (or ALL travelers in general) should consider being protected by SkyMed. “It is better to have SkyMed and not need it, than to need it and not have it”. For as little as $59/mth for an individual, or $69/mth for a family you are covered immediately 365/24/7 wherever you are, including at home.
Tue, Apr 7
07:00 PM - 08:00 PM EST
SkyMed: Why you need it and how it works.
Meeting ID: 837 3987 2175
Zoom invitation link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83739872175?pwd=1rS4QtctFJQApySaU2tUqvE00Vcjeb.1
For more information, or you’d prefer to call or email directly contact Rob Krajicek, National VP of Marketing for SkyMed.
Rob’s cell 813-997-2377 Rob’s email: [email protected]
Rob’s website to see ALL 18 things SkyMed does, see and receive the BEST pricing available AND (if you prefer and are ready to get immediate protection a self-complete application at:
https://gateway.skymed.com/customer/event-plans?eventId=f0f8297b-1a17-476f-9c71-37ed5dedf76a
Event Plans
Hospital-to-Hospital Emergency Air Transport Hospital-to-Hospital Emergency Air Transport "By Choice of the Member" means EVEN if you can be treated in the emergency facility you are in, SkyMed will Take You Home if you choose. SkyMed will arrange and pay for medically equipped air ambulance t...
03/03/2026
SkyMed Takes You Home
As someone who spends a lot of time on the road, and works with families who do the same, I ask this often:
What would you do if you or a loved experienced a medical emergency, at home or while traveling?
Most people assume their health insurance or Medicare has them fully covered.
SkyMed isn’t about expecting something bad to happen. It’s about having a plan in place, just in case.
Emergencies don’t ask where you are.
They don’t wait for convenience.
They don’t check your calendar.
They just happen.
The real question is:
Do you have a plan in place?
For more information contact Rob Krajicek
Cell: 813-997-2377 [email protected]
NEW: For a brief couple minute video about what SkyMed does, click on the link below:
https://youtu.be/Q7m1GeeDOBE
NEW: Go to the hotlink below to go directly to SkyMed's best discounted pricing AND self complete application
https://gateway.skymed.com/customer/event-plans?eventId=f0f8297b-1a17-476f-9c71-37ed5dedf76a
Event Plans
Hospital-to-Hospital Emergency Air Transport Hospital-to-Hospital Emergency Air Transport "By Choice of the Member" means EVEN if you can be treated in the emergency facility you are in, SkyMed will Take You Home if you choose. SkyMed will arrange and pay for medically equipped air ambulance t...
02/06/2026
Come join other tennis enthusiasts, AGLCA members, boaters, RVers and/or travelers in general, and listen to new Admiral Sponsor, SkyMed International’s National VP Rob Krajicek (cry check), Tuesday February 24, 2026 at 7 PM EST (6 PM CST) via the following link
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87082956772?pwd=DM5euHy0fvLj4qycFGzRWyKpFBOMBb.1
There are ONLY 2 reasons that anyone does not have SkyMed:
1) They have never heard of it, or
2) They have heard of it, but don’t understand what it does or how it works
Rob will take care of both of those reasons.
Rob says, ‘It is better to have SkyMed and not need it, than to need it and not have it. You never think it will happen to you until it does’.
Join our Cloud HD Video Meeting
Zoom is the leader in modern enterprise cloud communications.
09/15/2022
If you would like to hear the story of Austin Krajicek's tennis life and experiences, in a podcast format, this is it. It is very informative, fun and entertaining.
Steve Smith knows and has been in Austin's court (literally and figuratively) for 25+ years. He has been Austin's coach and remains a mentor.
He is/has also been a good friend of both Sherry and myself for all those years as well. He knows what we have been through.
It is about two hours long, but goes by quickly. By the end you will know what the Krajiceks have been up to for the last 25 years.
Enjoy...
The GreatBase Tennis Podcast Episode 108 - Austin Krajicek Interview
On the 108th episode of the GreatBase Tennis (GBT) podcast, Steve Smith and Austin Krajicek have a tennis conversation. The two have known each other for twenty-five years.
A couple of weeks before Austin turned 8 years old, Steve produced a narrated slow-motion analysis for Austin and his parents (Rob and Sherry). Austin was on his way to a national event (Little Mo). Steve suggested that the family wait until they return from the tournament for Austin to begin the process of re-building his technical base.
To make an understatement, Austin has an extremely impressive resume. He is a Kalamazoo (US national 18's) champion, a six time All-American, a member of the Texas A & M Hall of Fame and a US Olympian. In singles, Austin earned a top 100 ranking. In doubles, he currently is ranked 15 in the world. Most recently, he and his partner (Ivan Dodig) reached the French Open finals.
We are confident that our audience will thoroughly enjoy listening to this podcast. Austin certainly knows his way around the tennis world and has an abundance of tennis and life experiences to share.
Listen: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/austin-krajicek-interview/id1528267426?i=1000578669568
Watch: https://youtu.be/mUq202megiA
GreatBase Tennis
EDUCATION
10/22/2016
Steve Smith promotes the PORTABLE TENNIS PARTNER.
To get yours visit PortableTennisPartner.com or contact Andrew at [email protected]
Tennissmith's Great Base Backboard
Portable tennis backboard Great Base Backboard www.tennissmith.com
10/18/2016
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=10153751074025566&id=233886670565&substory_index=0
The Sporting Statesman, Novak Djokovic, And The Rise Of Serbia
by Chris Bowers
An excerpt, page 288:
At the 2014 Australian Open he was asked what the best part of being Novak Djokovic was. He was clearly captured by the question and gave it a few moments' thought before answering. "Usually, I don't talk too much about myself,' he said,' I leave that to other people, but for me it's important to always know where I come from, be grateful for the life I have, of course cherish and nurture every moment on the court. I don't take any situation for granted, being aware of all these things is the best of being Novak Djokovic."
Dusan Vemic is just over ten years older than Novak and has known him since he was a young junior. Dusan ended his career with career highs, #146 in singles and #31 in doubles. He appeared in two Grand Slam doubles semi-finals, the French and Australian. Dusan earned over a million dollars in prize money, served as an assistant coach for Team Djokovic and now coaches the Bryan brothers.
Chris Bowers book is more than a tennis biography; it is a historical review of Serbia during the wars of the 1990's. I would recommend that juniors, especially those from affluent backgrounds, read Bower's book. Novak, Dusan and fellow Serbian players had to overcome so, so much. Those with the least, most often, have the most.
Bowers's book reminded me of an experience that was totally shocking to me. The facility in Tampa, where I ran my tennis school, used to host a pro-tournament in January. One year Dusan Vemic played, he came several days early from Europe to adjust to the outdoor conditions. Upon arriving, he approached me and asked to join our practice. To get him going as soon as possible, I had him hit with the only player who was available, a thirteen-year-old intermediate. I told him to give me a few minutes and I would make a few adjustments, so he could hit with one of the better players. He politely refused. We practiced twice a day and each time he requested to hit with the same kid. He had the kid stand in different parts of the court and then Dusan worked and worked his feet while he placed the ball on a dime so the kid wouldn't miss. It was so refreshing, I watched intently for three days. Dusan simply appreciated being on court and giving back. Unfortunately, tennis has more "takers than givers.'
An excerpt, page 306:
Dusan Vemic, says touchingly, "I'm really happy that I have him in some way in my life, so I can reflect on him as a human being, a great role model, a great example. I'm well aware that my best is not as good as his best, but I still feel motivated to make the effort to do my best. As a human being, he's got to the point where he represents his country and his comrades, all the positives. It's very pure. His motives are very straightforward and innocent, and it shows."
Attached is a video that certainly reveals the two stories covered.
Steve Smith
....great base.....
TENNIS
1) Video
https://youtu.be/NPpO-sdrEu4
10/16/2016
A Race & An Interview
Video #1 is thirty plus seconds and video # 2 is thirty plus minutes.
#1) Who wins the race between the tortoise and the hare? The rabbit goes in circles and loses. The turtle goes the way we have to go in life, inch by inch, and wins. Life by the yard is hard. Life by the inch it's still not a cinch, but it's way better. Getting where you want to go is one step at a time and the first step should be taken when everybody else is still in bed.
#2) It is a lesson when parents and teachers ask the question about the race between the fast rabbit and the slow turtle. Charlie Rose's interview with Michael Phelps and Coach K is also a lesson about winning, many important messages are shared.
Steve Smith
....great base.....
TENNIS
Video #1 Race: https://youtu.be/Huhs0jBds6Y
Video #2 Interview: https://charlierose.com/videos/29280
10/07/2016
Rafa & Uncle Toni
USTA 12 Boy's Hard Courts
Uncle Toni ruined the party. If you read one of the biographies on Rafa, you know the story. Rafa became the national champion of Spain in the 12's. Family and friends gathered for a get-together to celebrate. Before the festivities began Rafa's coach, Uncle Toni, read a list of past champions in the same category from the last twenty-five years. Looking out for the best interest of his nephew, he pointed out that only a couple of the names read were recognizable. So, he declared everyone should have a nice dinner and a nice time but there was nothing to celebrate.
Below is a list of 47 US champions from the same category. The event was not held for nine years (1989-97). The powers to be at the time thought that young players and their coaches would be better off by delaying the emphasis on ranking and results.
What I did was just type in each champions name to google search. I just clicked the first choice that popped up. My simple research really did not need to be completed to try to prove the same point as Uncle Tony. He read the list of Spanish champions to family and friends. I had the list read to me by Victor Lilov, the 2016 USTA 12's Boys Champion. Unlike Tony's listeners, I recognized almost each name that Victor read. (I have worked with Victor since he was eight.)
Tennis trainers who work with competitive juniors know winning in the early age groups is most often a curse. Why? Usually the 12 and under player who wins has a western grip on the forehand, a steady two-handed backhand, a reliable palm-up (pizza position) serve and a never-ever go to the net game plan. Plus they cheat like crazy. Attached is a film that shows young Victor playing at nationals. It's fun to see a young player play the opposite of today's norm.
It would not be fair to read the ATP rankings from the list. Such a quick glance would be inaccurate. Some are still in juniors or college. Some, who were not ranked high as a touring professional, graduated from prestigious universities and had amazing college tennis careers. Some obviously chose not to pursue a pro career. Some did not have the funding to sustain themselves for a long enough time period. A couple have had so much success as a coach that their coaching accomplishments were listed before their playing record. Any type of long list results in a reminder to be careful while driving, one of the past champions unfortunately lost their life in a traffic accident.
Michael Chang went on to win a Grand Slam singles title. Rick Leach and Jack Sock went on to win Grand Slam doubles titles. Nine have been ranked in the top 25 in the world in singles. A few played Davis Cup. Well over half, who have passed the age of nineteen, went on to hold ATP rankings.
I thought the historical review would prove that very few of the players were ranked that high. I was wrong. For me, the exercise served as a reminder that in tennis we all have a tendency to forget great players and only remember Grand Slam champions. Richey Reneberg #20, Ben Testerman #22, Butch Walts #32 and Erik van Dillen #36 would be examples.
Like Uncle Toni, I thought the exercise would instill a fear factor to increase young Victor's work ethic. I should have researched how much money the players have made because I know the numbers are demoralizing. The distribution of money has always been totally out of whack in pro tennis. Top 200 athletes on most professional teams are laughing all the way to the bank. Tennis players ranked below 100 are hoping their uncle will buy them a meal. I may be wrong but I don't try to motivate young athletes to play for money or trophies. I think it is best to try to motivate young kids to just have the best attitude and the best work ethic. It should just be so much fun to practice and compete.
In closing, the exercise below proved that the players stayed with their sport. The players may not have had as much success as Rafa Nadal but the time and energy they dedicated to tennis certainly helped prepare them for life after competitive tennis.
1. 1962 Mac Clafin
2. 1963 Erik van Dillen
3. 1964 Randall Thomas
4. 1965 Jake Wade
5. 1966 Jake Wade
6. 1967 Butch Walts
7. 1968 Bill Maze
8. 1969 Howard Schoenfield
9. 1970 Walter Redondo
10 1971 Jeff Robin
11. 1972 Jeff Aarons
12. 1973 Randall Nixon
13. 1974 Ben Testerman
14. 1975 Peter Mako
15. 1976 Jimmy Arias
16. 1977 Rick Leach
17. 1978 Richey Reneberg
18. 1979 Jim Williams
19. 1980 Michael Briggs
20. 1981 Al Parker
21. 1982 Ty Tucker
22. 1983 Fritz Bissell
23. 1984 Michael Chang
24. 1985 Thomas Ho
25. 1986 Vincent Spadea
26. 1987 J.J. Jackson
27. 1988 Scott Humphries
28. 1989-97 The event was not held.
29. 1998 Marek Czerwinski
30. 1999 Matt Bruch
31. 2000 Okechi Womeodu
32. 2001 Donald Young
33. 2002 Dennis Nevolo
34. 2003 Chase Buchanan
35. 2004 Michael Vutam
36. 2005 Jack Sock
37. 2006 Gordon Watson
38. 2007 Tyler Gardiner
39. 2008 Spencer Papa
40. 2009 Henrik Wiersholm
41. 2010 Robert Levine
42. 2011 Alexander del Corral
43. 2012 Roscoe Bellamy
44. 2013 Jenson Brooksby
45. 2014 Zane Khan
46. 2015 Saud Alhoghani
47. 2016 Victor Lilov
Thanks for reading and watching the attached film.
Steve Smith
.....great base.....
TENNIS
https://youtu.be/LgEDQz5dK4g
10/02/2016
Russell Seymour & South African Tennis
Connections & Transformational Experiences
Russell Seymour, at the age of 86, is still winning tennis matches. The classy, soft-spoken gentleman from South Africa still loves to compete. We recently crossed paths, and I asked him how many gold balls he was up to? He responded, "Seventy-nine, but I should have more because I have found a way to lose in the finals 49 times."
Every time one wins a USTA national title, he/she is honored with a gold ball. The runner-up wins a silver ball. Congrats, Russell, that's a lot of finals.
In 1948, as a junior he was the South African junior champion. Seven years later he won the South African Open, and between 1953-55 he was a member of his country's Davis Cup team. Russell has some stories to tell. For starters, he played Lew Hoad at Wimbledon and Ken Rosewall at Queens.
Russell and I both lived in Tyler, Texas, in the 80's. He moved to town to direct one of the local country clubs. I remember him calling me and asking to meet. He had seen some of my students on-court and complimented me on their standard of play. He had two requests. He wanted to send me beginning players from his country club who were serious about their tennis, and he wanted to give my players playing lessons. It was a win-win situation.
Unfortunately our working relationship in Tyler was short lived. Russell had to return to Johannesburg, where the medical costs were lower for him to fight cancer. He won that battle.
Upon recovering, he was named director of South African Tennis. Together we created another win-win situation. He sent top junior prospects from his homeland to be coached by us in Texas. Among the small group of players were John-Laffnie de Jager and Jeff Coetzee. Both went on to have significant roles with SA's Davis Cup squad.
Another South African, deservingly, benefited from the arrangement. Craig Tiley, one of the hardest workers in tennis, spent more than a half-dozen years in Tyler, Texas. He started as a student at Tyler Junior College, where I directed a comprehensive curriculum and degree plan for tennis teachers. Our connection with Russell created a connection for Tiley that eventually led to him serving as South Africa's Davis Cup Captain. Tiley once had the goal of leading South African Tennis but is now leading tennis in Australia; he is the CEO of Tennis Australia.
The new CEO of South African Tennis is Richard Glover. On the attached tape, Richard says he has been doing some homework for his new position. Part of his research should be knowing the work of one of his predecessors, Russell Seymour. He should talk to Raven Klaasen, one of his country's marquee players. Raven, like Tiley, was taught to teach and has a wealth of information we now call the "Great Base." Raven rebuilt his game under my tutelage between the ages of seventeen to twenty-two.
Additionally, Mr. Glover should talk to Petrus Koekemoer. Petrus, unlike Raven, is not traveling the world playing tennis. He is living and teaching in South Africa. He has done the hard yards and has an in-depth, thorough understanding of our Great Base curriculum.
The Great Base is a lifetime of work connected with other lifetimes of work. It is a system based on systems. Mr. Glover would be wise, like Australia, to have a fact-based instructional program that is designed for long-term development.
Attached are two more video tapes that should enlighten Richard Glover. Connections are needed to transform a tennis culture. Information is needed to educate coaches and to accelerate the development of players. A group, "South Africans for South African Tennis," needs to be established. I am confident that if Mr. Glover and his organization embrace the Great Base project they would be able raise much-needed money from outside SA.
I hope this post intrigues the new SA tennis leader and he follows up. The recommended connection would prove to be one of his best decisions.
Thanks for sharing, especially with South Africans.
Steve Smith
....great base......
TENNIS
1) Richard Glover, CEO, South African: Tennis Interview.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OtO73fF98xo
2) Craig Tiley, CEO, Australian Tennis: Tennis teaching tape.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ML2wXBzHDs
3) Raven Klaasen, ATP, Top Ten Doubles Player: Tennis teaching tape.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OjsfHAKjh4
10/02/2016
Serena versus Mac
Please take a time out and listen to John McEnroe on the attached tape. Mac was wrong with his tennis history. Maureen Connolly won the calendar Grand Slam in '53 and Margaret Court accomplished the same feat in '70. He was probably right that Donald Trump is too busy to promote a match he once offered to promote. Serena versus Mac would be fun. Tennis needs a boost. Mac gives his prediction. Who do you think would win?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwzMJOhderk
Steve Smith
......great base.
TENNIS
03/03/2026
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