Houston Chronicle - April 23, 2008

TENNIS NOTEBOOK
Bryans make impact on team
By DALE ROBERTSON Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle
April 23, 2008, 11:47PM

A commitment to a good cause kept the world's top-ranked doubles team from playing in the U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships at River Oaks last week, and nobody was sadder about the Bryan brothers' absence from the draw than the tennis team at Smiley High School.
But 11 Smiley kids at least got to see half of their heroes, and they took in a James Blake match, too, courtesy of tournament director Van Barry. Bob Bryan stopped by the club Thursday to have a hit and say hello en route to a benefit he and his twin, Mike, were doing on behalf of a Hurricane Rita-wrecked Lake Charles, La., tennis club.
"We were disappointed," said Smiley coach Loretta Hrncir, "but they're great humanitarians. They were doing something for a good cause."
Hrncir speaks from experience when she talks about the many kindnesses of the Bryan family, starting with their father, Wayne. Her connection with him goes back to a coaching clinic at Newk's she attended about a decade ago. Wayne asked the coaches in the audience to make their best pitch why their players could use a new racket, and Hrncir was among five recipients of his subsequent largess.
However, she was the only one who sent Bryan a thank-you note. The player who received the racket, Willie Thompson, wrote one, too. Not long thereafter, Smiley's players all had new rackets, thanks to Wayne. Rackets, shoes and clothing have kept coming ever since.
"That's just how I was raised," said Hrncir, who played tennis for Davis High School in the 1960s and has been coaching in the North Forest School District for 34 years, the last 24 at Smiley.
As you can imagine, tennis isn't a high priority in that financially strapped district.
"I'm the only coach I know who has to mow the tennis courts," jokes Nrncir, adding that they're supposed to be hard courts, not grass.
Hrncir, married to a longtime educator (husband Robert teaches English at Klein Forest) and the mother of three with seven grandchildren, turned 60 this week, but she has told her players, "I'll hang around for a couple more years."
Her birthday came early last November when Wayne invited her and two players of her choosing to attend the U.S.-Russia Davis Cup final in Portland, Ore., as his guest.
"This is my life, my calling," she says, explaining her loyalty to Smiley. "Because of the kids and Wayne Bryan's family, it's been a great ride. Almost none of my players have touched a racket before they get to ninth grade, but I feel like I can really make a difference here."
Two of her recent players have earned full scholarships. As for the rest, "the Bryans have helped all of them to have higher expectations for themselves," Hrncir said. "They've been so good to us."
And vice versa, Wayne insists.
"They've got a banner out at the school that says, 'Smiley High supports the Bryans and is supported by the Bryans,' " he said. "I can't tell you how much that means to me and the boys. As for Loretta, I've never seen a coach who inspires kids the way she does."