Tustin Tennis Club

Alim is a science graduate with a long Banking career in the past. He now works as a Real Estate broker and volunteers at Hoag Hospital, Irvine. Alim is married and has 2 sons and a daughter. His eldest son Mahmood is also a member of TTC. Alim’s interests include Tennis, Photography, Travel, Music and Social Work. He started playing tennis in 1987 while working as a banker in Oman. Alim initially took lessons from the world famous Peter Burwash International (PBI) based in USA. Alim played competitive tennis till 2001. He joined TTC in 2009. In 2010, the club assigned him the responsibility of the club’s Tournament Director. He was elected as the President of the club in 2011. Alim, a proud American loves to be living in Southern California. Some of his travel expeditions can be seen at www.youtube.com/alim611

You probably have seen Marina’s ground strokes on the Court, but have you seen her brush strokes on canvas?

If you don’t see her on our courts on Saturday morning, you will probably find her down in Laguna Canyon, painting at the Laguna Art College. Marina studied art and design from childhood in Russia graduating from the Stroganofskaya Academy in Moscow, one of Europe’s famous institutions of art.  Impressionistic portraiture, figurative, still life, architectural, landscape, and plein air paintings are her specialty, but Marina points out that her defining element is probably brush stroke.

While her passion is painting, she has also worked as an industrial designer, designing various products in Russia and the U.S. (35mm cameras, automotive sport wheels, night vision optics, titanium golf clubs, etc.). Her art has been exhibited in Russia, Germany and the U.S.

In her early 20′s Marina started playing tennis on the clay courts of Russia.  She belonged to a private tennis club, where members were accorded court time based upon the amount of volunteer time they donated to the maintenance of the clay courts and other club facilities.

She enjoys playing with the TTC and the Sundowners League, where she plays as a member of the Tustin Acers.  You often see Marina on the courts with her American Eskimo dog, “Mishka”.  She met her husband Steve (also a TTC member) at a party (invited by her Tennis Club) in Moscow in 1993 and has lived in Orange County since 1996.  She proudly became a U.S. citizen in February.

Born in 1929, Rich quit school at the age of 16 and worked for navy for four years 1947-51 and took part in Korean and Vietnam wars. Later worked as construction carpenter.Rich married in 1954, which lasted 22 years. Has 3 daughters, all married and settled in life. Has 3 grand children.

Rich survived cancer in 1996 and recovered in 1 year. He played handball for 13 years. He started playing tennis in 1977 and joined Tustin Tennis Club in 1978.

Being one of the oldest members, if not the oldest, he is very appropriately holding the position of the “Historian” of the club.

Rich now lives alone in Tustin. Tennis is the greatest attraction in his life, which keeps him going. His sweet personality is a treat for the club members.

Born 03/09/26 St. Joseph, Missouri. I left St. Joseph in the middle of my senior year of High School and came to California with my mother.

I found it necessary to quit school and went to work in the aircraft industry. Upon reaching the age of eighteen I became a member of the Army Air Corp, serving in the Aleutian Islands (Shemya) till the end of the war, then in the army of occupation in Japan until completion of my tour.

In the fall of 1948 I began studies at the U of Kansas where my father was resident.  While in school  I met and married Joan Elizabeth Johnson who is the mother of our four sons and my wife of 62 years.

Upon graduating with a BS in physics we moved to California where I worked in the Aerospace Industry until I retired in 1983.  During  this time we lived in Tustin, and reared our four sons.

We now have 7 grandchildren ranging in age from 11-30yrs. I played tennis sporadically through the years almost always in the evening.   In the late eighties I could no longer play nights so I sought a day game and found the Tustin Tennis Club. Cataract surgery allowed night tennis again and I enjoyed the evening tournaments.

Recently I found playing nights difficult and four sets impossible. I am now content to play two and sometimes three sets mornings.