Issue 49 - September 14, 2023

MEMBER SPOTLIGHT



Introducing




Kusull

______________


Liberty member since 2015





Universal Tennis/Pickleball Flex League Manager



“If you are someone who has always wanted to play tennis, what are you waiting for?,” grins Kusull. Picking up a racquet for the first time at 38 – in one of Liberty’s Adult Intro Tennis Clinics – Kusull is living proof of the adage, “It’s never too late to learn something new.” Today, she expresses gratitude not only for the tennis accolades she has achieved but also for the indispensable lifetime friendships she has acquired.


A Liberty member of 8 years, Kusull compliments the inclusiveness of the staff and the diversity of Liberty’s programming as she laughingly jokes, “If only Liberty had a bed in the back for me so I could just live here…!” Inspired to maintain her health and wellness by fellow Liberty members like Janya – who can always be seen on the fit floor, in a group fit class, or on the tennis courts – Kusull believes that daily movement and mobility truly is the key to living a long and healthy life. Ready for fall colors, warm sweaters, and bonfires, Kusull is looking forward to spending more time this fall on Liberty’s new pickleball courts!

AROUND THE CLUB

Welcome, Julia Gwizdz!

Youth Services Director


Please welcome Julia Gwizdz to the Liberty Athletic Club leadership team! We are thrilled to have Julia join us in the position of Youth Services Director.


Julia is a former teacher, Assistant Preschool Director, and Youth Program Manager for the Ann Arbor Hands-On Museum and Leslie Science & Nature Center. She oversees the Treehouse childcare program, youth programs and classes, and birthday parties. Julia is passionate about creating meaningful connections with children and providing a healthy and fun community for their families. She will always greet your family with a warm smile and make your kiddos feel safe and comfortable in her programs! 

Trunk or Treat Halloween Event

Save the Date!


Sunday, October 15th

1:00 - 3:00 p.m.


Wear your costumes, boo-ckle up, and get ready for a fun and eerie walk through our Liberty Athletic Club south parking lot, where there’s no shortage of Halloween spirit! Your family will marvel at our decorated cars and tricked-out trunks! Join us for ghoulish games & activities, a family photo op, balloon animals by Gordo the magician, and a bounty of treats!


Registration is required and is available now through the mobile app, the online member portal, or by calling the front desk at 734-665-3738 ext. 110.

Trunk or Treat Flyer
Trunk or Treat 2021

YOUTH PROGRAMS

Complimentary Classes for Kids


Children are a big part of our fitness community which is why we've created so many special programs and facilities just for them. Enroll your child in one of our complimentary classes today!

Youth Programs Brochure

GROUP FITNESS

Group Fitness Etiquette


In order to provide an environment conducive to wellness, please keep conversations to a minimum once class has started. 

Meet Davy Darton

Group Fitness Instructor


Please welcome Davy Darton to the Liberty Athletic Club group fitness team! 


Davy is a certified Pilates and GYROTONIC® instructor with additional training in Prenatal and Postnatal Pilates and Diastasis Recti healing. Davy works with clients of all ages and populations: athletes, runners, elder adults, cancer survivors -- and those who have hypermobility, chronic illness, and/or have undergone joint replacement.

 

Davy teaches mat Pilates on Tuesday nights from 5:00-6:00 p.m. and Posture & Strength on Friday mornings from 8:00-9:00 a.m.

Flight of Yoga Event



Friday, September 29

6:00 - 8:00 p.m.

Ages 21+ | Registration Required



Join us for a multilevel yoga sampler class featuring live music by the Rob Crozier Duo. Instructors will take turns leading the class and demonstrating the poses at various levels. Class is 75 minutes in length and will be followed by a wine and cheese reception.


Registration is required and is available now through the mobile app, the online member portal, or by calling the front desk at 734-665-3738 ext. 110.

Flight of Yoga Flyer

CLUB UPDATES

Lagoon Enhancement Project

 

Thank you for your patience and understanding during our Lagoon Enhancement Project, which began Monday, September 11th and will conclude on Saturday, September 16th. When the lagoon reopens, we hope that you enjoy the following improvements: 15 new LED light fixtures, a surface recoating on the stairs of the structure in the zero-entry area, and freshly painted and cleaned surfaces and walls throughout the Lagoon area.

NUTRITION

Recipe

From the desk of Bethany Williston, M.S., Registered Dietitian Nutritionist at Liberty Athletic Club

Nutrition Brochure

Syrian Spiced Tofu

Tofu is a lot like chicken - the taste varies depending on how it is prepared. This recipe adds flavor and texture to an otherwise bland protein.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound extra firm tofu
  • 2 Tbsp tahini
  • 3 Tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil (if using a non-stick pan, only use 2 tsp)
  • 1 Tbsp sesame oil (if using a non-stick pan, only use 2 tsp)
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp coriander
  • ½ tsp allspice
  • ½ tsp cumin
  • 2 - 3 cups of assorted vegetables (carrots, mushrooms, peppers, etc.), cleaned and chopped


Directions

  1. Squeeze excess water from tofu by laying books on top of tofu for 45 minutes - 2 hours.
  2. Dice tofu into ½ inch cubes.
  3. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.
  4. Add tofu to the bowl, and toss until coated with sauce.
  5. Place in a pan. 
  6. Bake in the oven @ 375 degrees for 60 - 90 minutes, stirring every 20 - 30 minutes. The longer you cook the tofu, the more solid it will be.
  7. Add veggies to the dish when you have 20-30 minutes of cooking time left.

TENNIS NEWS & INFORMATION

From the desk of Dan Goldberg, Director of Tennis

Welcome back! The indoor season is officially underway as junior and adult clinics have now all resumed -- along with Cardio and Live Ball tennis programs. For the competitive player, Adult B and USTA League Programs will be starting in mid-September, and Junior Team Tennis matches will begin in late October.  I anticipate a fun and busy fall and winter on the courts, and the entire tennis staff looks forward to your participation!  

ADULT TENNIS CORNER

Social Tennis


Are you a 2.5-3.0 player looking to improve your skills? Co-ed Social Tennis is a great opportunity to develop match skills and meet new players! The format will be Round Robin Doubles, giving you a chance to play with a variety of different players. Co-ed Social Tennis meets on Mondays from 10:00 -11:30 a.m. and Fridays from 9:30 -11:00 a.m. Questions? Please contact Jennifer Sauld at jennifer.sauld@libertyathletic.net.

Doubles Strategy at the Net


You’re going to be spending a lot of time at the net, so coming up with a good net strategy can make or break a match. There are generally three tactics you can consider when you’re at the net:

 

  1. Poaching: a poach is simply when the net player crosses onto the other side of the center service line to cut the rally off and hit a volley. It tends to work well at the beginning of a match, as not many players will return down the line early on. And if your partner can expose their weakness with the serve, you should get a relatively easy volley.
  2. Pinching: this is when a player moves diagonally towards the middle of the net to close down the space in a crosscourt rally. It’s particularly useful to force errors from your opponents by making them go for more difficult shots.
  3. Faking: faking is when you act like you’re going to poach but instead recover towards the doubles alley. The key here is making sure that your opponent sees you move, so set off early to give you time to recover and catch their shot down the line. This is a great way of forcing errors from the returner or getting a fairly simple volley to put away.


Just keep in mind that pinching and faking are tactics that leave your half of the court partially exposed, so be sure to use them carefully.  Once you’ve got a volley, you’ll usually want to volley into space, assuming there is one. If both opponents are well positioned or are at the net, aim for the middle and hit to their feet.

District Playoffs


Liberty had five teams compete in District Playoffs on September 9 -10 at Bloomfield Tennis. The energy and support of having so many Liberty players competing was amazing! Congratulations to all of the captains and players! Seth Kornfeld’s 7.0 18+ Mixed Doubles Team won the Southeast Michigan District Championship and advances to the State Championship in Grand Rapids on September 16th! Good Luck!


6.0 18+ Mixed Doubles

Captain Seth Kornfeld


7.0 18+ Mixed Doubles

Captain Vivian Marley


7.0 18+ Mixed Doubles

Captain Seth Kornfeld; Southeast Michigan District Champion


7.0 Men’s 55+

Captain Barry St. Pierre


Tri-Level 4.0/3.5/3.0

Captain Jessica Haessler

Rahul Bhatnagar, Megan Etheridge, Vivian Marley (Captain), Dae Hee Kwak, Jeanne Cooper, Elissa Bayraktar, Jason Jung 

Tri-Level Co-Captains Jessica Haessler & Vivian Marley

Back Row L to R: Brian Szymanski, Frank Manley, Seth Kornfeld (Captain), Chris Theriot; Front Row L to R: Gonjoo Jung, Kristin Rusche-Leone, Kusull Kim, Ashley Mooney, Tim Arthur

Tim Atkinson, Chris Theriot, Barry St Pierre (Captain), Patrick Haley, Josh Kerst, Greg Ensing, Michael Haffey

Western and Southern Pro Tennis in Cincinnati


Several Liberty members were spotted taking in some top-level pro tennis at the Western and Southern Open in Cincinnati!

Renee and Mike Wynn


Erika Sauld and World #1 Carlos Alcaraz


Dan and Kathy Goldberg with Western and Southern Open Tournament Director and former World #4 Todd Martin

Jessica Haessler, Vivian Marley, Karla Tek, Renee Wynn


Timothy Arthur and Brian Szymanski

Erika Sauld, Mia Berens, Maddie Slade, Christie Slade, Christie Dickinson, and Jen Sauld

The Mooney Family

EMPLOYMENT

We are Hiring

We are seeking outgoing and motivated individuals to join our team. We are accepting employment applications for the following positions:


  • Swim Instructors - In Liberty’s Learn-to-Swim Program, our instructors teach life skills and provide a positive, memorable, safe, and fun experience for members of all ages. Lifeguard and CPR/AED certifications are required and may be obtained once hired. Various after-school and weekend shifts are available. Pay is commensurate with experience.


  • Café Attendants – Our cafe attendants regularly interact with our members, assisting with food and drink selection, preparing a variety of hot and cold foods, and recording sales transactions at the register. This position requires attention to detail along with the desire to provide excellent customer service. Both daytime and evening weekday shifts are available; weekend availability is a plus.


  • Rockwall Attendant – Our rockwall attendants are dedicated to providing a fun, healthy, and safe environment in the Lagoon Activity Center by managing the operation of the climbing wall and supervising the play area. This position requires a friendly, outgoing person who is dedicated to safety and customer service and feels confident and comfortable enforcing the Activity Center’s rules and procedures. Available shifts for this position are Mondays and Wednesdays from 4:00 -7:00 p.m.


  • Lifeguards - Our lifeguards provide a positive and safe experience for members of all ages in and around the pool by proactively enforcing our rules and policies. Lifeguard/CPR certification is required. Available shifts for this position are Saturdays and Sundays from 1:00-5:00 p.m. 


  • Certified Personal Trainer – Our certified personal trainers engage with our members through one-on-one and small group training sessions to provide guidance, instruction, and motivation in their fitness and wellness journeys. Personal trainers are also responsible for assuming the role of first responder for all club-wide emergencies. Applicants must possess and maintain CPR, AED, and first aid certifications, as well as hold one of the following: NASM, ACSM, ACE or NSCA.


  • Certified Massage Therapist (Part-Time) – Our certified massage therapists are passionate about their work and promote whole-body health and well-being by properly implementing our spa protocols. Interested applicants should be dedicated to providing high-quality services and working as part of a team.


  • Certified Group Fitness Instructor – Our group fitness instructors teach one or more of the over 250 complimentary group fitness classes at Liberty. Class openings that are currently in demand are as follows: bootcamp, power, and strength. CPR and group fitness instructor certifications are required for these positions. Available times are as follows: weekday mornings and evenings and weekends.


  • Fitness Floor First Responder – Our fit floor responders are responsible for monitoring the fit floor and handling all club-wide emergencies, interacting with members, and keeping the fit floor clean and organized. Current First Aid/CPR/AED certification is required. Available shifts for this position are as follows: Mondays 1:00-5:00 p.m., Tuesdays 5:00-9:30 p.m., Saturdays 6:30 - 11:00 a.m., and Sundays 11:00 a.m.- 3:00 p.m.


  • Fitness Equipment Technician – Our fitness equipment technician ensures the functionality of the club’s exercise equipment through regular cleaning, routine inspection, and scheduled maintenance. This position’s responsibilities include diagnosing, repairing, and adjusting fitness equipment to ensure optimal performance and safety for Liberty’s membership.


All positions provide a complimentary membership to the club and a 25% discount on services in the café and personal training when working a minimum of two shifts per week.


Interested applicants may download the Liberty Employment Application. Please contact Colette Kress, Human Resources Manager, at 734.665.3738 ext. 118 or via email at hr@libertyathletic.net with questions or to submit an application.

Application for Employment

“I’ve failed over and over again in my life -- and that is why I succeed.”


― Michael Jordan

2975 W. Liberty Rd. •  (734) 665.3738


www.libertyathletic.net

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