The Sydney Morning Herald from Sydney, New South Wales, Australia • Page 91

YOUNG SPOKTt a FROM 1956 to 1967 inclusive, Australian males won the Wimbledon tennis crown 10 times and then, after the professionals became eligible in 1968, Rod Laver and John Newcombe won the first four "open" titles. Newcombe (1971) was our last Wimbledon winner, and also the last to win the US Open (1973). And not since Laver (1969) has an Australian won the French Open. Sixteen-year-old BRETT CUSTER his favourite player is John McEnroe intends to have them all by the time he is 20; also the Australian Open, and be a member of a winning Australian Davis Cup team. WW ii -i i inn inn i UMtfiyi RussifB to We "EVERYONE wants to win Wimbledon by the time they're 20 and I guess the plan is to gradually work your way there," Brett Custer says.

"This is a big year for me. I want to get into all the senior tournaments and be ranked No 180 by the end of the year, even though I've got another year of juniors. "I hope to be a champion tennis player and make a lot of money. Most of the players today are in it just for the money, but I'm not I enjoy the game. If you didn't enjoy tennis you wouldn't stay in it" According to the five-year plan to win Wimbledon, Custer is ahead of schedule.

He already holds the under-12, 14, 16 and under-18 Australian titles and then 'some in the United States. Experts such as Newcombe and Tony Roche pick a bright future for the Sydneysider with the world ranking of No 640. He's certainly as good as Pat Cash at the same age, and not even Cash can boast the NSW under-1 3 grasscourt title at the age of 10. Custer trains hard. He has attended the Newcombe-Roche Custom Credit Operation Tennis scheme for the last five years, training four hours a day with an hour of weights thrown in for good measure.

When not competing in tournaments, he trains six hours a day. Custer was single-minded about want- out of a suitcase, in and out of hotels and planes but I guess if that's what you've got to do, you've got to do it," he says. "Last year I was overseas staying in a flat with the same guys for five months. Sometimes it gets really you have arguments with the guys, get lonely and want to come home and see your family. "But it's a great life.

You work hard but have a lot of fun. I didn't expect it to be all glory. "Tennis is still exciting. Even going overseas. I've been overseas the last five years and I still enjoy it.

"And the money's good. Last year I didn't make much but this year I have a racket contract and everything is starting to come together. This year, if I play the right tournaments and win the right tournaments, I'll make around $60,000." Custer will play the Australian Satellite circuit before leaving with the Australian junior team in April to compete in that category at Wimbledon and in the French championships. And the obvious question: is there a family connection with General George "Last Stand" Custer? "Just. before my Grandfather died four years ago he did the family tree and somewhere back there we're related.

He's like my great, great, great grandfather or something like that," Custer says. Story: SCOTT HOWLETT Pictures: BRUCE MILLER ing to be a professional tennis player, leaving school before attaining School Certificate to pursue his goal. "They wouldn't have given it to me anyway," he says. "I'd been away so much playing tennis and I didn't want to miss out on going with the team overseas. So I had to make a decision.

"You always have to think about what happens if you injure yourself and won't be able to play again, but you just have to take the risk. "I do regret leaving school, though. I had a lot of friends there and used to enjoy going to school. I didn't realise how much I enjoyed it until about three months after I left." And what will happen if Custer's junior talent doesn't develop into results on the pro circuit? "I wouldn't be a tennis coach," he says. "I'd just get a job, but maybe by then I would have made enough money to start my own business.

I'd like to own a tennis ranch in the United States sounds pretty good." Enthusiastic and talented he may be, but Custer still experiences the same pitfalls as the older players. "I enjoy travelling around the world but it gets to you after a while living i A case of natural throwing ability MARTIN HESSE is a 16-year-old javelin thrower who breaks under-20 records and wins the open event at international meets. By OWEN CRAIG school to attend and a part-time job, he only has time for two training sessions a week. Instead, Martin finds natural ability his greatest compete and I'm hoping to be one of them. After that there's the Com- monwealth Games in 1986." Martin admits that one of the attractions of high level competition all the travel involved.

"I love flying around from place to place and I also like having a good 5 reason to do it," he said. 4 Martin used to play other sports as well as javelin, but that can take its toll. "I had to stop playing games like Rugby because if I injured my arm or my shoulder I wouldn't be able to throw," be said. "I have to try and look after myself." When Martin finishes school be would like to go to the Institute of Sport fulltime. "I don't know bow I'll be going by the time I finish school so I'll have to 1 by my best till then," he said.

While Martin is on school holidays he's making the most of his time. While nt the Institute of Sport in Canberra over the last two weeks he was training twice a day, every daya far cry from bis usual training schedule. Martin expects to win the under-18 title at the national championships in March and his throw last Sunday has given him hopes of first place in the open throw as well. Martin's more immediate goal, however, is the State championships next month. What are Martin's long term goals? "Later this year the Pacific Conference Games will be held in California, USA, and all the first placegetters from the open events in the Australian championships go across to compete." he said.

"Tea juniors are also chosen to Last Sunday, at the Tiger international athletics meeting at the Sydney Athletics Field, Martin won the open javelin event and, in the process, set a State ander-20 record. And it's no wonder that Martin is throwing so successfully. The javelin throw was jnst another activity in bis physical education class at Ugh school which everyone bad to do. His first competition was at the a school carnival in which, at the age of 14, he threw 34 metres. Later that year Martin improved his throw by 36 metres.

His throw of 70 34 metres with a 700 gram javelin was close to Martin seemed to have a natural ability for javelin throwing and, with encouragement from his PE teacher, be decided to continue in the sport. The 1984 season saw Martin make a real impact on the athletics field. In the Pacific Schools Canes last November be threw 70.58 with a 700 gram javelin. In December last year at the Australian All Schools athletics championships Martin set ander-17 and under-18 NSW and Australian records. He also set an uder-20 State record with his throw of 70.60 with an 800 gram javelin.

Martin's success is not the result of many long hours of hard training as it is with many athletes. With To be a good javelin thrower yon need technique first and strength second," he said. "Flexibility and a fast arm are the result of practice and a lot of natural ability." A good coach is another necessary element for a successful ahtlete. "Cole Smith is the National Events Coach for Javelin and has been improving my style a lot," Martin said. Smith, originally from England, won the 1958 Commonwealth Games gold in jnveliu.

r- THE SUN-HERALD, Jan 27. 198S.