VALENCIA — Dave Barnes and Jamie McCandless touched the tennis community in different ways.

On Labor Day weekend at Butler Country Club and Lakevue Athletic Club, the tennis community touched back.

The Dave Barnes Pro-Am took place Sunday on the country club courts. Now retired, Barnes was BCC's first pro and founder of the tennis program there in 1975.

He also was a longtime coach of the Butler High boys and girls tennis teams.

"I played for Dave Barnes in high school in 1974-75," said BCC club member Mary Jo Sylvia. "He was a great teacher of the sport and he instilled confidence in his players that extended beyond tennis."

Eight three-person teams made up of one pro, one male BCC member and one female member competed in the Barnes Pro-Am in a men's doubles and mixed doubles format. Points from both were combined to determine the final standings.

Sylvia, pro Trenton Goerk and Stefan Kemp were the Pro-Am's overall champions. Goerk and Sylvia won the mixed doubles portion as well.

"I was thrilled to win that," Sylvia said. "The fact it was held in honor of Dave's legacy — he really deserves that."

Pro Matt Riva, Melissa King and Kristen Petcash finished second overall. King, a woman competing in the men's division because of her advanced skills, teamed with Riva to win men's doubles.

King was part of the men's doubles championship duo in the Barnes Pro-Am in 2007 as well.

The first Jamie McCandless Memorial Adult-Junior Tournament was scheduled for the BCC courts Monday, but rain forced the event to move indoors at Lakevue.

Still, 22 adult-junior doubles teams competed and about 100 others showed up to remember McCandless, a former Renfrew resident, and BCC golf and tennis member killed in an automobile accident last summer at age 24.

"Jamie was extremely popular," BCC tennis pro Whitney Snyder said. "Kids loved him. Adults loved him. The format is perfect for this."

The format was a youth player asking an adult to be his or her partner. Elle Santora, 7, asked Sylvia to team with her.

"I've been playing since I was 3," Elle said. "(Sylvia) is very good and I like her."

Janet Platt, a former Butler High teacher and an assistant tennis coach, teamed with Knoch three-sport athlete Jack Boros to win the event named "The Jamie." They defeated Butler High physical education teacher Andrew Gillan and BCC junior player Chadd Cummings in the finals.

But Monday's event was more about Jamie McCandless than the tournament named in his memory.

"He was incredibly funny," said Mark Kuhn, a close friend. "Jamie would love seeing all of these people getting together again, just having a good time. That's what he was about."

Kuhn drove in from Cleveland for the event. Jamie's older brother, Cam, came up from North Carolina to be there.

"He only had 24 short years, but Jamie made his mark while he was here," Cam McCandless said. "Whether a person knew him for five minutes or five years, Jamie never needed a second chance to make a first impression.

"It's awesome, everybody putting together an event like this. Words can't even explain it. I'm seeing people here I haven't seen in 15 years, all because of Jamie."

The McCandless family presented the championship award to Platt and Boros. A plaque with the names of the winning duo of the annual event will hang in the BCC tennis pro shop.

"Jamie McCandless would be so proud right now," good friend Nick Wise said. "To see old friends we haven't seen in forever — Jamie, he's smiling."

Dave Barnes Pro-AmSept. 6, Butler Country ClubFinal StandingsFirst: Trenton Goerk, Mary Jo Sylvia, Stefan Kemp

Second: Matt Riva, Kristen Petcash, Melissa King

Third: Jose Raymundo, Janet Platt, Chuck Lenns

Fourth: Koach Conroy, Rachel Diehl, Keith Maust

Fifth: Brian Miklavic, Katie Conlon, Jack Barkley

Sixth (tie): George Jupin, Dyane Bilowick, Kit Barkus; Trevor Heck, Abby Conlon, Steve Gierl

Eighth — Kenny Nieser, Nance Conlon, Jack Boros