EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS REPORT 
2007…… What A Great Year For Tennis! Whether you’re an avid player, a beginner, or simply a fan of the game, you can’t help but notice the good news coming from all corners of the sport. According to latest reports tennis on the National scene is booming with record breaking attendance at the US OPEN and USTA Memberships at an all time high. Locally, I am happy to report that 2007 was a very productive and successful year for tennis in our district, as well. In an effort to develop and grow tennis participation in our state the Utah Tennis board of directors made a significant commitment and investment in the game and over $15,000 was distributed in the form of grants and incentives provided to team captains, Parks & Recreation agencies and local Community Tennis Associations who are working hard to recruit new players and to expand and grow tennis programs and participation in their community. 

2007 was also a very rewarding year for me both professionally and personally in increasing our efforts  to raise awareness for wheelchair tennis for individuals with disabilities and spinal cord injuries. At the beginning of the year one of my goals was to work with our section to host a Wheelchair Tennis Camp in Salt Lake City. The camp became a collaborative effort between Utah Tennis, the Intermountain Section and most importantly the special partnership we established with the University of Utah Rehabilitation Center and the TRAILS program. The camp was held at Liberty Park and included a ½ day clinic for teaching pros and tennis instructors on how to teach wheelchair tennis and then two days of on court training for wheelchair players from beginner to advanced. A special thanks to Warren Pretorius who donated his time and provided Dartfish analysis for all the chair players who participated in the camp and to the ITA, local pros and volunteers who helped with the on court instruction which included, Lindsay Rawstorne, Chris Harris, Jon Monk, Jacob Jensen, Danny Quintana, Dean Oba, Randy Curry, and Frank Adams from Colorado. On Saturday evening the UTA Board hosted a One Up/One Down Tennis Social (that pair wheelchair players with an able-body player) and a lot of fun and great tennis was had by all who participated.  In an effort to continue to provide additional playing opportunities for wheelchair tennis, Utah Tennis organized and ran it’s first ever One Up/One Down Tennis League held at Coach Mike’s Tennis Academy. The league was very well attended and had 12 Wheelchair and 12 Able-body players who participated in the 6 week league. Plans for 08 will include our continued commitment to increasing additional playing opportunities for special populations and individuals with disabilities and to expand our partnerships with more organizations to help spread the word about tennis and its benefits. We could also see that there was a great need for those chair players to have proper equipment most importantly, a wheelchair that is specifically designed for tennis. The Utah Tennis Association and Junior Foundation applied for and received a grant for $5000 from the Salt Lake Rotary Foundation and with the funding we were able to purchase 4 sport chairs. The chairs will and are all ready being used in several existing and beginner wheelchair tennis programs. These special chairs will be available to those individuals who want to try tennis and may not otherwise have access to a sport chair. We are so grateful to be given the opportunity to purchase the sport chairs and know they will be used and appreciated for many years to come. .

Based on the number of USTA members, the Utah District remains the second largest district in our section with 15% of the total membership. As of December 31, 2007 we had 5727 members which is a 5% increase compared to numbers in 2006. One of our goals for the coming year will be to increase our marketing efforts to promote the benefits of becoming a member of USTA. Membership is not just about helping you get in the game but also your membership gives back to the game and supports local grassroots programs and other tennis programs that support underserved youth and kids at risk in communities across our state. Membership is a great way to show your support for tennis and every membership does make a difference. 

Our sport is growing and participation is up, which puts a greater demand and need for new facilities and increased programming. The new USTA Advocacy initiative is dedicated to preserving, growing and strengthening tennis facilities and programming.  We can all be advocates for our sport and together make our voices heard. We need to help our elected representatives and decision makers understand that an investment in tennis is an essential investment in the health and well-being of current and future generations.
 
2007 was a very busy and productive year for our association and I personally want to thank the staff, our president Ken Harris and the Board of Directors as well as our many volunteers, facilities, pros and of course our members and players who have supported tennis on and off the court. Together we are making a difference and having a positive impact in communities throughout our State.  
Thanks for giving back to tennis!  

Linda Vincent, Executive Director