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ISSUE: Winter/Spring 2008

FRONT PAGE | UTAH TENNIS HOME 2007 Adult Working Committee Reports Youth Recreation & Competition Committee—Nick Smith, Chair We are proud to announce that participation in Junior Sanctioned Tournaments increased over 18% in 2007. The Utah District sanctioned 28 junior tournaments this past year. The newly added Desiree and Travis Bastian Memorial Junior Tournament held March 19 – 24th was a large success with 229 players competing in all age divisions. In addition to local tournament participation being up their was a significant increase in Utah Jr. players entering and competing in sectional and national tournament play with over 40 Utah Players being ranked in the top 200 Nationally. Our Utah Jr. tennis foundation fundraiser held in June was widely supported by the tennis community and was very successful raising additional funds to help promote more Jr. programs and participation. The changes that were implemented to our Team Utah program were successful and a similar schedule was set for the 2007 season with the addition of a Dartfish analysis conducted by Warren Pretorius, and a trip to the Tennis Channel Open in Las Vegas to watch the semi-final matches and practice matches were arranged between Team Nevada, Team Colorado and players from Idaho. Once again, our Snowball tournament in January was a success as was our USTA Boys & Girls 16 Zonal tournament in July. The committee meets regularly during the year and contributes many hours volunteering at these various tournaments making them successful and truly caring about the development of our Utah junior players. 2007 Youth Recreation & Competition Committee Members - Kayelynn Bastian, Sheila Benson, Susan Kiser, Shelly Loong, Carolyn Macfarlane, Marce Miles, Shawna Paterson, Debbie Robb, Janice Smith, Julie Sweet, Bev Taylor, Matt Tullis, and Brent Turley.  Staff: Robin Wise. Adult Recreation & Competition Committee – Larry Erickson, Chair In 2007, this committee continued to work toward increased participation in leagues. And although participation in 2007 was fairly “flat," there were a couple of bright spots! St. George showed a 44% growth in teams and 30% growth in players, and, for the first time a team from Mesquite, Nevada participated in the St. George leagues.  And the Fall Indoor League grew from 70 teams and 640 players to 75 teams and 809 players! Our “Zero Default” incentive program continues to prove beneficial to the league program. Some $8000.00 was paid out in 2007 to league captains who had no defaults during league play. This program continues to reduce defaults, thereby enhancing the quality of league play, while protecting league revenue. In the USTA Adult Summer League, 30 teams advanced to the District Championships, with 10 of these teams advancing to the Intermountain Sectionals Championships. Five of these teams advanced to the National Championships!  In the USTA Senior League six teams advanced to the Sectional Championships, with one team advancing to the National Championships. 2008  League court fees were set by the Organizational Members to $10.00 for outdoor leagues and $12.00 for indoor leagues. 2008  League Registration Fees were set at $12.00 + TL User Fee. The 2.5, 5.0, Senior and Super Senior Initiative was a success again in 2007 with $1585.00 being paid out to captains fielding new teams, which resulted in a ROI to the Utah Tennis Association of $2,656.00 (New USTA Memberships, League registration and match fees which would not have been realized without the initiative).  Other issues addressed and approved by the committee:   •  USTA Adult Summer League PM start time moved to 6:00PM;   •  Late league team entry fee set at $50.00 per team;    •  Teams to have a minimum number of players registered within one week Captains to captain more than one team;    •  Smaller Leagues, i.e. Super Senior, Mixed, Senior to be played as a one or two weekend event.   •  League will be flighted and scheduled as double round robins whenever possible, depending on days of play available, and number of teams entered;   •  Promote and create interest in a World Team Tennis League by holding a social, exhibition, and play at the Sports Mall on January 12, 2008, followed by league sign up and a league in February-March 2008 on Friday evenings. The committee dedicated itself to resurrect the World Team Tennis leagues with a exhibition, social and Wilson demo day to kick off a new league in the winter of 2008. The committee members: Ann Harris, Marilyn Burrell, Shawna Paterson, Kate Sturgeon, Charlene Peterson, Terry Miya, Michelle Nekota, Terry Bogucki, Katie Records, Jill Bruderer. See you on the courts in 2008! Marketing & Fundraising Committee—Marilyn Burrell, Chair 2007 was a year of records. The Fundraising Committee had a banner year with a new committee, new format and new goals for the Junior Tennis Foundation. This year’s event was hugely successful with a new agenda, greater attendance and a new revenue record for our non profit Foundation. Many new accolades were noted for local junior tennis players, notably high school players in 2007. The Foundation, in the past, has assisted and acknowledged individual USTA competitors and players; this year the Foundation has invited High School players, many are USTA competitors, and teams showing outstanding sportsmanship, athleticism and scholastic achievements. This year’s fundraiser acknowledged High School teams and players for their accomplishments:  Wilbur Braithwaite Award– Brighton High School; Kathy Rothfels & Luceen Sullivan Award-Pine View High School; Lee Hammel Award– Calvin Bennett; Ruby Hammel Award– Hailey Swenson. The 2007 14th Annual Jan Dowse Memorial Junior Tennis Fundraiser held at the Cottonwood Country Club raised over $16,000. This year’s fundraiser changed formats and gained attendance raising more donations than ever before, another record for the books. The Jan Dowse Scholarship was awarded to Grant Taylor, a very talented tennis player and an exceptional student, one with a very focused direction for his career and all at just age 14. Utah Tennis would like to thank all our Sponsors and donors for their financial support for our leagues, tournaments and fundraisers. Thanks, again, to the hard working 2007 Committee Members; Marilyn Burrell, Chair, Bev Taylor, Nick Smith, Joe  Ostheller, Mike Cooper and of course, Linda Vincent and Fritz Heinecke of the Utah Tennis staff. Special thanks also goes out to Gordan Monson who did an awesome job and served as our “MC” for the event and awards ceremony. Community Development Committee—Ric Hammond, Chair The Community Development Committee continued to focus their efforts on supporting the Tennis Welcome Center initiative and related activities and worked with local communities and TWC’s to help kick off and promote the month of May which has been official designated as “TENNIS MONTH” by USTA. The committee, along with the Utah Tennis staff, partnered with Coach Mike’s Tennis Academy, a registered TWC, to help them organize and run a free, 3 hour Tennis Block Party for individuals of ages in the community. More than 250 people attended the event including a special visit from GRIZZBEE mascot for the Utah Grizzlies Hockey Team, that offered free tennis lessons, games and other on court activities including a *Family Fun Zone featuring parents teaching kids how to play tennis * Prize Court * Tennis 101 (with pros from CMTA providing free on court group lessons) Special thanks also to Jean Greenwood, Kevin Smith, Ric Hammond, Mike Cooper, Ron Hager, Ken and Ann Harris, who were also on hand to help with the on and off court activities, as well as Linda Vincent, Charlene Johnson PR Coordinator and Chris Harris, Tennis Service Representative for the Utah District, who worked closely with the committee and helped coordinate the event. Utah Tennis also partnered with Salt Lake County Recreation and East Millcreek Recreation who were in attendance and provided information and signups for there summer tennis programs. Part of the activities also included a special ceremony for the newly renovated courts and the gifting of the bubble to the city by Coach Mike. Special guests included Mayor Rocky Anderson, Rick Graham Director of Public Services as well as other city officials. Another activity supported by the committee, Utah Tennis and Millcreek Recreation was to participate in the 2nd Annual Venture Outdoors Festival held at the Canyon Rim Park. On court activities were lead by Lindsay Rawstorne along with Chris Harris who donated his time to provide free instruction as well as Lenny Bernstein Tennis Coordinator for  Millcreek Recreation along with his staff of instructors. This event was much like a “Fair” atmosphere comprising a wide variety of food, games, talent, and in particular featuring local artists designs and crafts. Again a special thanks to volunteers, board members and staff who helped support the event. Thanks to—Don Sorensen, Kevin Smith, Ric Hammond  Jean Greenwood and Linda Vincent.  The committee will continue to explore ways to raise awareness for tennis through existing community events, festivals etc. that may not traditionally offer tennis as part of their activities. The Utah Tennis Association board committed significant dollars to help promote and support local communities in their efforts to expand and offer additional tennis programs in their area, as well as to help them establish a Community Tennis Association in their area.  Grants were made available to those individuals, communities and or Parks & Recreation Agencies to help give them additional  resources and tools needed to promote and grow tennis participation. Grants ranged from $500 to $2000 and were awarded to: Marriott-Slaterville Community Tennis Association;  West Valley City Parks and Recreation;  Center Court Tennis ; Wasatch Community Tennis Association; Cache Valley Tennis Association. This is money well spent and certainly an investment in the future growth and success of local tennis.  The committee will continue to focus on existing and establishing new Tennis Welcome Centers, as they are key to bringing new players into the game. Good groundwork has been made by the committee in defining the direction and goals that will be implemented in the coming year. 2007 Community Development Committee Members: Jean Greenwood, Jim Ito, Kevin Smith, Ron Hager, Charlene Johnson. Staff Members:  Linda Vincent, Chris Harris USTA Intermountain Utah District Tennis Service Representative. < Back

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