President & Executive Director's Message

The most important thing is not to win but to take part. This Olympic motto unites athletes from around the world in a sporting tradition that dates back more than 100 years. In this Olympic year, a diverse group of athletes will convene in London to compete in the 2012 Summer Olympics. Tennis enthusiasts will be glued to the TV watching the tennis competition from the historic grass courts of Wimbledon in late July and early August.

In 1912, the iconic Olympic rings were designed by Baron Pierre De Coubertin, founder of the modern Olympic Games, to symbolize the idea that the Olympic movement welcomes all countries to join the competition. The colors of the rings represent the five regions of the world that come together to compete. That same year, Jim Thorpe, a young Native American man who grew up in the Sac and Fox Nation in Oklahoma would travel to Stockholm, Sweden to compete in the Olympics against almost insurmountable odds. Thorpe would go on to win gold medals in both the pentathlon and decathlon. This year in mid-June, thousands will gather in Oklahoma City for the centennial celebration of Thorpe’s gold medal victory.

Like the Olympic rings that represent the five regions, tennis athletes in our five states are united in the opportunity to play the game in our seven districts. Our mission, “To promote and develop the growth of tennis” is driven by our focus on diversity and inclusion. Everyone, regardless of their race, age, physical abilities or backgrounds is welcome to join in the game. This core value of inclusion drives the success we have experienced in the USTA Missouri Valley. 2011 was no exception.

In 2011 we laid the groundwork to grow youth tennis by making tennis more kid friendly. 10 and Under Tennis was introduced with five key components – smaller courts, shorter racquets, balls that don’t bounce as high or fast, nets lower to the ground and a simplified scoring system for youth. Like the Olympic rings, the five components are linked together to ensure these participants grow in the game. With the new 10 and Under Tennis rules adopted in 2012, we will experience a new level of play and success for our junior players.

While we all agree that this new national initiative will impact the future of the American game, we continue to see success on the court in our section. One Missouri Valley junior caught the attention of the country as he competed and won the US Open Mixed Doubles Championship. Jack Sock and partner Melanie Oudin captured not only the top prize, but the appreciation of a country who longs for American success at the Grand Slams. Jack, now 19, is competing and experiencing some success on the USTA Professional Circuit, winning the first tournament of 2012, the Plantation Futures in Florida.

Thorpe isn’t the only Olympic athlete to have come from our five states. Nick Taylor, of Wichita, has won gold medals in Quad Doubles tennis in both the 2004 Athens and 2008 Beijing Paralympics. In 2011, Nick had another successful year, winning quad doubles with partner David Wagner in the USTA US Open Wheelchair Championships in St. Louis. The cornerstone programs in the USTA continue to experience growth and success in the USTA Missouri Valley. In 2011 USTA League participation was at an all-time high of 17,593 participants.

Participation in these programs, and a membership promotion to give a free USTA membership to all new 10 and Under members in 2011 and 2012, are responsible for our highest membership numbers ever, currently 24,047. It’s up to each and every one of us to continue to engage the juniors, as well as tournament and USTA League players, in the game so we see higher membership retention and participation numbers.

The USTA Missouri Valley greatly benefits from the commitment of manpower – volunteers and staff alike. A new board of directors will be elected and volunteer committees will be appointed this year to begin serving in 2013. This could be your call to serve. On page 3 of the Yearbook you will see quotes from many of volunteers who share their thoughts on why “I Serve.”

Each year we take the opportunity to recognize volunteers and players who serve the game at our annual Awards Luncheon and Hall of Fame Induction. In December, 2011, 32 section award winners received well-deserved honors. We also welcomed five new members into the USTA Missouri Valley Hall of Fame. You can see a list of the recipients on pages 8-10 in the Yearbook.

We’d be remiss to not recognize the staff members who daily support the USTA mission to grow the game. Did you know the average staff tenure is seven years? The 18 staff members are here to serve the game – let us know how we can be of assistance to you in your efforts to grow the game.

The people we’ve highlighted in the 2012 Yearbook are all members of a team. It’s that same team spirit the Olympians have had for generations that continues to make the USTA Missouri Valley successful. The Olympic motto that was embraced a hundred years ago still resonates in our five states:

“The most important thing is not to win but to take part.”

Scott Hanover

President

Mary Buschmann

Executive Director