OFFICIALS!

As part of a joint initiative with USTA National, our section is participating in a pilot program to hire a new Officiating Growth Manager to oversee recruiting efforts in USTA Missouri Valley and USTA Northern. This position will be responsible for recruiting and retaining officials across the two sections.

Sean Cary, USTA Managing Director - Competition Operations, says this has been in the works since before the COVID-19 pandemic, but is now officially being rolled out with sections.

As Cary says, sections have mostly been relying on volunteers to recruit officials locally, which is too much to ask of a group of volunteers. While they’ve done an amazing job, especially in our section, the new growth manager will be able to devote their entire focus to building relationships and recruiting new officials.

“We still needed someone who would wake up every morning, get out of bed and say, ‘My number one role today is to look at ways in which we can recruit new officials and retain our most experienced ones,’” Cary said.

The new Growth Manager will work primarily in the field, meeting with people and developing relationships to strengthen the ties between officials and their local tennis communities. They will work closely with the existing volunteer base and amplify the great work already being done.

“We’re going to do it with one person, focusing their energy to assist and support the networks that are already established because there are some very passionate people in both Missouri Valley and Northern. They will want support and guidance, and this person is their resource to provide that support and guidance,” Cary said.

Tennis isn’t alone when it comes to finding willing officials. This is a problem sweeping across all sports in recent years, but we want to be at the forefront of the movement to attract officials and make them feel truly valued and appreciated as members of the tennis family.

Through initiatives like Officiating Appreciation Week and this new Officiating Growth Manager, we feel we’re taking the proper steps to bridge that gap and show officials how much we really appreciate everything they do for the game of tennis. We look forward to providing the resources and mentoring needed to provide officials and players with the best experiences possible throughout the section.

*The Growth Manager will assume their responsibilities on March 13.

By: Josh Sellmeyer

The ongoing revitalization of The Armory — a historic St. Louis building where legends Arthur Ashe and Jimmy Connors crafted their games — is set to roll on with the development of the St. Louis Tennis Hall of Fame.

The Armory, a 250,000-square-foot property located at 3660 Market Street, opened to the public in mid-December 2022 after undergoing major renovations. The building was previously home to the St. Louis Tennis Club, national bowling tournaments, rock concerts, indoor sports leagues and more. Now, the facility’s features include six acres of space for gatherings, a 62-foot stage for live entertainment, six bars, 40+ interactive games, giant TV screens and a two-story slide.

And soon, The Armory will become the home of the St. Louis Tennis Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame was previously housed at the Triple A Youth Foundation. But when Triple A’s new operators needed that additional space, the Hall of Fame’s artifacts were moved to storage where they’ve been located ever since.

Rick Randall — a real estate developer who has been involved with the St. Louis Tennis Hall of Fame since its formation in the early 1990s — practiced at The Armory starting in the 1960s. He said he had the privilege of seeing several local standouts hone their games on the fast wooden courts there and was mesmerized by the building’s immaculate architecture.

As Randall brokered the transaction that led to the IKEA building just down the street from the long-dormant Armory, he struck up conversations with The Armory’s owner, Leo Mitchell, about rejuvenating it. Randall, along with Dan Apted of Creve Coeur Racquet Club, soon realized solely putting tennis courts back into The Armory would be too expensive of an undertaking.

“It really required a complete overhaul of all its systems, roof, windows and everything,” Randall said. “But it was still a grand building. The hard surfaces, the masonry and brick were just in fantastic shape.”

So Randall introduced a friend of his, Phil Hulse — owner of Green Street Real Estate Ventures — to Mitchell. One thing led to another and Hulse decided to purchase The Armory property about five years ago. Hulse and Jake Miller, president of Brick + Bev and Armory operator, had several ideas for the building’s use before landing on its current renovations. Randall all along told Hulse he’d love to move the Hall of Fame into the facility.

“I was always thinking, ‘Where could we physically put it?’ Well, there wouldn’t be any better place than The Armory, which was basically the centerpiece of St. Louis tennis history,” Randall said.

“Phil always agreed and wanted to do that. As he developed his plans and put the building back in service we really formalized it and worked with the Triple A Youth Foundation, which is the umbrella organization 501c3 of the Hall of Fame.”

Efforts of raising funds to construct the new St. Louis Tennis Hall of Fame and what elements to include within it have ramped up the past six months. Members of the Hall of Fame and other interested parties have assisted in that brainstorming process.

“We’re not going to just put in shelving with trophies on them in the Hall of Fame,” Randall said. “We’re going to put all kinds of interactive things. It’s going to be an expensive project. Hall of Fame members and the committee have been to The Armory. The general public hasn’t really been exposed to what we’re trying to do. This will be a chance for us to showcase exactly what we’re doing, how much money we’re going to need to raise and a plan for raising it.”

While the hope is the St. Louis Tennis Hall of Fame will be up and running in April 2024, there isn’t a hard date for the grand opening. In addition to loads of historical artifacts and life-sized photos of local greats, Randall said the main interactive feature of the Hall of Fame will be a hitting alley complete with similarly oiled wood floors to what players at The Armory competed on.

“They used to oil that floor for the military for their marches. That’s what made it faster than fast and created such good players,” Randall said. “People will be able to hit with Connors’s same racquet, the T2000, or Arthur’s Head racquet, or Butch Buchholz’s Wilson racquet or Kenny Flach’s Wimbledon racquet.

“People will be able to try and see if they can hit the ball with those older racquets off that floor. And my guess is they won’t be able to too well. They’ll be able to experience why these players developed such quick hands and why all the St. Louis players rushed the net. The last thing you could do is stay back.”

The Hall of Fame will also potentially contain a theater playing historical content such as documentary film “Citizen Ashe.” A digital board in which attendees can search for and watch video content telling the stories of the 72 current St. Louis Tennis Hall of Fame members is also on the docket, as storytelling is the preeminent objective of the Hall of Fame.

“Our goal really is what happened at The Armory between the mid-‘50s and 1970 is a story that is really not known by most people in St. Louis, and certainly not known regionally or nationally,” Randall said. “We’re trying to craft that story. ‘How did a kid from East St. Louis win the most titles in the history of pro tennis? How did Arthur Ashe change his game at The Armory, which allowed him to win Wimbledon in 1975?’

“The story of those old wood courts in that dimly lit, cold place is a pretty amazing story. We’re trying to tell that.”

This Women’s History Month, we are honoring the impact women have on the game of tennis in USTA Missouri Valley by spotlighting these difference makers. You can read the full stories on usta.com.

Tennis For Life

On a path to becoming a medical surgeon, USTA Missouri Valley Hall of Famer Pat Purcell of St. Louis felt something was missing and traveled to Hawaii to try coaching tennis at the age of 22. Forty-six years later and still coaching and playing the sport she loves, Purcell knows she made the right life choice.

Tennis Trailblazer

Growing up in an era when women weren’t afforded the same sports opportunities as their male counterparts, USTA Missouri’s Donna Hoffmann vowed to create opportunities for girls by teaching PE and being a trailblazer herself.

Tennis In Schools

USTA Nebraska is profiling two influential women who have made their mark on Nebraska tennis. Kathy Hawkins is a pioneer, playing among the first group of women after Title IX was passed. Mariana is making her mark by coaching high school girls.

Sharing Tennis

Liz Bothwell is the executive director of the Salina Tennis Alliance and has spent years trying to share tennis with others. Now, she has the opportunity to oversee 12 new courts to serve her community and grow tennis through Salina, Kansas.

In 2022, USTA Missouri Valley invested in local organizations, resulting in more programming opportunities for you and your communities.

$55,122 AWARDED $52,287.50 from Serving Up Tennis $2,786.50 from Grow The Game

49 TOTAL ORGANIZATIONS

43 not-for-profit organizations

10 Schools, 5 Park & Rec, 28 CTAs, NJTLs, YMCAs and other organizations

6 for-profit organizations

128% INCREASE in funds awarded in 2021. $55,122 compared to $24,190

The 2023 grant process will look a little different than it has in years past. In an effort to simplify and streamline the application process, there will now be one application for all levels of grants (section, district, etc.). You will need to complete one application for each category, but the application form will look the same across all categories.

2023 APPLICATION DEADLINES:

February 17 - April 14 - July 14 - August 25 - October 20

District deadlines vary by district.