CrossCourt FALL 2014
MISSOURIVALLEY.USTA.COM
The Back to school issue! Plus: - KC Varsity League - Tennis Buddies - Summer in Photos
September is National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month and tennis is the perfect sport to get your kids active. The USTA is hosting Free Tennis Play Events across the country throughout the month of September. Attend a USTA Free Tennis Play Event in celebration of Nickelodeon’s Worldwide Day of Play!
CrossCourt
BACK TO SCHOOL WITH TENNIS
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The USTA is helping kids stay active and engaged with USTA Schools Tennis programs.
The USTA Missouri Valley publishes CrossCourt quarterly, focusing specifically on the members and events in the section. All material copyright USTA Missouri Valley, unless otherwise noted.
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Your feedback is welcomed.
USTA Missouri Valley 6400 West 95th Street, Suite 102 Overland Park, Kansas 66212
ON COURT WITH
Kansas City became the pilot site for a new adult play opportunity in the USTA Missouri Valley, called the KC Varsity League. Kurt Schroer competed in the program and shared a bit about his experience with CrossCourt.
SPOTLIGHT ON: TENNIS BUDDIES
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Several cities in the USTA Missouri Valley run a program called Tennis Buddies, which shares the love of tennis with special needs athletes.
Mary Buschmann Executive Director Manon Eilts Director of Marketing, Communications & Membership
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Emily Steinwart Communications Coordinator Graphic Design and Digital Media Andrew Robinson Communications Coordinator - PR
SUMMER NET NOTES IN PHOTOS
Check out photos from events, tournaments and community outreach in the USTA Missouri Valley this summer.
For questions about your USTA membership, please contact USTA Member Services at 1-800-990-USTA, or visit www.membership.usta.com.
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BACK TO SCHOOL More and more students are getting exposed to tennis in the classroom By Andrew Robinson
With increasing obesity rates and decreasing fitness rates among today’s children, schools across the country are working to find new ways to teach students about the benefits of living a healthy, active lifestyle. More and more, particularly in the St. Louis area, schools are turning to the game of tennis to teach students about a lifetime sport and lifelong way to remain healthy. A year ago, just 11 schools in the St. Louis area implemented the United States Tennis Association’s P.E. program. Today, that number is nearly 150. There are several reasons for the increase. Teachers are participating in school tennis workshops hosted by the USTA. If a school district makes a commitment to tennis programs in 12 schools, the USTA’s national office will send an equipment package of racquets, balls and nets. Numbers also increased in St. Louis after the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAPHERD) held its national conference in St. Louis earlier this year, exposing area P.E. teachers to the USTA’s P.E. program. The Curriculum Kit was developed in conjunction with renowned P.E. expert Dr. Robert Pangrazi and meets the standards of the National Association of Sport & Physical Education. The kit includes a simple teacher’s manual, a quick-reference pocket guide, and an instructional guide of tennis and fitness activities. Best of all, it’s a program that can be taught anywhere whether it’s in the gym or outside on the playground — courts
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aren’t a requirement to make the program happen. Teachers can also use a variation of balls including balloons, beach balls, bean bags, yarn balls, streamer balls and low compression balls. The USTA’s schools curriculum begins with basic racquet skills and advances through all facets of the game including forehands, backhands, volleys and serves. Students are also taught how to properly keep score and have good sportsmanship on the court. Through the entire curriculum, teachers are given ideas for games in which students can implement skills they have learned during class. St. Louis Public Schools has implemented tennis as part of its AIM For Fitness Project. The initiative works with students to motivate them to improve and maintain their own health and wellness, according to the district. The program was developed in 2008 because district leaders wanted to find new ways to address increasing obesity and obesity-related diseases, particularly among children in urban environments. M. Leanne White, project director for St. Louis’ AIM For Fitness program has been working with the USTA for about the last five years to get the tennis curriculum implemented into its elementary and middle schools. “The delivery method for our teachers is very engaging for all the students,” White said. “It works very well in the classroom.” The district’s tennis curriculum lasts four weeks and is typically scheduled for April.
Beyond the basics of the game of tennis, students are taught the benefits of lifetime fitness and why a healthy lifestyle is important. “That’s exactly how it’s pushed to them,” White said. “This is a physical activity that is a lifetime sport…It’s an activity to improve their own personal fitness.” According to a recent article in the New York Times, some reports estimate that children typically spend eight to 10 hours a day in front of a television or computer screen. The article also said that less than a third of young people ages 12 to 18 are said to achieve the recommended levels of physical activity for their age group, which would be an hour a day of exercise. Rhonda Williams, a P.E. teacher at Babler Elementary School in the Rockwood School District, attended last year’s Tennis Development Workshop in Denver with the hopes of learning how she could bring more tennis directly into her curriculum. She had been teaching racquet skills with tennis, ping pong and badminton for about ten years but wanted a greater emphasis on tennis. The biggest benefit of the tennis curriculum, Williams said, has been the opportunity to get all children involved. There’s no waiting in lines or subbing in to play. Everyone can get a racquet in his or her hands. “I got interested in tennis to introduce as many kids [as possible] to lifetime sports,” Williams said.
The East St. Louis School District hopes its tennis curriculum will be implemented soon. The district is working with the school board to implement its tennis program and is currently pending approval. The district has recently received grants from the U.S. Department of Education’s Carol M. White Physical Education Program. The grants work to expand or enhance physical education programs and grant recipients must implement programs to help students make progress toward meeting state standards. The funded program must also include the development and instruction of physical fitness that support a lifelong healthy lifestyle. Now, the school district wants to use tennis to reach those goals. “We’re wanting to initiate programs that will challenge our students to be physically active,” said Barry Malloyd, Physical Education Program Grant Manager for the district. But beyond getting tennis in the P.E. curriculum, Malloyd wants to introduce students to the world of tennis. Malloyd said it’s his hope that down the line he’ll be able to take students to the Dwight Davis Memorial Tennis Center in St. Louis’ Forest Park to watch high-level tennis, or even take them to the U.S. Open. “It’s a great opportunity.”
Without courts nearby, Williams has no problem having the students play tennis in the gym, setting up a few smaller courts and letting the children use right-sized equipment.
For more information on USTA Schools Tennis, visit MissouriValley.USTA.com/programs/schools
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ON COURT WITH...
KC VARSITY LEAGUE KURT SCHROER By Zach Nass
Kurt Schroer is an Overland Park, Kan. native who walked on to the men’s tennis team at Creighton University, where he played two years. Schroer is a part of the newly developed KC Varsity League which is comprised of former college tennis players. CrossCourt caught up with Schroer to speak with him about the new league and why he sees it being valuable for current and former college players. Q: Why did you get involved in the KC Varsity League? A: It is a great way to take a break from all the studying that med school requires, and it puts me in a fun environment in which I can get a good workout and compete against other great players. Tennis is a sport that you can play and enjoy your entire life. My goal for competing in the league is to use it as a way to de-stress and to once again start playing and competing in a sport that I have come to love. Q: Why do you think the league is beneficial for former college players? A: It gives players a chance to compete against players at their own skill level and a 2 guy / 2 girl team format really fosters a fun team environment that anyone can enjoy. The social aspect of this league is great. I had no clue who would be at this league when I showed up the first week, but it turned out to be many players that I have competed with and against for years growing up. This league has been a great way to reconnect with a bunch of familiar faces and to enjoy the more social aspects of the sport. Q: Do you see this kind of league expanding to other sections or districts? A: I absolutely see this league expanding to other USTA districts. Often times players feel burned out or tired from playing and competing in so many matches over the years, but this league creates a relaxed, fun and supportive team environment that makes it enjoyable for even those players feeling burned out to pick up a tennis racquet again. Q: Is the competition in the league at the same level as college tennis? A: The competition in the league is about the same as college tennis. Like myself, a lot of the players have been out of college for years now and definitely do not play as often as they used to. Regardless, all of these players are very talented and still are able to compete at a very high level--making the tennis fun and challenging.
Interested in playing or have an idea for an alternative league? Let us know! Contact Lori Therrien at 913-332-4829 or therrien@movalley.usta.com Members of the first KC Varsity league.
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Go to missourivalley.usta.com to find the latest events in your area!
Fall Calendar of Events Event Date USTA MV Adult/Senior Super Doubles September 11-14 League Section Championship I USTA MV Adult/Senior Super Doubles September 25-28 League Section Championship II USTA MV Tennis on Campus Fall Invite September 27-28
Location
Kansas City, Missouri Springfield, Missouri Kansas City, Missouri
Adult NTRP & Open October 3-5 Kansas City, Missouri Outdoor Championship BG12-18 Indoor October Futures October 24-26 Various Sites USTA Tennis Development Workshop November 6-9 BG12-18 November Supers October 31-November 2
Atlanta, Georgia Various Sites
BG12-18 November Sweet 16
November 14-16
Various Sites
Tri-Level Section Invitational
November 14-16
St. Louis, Missouri
USTA Missouri Valley Annual Meeting
December 5-6
BG12-18 Indoor December Futures
December 12-14
Mark your calendar! USTA Missouri Valley Annual Conference December 5-6, 2014 The 2014 USTA Missouri Valley Annual Conference is set for December 5-6 at the Sheraton Hotel in Overland Park, Kansas. The weekend will feature speakers, meetings and trainings as we join to continue the growth of tennis into 2015. Saturday, December 6, will also feature the annual Hall of Fame and Awards event, where we honor some of our biggest contributors to the game of tennis in our section. Register today at MissouriValley.USTA.com!
Overland Park, Kansas Various Sites
The USTA Missouri Valley welcomes three inductees to the 2014 Hall of Fame: Steve Gerdes Omaha, Nebraska Jim Klousia Springfield, Missouri Ken Veney Sydney, Australia FALL 2014 MISSOURIVALLEY.USTA.COM 6
SPOTLIGHT ON:
TENNIS BUDDIES By Zach Nass
Tennis is truly a sport for all ages and abilities, and no where is that more evident than in the Tennis Buddies adaptive tennis program. Tennis Buddies is a volunteer-based program that is comprised of tennis players who share their love for the sport with special needs athletes. There are Tennis Buddies programs in Kansas City, Oklahoma City, Omaha, Neb. and Wichita, Kan. Christian Boschert, a student at the University of Missouri, started the Tennis Buddies program in the Heart of America district. Boschert heard about the Tennis Buddies program in Omaha and loved what they were doing. “I had worked with Special Olympics for all of high school and it was a program I felt at home with,” said Boschert. “I have been very blessed to be able to play tennis my entire life and I wanted to give back the gift that I was given. Tennis Buddies seemed like the perfect fit because it would be something great for both the volunteers and the athletes.” Tennis Buddies meet throughout the year to participate in clinics. They are also paired with other competitive players for ongoing practice and match play. “The USTA supports the concept that anyone from anywhere should be able to play tennis and compete,” said Jane Hines, USTA Adaptive Tennis committee chair. “That’s the driving force behind the USTA’s Diversity & Inclusion strategy. It’s designed to grow and promote our sport to the next generation of fans, players and volunteers. And to do that, we are removing barriers and creating opportunities wherever we can.” 7 MISSOURIVALLEY.USTA.COM FALL 2014
Hines is also closely involved with the Omaha Tennis Buddies chapter as a co-coordinator. She sees it as an ideal example of the USTA philopsophy. Athletes are given additional play opportunities as they develop, and not just on the court. She notes that the families of the athletes are also included in all competitive and social events, such as the USTA Missouri Valley All Stars Day. Since 2011, the section has hosted an All Stars Day for Tennis Buddies programs. This year, the event took place in Wichita, Kan. from July 19-20 and consisted of four teams from Kansas and Nebraska. The event was created by USTA Missouri Valley Adaptive Tennis Committee and staff in order to bring tennis to anyone who wanted to play. Its mission is to promote and develop adaptive recreational tennis programs for those individuals with differing abilities. Jaren Glaser, Tennis Service Representative for USTA Kansas District, coordinated All Stars Day this year. “These athletes remind you what it is like to be filled with joy and wonder while maintaining a high level of work ethic and competitiveness,” said Glaser. Glaser went on to mention how these athletes are not your typical athletes. They bring a positive attitude to everything they do. They were enthusiastic, and instead of complaining or whining when they make a mistake, they celebrate their efforts. The event was held this year with the help of The Arc of Sedgwick County in Wichita. The Arc is an organization that promotes and protects the human rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Marty Rothwell, Director of Programs at The Arc of Sedgwick County, was a volunteer at All Stars Day. “The All Star event is special because it gives our players an opportunity to play the game they love against players that love the same game,” said Rothwell. “For a weekend, they are a true All Star and the opportunities they have to play and get to know other tennis players is outstanding. Few times in our players’ lives are they treated with a first class event such as the All Star Days.”
“Tennis Buddies is beneficial to all of the individuals associated with the program: the athletes, their families, the volunteers and the local tennis community,” said Hines. “The benefits to the athletes and the volunteers are threefold: fun, fellowship and fitness. Everyone wins! Our program demonstrates not only a true love for the game, but for life!”
As a cornerstone of the adaptive programming in the section, All Stars Day has grown into a twoday event, with additional activities and fellowship. It provides the neighboring districts the chance to make connections and trade ideas, and that strengthens every program in the area.
Birds of a feather save together. As a member of USTA Missouri Valley you could save even more on your car insurance with a special discount. Join your fellow members who are already saving with GEICO. geico.com/disc/usta-mv | 1-800-368-2734
Some discounts, coverages, payment plans and features are not available in all states or all GEICO companies. Discount amount varies in some states. Discount is not available in all states or in all GEICO companies. One group discount applicable per policy. Coverage is individual. In New York a premium reduction may be available. GEICO is a registered service mark of Government Employees Insurance Company, Washington, D.C. 20076; a Berkshire Hathaway Inc. subsidiary. GEICO Gecko ©1999-2014. © 2014 GEICO
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USTA Missouri Valley SUMMER IN PHOTOS View a collection of photos from events, tournaments and community outreach within the USTA Missouri Valley this summer. To view more photos, visit MissouriValley.USTA.com and click on Photo Galleries.
The Plaza Tennis Center in Kansas City, Missouri once again played host to the USTA National Husband & Wife Hardcourt Championships, May 2-4. Section staff member Marissa Moment Brown and her husband, Junior, took home the Gold Ball.
summer in photos The fourth annual All Stars Event was held July 19-20 at the Ralph Wulz Riverside Tennis Center in Wichita, Kansas. See pages 7 & 8 for more on the event. Paralympian gold medalist, Nick Taylor, was on hand to work with the athletes.
2014 Fred Johnson
ALL Stars Event
summer in photos Jack Sock and his doubles partner Vasek Pospisil took home the 2014 Wimbledon Men’s Doubles Championship. Sock won the US Open Mixed Doubles Championship with partner Melanie Oudin in 2011. Sock’s success was recently recognized at a Kansas City Royals game.
The Springfield Lasers were the 2014 Mylan World TeamTennis Western Conference champions for the second-straight season. They once again finished as runners-up to the Washington Kastles in the finals. James Blake competed for the Lasers as the team’s marquee player.
summer in photos More than 60 women from all over the country came to Midtown Athletic Club in Overland Park, Kansas, June 23- 29, to compete for a Gold Ball at the USTA National Women’s 65, 75, 85 Indoor Championships.
Mary Etta Fine and Eva Belle Bracy of Kansas City, and the late Richard Hudlin were among the seven members of the Black Tennis Hall of Fame’s class of 2014. Fine, Bracy and Hudlin are all being honored as pioneers of the game within the black community.
summer in photos More than 60 players fought for a spot in the US Open National Playoffs at the section qualifying tournament, June 26-29 at Homestead Country Club in Prairie Village, Kansas. The men’s singles champion, Sanam Singh, went on to win the US Open National Playoffs and win a wild card entry in the US Open Qualifying Tournament.
summer in photos
summer in photos
The 2014 Sweet 16 was held June 17-22 at the Plaza Tennis Center in Kansas City, Missouri.
summer in photos Tulsa, Oklahoma once again hosted the USTA Missouri Valley Junior Team Tennis Section Championships. Held July 22-25 at LaFortune Tennis Center, three divisions competed for the chance to travel to South Carolina for the National Championships.
summer in photos Youth Tennis Play Days are held throughout the section all year long! Left: Jefferson City, Missouri hosted a 10 and Under Tennis Play Day on July 11.
Above: The St. Louis district hosted a Junior Team Tennis Play Day in July.
Above: Nixa, Missouri hosted Summer It Up! - a 10 and Under Tennis Play Day on July 31.
Right: Joplin, Missouri hosted a 10 and Under Tennis Play Day on August 26.
summer in photos
Above: Kids get some quality court time during Riverfest 2014 in Wichita, Kansas, May 30-June 7. The Kansas district partnered with the Maureen Connolly Brinker Tennis Foundation, which received a USTA Missouri Valley membership grant for the event.
More than 230 players participated in the USTA Missouri Valley Adult 65s Invitational, July 24-27, at the Overland Park Racquet Club in Overland Park, Kansas.
summer in photos
Two of the four USTA Missouri Valley League Section Championships took place in St. Louis and Oklahoma City. St. Louis hosted the weekend of July 31 August 3, and Oklahoma City was August 21-24.
summer in photos
Three League Section Events remain for the 2014 season: Kansas City September 11-14
Springfield, Missouri September 25-28
St. Louis (Tri-Level Invitational) November 14-16 Look for photos in the Winter issue of CrossCourt!
summer in photos Wichita, Kansas’ own Nick Taylor won yet another quads doubles championship with partner David Wagner. The duo took home the US Open title for the sixth time.
The USTA US Open Wheelchair Championships were held in St. Louis, August 26-31. Taylor and Wagner once again teamed up to win the quads doubles championship at the event.