COVID-19 Com Updated Statement - April 22, 2020
Due to the continued situation surrounding the COVID-19 virus, and after discussions with the USTA Medical Advisory Committee, the United States Tennis Association has suspended USTA-sanctioned products and events through May 31. Additionally, USTA has cancelled 2020 League National Championships and Junior Team Tennis National Championships to ensure that play taking place at local facilities will be the focus once the pandemic subsides. USTA Missouri Valley supports the decision and is taking steps to ensure that when the suspension is lifted, tennis can first begin locally. USTA Missouri Valley in collaboration with our League Committee and Local Play Committee have made the decision to cancel our 2020 USTA Missouri Valley League Section Championships as well as our 2020 Junior Team Tennis Section Championships. This will allow our districts and local providers to get people back on the courts locally. In addition to these championships being cancelled in 2020, we are reviewing all program area tournaments and events and will make cancellations or postponement decisions as needed. Recognizing the fast-changing nature of this situation, the USTA will continue to monitor and assess conditions to make future determinations about events and activities taking place after May 31. Thank you for your patience and understanding as we continue to navigate this situation. Together, we are #MoValleyStrong.
Frequently Asked Questions: 1. Now that Adult League and Junior Team Tennis (JTT) National Championships are canceled for 2020, does that mean Adult League Section Championships and JTT Sectional Championships will be canceled as well? Yes, all USTA Missouri Valley JTT and Adult League Section Championships, including Mixed, will be canceled for 2020. There are no plans to reschedule these events in 2020. District Adult League and JTT coordinators are busy 4 SUMMER SERVE 2020 USTA.COM/USTAMISSOURIVALLEY
working on local league and JTT play opportunities once tennis is back open for business. Districts will concentrate on developing local play that encourages social distancing, competition, fun and of course, tennis.
2. Why are the USTA Missouri Valley Section Championships canceled? USTA Missouri Valley has made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 Section Championships. We understand that this may be very disappointing for our players, but health and safety remain the USTA’s top concerns. With that being said, we are committed to getting our players back on the court as soon as it is deemed safe to do so. Our hope is for the districts to offer vibrant local summer leagues. They are working diligently to develop innovative play options once tennis is open for business again. Without being confined to section dates, districts will have more flexibility to schedule these leagues right through August/ September if they choose to do so. In addition, prioritizing local play will hopefully provide support to local facilities, who have been greatly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. 3. Will there be District League Championships? Please check with your respective District League Coordinator or Junior Team Tennis Coordinator for their plans. 4. A re JTT and adult local Leagues that have not completed— or didn’t start yet—canceled? Most leagues have different schedules so each District Junior Team Tennis Coordinator and District League Coordinator will assess the situation locally and communicate decisions to their respective captains and players. 5. When will the new junior and adult standings be published? The determination has also been made to suspend the calculation and publication of the National Standings List (NSL) for Adult, Junior and Wheelchair play until further notice. The NSL published on March 18, 2020 will serve as the most current until tournament competition resumes. The junior USTA Missouri Valley standing published on March 12 and the adult standings published on February 28 will serve as the most current until tournament competition resumes.
