USTA Metro Region Update: Summer 2013

A Message From USTA Eastern Metro Region President Jackie Clark
Find yourself in the game! The warm weather is finally here, and right now is the best time to pick up your racquet and get out and hit the ball. Whether you are a beginner, play a couple of times a week, or want to get back into playing the greatest sport in the world … now is the time! We are so fortunate to have so many places to play all across the five boroughs of New York. Why not meet up with some friends on the courts at one of the many beautiful NYC parks or work on your game through the many tennis programs being run all throughout the city? Many of the local high schools have tennis courts that are available to play on as well. The USTA Metro Region is committed to growing the game and through many events and programs, like the Battle of the Boroughs, Junior Team Tennis, 10 & Under Tennis, and the many Community Tennis Associations (CTAs) and USTA Eastern Metro Leagues, tournaments and programs there is something for every individual at every level and age. So, if not now, when? We want to help you find yourself in the game! For more information, visit www.metroregion.usta.com.

Appointed in 2013, Jackie Clark is currently president of the USTA Eastern Metro Region and is also an executive board member of the USTA Eastern Section. Clark has been a school counselor at Commack High School for the last 15 years and has coached the varsity boys and junior varsity girls tennis teams. She has also been a strong advocate of parks and recreation programs and has directed the Smithtown Parks tennis program for the last 12 years.

Friends, Fitness and Fun: Winter 2013 Junior Team Tennis (Intermediate)
With more than 120 players for 21 teams in four different age groups (10 & Under, 12 & Under, 14 & Under and 18 & Under), the USTA Metro Region hosted a successful Winter 2013 season for Junior Team Tennis (JTT), Intermediate.

Players from all over the Metro Region participated in JTT matches hosted each Saturday at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center and the Harlem Armory. Each JTT match consisted of five individual matches: Boys & Girls Singles, and Boys, Girls and Mixed-Doubles. The season was filled with many competitive team and individual matches as teammates, parents, friends and USTA volunteers viewed and cheered the players on.
The Junior Team Tennis Metro Region Championships were held at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on April 21. Players showcased great play, while having fun with friends and displaying a high level of sportsmanship. The winning teams from each division went on to compete in the Sectional Tournament in Albany on June 15-16.

Next up is the Junior Team Tennis All-Star match on Friday, July 5 at West Side Tennis Club. The Metro Region JTT All-Star team will challenge players from New Jersey. Matches will take place during the New York Open from 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Come on out and support some of the area’s future tennis stars.
If you have any questions and/or an interest in Junior Team Tennis, visit http://eastern.usta.com/jrteamtennis.

USTA Eastern Metro Helps Expand Knickerbocker Field Club’s 10 & Under Program
By Patricia Lowry

Thanks to past grant money received from the USTA Eastern Metro Region, Knickerbocker Field Club in Brooklyn, N.Y. able to purchase Quick Start equipment and court supplies needed to divide instructional courts, which in turn increased the number of younger children who were introduced to tennis through this free program. Past funding also covered the expense of hiring additional teenage staff assistants (recruited from past program participants) who were needed to help the teaching pros set up and break down equipment as well as supervise children during instruction.

With the extra equipment and staff support, we were able to:

1. Expand enrollment to 60 children per day.
2. Greatly increase participation and success in the younger groups aged five through 12.
3. Increase the number of children interested in our scholarship program.

Our latest grant from the USTA Eastern Metro Region helped fund our Knickerbocker Junior Tennis Scholarship Program at the Prospect Park Tennis Center. This year, our goal was to raise enough money so that 10 children would be able to continue their tennis education throughout the indoor season. The grant available from USTA Metro was instrumental in helping Knickerbocker meet its goal. The grant helped us fund three children for a one-hour tennis lesson for eight weeks.
All scholarship applicants are:

1. Active participants in the summer program held at the Knickerbocker.
2. Range in age from six- to 15-years-old.
3. Come from a variety of ethnic and family backgrounds.

Riverside Park Conservancy, Summer Sports Camp
Tennis in the Parks is getting a big push this summer, as the Riverside Park Conservancy is including tennis on the menu of its new multi-sport camp, alongside baseball, basketball and soccer, on the ball fields and playgrounds of Riverside Park in Manhattan.

“The USTA played an important role in making this happen,” said Mark McIntyre, executive director of the Riverside Clay Tennis Association, the organization providing the tennis portion of the multi-sport camp. “First, the National Office of Community Development and Facilities was responsible for putting down blended lines for two 36’ and two 60’ courts on the existing volleyball and basketball courts on the playground. Then, USTA Eastern and the Metro Region came along and gave us some grants to buy all the ten-and-under equipment. Now tennis is competing side by side with other sports. We are right in between the soccer and baseball fields and the kids playing those sports can see how much fun the kids playing tennis are having. They are already part of the same camp so it will be easy for them to sign up and give our sport a try.”

Courts Resurfaced for Fort Greene Tennis Association
Photo credits: Amanda Woods
Daisy Schwartz, first vice president of the USTA Metro Region, has reported that the courts at the Fort Greene Tennis Association (FGTA) in Brooklyn, N.Y. have been resurfaced. Daisy asked Dr. Michael Brownstein, president of the Fort Greene Tennis Association, a few questions about the newly revamped courts. Michael mentioned that he “loves playing tennis in Ft. Greene Park. It’s my absolute favorite place to play. The best part about it is undoubtedly the community of local tennis players." Read on to hear more about the exciting things happening with Fort Greene Tennis.

How did you get involved with The Fort Greene Tennis Association?
I became involved with FGTA because I lived in the neighborhood and played tennis there regularly. A group of local players decided to get together to fix up the courts.

How long have the courts been in need of repair?
Ever since I have been playing on them, which was around 2004. They were last repaired in 1994.

How were USTA Eastern and Jocelyn Cruz involved with the resurfacing of the courts?
Jocelyn Cruz was one of the original members of the FGTA. She helped to get our organization going. The USTA provided a couple grants over the years, totaling about $5,000.

What do you hope to accomplish now that the courts are resurfaced?
We hope to take better care of the courts. In particular, we aim to prune the trees which are very overgrown, to build a shed for maintenance tools, install windscreens, and to clean and repair the courts in the future. The repairs we completed by fixing the existing cracks, leveling the depressions, and repainting. So, longer term, we hope to rebuild the courts properly one day.

Do you have any events coming up you would like to us about?
Our Fifth Annual Addison Steadman Memorial Championships are set for July 20-21 and 27-28.

Jocelyn Cruz, tennis service representative of the New Jersey Region, USTA Eastern shared her thoughts as well:
The Fort Greene Tennis Association was formed by neighbors. Ft. Greeners gathered together to discuss the courts that needed much repair in the summer of 2008. I asked tennis friends from the park to participate in a meeting to brainstorm ideas on how to move forward. It began with a few tennis enthusiasts that played frequently at the park with a meeting with council woman Leticia James in December 2009. After I moved to New Jersey, Michael [Brownstein] continued the efforts in the neighborhood. I am proud of the individuals that are volunteering their time to show progress to the efforts in Fort Greene tennis. It is just the beginning since it is going to need continuous maintenance. I’ve worn two hats: The first one is the hat of a neighbor who loved Ft. Greene Park tennis and friends. The second was one who brought in my professional network at USTA to achieve the vision of FGTA.

New York City Players Advance at Little Mo Tournament
By Radhi Majmudar
The "Little Mo" Tournament is a prestigious tournament named after Maureen Connolly, who in 1953, at the age of 18, won the Grand Slam of tennis, being the first woman to ever capture this elusive crown by winning the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and the U.S. Open in one calendar year. The Maureen Connolly Brinker Foundation, which is spearheaded by Maureen Connolly’s daughter, organizes a series of tournaments, national and international throughout the year for the younger age groups. The Little Mo Eastern divisions were held at the Armonk Tennis Club in Armonk, N.Y. on May 31, June 1 and June 2. There will be eight players in each age group that will advance to the Little Mo National Regionals on July 12, July 13, and July 14. Congratulations to the Little Mo players who are advancing from New York City!

119th Street Tennis Association Holds Second Annual Spring Festival
The threat of rain didn’t deter members of the 119th Street Tennis Association (119TA) from coming to the Second Annual Spring Tennis Festival on May 18. Attendees gathered around the membership table in the morning to join and renew membership, register for tournaments and purchase raffle tickets. The coveted prize in the raffle included tickets to the 2013 U.S. Open Women’s Semifinals.

The event was supported by USTA Eastern, Riverside Park Conservancy, local businesses and 119TA volunteers. The 119TA is seeking to raise $60,000 to get the courts repaired and resurfaced. At the May picnic, $3,000 was raised to support the maintenance of the courts and tennis programming.

One of the highlights of the day was the generous and scrumptious picnic buffet featuring savory foods provided by nearby restaurants including Bettolona, Henry’s, Indian Café, 107 West, Pisticci and Symposium. Gift certificates to Community Food and Vareli and tennis lessons with the resident pros were featured items in the popular raffle. Priscilla Li was coming off the courts from her morning tennis and stopped by the membership desk to check out the picnic event. She quickly decided to join 119TA and enter the raffle; lo and behold, she was the winner of the U.S. Open tickets!

Plans were in place for a full afternoon of tennis activities featuring “Play with the Pro” sessions for adults and “10 & Under Tennis” for kids with resident pros Jaime Bravo and Dawn Fox. The Women’s Doubles Tournament was also scheduled, but the rain came just as the raffle concluded and all afternoon tennis activities had to be canceled.

“Although the rain halted some of the fun planned for the day, the final event tally saw increased membership and significant dollars raised for a good cause,” said Liz Hydes, 119TA president. The Women’s Doubles Tournament was postponed, but concluded a few weeks later, extending the glow of the Tennis Festival success! A full roster of tournament competition for 119TA Members continues throughout the summer.
The 119th Street Tennis Association is a non-profit organization operating under the auspices of Riverside Park Conservancy in New York City. Supported by more than 160 members, 119TA is dedicated to improving the quality of the tennis facility in Riverside Park at 119th Street. It organizes tournaments, clinics and related tennis activities.

For information on membership, tournaments and events, visit www.119TA.net.