Volume XVIII / Number 4 WINTER 2009/10 TENNIS IN SCHOOLS TRANSCENDS BOUNDARIES ON COURT INSIDE 2009 USTA LEAGUE YEAR-END RATINGS USTA PACIFIC NORTHWEST Published four times/year by the United States Tennis Association Pacifi c Northwest 4840 SW Western Ave, Suite 300, Beaverton OR 97005-3430 Ph: 503/520-1877 Fax: 503/520-0133 email: [email protected] Web site: http://www.pnw.usta.com Editor-in-Chief: Blair Th ompson Managing Editor: Hillary Moore Area Reporters: Alaska/Mona Yarnall; British Columbia/Lenka Moravcova; NW Wash/Lori Brillhart; SW Wash/Barbara Wyatt; E. Wash/Frank Cruz-Aedo; N. Oregon/ Glenn Good; S. Oregon/Gail Patton. Commu- nity Tennis Development: Ruth Turner, Valerie Wright, Mark Toppe, Becky Tallent, Gail Benzler, Adam Rogers, Terry Valdez. USTA Leagues: Sheila Banks. Junior Development: Jim Markin, Valerie Weaks. Fitness Files: Carl Petersen. Hot Shots: Lilly Higgins. Advertising Sales: Blair Th ompson. Graphic Design: Print Media Productions Ph: (503) 359-9727 Email: [email protected] Please notify the USTA at 1-800-990-8782 of change of address. Tennis Times cannot be forwarded. Deadline for 2010 issue No. 2: January 31, 2010. CALL (503) 520-1877 TO SUBSCRIBE TO TENNIS TIMES $10 per year (four issues); Send check/money order in U.S. Funds to Sectional Offi ce. 2 TENNIS TIMES WINTER 2009/10 í www.pnw.usta.com FROM THE BASELINE By Bill Leong features Executive Director Volume XVIII b Number 4 b Winter 2009/10 Strategic plan in Tennis in schools transcends place to achieve boundaries on court our mission In this day and age, it is crucial to create a learning environment s we close out a successful year for tennis both where children feel safe, supported and encouraged to grow. nationally and regionally, it is important to look For the four individuals featured in this issue of Tennis Times, A forward to 2010 and review the principles that 16 tennis is a part of that formula. Tennis is the ideal sport to help guide the USTA Pacifi c Northwest (USTA/PNW) staff achieve the health and wellness goals of school programming, and volunteers. Th e USTA/PNW Board of Directors have diligently worked on updating the strategic plan and to help kids learn not only a skill but self-confi dence, in 2009 to provide long-term focused direction to sportsmanship and the habits of an energetic, healthy lifestyle. achieve our mission which is “to foster the growth of Please turn to page 16 to read more. tennis in the Pacifi c Northwest.” In addition to our Mission Statement, the USTA Pacifi c Northwest has established a set of Core Values departments U.S. tennis participation tops that serve as a compass for our organization and Stra- 4 From the Prez 4 tegic Priorities that provide a guide for both fi nancial by Gwen Ramras 30 million and human resource allocation. We have also set goals 4 Net Notes The Tennis Industry Association (TIA) and USTA have announced that tennis that are aligned with our Core Values and Strategic Pri- 5 Area Reports participation in the United States topped 30 million players for the first time in more orities. Details for all three categories are listed below. 8 Community Tennis than two decades. With 30.1 million people hitting the courts, tennis participation Core Values Development has grown 12 percent since 2008 and climbed 25 percent since 2003. For more on Leadership 10 Junior Development this good news, please turn to page 4. Integrity by Valerie Weaks Inclusiveness 10 Hot Shots Excellence by Lilly Higgins Teamwork 11 Pro Update - PNW 2009 USTA League Accountability Players on Tour 18 11 College Courts Year-end Ratings Strategic Priorities 12 Health+Fitness Files The numbers are in! Alphabetical listings of Resource Development (Funding and Delivery by Carl Petersen the men’s and women’s 2009 USTA League Infrastructure) 13 From the Chair Adult and Youth Play Opportunities Year-end Ratings have been published and by Ira Moss Community Development they begin on page 19. While you’re reviewing 18 Let’s Talk Leagues Diversity and Inclusion by Sheila Banks your rating, be sure to check out page 18 to Membership Growth see how our section’s teams fared at the 2009 31 Tournament Schedule Advocacy USTA League National Championships. Goals Promote QuickStart Tennis format for youth to increase participation and maximize court space. FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Advocate and provide seed grants for tennis communities to renovate and build tennis courts. Develop and implement programs and activi- ties with focus on youth and team-based play Let’s work hard at play thisFROM season THE EDITOR through QuickStart format. ometimes I think we forget that the operative running through them, we slipped, splashed and Explore new funding sources to generate rev- word in our sport is “play”. I see the lack of “play” laughed our way through our swamp of a court. Th e enues to carry out the USTA/PNW mission. on the courts all around me and oft en on the few minutes had quickly turned into over an hour Promote the benefi ts of tennis and communicate S court I’m on. Even sometimes when just hitting with and into one of my most unique and enjoyable tennis to the public information regarding the USTA’s and USTA/PNW’s programs, events and activi- a friend for fun, I frequently forget that I should be experiences in recent memory. ties. By Blair “playing”, not “working” or “stressing” tennis. It reminded me of why I started playing tennis as And while the fi rst step in solving a problem is a young teenage kid. Th e main reason was because it Promote team-based USTA programs and qual- Thompson ity tournaments to provide competitive play op- admitting you have one, it took a cross-country trip was fun (it also helped that my best friend played – portunities to increase and retain membership. last month for a USTA training in “sunny” Florida the fact that he knew a couple of cute girls we could Build and improve delivery infrastructure to help me remember just how much fun it is to play play mixed with didn’t hurt either – he was a smooth through evaluation, recruitment and training. tennis for fun. operator even back then). Make Diversity and Inclusion an embedded part On a warm, humid night aft er a long day of meet- But most importantly, we were kids playing a of the USTA/PNW culture. ings, a co-worker convinced me to venture outdoors game in those days. Something we adults need to to a rain-soaked clay court that was actually a mix of remember, more than ever nowadays. Having grown- Provide the tennis community educational, technical and other tennis resource information. clay, mud and clay/mud puddles. As we looked at our up responsibilities doesn’t mean that we can’t have court, we wondered if it was even playable but decided childlike joys. Manage the assets of the USTA/PNW by estab- lishing funding, budget, investment and fi nance we should at least give it a try for a few minutes since Especially when we’re “playing” the game of tennis. strategies. we had made the eff ort to get our gear and trek to the Better “players” will make it more fun for all of us. So Help the USTA/PNW players reach their tennis facility. And as we walked on to our court, I work on those “playing” skills as hard as that back- maximum playing potential through training had no idea of what an enjoyable and enlightening hand volley and topspin lob. Because in these diffi cult programs and competitive play opportunities. experience I was about to have. times we live in, we could all use a little more enjoy- Partner and collaborate with community orga- Aft er tiptoeing through some early rallies, we ment and amusement on the court (and off ). Keep nizations to impact signifi cant and sustainable began playing what I dubbed the “Mud Tennis Open” that in mind along with my sincere wishes for peace, tennis participation. (exclusively broadcast on ESPN 8 – Th e Ocho). With health, laughter and lots of love (hopefully 40-love) b Elevate the visibility of tennis through technol- balls skidding through puddles and the two of us as you and yours celebrate this holiday season! ogy, events, public and media relations. b www.pnw.usta.com WINTER 2009/10 TENNIS TIMES 3 FROM THE PREZ By Gwen Ramras Thanks for being a USTA member and giving the gift of tennis is the season to give thanks and we would like to say THANK I would also like to say thanks to our staff at the USTA Pacific Northwest YOU to each and every one of you for your membership in the (USTA/PNW). When you pose questions or have a need, they are there. We ‘T USTA! have a terrific group of talented people who love the game and you can see Not only do you enjoy benefits such as TENNIS magazine or SMASH many of their happy faces next to their columns in Tennis Times. They are magazine for juniors and have the opportunity to participate in the many led by our Executive Director, Bill Leong. Bill works diligently to maximize tennis programs we offer such as USTA League and Jr. Team Tennis but our resources and provide the leadership for our USTA/PNW crew. you support the sport in communities throughout Oregon, Washington, On behalf of your Board of Directors from all across our section, Ernie Idaho, British Columbia and Alaska.