2019 Fall/Winter Serve

FALL--Winter 2019 FALL

CASEY RATZLAFF “I want to inspire people.”

INSIDE: 2019 HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES & AWARD WINNERS OKLAHOMA TENNIS FOUNDATION MISSOURI VALLEY OFFICIALS AT THE US OPEN

The USTA Missouri Valley publishes Serve three times per year, focusing specifically on the members and events in the section.

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Fall/Winter 2019 USTA Missouri Valley 4121 W 83rd Street, Suite 108 Prairie Village, Kansas 66208

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Mountain Man

facebook.com/USTAMissouriValley twitter.com/USTAMoValley instagram.com/USTAMoValley Mary Buschmann Executive Director Manon Eilts Marketing Communications Director Emily Steinwart Communications Coordinator Graphic Design and Digital Media Amber Gerdes Digital Content Producer For questions about your USTA membership, please contact USTA Customer Services at 1-800-990-USTA or memberservices@usta.com, or visit www.usta.com/membership

FEATURES

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USTA Missouri Valley Hall of Fame Class of 2019

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2019 Award Winners Announced Mountain Man: Casey Ratzlaff Inspires Others Building a Foundation: Serving up Rural Tennis in Oklahoma

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NJTLs Rallying for Good

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Rallying for Good: NJTL Programs around the USTA Missouri Valley

Missouri Valley Officials at the US Open 2019 League Section Champions Net Notes - News and Highlights from Around the Section District News

2019 Annual Conference

December 5-7 Olathe, Kansas

NEW SCHEDULE FOR 2019: Thursday, December 5: 2:00 - 4:30 p.m.

Junior Team Tennis Coordinator Training 5:00 - 6:15 p.m.

Local Play Committee Meeting

3:30 - 4:45 p.m.

League Committee Meeting 3:30 - 5:00 p.m.

What’s the Pathway? Net Generation Circuit

7:30 - 9:15 a.m.

Junior Team Product Training

5:30 p.m.

Meeting of the Association Meeting of the Board (Open) Immediately Following

9:30 - 11:00 a.m.

Adult Play Workshop

6:30 - 9:00 p.m.

Welcome Reception

Friday, December 6:

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Adult Play Committee Meeting 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Lunch 12:00 - 3:00 p.m.

League Coordinator Training 1:30 - 2:45 p.m.

Junior Competition Committee Meeting

Saturday, December 7: 8:00 - 9:15 a.m.

Opening Session 9:00 - 11:30 a.m.

Officials Committee Meeting 9:45 - 10:45 a.m.

Diversity and Inclusion Committee Meeting

11:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Awards Lunch and Hall of Fame Celebration

Visit usta.com/missourivalleyannualconference for more info or to register for the conference!

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We’re proud to announce the 2019 USTA Missouri Valley Hall of Fame inductees: Kilmeny Waterman Connor

Craig Sandvig

Pam Sloan

This year, USTA Missouri Valley is recognizing three individuals who have served the game of tennis through their high level of play, committed coaching, dedication to volunteerism and passion for improving the game. The honorees are Kilmeny Waterman Connor of Overland Park, Kansas, Craig Sandvig of University City, Missouri, and Pam Sloan of Stockton, California (originally from Kansas City, Missouri). The three new members of the USTA Missouri Valley Hall of Fame will be inducted during the USTA Missouri Valley Hall of Fame and Awards Luncheon on Saturday, December 7, 2019 at the Olathe Conference Center in Olathe, Kansas.

Kilmeny Waterman Connor has excelled in the tennis world since her early years as a player, and still today as a teacher, coach, and organizer of tennis. After a successful junior and college career, Kilmeny competed for three years on the Women’s Professional Tennis Circuit, attaining a WTA world ranking in both singles and doubles tennis, and would later win three gold, seven silver and three bronze balls competing in Mother-Daughter national tournaments with her mother Jennifer Waterman. Connor also coached at City College of San Francisco, the University of Wyoming and the University of Kansas. Along with her career as a player and coach, Kilmeny also impacted tennis in her various roles coordinating, teaching, and directing junior tennis at local clubs and academies along with being intricately involved in many committees and charitable foundations for local tennis, collegiate tennis, and most notably her family’s foundation known as the Stephanie Waterman Foundation.

Craig Sandvig’s impact on St. Louis area tennis is second to none, as exemplified by both his notable career and the way his players and colleagues speak so highly of him. Growing up in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Sandvig was a top-ranked USTA Northern junior player, representing his section in the Junior Davis Cup Competition and his high school as a five-time state champion. Sandvig continued to excel as both a student and a tennis player at the University of Iowa before he went on to play on the European Pro Circuit. In 1971, Sandvig retired his tennis career and moved to St. Louis in order to pursue his graduate degree at Washington University, where he would also become Head Coach of the men’s tennis team. Six years later, Sandvig was invited to spearhead a now nationallyrecognized junior tennis program at Sunset Tennis Center, where he has remained for over 40 years. As a top coach and USPTA Elite Pro for 30+ years, Sandvig would coach ten state high school champions, many nationally ranked junior players and future Division I college tennis players, along with district, section, and national championshipearning USTA adult teams. His efforts were rewarded as he received multiple awards from USPTA and USTA over the course of his career.

Pam Sloan’s legacy is that of a life deeply interconnected with volunteerism and dedication to grassroots tennis and introducing young people to the game. Sloan’s passion for tennis was sparked when she began playing as a teenager, and was further set ablaze as an adult working in the Parks and Recreation system. Sloan successfully fought to restore tennis within the Kansas City Parks and Recreation Department. She has served at every level within USTA Missouri Valley, most notably as a two-term President from 1999-2002. A few of her nine servicebased awards include the “Outstanding Service Award” from USTA for her NJTL work, the “Distinguished Service Award” from USTA Missouri Valley, and the “Exceptional Service Award” from Kansas City Parks and Recreation.

In 2004, Sloan’s profession carried her to California to become the Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of Stockton. Along with staying intricately involved with her local USTA section, Sloan has also served extensively for USTA nationally—in the past 25+ years, she has served on 27 national committees, task forces, or projects and on the USTA Board of Directors. Sloan has used her career as a consultant and within the Parks and Recreation systems to promote the game of tennis and carry on the mission of making tennis accessible in public parks everywhere.

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The USTA Missouri Valley is also proud to honor the following outstanding award recipients on December 7: Junior High Performance Player of the Year (Female) Vanessa Ong (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma) Junior High Performance Player of the Year (Male) Graydon Lair (Tulsa, Oklahoma) Junior Emerging Player of the Year (Female) Tokara Henderson (Edmond, Oklahoma) Junior Emerging Player of the Year (Male) Brendan Cunnane (St. Louis, Missouri) Outstanding Junior Tournament USTA National L1 Boys 18s Indoor Championship (Overland Park, Kansas) Outstanding Contributor to Youth Tennis Larry Newton (Omaha, Nebraska) USTA Junior Team Tennis Organizer Janet Glaser (Wichita, Kansas) Outstanding Contributor Youth High Performance Program Billy Gluck (St. Louis, Missouri) High School Coach of the Year Skip Griese (Ada, Oklahoma) Adult Player of the Year Thiago Santos (Leawood, Kansas) Adult Recreational Player of the Year Chris Freeman (Lincoln, Nebraska) Outstanding Contributor USTA League Tennis Program Jim Sichterman (Muscatine, Iowa) Outstanding Diversity Achievement Marty Rothwell (Wichita, Kansas) Outstanding Adult/ Senior Tournament USTA Heart of America 65s Invitational (Overland Park, Kansas)

Tennis Family of the Year The Han Family (Tulsa, Oklahoma) Facility of the Year Hawkeye Tennis and Recreation Complex (Iowa City, Iowa) Outstanding Community Tennis Association Net Rushers Tennis Association (St. Louis, Missouri) Member Organization of the Year Overland Park Racquet Club (Overland Park, Kansas) Outstanding Official Vicki Elwood (Swansea, Illinois) Media Excellence KSN-TV (Wichita, Kansas) Distinguished Service Nick Taylor (Wichita, Kansas) President’s Award Surprise Announcement Junior Sportsmanship G10 - Ashley Tran (St. Louis, Missouri) G12 - Mia Yin (Ballwin, Missouri) G14 - Mikaela Mikulec (St. Louis, Missouri) G16 - Elizabeth Choate (Edwardsville, Illinois) G18 - Keeley Van Antwerp (Wildwood, Missouri) B10 - Owen Leonard (Salina, Kansas) B12 - Caden Haar (Lincoln, Nebraska) B14 - Nicholas Chun (Chesterfield, Missouri) B16 - Gus Tettamble (St. Louis, Missouri) B18 - Leonardo Da Silva (O’Fallon, Illinois)

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MOUNTAIN MAN

By: Walter Villa

Already the nation’s top-ranked men’s open division wheelchair tennis player, CASEY RATZLAFF could someday be world No. 1. But his top priority is to inspire others.

Twenty times forward and 10 times backward, Casey Ratzlaff rolls up a steep hill at Fairmount Park in Wichita, Kansas.

And just to make this training routine a bit more of a challenge, he has a 12-pound weight resting at the bottom of his wheelchair.

Still, it’s no contest. Ratzlaff, 20, climbs the hill repeatedly, just as he has in overcoming hurdles much bigger throughout his entire life.

Born with spina bifida, a condition that affects his lower limbs, Ratzlaff tried wheelchair tennis for the first time at age 12 and has since risen to No. 1 in the United States and, when 2019 began, Top 30 in the world.

Ratzlaff, studying sports management in the Class of 2021 at Wichita State University, knows that getting to No. 1 in the world won’t be easy. No American has reached the pinnacle in the men’s open wheelchair tennis division since Stephen Welch exactly 20 years ago. But that’s why Ratzlaff trains seven days a week for as many as four hours per day with Wichita State assistant men’s tennis coach Justin DeSanto.

DeSanto had never worked with a wheelchair athlete before he was introduced to Ratzlaff in 2017. DeSanto has made the coaching adjustment, mostly by going with what he knows: hard work, including weightlifting.

“I don’t know why Casey doesn’t hate me,” DeSanto jokes.

All of that strength and conditioning is required; wheelchair tennis is a tough, grueling sport. After every shot, Ratzlaff turns his back to the net, races toward the fence and peeks over his shoulder to see if the return is coming to his forehand or backhand. Then, he has to whip his wheelchair in the appropriate direction and race to the ball.

There is no denying Ratzlaff ’s dedication to his sport. He gave up walking, at least on crutches, so that he could improve his skill in a wheelchair.

Ratzlaff had previously tried wheelchair basketball, sled hockey, snow skiing and other sports, but had yet to find his niche.

The hunger, though, was still there.

“He has lost leg muscle not being on his feet,” DeSanto says. “But he has gained a ton of upper body muscle from being in the chair.”

“Sports was something I wanted to be a part of, something I dreamed of,” Ratzlaff says. “It seemed like a fun thing.”

Ratzlaff, who comes from an athletic family, is the third of four children of Craig and Tammy Ratzlaff. In the mid’80s, Craig and Tammy were athletes at Tabor College, an NAIA school in Hillsboro, Kansas. Craig was a tight end on the football team, and Tammy played outside hitter in volleyball.

Casey fit right in with a sports-loving family. He loved football—still does, to this day—especially the Kansas City Chiefs.

“Casey was athletic-minded even as a young guy,” Craig says. “He could throw a ball. He could catch. He would be on his knees with a baseball bat, and I would pitch to him.

“He was five years old when he said, ‘Dad, when are my legs going to heal so I can play football?’ I remember leaving the room and breaking down. How do you answer that? But we are a family of faith.

We were at ease that God had a plan, and He sure did.”

It was a hot, summer day in 2010— temperatures had hit 104 degrees—when three-time Paralympic gold medalist and tennis champ Nick Taylor held a wheelchair sports event at Maize South High School in Wichita. Taylor and his group, which was then called Wheelchair Sports Inc., but is now Wichita Adaptive Sports, were looking for potential athletes.

But only one new athlete showed up: Casey Ratzlaff, accompanied by Tammy, who had seen a flyer for the event tucked in her son’s backpack at school.

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At the 2010 event, Ratzlaff, who was 12 years old at the time, tried hand cycling, but that didn’t feel like his sport, either.

He and his mom were ready to get back in their truck and head to the lake at Marion Reservoir, where the rest of their family were keen on cooling off. But just before that happened, fate intervened. Taylor spotted Ratzlaff and asked him to try wheelchair tennis.

“I was in a bad mood that day because almost nobody showed up, and it was hot as hell,” Taylor recounts. “But Casey, who had walked in on crutches, got in a chair and started pushing it, and I said, ‘Wow.’ This was some serious skill for someone who had only been in a chair for three minutes.”

Taylor’s sour mood immediately flipped.

He had “discovered” a young athlete with good hand-eye coordination, athletic genes and the wingspan of someone 6-foot-5.

Better yet, Taylor had found a willing student.

“I loved tennis as soon as I hit the first ball over the net,” Ratzlaff says. “You knew the ball was coming back, and you had to be ready. It was a rush. Tennis gives me a feeling of power to be able to control the ball and the freedom to hit it where I want on the court. I was hooked.”

Ratzlaff ’s life changed that day, but Taylor was impacted, too. He was immediately convinced that Ratzlaff was ticketed for greatness.

Taylor then did something remarkable, gifting the wheelchair to Ratzlaff, doing away with the normal protocol and paperwork.

Ratzlaff, meanwhile, couldn’t wait to get back on the court and was thrilled when Taylor showed up at his house multiple times to coach him. Taylor then introduced him to another coach, Jeff Clark.

Two years later, Taylor got a call from the USTA, inquiring about Ratzlaff. That led to Ratzlaff making the USA Junior National Team, just as Taylor predicted.

Ratzlaff ’s first trip was to the World Team Cup in Turkey.

Jason Harnett, USTA National Manager, Wheelchair Tennis, was immediately impressed when he first saw Ratzlaff ’s talent. But Ratzlaff wasn’t quite ready to be a champion mentally—not at age 14 or 15.

“He was always leaving his phone around, for example,” Harnett says. “Here we had this big, strong kid who can push, but he’s scattered in the way he thinks. We thought he was going to mature up, and he has.”

In addition to maturing, Ratzlaff also made a major equipment change recently, switching from 26-inch wheels on his chair to 27-inch. The 27s are the biggest on the tour, and while it may not seem like much, it’s actually a major adjustment.

It’s a tougher push, but once the chair gets moving, it covers a lot more ground.

“Only the biggest and strongest athletes with a lot of function can use that chair,” Harnett said. “And because you are sitting up an inch taller, it tends to make your groundstrokes bigger and more powerful.

“The transition from 26 to 27 was a struggle at first, but Casey is pretty close to being dialed in. By summer, that chair will be perfect for him.”

Whether he can use his new chair to ride all the way up to No. 1 in the world is another question. Harnett says it will be a “massive challenge,” and Ratzlaff refers to it as “tackling a mountain.”

But Ratzlaff, who is the master of the climb—literally and figuratively—says that reaching No. 1 is not his most important objective.

“My biggest goal is to leave this a changed sport in a positive way,” Ratzlaff says.

“I want to inspire people to play the sport.”

Miami-based writer Walter Villa has covered Davis Cup ties in North and South America, and is a frequent contributor to ESPN.com, The New York Times, The Miami Herald and Baseball America, among others.

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Building a Foundation, By: Amber Gerdes

The Oklahoma Tennis Foundation has a mission to abolish the notion that tennis is only for the wealthy by offering free tennis clinics in rural areas throughout the state of Oklahoma, coached by Oklahoma Tennis Hall of Fame members and former University of Oklahoma head coaches Paul Lockwood and Mark Johnson.

One Serve at a Time

The clinics, titled the “Oklahoma Hall of Fame Tennis Clinics,” are a part of the Oklahoma Tennis Foundation’s initiative to make tennis more accessible to all children regardless of location or demographic. Free for any child from 2nd-8th grade, the clinic provides children with a one-day session of individualized coaching and then sends them home with big smiles along with a racquet and a t-shirt both free of cost.

“Tennis is for everyone,” said Executive Director Carmen Bond. “Tennis literally changes lives, and we all want to be a part of that. We all believe that and we just want to get it out there so every kid knows that if they want to play, they can.”

Bond grew up in the small town of Guthrie, Okla., where tennis was generally inaccessible to her until high school. She knew she wanted better for today’s youth regarding tennis, and was inspired to revamp the Oklahoma Tennis Foundation while utilizing their resources with USTA’s Net Generation initiative and their two Hall of Fame-level coaches.

Lockwood and Johnson were tennis coaching colleagues at OU for over 20 years and are still close friends to this day. Previous to the Hall of Fame Tennis Clinics series, the two coaches would occasionally partner up for a few free clinics and group lessons in Johnson’s small hometown of Henryetta, Okla., but were searching for opportunities to do more.

“I know how important tennis can be in the lives of our youth in rural communities because I lived it,” said Johnson. “Tennis was a life changer.”

When Bond reached out to the two coaches in hopes to pull together this initiative with the Oklahoma Tennis Foundation, they were eager to jump on board.

“It is so rewarding to watch young kids experience the joy of hitting a tennis ball, many for the first time,” said Johnson. “You can see the excitement in their eyes every time you toss them a ball, and it is always a very special day when you can spend time teaching kids the game you love with a bunch of your best friends.”

The coaches rely on their years of coaching and teaching experience to work on building up each child’s foundational tennis skills as well as sparking their love for the game.

“We try to teach them the fundamentals of the game, try to encourage them, show them and tell them that tennis is a lifetime sport,” said Lockwood.

Along with offering kids one-on-one teaching, both of the coaches can be found playing with the kids, cracking jokes, and telling stories that will stick with the kids for life.

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“Tennis is for everyone. It literally changes lives, and we all want to be a part of that.”

“Anything that can spark a kid to go home and ask their mom and dad if they can play tennis,” added Lockwood. “That happened to me, and it absolutely changed my life.”

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The Foundation has successfully funded all of the clinics through grants, donations, and fundraising events. The clinics are a collaboration between Bond and the two tennis coaches, along with the help of board members and volunteers. Bond coordinates schedules, locations, and proper resources, the coaches drive out to the clinics to offer valuable teaching and connect with the kids, and board members and volunteers offer much-needed support putting on the clinics and encouraging the children.

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Bond, Lockwood, and Johnson held the first of many clinics this June in Clinton, Okla., with the second one following in early August in Enid, Okla.

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After two successful clinics this summer, the future is bright. The team is confident that this program will be introducing tennis to hundreds and hundreds of kids in Oklahoma for years to come.

“We won’t stop until we’ve reached them all,” said Bond.

The Foundation’s drive to reach all kids in rural Oklahoma is best summed up by their tagline: “We start with love.”

“When you start a game of tennis, you start with love,” added Bond. “That’s our main goal —we love on these kids, show them how fun the sport is, and they gain a life-changing skill.”

Clockwise from left: Members of the Oklahoma Tennis Hall of Fame volunteer with the Foundation.

A group of more than 40 kids from Enid, Oklahoma, participated in a clinic.

Carmen Bond with one of the participants from Enid.

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NJTL Programs: Rallying for Good

By Amber Gerdes

This year the USTA Foundation is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the National Junior Tennis & Learning network, which features hundreds of nonprofit youth development organizations that offer free or low-cost tennis and education programming to over 200,000 under-resourced youth each year. To honor the event, USTA is recognizing many of the NJTL programs around the country that leave such a strong impact on their communities, youth, and the game of tennis.

In partnership with this initiative, USTA Missouri Valley has proudly featured each of our nine registered NJTL programs within our section: McAdams Community Center in Wichita, Kan., Net Rushers Tennis Association in St. Louis, Mo., Youth at Heart in Tulsa, Okla., Stephanie Waterman Foundation in Kansas City, Kan., First Serve in Oklahoma City, Okla., Genesis School in Overland Park, Kan., Dwight Davis Tennis Center in St. Louis, Mo., Britton Christian Church Tennis Academy in Oklahoma City, Okla., and Play It Forward in Edmond, Okla.

Each of these nine programs have demonstrated a passion for their respective communities, investing in the lives of underserved children and teaching them lifelong lessons that go far beyond the tennis court.

Here are some of the things the leaders of these NJTL chapters had to share about the impact their programs have had on their children, their communities and themselves: Jessica Reineke, Executive Director of Britton Christian Church Tennis Academy: We feel very fortunate to be an NJTL. We feel like our mission aligns with what the USTA would want for an NJTL. We love our kids through the game of tennis.

We share God’s Word with kids, we teach about life through tennis, we help our kids with life skills, and we

help our kids talk about how to be stronger people on and off the court, all through tennis.

Jocelyn McCarver, President and CEO of Youth at Heart: Something we really take pride in is exposing underserved youth to different opportunities. How many kids can say they’ve been to LaFortune Park Tennis Center and played tennis here? The kids that we work with, no matter where they live, they still have so much potential.

David Minihan, Founder Executive Director of Play It Forward: It is a joy for us to see our players improve and how they are developing into tennis champions each and every day they come to one of our clinics. I believe that our athletes are sometimes underestimated on what they can or cannot do. They are proving them wrong!

Jess Campbell, organizer of Dwight Davis Tennis Center NJTL: It’s important to provide exposure to tennis for those who normally wouldn’t have access to it.

Mary Owens Hudson, Director of Net Rushers Tennis Association: The Net Rushers Tennis Program promotes academic achievement, self- discipline, work ethics, good sportsmanship and personal responsibility, and we nurture our youth to become future leaders who will also encourage our youth to be the best that they can be, by working hard and being persistent.

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be successful in life. We

Alex Lee, Director of McAdams Community Center:

It’s making a difference in these kids’ lives. There’s so many of them that go on and play college tennis, and if not, they’re playing league tennis and if I don’t see that they’re playing, I give them a call or a text. We are growing tennis in a community where it is most difficult. It’s just the love of the game. It’s happening right here.

Vick Newson, Executive Director of Stephanie Waterman Foundation: The most impactful thing I've learned is that changing a person requires a sustained commitment to the person/child. I’ve been working with some of my kids for more than six years. Many times it is not easy to sustain the efforts to help, but when I see some of the successes and outcomes we are having with children, it has intrinsic rewards that help us continue.

Emmy Tigert, Executive Director of First Serve OKC:

The ones that stick with the program begin to learn the culture of good sportsmanship and how that impacts all of our interactions. They become the leaders for the next generation of First Serve OKC students. If they are willing to give First Serve OKC a shot, the benefits will go far beyond the tennis court and give them tools to help in many different areas of their lives.

Kevin Foster, Executive Director of Genesis School: As a school that serves youth, including at-risk youth, tennis has been a successful complement to academic programming. Like in the classroom and life, kids progress in tennis through hard work and practice. Tennis requires sportsmanship and provides our students to engage and compete with and against children that they otherwise would not normally come in contact, often at places that they have not previously been. Tennis is also a way to bring other community members in contact with our students and the work we do at the school.

The dedication that these nine leaders, as well as the other staff and volunteers that pour in their own time and effort, cannot be appreciated enough. The lives of underserved children all around the Missouri Valley due to the hard work put in by these nine NJTL programs. Check out our Instagram for video features or the News tab on usta.com for full articles with each NJTL program.

Clockwise from above: Participants from Youth at Heart, First Serve OKC, Britton Christian Church Tennis Academy and Stephanie Waterman Foundation. Click the Play buttons above for video features.

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New York State of Mind:

USTA Missouri Valley officials share their experiences working the US Open.

By Amber Gerdes

Nine officials from USTA Missouri Valley had the honor of being selected to work the US Open in New York from August 26 through September 8, 2019.

The nine officials were Cynthia Baine (USTA Missouri), Sheila Conway (USTA Oklahoma), Nick Flentie (USTA Kansas), Kimberly Kilgore (USTA Missouri), Cheryl Lady (USTA Heart of America), Diane Lawrence (USTA Kansas), Alvin Penelton (USTA St. Louis), Lisa Rieff (USTA Nebraska), and Cindy Ritchie (USTA Oklahoma).

We got in touch with some of these officials to ask about their experience: USTA.com: What are you most looking forward to about this experience?

Rieff: The Open is an incredible experience. I look forward to seeing all the friends I've met, not only from all over the US, but from all over the world! It's a great chance to broaden your horizons. I'm also looking forward to sharing a few days in NYC with two of my

daughters. It will be their first time here and everyone is so excited for the trip!

Flentie: At the end of the match, there is a sense of accomplishment that comes from knowing that without the work we’ve done, the match couldn’t have been played with the level of quality and professionalism that it was. A very close second is getting to spend two weeks in New York City.

Kilgore: It is both an honor and a privilege to represent my section at the US Open. I always look forward to being in New York City and working at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. The venue is wonderful and the tennis is great. I also enjoy reconnecting with tennis officiating friends from around the world.

Lady: It’s very exciting to be at the US Open.

I look forward to working on court. Officials find out their court assignments each day.

I look forward to seeing officials that I only see at the Open.

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One of the best things about being an official is meeting other officials and developing friendships.

USTA.com: How have your officiating duties within USTA Missouri Valley prepared you for this opportunity?

Rieff: USTA Missouri Valley has prepared me for this role by first giving me two mentors to teach me the ropes of officiating. Then, I attended a line clinic in Kansas City to learn proper techniques. From there, I started working pro circuit events in the Missouri Valley as a line umpire. After working within the Missouri Valley for several years, I branched out to more events and worked my first Open in 2014.

Kilgore: The training and developmental opportunities offered to me by USTA Missouri Valley over the past 14 years have allowed me to grow and develop as an official, allowing me to work at the Grand Slam level.

Flentie: Every level of the game creates challenges that call for an official to solve the problem and maintain the integrity of the sport. Missouri Valley junior events are where I first learned how to apply that skill. Many long weekends at the Plaza Tennis Center provided me with the base that I use even in Grand Slam finals.

USTA.com: How is working the US Open different than working a USTA Missouri Valley tournament?

Lady: The US Open is the biggest tennis stage in the world. The atmosphere is electric with so many people there.

Kilgore: It’s officiating at the highest level—a Grand Slam event— but yet, at the end of the day, it’s all still tennis. The ball is either in or it’s out.

USTA.com: What do you love most about being an official?

Kilgore: What I love most about being an official is the tennis!

Who doesn’t want to wake up every morning doing something they love? I do, however, value all of the friendships that I have

been blessed with over the years with my fellow officials; the tennis officiating career will end one day, but the friendships will last a lifetime!

Lady: I love seeing players develop from juniors to college players to professional level players. I love to see the differences in the athletes and how they compete.

USTA.com: If you won a trip to a Grand Slam of your choice, which would you pick and why?

Flentie: I’ve been to the US Open, Wimbledon and Australian Open, and to me the US Open is the best. It’s the place where I feel that the world truly comes together for one shared experience.

For more information on becoming an official or to see the full articles on these officials, visit usta.com.

USTA League Section Champions Nearly 40 teams from USTA Missouri Valley have advanced to the 2019 USTA League National Championship by winning the USTA League Missouri Valley Section Championships, held over the course of August and September. These teams will now represent USTA Missouri Valley at the USTA League National Championships, where the No. 1 recreational tennis teams in the country will be crowned. USTA League National Championships began October 4. They continue throughout the month of October and conclude in November. Click the Play button for Section Championship coverage on Instagram. Teams emerging victorious at section championships are:

Division Adult 18 & Over 2.5 Adult 18 & Over 3.0 Adult 18 & Over 3.5 Adult 18 & Over 4.0 Adult 18 & Over 4.5 Adult 18 & Over 5.0 Adult 40 & Over 3.0 Adult 40 & Over 3.5 Adult 40 & Over 4.0 Adult 40 & Over 4.5 Adult 55 & Over 6.0 Adult 55 & Over 7.0 Adult 55 & Over 8.0 Adult 55 & Over 9.0 Adult 65 & Over 6.0 Adult 65 & Over 7.0 Adult 65 & Over 8.0 Mixed 18 & Over 6.0 Mixed 18 & Over 7.0 Mixed 18 & Over 8.0 Mixed 18 & Over 9.0 Mixed 40 & Over 6.0 Mixed 40 & Over 7.0 Mixed 40 & Over 8.0 Mixed 4.0 & Over 9.0

Men (District, Captain) n/a Oklahoma, DeFalco Kansas, Lane Oklahoma, Le/Tran Heart of America WC, Mekles Oklahoma, Wilson n/a Oklahoma, Emmons/Nelson Oklahoma, Le/Tran Nebraska, Sloboth n/a St. Louis, Brinkmeyer/Rog St. Louis, Faust/Williams St. Louis, Arnstein/Barenkamp n/a Kansas, Bundy Kansas, Bauersfield Oklahoma, Castner/DeFalco Kansas, Shipp Nebraska, Erwin Heart of America, Bregovy Oklahoma WC, Tulloch/Williams Heart of America, Craig Oklahoma, Rutz/Thagard Nebraska, Betts

Women (District, Captain) Oklahoma WC, Fellrath Oklahoma, Adams Heart of America, Laughlin Iowa, Kron/Carney Iowa, Chase n/a Heart of America, Vitha Heart of America, Cowan Iowa, Krause/Bruntz Nebraska, Allison/Wyse Oklahoma, Bentley Iowa, Thompson-Oster Heart of America, Jacelone Heart of America, Karnowski St. Louis, Albrecht Heart of America, McGrath St. Louis, Bell/Stern

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NET NOTES - NEWS NEAR YOU Be sure to visit our Facebook page for event photo galleries and our Instagram for more event coverage. facebook.com/ustamissourivalley instagram.com/ustamovalley NEW SECTION STAFF We are pleased to announce some recent staff changes for USTA Missouri Valley.

Noah Bortnick is the new Junior Competition Program Manager. Noah will be working to implement the new junior competition structure in collaboration with the Junior Competition Committee, tournament directors, coaches, parents and players. Noah comes to us from the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. Noah participated on the Tennis on Campus team at the University of Kansas and is currently completing his Masters in Business Administration at Rockhurst University.

Amber Gerdes is our new Digital Content Producer. She previously worked with the Marketing Communications staff as a Digitial Assistant in St. Louis. Amber will take the lead on USTA.com as well as social media. She’ll also be covering tournaments and events, and collecting video and photos to tell the story about tennis in our seven districts. Amber is a recent graduate of Trinity International University in Deerfield, Illinois where she was the volleyball team captain. She resides in St. Louis with her new husband, Aaron.

JUNIOR TEAM TENNIS WRAPS UP IN TULSA A total of 22 teams competed in the 12s, 14s and 18s age divisions at Junior Team Tennis Section Championships at LaFortune Tennis Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, July 22-24. The winning team from the 14s and 18s divisions advances to compete in the USTA National Junior Team Tennis Championship in San Antonio, Texas in November.

USTA Junior Team Tennis, designed for players ages 6 to 18, gives players a way to participate in an individual sport and experience the excitement of team play. The program emphasizes fun and fitness, and groups players by age-group and skill level, leading to more competitive matches.

Champions: 18U Advanced: Southern Hills, Oklahoma 18U Intermediate: RH-91 Intermediate White, Oklahoma 14U Intermediate: RH-91 Intermediate White, Oklahoma 12U Intermediate: BCCTA Barracudas, Oklahoma Sportsmanship Winners: 18U Advanced: Lillie Williams (IC Tennis), Kansas and Chris Arnett (Iconic), Kansas 18U Intermediate: Julia Spaulding (Kickingbird), Oklahoma and Brendan Cunnane (CCRC), St. Louis

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14U Intermediate: Abby Morris (Homestead), Heart of America and Cameron Strickland (Andover), Kansas 12U Green Intermediate: Bella Negley (Lafortune), Oklahoma and Noah Butler (Sunset HotShots), St. Louis For more information on Junior Team Tennis, visit usta.com/ustamissourivalleyjtt or click on the Play button below.

NET NOTES - NEWS NEAR YOU TENNIS ON CAMPUS FALL INVITE CHAMPIONS Iowa State won the USTA Missouri Valley’s Tennis on Campus Fall Invite, September 28-28 in Kansas City, Missouri.. The event featured 16 schools and provided an un-official kickoff to the Tennis on Campus season which will culminate with the USTA Missouri Valley Tennis on Campus Section Championships in March. Visit TennisOnCampus.com for more information on the program or click on the Play button above.

NET GENERATION COMMUNITY COACH WORKSHOPS USTA Missouri Valley is offering a series of Net Generation Community Coach Workshops to assist community providers to engage more kids by using the customizable practice-and-play plans, activity videos, and access to free modified equipment. Curricula have been developed for red, orange, and green stages of a tennis program using modified equipment targeting beginner players ages 5-18. Additional support is provided with marketing materials and promotions to enhance your coaching experience.

Six of these three-hour workshops have been held so far, with more to be scheduled throughout the section. These workshops teach how to coach, manage, and organize practices and is perfect for full-time and/ or seasonal coaches, parents, volunteers, community tennis providers, or anyone interested in learning more about the Net Generation tools and resources through hands-on experience. Participants will learn more about how to use the curricula in their current programming, the Net Generation App, and Team Challenges for all ball colors.

Visit the News section of USTA.com and click on Community Coach Workshops to learn more or click on the Play button above.

LASERS WIN BACK TO BACK KING CUPS The World Team Tennis King Trophy will remain in Springfield another year as the Springfield Lasers’ begin their reign as Back-to-Back world champions.

The Lasers completed a final-set rally to edge the New York Empire, 20-19, in the 44th World TeamTennis championship match August 3, in Las Vegas before an audience which included World TeamTennis co-founder and International Tennis Hall of Famer Billie Jean King. This is the Lasers’ second consecutive championship. After 23 years in the league, Springfield won its first King Trophy in 2018.

Visit SpringfieldLasers.com for more information.

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4121 West 83rd Street • Suite 108 Prairie Village, KS 66208

HAVE YOU HEARD?

CHANGES ARE COMING TO THE JUNIOR CIRCUIT IN 2020!

STAY UP TO DATE AT USTA.COM/NEWS AND CLICK ON JUNIOR STRUCTURE CHANGES

District News

USTA Heart of America 2019 Hall of Fame and Award Winners USTA Heart of America is pleased to announce the 2019 Hall of fame Inductees and Award Winners.

HALL OF FAME Jenny (Hopkins) Dent Ben Ford Kathy Loepp

Winner

Mithila Dixit Sarena Biria Bryson Langford Colby Kelley Hudson Baillie Buzz Stevens Graham Faris Rudra Dixit Sean Nguyen Sumerlyn Vorachek Blue Hills Country Club Overland Park Racquet Club Holsinger Family Kinley VanPelt Humza Noor Thresa Lampe Thiago Santos

Award Outstanding Sportsmanship - Girls 12 Outstanding Sportsmanship - Girls 14 Outstanding Sportsmanship - Girls 16 Outstanding Sportsmanship - Girls 18 Outstanding Sportsmanship - Boys 12 Outstanding Sportsmanship - Boys 14 Outstanding Sportsmanship - Boys 16 Outstanding Sportsmanship - Boys 18 Stephanie Waterman Junior Sportsmanship - Male Stephanie Waterman Junior Sportsmanship - Female Facility of the Year Member Organization Family of the Year Junior Player of the Year - Female Junior Player of the Year - Male Adult Player of the Year - Female Adult Player of the Year - Male

Winner

Award

USTA Boys Level 1 Tournament -

Outstanding Junior Tournament

USTA HOA 65s Invitational Andy Gibbs WDAF-TV Katie Miller Lluis Altimires Jackie Gehrke Nathan Turtledove Kathy Bazzell Jason Diehl Summerlyn Vorachek Marianne McGrath Brandon Cusick Andrew Cusick Jody Holsinger Efren Mojica WTT National Qualifier in July Lob & Learn

Outstanding Adult/Senior Tournament High School Coach Media Excellence Outstanding Contributor to USTA Tennis Youth Programs Outstanding Contributor to Youth High Performance Program Outstanding Contributor to USTA League Tennis Outstanding Official Recreational Players of the Year - Adult - Female Recreational Player of the Year - Adult - Male Emerging Junior Player of the Year Distinguished Service Shawna Froeschl Adult Sportsmanship Shawna Froeschl Adult Sportsmanship Shawna Froeschl Adult Sportsmanship Volunteer of the Year Event of the Year Community Service Excellence

USTA Heart of America 2020 League Season Captain Registration Deadlines

18&Over - Winter 40&Over 18 to 39 40&Over - Mixed 55&Over 18&Over - Summer 18&Over - Mixed Tri-Level

Monday, August 19, 2019 Monday, December 9, 2019 Monday, January 6, 2020 Monday, January 6, 2020 Monday, February 10, 2020 Monday, February 24, 2020 Monday, April 13, 2020 Monday, June 15, 2020

Congratulations to the 2019 USTA Nebraska Award Winners: AWARD

Distinguished Service Tennis Family of the Year Junior Player of the Year (Girl) Junior Player of The Year (Boy) Recreational Player of the Year (Adult) Emerging Junior Player of the Year (Girl) Emerging Junior Player of the Year (Boy) Adult Player of the Year Outstanding Junior Tournament Outstanding Adult/Senior Tournament Outstanding Contributor to Youth Tennis Programs Outstanding Contributor to Youth High Performance Program Outstanding Contributor to USTA League Tennis Program Outstanding Official Member Organization of the Year Outstanding CTA Facility of the Year High School Coach Outstanding Diversity Achievement Media Excellence Junior Sportsmanship Awards Mena Warner Jackson Skiko Ratna Kang Alex Liu Corinne Barber Caden Haar Cece Ulrich Nahum Barber Caroline Miller Graham Peterson Clare Plachy Jack Bergmeyer

Winner

Chaz Kuper The Bigsby Family Katherine Krueger Ethan Neil Chris Freeman Mia Deleidi Colton Schmaderer Jennifer Allison Holiday Tournament Memorial Day Tournament Larry Newton Talor Wain Scott Slezak Tracy Wright Tennis Buddies Omaha Tennis Association Genesis Health Clubs Westroads Justin Bigsby Kaitlin Roselius Matt Case