2020 Fall Serve Magazine

FALL 2020

The

Provider Issue

The USTA Missouri Valley publishes Serve three times per year, focusing specifically on the members and events in the section. All material copyright USTA Missouri Valley, unless otherwise noted.

Your feedback is welcomed.

Fall 2020

6

Table of Contents

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USTA Missouri Valley 4121 W 83rd Street, Suite 108 Prairie Village, Kansas 66208

usta.com communications@movalley.usta.com

(913) 322-4800 (888)368-8612 Toll Free facebook.com/USTAMissouriValley twitter.com/USTAMoValley instagram.com/USTAMoValley Mary Buschmann Executive Director & CEO Manon Eilts Marketing Communications Director Emily Steinwart Communications Coordinator Graphic Design and Digital Media Amber Gerdes Digital Content Producer USTA Customer Care: 1-800-990-8782, customercare@usta.com, or visit customercare.usta.com

GOLD STAR PROVIDERS

FEATURES

3 4 6 8

Letter from the Executive Director & President Annual Conference & Hall of Fame Announcement

LOOKING TO 2021

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Youth Providers of the Month: Each month

12

Looking to 2021: Learn

17

Section Sportsmanship:

Gold Star Awards:

Recognizing outstanding service to tennis in our section

Spotlight On: Officials serving the game in USTA Missouri Valley

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we recognize a provider going above and beyond how the section has adapted in 2020 and what to look for in the upcoming year USTA Leagues and Junior Team Tennis recognize those with great sportsmanship

Letter from the Executive Director and President It has certainly been an unusual summer this year. We know our sport can be played safely and is a great avenue for physical activity during this pandemic.

USTA Missouri Valley wants to thank all of our providers for taking all the necessary steps to ensure the health and safety of their players. We know that these guidelines for safe play can often look different in the many facilities and communities represented in our section.

Mary Buschmann Executive Director & CEO USTA Missouri Valley

However, we know that everyone shares the same goal - to maintain a safe environment so that we can continue to play the game that we love. We want to encourage and thank our players for continuing to respect each other and the facilities' requests in order to maintain this safe and healthy environment.

We will continue to work towards strategies and solutions as we work to build our "next normal" for the sport of tennis. This includes talking and partnering with our schools, parks, CTAs, NJTLs, players, and facilities. Play formats, such Lisa Minihan as league and team tennis play, may look a Board President little different as we strive to be creative in USTA Missouri Valley our offerings to encourage players to return to the courts. We will continue to listen to our customers as we learn what makes tennis special to them, and work towards how we can continue to meet those requests while still supporting the needs of our communities as we move through these extraordinarily difficult times.

Centennial Community Campaign Update

While this has been an incredibly challenging time, we are pleased to announce that we have granted over $56,000 to various organizations and individuals through our first two grant cycles.

We have one more cycle remaining that closes on Monday, October 5, 2020.

Please click here to view our guidelines for organizations and individuals.

We want to continue to grant dollars to organizations with the mission to improve lives through tennis and education as well as assist players to pursue their dreams through tennis.

We strive to be healthy citizens and neighbors. We want to foster respect and inclusion for all. Stay connected with us, be Open with us, and let us know how we can help your community recover and rebuild in this "next normal".

Larry Haugness President Missouri Valley Tennis Foundation FALL SERVE 2020

USTA.COM/USTAMISSOURIVALLEY 3

SAVE THE DATE Join us for our Join us for our Virtual Virtual Conference Conference

December December 11 •• 6-7 6-7 p.m. p.m.

Meeting Meeting of of the the Association Association ..

December December 2 2 •• 6-7 6-7 p.m. p.m.

Awards Awards & & Hall Hall of of Fame Fame Celebration Celebration

2020 2020

ANNUAL CONFERENCE

*Registration details to come *Registration details to come

Celebrating Celebrating 100 100 Years Years

We’re proud to announce the USTA Missouri Valley Hall of Fame Class of 2020: Dan Apted

Jane Hines

Kevin Nebergall

Daniel Apted’s name has been a staple in the St. Louis tennis community for decades.

Apted comes from a strong tennis heritage and carries that legacy to this day as he continues to serve players at both Dwight Davis Tennis Center and Creve Coeur Racquet Club with humility and kindness.

He was also instrumenal in bringing professional tennis to St. Louis.

Jane Zukaitis Hines has been instrumental to the growth of the Omaha tennis community and a strong champion for adaptive tennis across the section, even serving on a national adaptive tennis commitee. She has grown the game of tennis in many roles, with her tennis resume including playing, teaching, coaching, administrating, fundraising, and promoting tennis.

Kevin Nebergall, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has spent the greater part of his life growing the game of tennis in the state of Iowa and beyond. He has represented his tennis community well as an accomplished coach, dedicated volunteer, two-time USTA Iowa President (1990-94; 2013-16), and USTA Missouri Valley President (2005-06) among many other roles.

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In honor of our 100th anniversary in 2020, the USTA Missouri Valley continues our initiative of recognizing 100 deserving tennis providers, players, partners and more across our section throughout the year.

Since we last featured the April winners in our summer issue of Serve, we’ve announced and featured these new Gold Star honorees.

Contributors: Tammy Arbuckle, Jerod Fox, Andrea Gallagher, Amber Gerdes, Jamie Hansen, Jeff Kessinger, Emily Steinwart, Kendra Wicks.

Our honorees are based across all corners of our section, come from many different backgrounds, and impact every area of tennis imaginable.

We awarded six individuals for the work they do in ideating and organizing adult play opportunities, whether by running a brand new league, serving as a dedicated team captain, or growing play through the Adult Competition Committee. These award winners are Anne Vogel, Barb Meigs, Brandon Cusick, Connie Weiss, Robert Bundy, or Trisha Denzer.

“The vehicle of finding and connecting with other people through tennis brings a wealth of experiences into your life. I think anytime you put yourself out there, you get back even more than you give.” - Janie Bremyer 6 FALL SERVE 2020 USTA.COM/USTAMISSOURIVALLEY

Likewise, we also had the honor of recognizing nine committed coaches or providers who grow junior tennis through their respective clubs or within USTA programming—these individuals are Angie Koumaris, Arlene Frye, Brody Queal, Darren Emerick, Janie Bremyer, Jessica Wells, Larry Newton, Max Shapiro, and Sara Rasmussen.

Youth tennis isn’t just grown through clubs and USTA programs, though; our section also honored seven welldeserving award winners who grow the game through their school district, whether as a successful high school coach or teaching tennis units in elementary schools.

These winners are Lori Swindell, Jan Krisik, Jenny Crow, Josh Budler, Tracy Carlson, and Troy Saulsbury.

USTA Missouri Valley also had the pleasure to recognize three people who commit themselves to the adaptive tennis space, creating opportunities for our adaptive athletes: Becky Sorg, Kenneth Petterson, and Melissa Clarke-Wharff.

These awarded organizations are the Monett Public Schools, Net Rushers Tennis Association, Optimist Club of Rolla, Stephanie Waterman Foundation, and the Tulsa Sports Commission.

Five facilities were added to our growing list of honorees as well, as they make USTA programming possible, give back to the game in many ways, and provide an amazing experience for tennis players all across our section. These awarded facilities are Ames Fitness Center, Bellevue Parks and Recreation, Cooper Tennis Complex, LifeTime Athletic, and Woodsmill Racquet Club.

Three partnering organizations stood out to our section this summer and earned themselves a Gold Star for the work they do to support us and further our mission of growing the sport of tennis. These valued partners are Children’s Mercy Sports Medicine, KJO Media, and the Memorial High School Color Guard led by Sergeant Major Kenneth Powell.

Lastly, seven award recipients couldn’t fit into any one category because of the work they do across multiple different facets within the sport of tennis; their commitment to provide tennis opportunities is equally divided across multiple program areas. These recipients are Brenton Kuchera, Carol Ward, James Humphrey, Justin Bigsby, Melissa DeGasperi, and Sharon and Dave Zimmerman.

“I could not do what I do without the support of coworkers, family and friends.

When we all work together we can accomplish great things for our sport!” - Angie Koumaris

USTA Missouri Valley tennis would not be where it is today without the hard work and dedication of these inspiring Gold Star award winners. Their work is so valued and appreciated by so many; we know these winners don’t expect recognition for the many ways they give back, but we are incredibly honored to shine a spotlight on them and offer up some praise and recognition for the work they do.

“It's extremely important to make a positive impact on youth through tennis because the sport can instill positive values and traits that they can use on and off the court for the rest of their lives.”

- Max Shapiro

Thank you to all of the Gold Star award winners awarded thus far, and we look forward to awarding the rest of our 100 award winners throughout the rest of 2020.

Visit USTA.com for the full features on these honorees, and check back for more on those recently selected for the month of August: Barb Meigs Vick Newson Lawrence Eyre Nicole Berger 18&U McPherson JTT Team Bob Keeshan Camdenton Parks & Recreation Springfield Lasers Omaha Clay Courts Association Omaha Tennis Buddies Britton Christian Church Tennis Academy Melissa McCorkle Emily Cimarolli Brent Gruno

outlet, and my physical outlet. This award is a reflection of the fact that I’ve got some pretty spectacular people working around me.” - Brandon Cusick “I am very

excited about winning this award and being a part of growing the game that I love so much.” - Tracy Carlson “To think that I’ve had a positive impact on people’s lives is the most important thing.” - Janie Bremyer

Five non-profit organizations, including Community Tennis Associations (CTA), National Junior Tennis and Learning (NJTL) organizations, school districts and more, were awarded as they earnestly strive to grow the game of tennis with a spirit of volunteerism and genuine passion for the sport.

continue to grow the game of tennis. I’m extremely proud to have my name included with this distinguished group.” - Troy Saulsbury “USTA Missouri Valley tennis means a lot to me. It’s my social and competitive

- Jason and Penny Smith, Monett School District “Giving back is easy if you’re doing something you love.” Connie Weiss “I have such a passion for the game that I want to

expose everyone to the great wonders of this life-long sport.” - Mary Owens Hudson, Net Rushers “I’m really thankful for this award. I work hard each day to grow this sport and it’s really nice to be recognized.” - Josh Budler

“Tennis has become a vehicle to change lives in a positive way, and I love that!” - Carmen Bond “Our section has so many dedicated and talented people that

enjoy, you never expect any thing back. You want to do any thing and every thing that you can, so this award is very special.” - A rlene Frye “Every thing we do to promote tennis is our chance to share our love for the sport.”

“I’m doing what I love to do. Giving back to the community and helping to grow the game is so important.” - Melissa DeGasperi “When you volunteer in an area that you

FALL SERVE 2020 USTA.COM/USTAMISSOURIVALLEY 7

Spotlight on...

USTA Missouri Valley Officials

Contributors: Jerod Fox, Andrea Gallagher, Jamie Hansen and Kendra Wicks

In the month of May, we recognized several officials who do much to improve the sport of tennis in their districts.

In the USTA Heart of America, we told the story of how Melissa DeGasperi—who has been officiating since 2014—was led through the process of becoming a USTA official by Cheryl Lady, the USTA Heart of America District Chair of Officials.

“What I like most about it is watching the kids develop from year to year,” DeGasperi said. “One year you may have tears, and the next year you see so much more maturity. It’s really gratifying.”

Lady has been an official since 2012, and began her journey working at local junior events, but has worked her way up to national events such as the NCAA DII Championships, the USTA Wheelchair Championships and the US Open.

“Officiating is a great way to enjoy the game, watch athletes develop and meet people from all over the world.”

- Cheryl Lady “You learn from each event that you work and from the experiences of other officials that are invaluable," Lady said.

Over in USTA Kansas, even the district president is getting involved on the officiating side. Kate Foss is currently completing her training to become an official.

“I started volunteering for the Kansas district because I love tennis: playing, practicing, cheering, watching and travelling for tournaments,” Foss said. “Since I started volunteering, I have heard that the tennis community is in desperate need of officials. Becoming an official is just another way to support the game and to be able to experience it from another perspective.”

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Foss became an official by way of following the footsteps of six-year official Laura Norman. Norman originally completed the training because her husband hosts several junior tournaments each year and was struggling to find officials for them.

“We solved this problem by going through the certification process together five years ago,” Norman said.

“Now we enjoy officiating not only junior events, but adult, ITA and professional tournaments as well.”

In USTA Missouri, official Steve Webb didn’t really plan on becoming a tennis official. But now, 15 years later, here he is, officiating and serving as USTA Missouri Officials Vice Chair. Webb sort of fell into the career by accident when he was directing tournaments on the side and decided to attend an officiating certification school to better understand the differences in responsibilities between tournament directors and officials or referees. Safe to say, he soon became hooked on officiating.

“It won’t make you rich or famous, but it’s a great hobby and a way to discover more about yourself and others than you might expect,” Webb said.

“And if you love the game, you won’t get much closer to the good stuff unless you’re playing at a really high level yourself.”

USTA Nebraska official Lisa Rieff has been living out her dream as a tennis official for the past ten years.

She started by working local junior

Vicki Elwood

tournaments, but has since worked her way up to officiating roles at the Cincinnati Open, the Citi Open, BNP Paribas Open, the US Open and US Open USTA Wheelchair Championships in addition to the Big 10 Championships, NCAA Division II Championships, and Boys and Girls USTA Nationals.

“You've heard, ‘find a job you love and you'll never work a day in your life.’ Well, it's true!” Rieff said. “I get paid to watch really great tennis! No, it's not always fun and it's not always easy, but I wouldn't change a thing!”

According to Vicki Elwood, who has Lisa Rieff been an official in St. Louis for 12 years and represents USTA St. Louis on the USTA Missouri Valley Officials Committee, a tennis official has many responsibilities to prepare for an event. Nevertheless, she said, it is rewarding work. According to Elwood, the best parts of being an official are the people you meet and the opportunity to educate players on the game.

“You are able to educate and enforce the rules of tennis,” Elwood said. “You also meet and work with officials from all backgrounds and ethnicities.”

To learn more about becoming an official, visit usta.com/officiating.

What’s New on USTA.com In order to better serve our school and community tennis providers, we’ve create two new landing pages on USTA.com.

These pages will be a resource to anyone looking to provide tennis in their school or community. Click on the screenshots to the left to visit the new pages.

usta.com/mvcommunity

usta.com/mvteachers

We also want to remind you to make sure you have your location set when visiting USTA.com.

We regularly update the news with local articles and features and if your location is not set, you could be missing out! Location settings are circled in red on the screenshot to the right.

FALL SERVE 2020 USTA.COM/USTAMISSOURIVALLEY 9

Youth Tennis Providers of the Month

By Jamie Hansen, Jeff Kessinger and Emily Steinwart

USTA Missouri Valley is continuing to shine a spotlight on impactful members of the junior tennis community as they recognize a Youth Tennis Provider of the Month.

In our last issue of Serve, we featured our first three winners: Sara Rasmussen of Wichita, Kansas, Brody Queal of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Nicole Berger of Des Moines, Iowa.

Since that issue was published, we’ve had the privilege of naming four additional award recipients.

In May, the Net Rushers Tennis Association in St. Louis, Missouri was named Youth Tennis Provider of the Month. Net Rushers has been a staple in the St. Louis area since the organization was started in 1988. Since, the CTA has introduced the game to countless youth in the area. Its mission is to promote the game of tennis in the St. Louis metropolitan area by providing virtually free and low-cost tennis instruction to culturally diverse youth, as well as provide character development and academic counseling opportunities.

NetRushers Tennis Association

“I am elated to be recognized as a Gold Award Winner,” said organization leader Mary Owens Hudson. “It is simply amazing to know that the USTA and tennis community appreciates and recognizes the dedication, commitment and hard work exhibited by the Net Rushers to expose more young people in the St. Louis metropolitan area to the wonderful world of tennis.”

In June, Jeff Putman and his team at Cooper Tennis Complex earned the honor.

The Cooper team coaches nearly 180 kids in their youth developmental pathway programs each month, with players beginning their developmental journey on age and skill appropriate equipment and working up to competing in skill and age appropriate USTA events. The programs go beyond their complex as well; through USTA outreach programs, partnerships with the Boys and Girls Clubs, public schools, neighborhood associations and the Springfield Lasers, the Cooper team sees over 1,000 kids annually in free programs alone. The team is proud to place as much emphasis on their outreach programs being successful as they do on their High Performance athletes.

“I was very humbled to learn of our program being selected USTA Missouri Valley Youth Provider of the Month,” said head tennis pro Kyle Wartick. “We are all experiencing a strange season of life at the moment. You never know the battles others are fighting when they walk onto our courts or inside our facilities. We challenge ourselves as providers to make personal connections with our athletes and parents each day. This simple challenge has never been more important.”

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Jeff Putman

Brad Lund The July recipient of this award was Brad Lund, Director of Tennis Development for Britton Christian Church Tennis Academy in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

At the BCCTA, Lund serves as the primary line of communication with parents regarding weekly schedules, orders equipment and apparel and registers players for USTA tournaments. His primary goal is to ensure all students are put in a position to succeed, onand-off the court. He also coaches and oversees BCCTA’s Junior Team Tennis squads as well as a weekly drill group of six to eight year-olds known as the Cubs.

“Brad’s dedication to our kids is outstanding. He’s the first one at the courts and the last to leave. He spends countless hours creating opportunities not just for the kids of the BCCTA but for kids across the city,” said BCCTA Executive Director Jessica Braver-Reineke.

“He is in constant contact with our parents to make sure everyone is prepared for the months’ activities. You won’t find anyone else who better organizes a tennis group. He works with parents and coaches to provide rides, snacks, and thoughtful tennis programming to Tracy Carlson develop our players on and off the court. Brad truly cares about the kids of the BCCTA.” Tracy Carlson of St. Charles, Missouri, was named August’s honoree for her work as a tennis coach at Frances Howell High School.

Carlson didn’t have a “traditional” start in tennis. She reluctantly tried it out in high school as a side activity to basketball and then came back to pursue the sport as an adult. Carlson’s enthusiasm for the game is contagious, and she now passes that enthusiasm of the game onto students at Frances Howell High School as a tennis coach. Much like herself, most players she encounters did not get their start in tennis until later. She is excited she can work with youth and give them the keys to enjoy a lifelong sport.

“I am very excited about winning this award and being a part of growing the game that I love so much,” said Carlson. “I really hope I am able to continue making a positive impact on growing the sport and getting younger kids involved in my community.

Right now, tennis is not a sport that is emphasized in my area. Many athletes start late and end up wishing they had started sooner. My goal is to get more affordable exposure to the game so area athletes don’t miss out on valuable time on the court.”

Each Youth Tennis Provider of the Month is awarded a commemorative certificate and a Net Generation t-shirt.

USTA Missouri Valley appreciates all these providers do to shape the generation of the future and grow the game we all love.

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LOOKING AHEAD TO

2021

We have been thrilled to safely welcome our players back to USTA programming these past few months. While the availability of USTA programming happens on a district by district basis, based on local situations and in conjunction with government offices and local decision-makers, there are some updates that apply to the entire section as we look ahead to 2021.

Read on for specific play opportunities and updates!

LEAGUES The COVID-19 suspension and safety guidelines have caused leagues around the section to adapt, and many leagues have improved because of it. Following the suspension of play, several districts brought in completely new groups of league participants just from implementing new changes such as adjustable formats, different age groups, or moving outside. After spending months indoors, it’s clear that many all over the section are itching to get out and play.

Despite the suspension of play, our section league numbers only lost 401 participants during the pandemic (less than 5%). These numbers are incredibly positive, which just goes to show that our USTA Missouri Valley league players are incredibly committed to the game, while still respecting the safety guidelines in place.

As for 2021 - we are feeling cautiously optimistic. Registration is already open for 2021 leagues in some districts, we’ve got plans set in place for our section championships, and are feeling hopeful that all advancement opportunities will be there for our league players.

ADULT TOURNAMENTS, WHEELCHAIR & NTRP We are excited to share that USTA Missouri Valley, along with all USTA sections, will adopt a simplified nationwide structure in 2021 which will create a standardized system and greater consistency for players, tournament directors and officials. Below are details related to these important changes, which will begin in January 2021.

The new structure will utilize seven levels of events for adult tournaments, ranging from Level 7 (local) to Level 1 (National Championships), with a universal ranking system that will distribute points consistently across the country.

-- Continued on next page -12 FALL SERVE 2020 USTA.COM/USTAMISSOURIVALLEY

ADULT TENNIS CONT’D This nationwide system will provide consistent tournament levels and standardized tournament operations for all events - regardless of location - replacing a current system that is greatly dependent upon the region.

The new system will allow players to more easily compete across sections, as the levels will be standardized with an increased number of local events, providing additional playing opportunities. Scan the QR code below with your phone camera app to learn more:

2020 ADULT SECTION LEVEL TOURNAMENTS USTA Missouri Valley NTRP 18+ and Open Indoor Championships Overland Park, Kansas September 4-6, 2020 ID#: 400061720 USTA Missouri Valley 5's, 0's and Open Outdoor Championships Topeka, Kansas September 18-20, 2020 ID#: 400061520 USTA Missouri Valley NTRP 50+ and Open Outdoor Championships Kansas City, Missouri September 25-27, 2020 ID#: 400024720

WHEELCHAIR After months of consideration and guidance from the tennis community, it has been decided that the 2020 USTA Wheelchair Tournament, usually held in September, is cancelled for this year. The health and safety of the players, fans, volunteers, and organizers came first and foremost in making this decision.

Similar to the adult tournament restructure, wheelchair tournaments will have five levels of tournaments. Scan the QR code below with your phone camera app to learn more:

USTA Missouri Valley NTRP 18+ and Open Outdoor Championships Kansas City, Missouri October 2-4, 2020 ID#: 400023220 USTA Missouri Valley Family Outdoor Championships Topeka, Kansas October 3-4, 2020 ID#: 400061620 USTA Missouri Valley NTRP 50+ and Open Outdoor Championships Topeka, Kansas October 9-11, 2020 ID#: 400028220 Missouri Valley residents between 1839 have the opportunity to play their very first USTA Missouri Valley Adult Tournament free of cost. Contact Scott Howes at howes@movalley.usta.com.

NTRP CHAMPIONSHIPS The 2020 & 2021 NTRP National Championships have been combined and rescheduled for April of 2021. Those who qualified in 2019 for the 2020 NTRP National Championships, along with those who will qualify in 2020 for the 2021 NTRP National Championships will all be invited to attend the NTRP National Championships being held in April of 2021.

FALL SERVE 2020 USTA.COM/USTAMISSOURIVALLEY 13

JUNIORS Through the remainder of 2020, the Junior Competition Committee (JCC) and USTA Missouri Valley staff will be emphasizing the importance of safe and competition. Despite the challenges that COVID-19 has presented, the group to execute a positive competitive player experience for the 2021 national USTA USTA Missouri Valley junior competition staff and JCC meet frequently and determine the best events and tournaments for the athletes in upcoming year.

healthy local is actively planning Junior tour. to research, analyze, preparation for the

While USTA Missouri Valley is working to continue to provide play opportunities in 2020, the JCC and section office are finalizing specific details regarding the rollout of the 2021 USTA Missouri Valley Level 3 to 4 and district Level 5-7 tournaments. In the near future, the USTA Missouri Valley will be releasing the dates and locations of the 2021 Level 3 and 4 tournaments. Scan the QR code below with your phone camera app to learn more:

2020 JUNIOR SECTION LEVEL TOURNAMENTS L3 USTA MV #2 September 12-14 BG 12 in Omaha, NE (ID# 400050120) BG14 in St. Louis, MO (ID# 400050220) BG16 in Edmond, OK (ID# 400050320) BG18 in Oklahoma City, OK (ID# 400050420) L4 USTA MV #5 September 19-21 BG 12-14 in Oklahoma City, OK (ID# 400048120) BG16 in Edmond, OK (ID# 400048220) BG18 in Prairie Village, KS (ID# 400047920) L4 USTA MV #6 October 3-5 BG12 in Tulsa, OK (ID# 400048720) B14-16 in Oklahoma City, OK (ID# 400048420) G14-16 in Omaha, NE (ID# 400048520) BG18 in St. Louis, MO (ID# 400048320) L4 USTA MV #7 November 7-9 B12 in St. Joseph, MO (ID# 400039220) G12 in Edmond, OK (ID# 400004520) B14 in Topeka, KS (ID# 400003120) G14 in Kansas City, MO (ID# 400015020) B16 in Overland Park, KS (ID# 400006120) G16 in Mission, KS (ID# 400008220) B18 in Edwardsville, IL (ID# 400003720) G18 in Kansas City, MO (ID# 400006620) 14 FALL SERVE 2020 USTA.COM/USTAMISSOURIVALLEY

TENNIS ON CAMPUS As a result of the current situation surrounding COVID-19, USTA Missouri Valley has cancelled the 2020 USTA Missouri Valley Tennis on Campus Fall Invite.

This was not an easy decision, however, there are too many uncertainties surrounding college schedules, groupgatherings, and events, in addition to the specific policies related to athletic and recreation departments at each university. The decision to cancel was based on the concern for the physical and mental health of everyone involved with the USTA Tennis On Campus program, as well as their overall safety.

We are still encouraging Tennis On Campus clubs to conduct activities such as team meetings, practices, and possibly matches with other schools this fall, as long as they adhere to the necessary safety precautions. USTA Missouri Valley will also be providing the clubs with creative ways to stay engaged with their teams.

With the current environment of the pandemic, many people are looking for ways to safely stay active and play sports. A study has shown that tennis is currently one of the safest sports to play. You can be active, social and have fun with friends while keeping your social distance! Junior Team Tennis creates that experience for our junior players. Junior Team Tennis district coordinators across our five-state area worked hard to create a safe environment for our players to get back to playing the sport they love while enjoying it with teammates.

JUNIOR TEAM TENNIS

Over the summer we had four successful Junior Team Tennis leagues take place in USTA Heart of America, USTA Kansas, USTA Oklahoma and USTA St. Louis. Three of those leagues went on to hold a season-ending championship to complete the season. We have also had several one day events in USTA Iowa and USTA Nebraska that have focused around our high school players who did not have a season this year. We know that these programs can not be successful without our coordinators, coaches, players and the families who support our players. With the uncertainty around how COVID-19 will continue to affect our communities, we are currently discussing what needs to happen as we plan for our fall and winter programs. We want to continue to provide a safe opportunity for our juniors to play locally with their friends in our section. Continue to check with your district on what opportunities they have available throughout the remainder of 2020 and into 2021. Visit usta.com/ustamissourivalleyjtt to stay up to date!

SCHOOLS Even with the concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, we believe it is essential to prioritize physical education opportunities, as students’ physical and mental wellbeing depends on it. Check out the information on the next page about why it’s so important to have physical education, especially during these trying times.

With so much uncertainty surrounding teachers as they plan out their school year, we decided to take it upon ourselves to create resources to support our educators on their efforts and provide an enjoyable space for students, whether their P.E. classes are in the gym, classroom or online. Visit usta.com/mvteachers to explore these resources.

FACILITY ASSISTANCE GRANTS During these tough times we have served our tennis communities and local facilities through the Facility Assistance Grants set up by the USTA. These grants are meant to get facilities reopened after the suspension of tennis activities. As of August 2020, 52 local facilities were approved for funding through these grants and over 60 percent of those facilities have already gone through all of the necessary steps to receive their funding, giving them the means to reopen safely.

A few ways these grants are being used: implementing plastic shields at front desks and service centers, purchasing individual ball carts to prevent cross-contact between pros, and lots of hand sanitizer. It’s been wonderful to hear how our facilities are utilizing this grant money, and we look forward to seeing even more fun, safe tennis out on the courts!

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It’s Time to Prioritize Health & Physical Education Students’ well-being depends on it.

T

he COVID-19 pandemic has illuminated the need for schools to consider students’ physical, mental, and social-emotional health above all else. And, an important part of the solution must be health and physical education.

Health & PE is where students learn: ■

■

■

Critical social-emotional skills to help manage emotions and handle daily tasks and challenges; Important character values such as resilience, fairness, respect, equality, and inclusion; Fundamental motor skills needed to participate in physical activity, which is vital at all ages and stages of life.

“It is also critical to maintain a balanced curriculum with continued physical education … rather than an exclusive emphasis on core subject areas.”

STUDENTS NEED SUPPORT

American Academy of Pediatrics (2020).

COVID-19 Planning Considerations: Guidance for School Re-entry.

For years, rates of anxiety and depression among children and adolescents have been rising rapidly — and COVID-19 has made this mental health crisis worse.

In addition, many students have experienced a level of trauma during the pandemic that can be categorized as an adverse childhood experience (ACE), which — without intervention — can result in chronic disease and lifelong mental health issues.

Students need trusted adults to help them deal with these challenges, and health and physical educators can play an important role. They teach students age-appropriate skills to develop the mind-body connection, which can improve mental health and overall wellness.

STUDENTS NEED SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL SKILLS Health and physical educators are on the front lines of the social and emotional learning (SEL) movement — teaching students the skills and behaviors that will help them succeed in all areas of life. This includes managing emotions, setting goals, and building positive relationships.

These skills are embedded within the SEL framework — and in the National Standards that health and physical education teachers use daily.

STUDENTS NEED PHYSICAL ACTIVITY Physical activity has many benefits for students, such as decreasing stress, preventing chronic disease, and increasing academic performance.

Physical education is an academic, skills-based class taught by a certified teacher — with lessons based on SHAPE America’s National Standards & Grade-Level Outcomes for K-12 Physical Education.

Students need both physical education and physical activity to learn and apply skills.

The connection between the teacher and student is critical.

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#SHAPEadvocacy

SECTION SPORTSMANSHIP

USTA LEAGUE PLAYERS RECOGNIZED Each month, USTA Missouri Valley recognizes USTA League players in two categories: 18-39 New League Player Referral and Sportsmanship nominations. Those that qualify are drawn at random to win a USTA Missouri Valley tennis package. Winners so far this year are: Sportsmanship Julia Elkin - Elkhorn, Nebraska David Clark - Lincoln, Nebraska Robyn Bradbury - St. Charles, Missouri Jolene Johnson - Omaha, Nebraska Jenette Pike - St. Louis, Missouri Beth Kramer - Omaha, Nebraska Sharon Taysi - Ballwin, Missouri Leslie Naughton - Broken Arrow, Oklahoma 18-39 New League Player Referral Kasia Moore - Topeka, Kansas Joshua Levey - St. Louis, Missouri Joe Heitz - St. Louis, Missouri Lotta Fox - St. Louis, Missouri Angela Carl - Ames, Iowa Harish Gosike - Liberty, Missouri Jessica Anderson - Jones, Oklahoma Chris Lyon - Overland Park, Kansas

JUNIOR TEAM TENNIS PLAYERS HONORED Each quarter this year, USTA Missouri Valley is recognizing Junior Team Tennis players across our section who display outstanding character and performance by presenting them with sportsmanship awards.

Our most recent winners are Oklahoma players Aaron Peters and Genevieve Young. Both athletes participated in the 18 & Under section of Junior Team Tennis in the Oklahoma City area. Peters played for Edmond Racquet Club and was coached by Cindy Nuckolls. Young played for Earlywine Tennis Center and was coached by Randy Painton.

First quarter winners were Kansas players Colby Klotz and Jazzmyn Williams. Both athletes participated in the 18 & Under division of Junior Team Tennis in Wichita, Kansas.

FALL SERVE 2020 USTA.COM/USTAMISSOURIVALLEY 17

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