Northern Exposure - May 2019

N RTHERN MAY 2019 WWW.USTA.COM/NORTHERN

Bravo!

USTA Northern’s Victoria Bravo captures title at NTRP Nationals

STAFF DIRECTORY

1001 West 98th Street, Suite 101 Bloomington, MN 55431 (952) 887-5001 • (800) 536-6982 Fax: (952) 887-5061 Katie Bergmann (952-358-3280) Manager of Jr. Tournaments and National Teams katie@northern.usta.com Daniel Borgertpoepping (952-358-3292) Communications Coordinator daniel@northern.usta.com Becky Cantellano (952-358-3284) Executive Director becky@northern.usta.com John Chandler (952-358-3296) Director of Advancement john@northern.usta.com Pat Colbert (952-358-3283) Chief Program Officer and Assistant Executive Director colbert@northern.usta.com Taylor Heltne (952) 358-3287 Manager of TC Area Adult Play taylor@northern.usta.com Carolyn Kramer (701-238-1515) Schools Coordinator/ Tennis Service Representative kramer@northern.usta.com Nancy Lundberg (952-358-3286) Director of Adult Play lundberg@northern.usta.com Zeny McCoy (952-358-3291) Manager of Jr. Team Tennis zeny@northern.usta.com Naomi Sadighi (952) 358-3290 Director of Community Impact naomi@northern.usta.com Kathy Schneider (952-358-3295) Adult Recreational Play Coordinator schneider@northern.usta.com Vanessa Sexton (952-358-3281) Operations Manager vanessa@northern.usta.com Sandy Smith (952-358-3288) Member Engagement Coordinator ssmith@northern.usta.com Mya Smith-Dennis (952) 358-3289 Training and Outreach Coordinator and Tennis Service Representative (TSR) MN & NW WI mya@northern.usta.com

N RTHERN EXP SURE Executive Director Message As our section emerges from the clutches of another snowy winter, community courts are coming alive with the sounds of the game.

At USTA Northern, spring is the time when we really put the pedal to the floor on creating play opportunities for players of all ages and skill levels across our section. From junior tournaments and team tennis to adult leagues and more, there’s something for everyone.

As we work with program providers to grow the game, one area in which I am particularly proud of the USTA’s effort is ensuring tennis programs are safe for kids and families. Long before the tragic headlines that led to the passing of the Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and SafeSport Authorization Act of 2017, USTA was a leader among governing bodies of sport in protecting young athletes through our Safe Play program and resources. Today, we’ve expanded this effort in response to best practices and mandates coming out of the Center for Safe Sport (www.safesport.org).

Our kids deserve safe environments to learn and develop while parents need to know that their kids are in good hands from drop off to pick up. That is why at the USTA’s junior play website, netgeneration.com, parents will find only programs that require background checks and Safe Play training for all coaches. It’s critical we remain proactive in building healthy environments for kids to fall in love with the game and the USTA and USTA Northern are dedicated to doing exactly that. We want to make headlines for the positive impact we have in our communities.

Just recently, WCCO did a wonderful story on the Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute receiving a grant from the USTA. Courage Kenny does a tremendous job with wheelchair tennis and this grant will help them continue to grow. In my mind, this is the USTA at its absolute best: serving as a positive resource and assisting organizations at the grassroots level to bring the joy of the game to as many people as we possibly can.

In March, we collaborated with our partners, the USPTA Northern Division and Minnesota Tennis Coaches Association to provide training and education to pros and high school coaches throughout the section at the inaugural Minnesota Tennis Teachers Conference. It was great to see so much enthusiasm from tennis leaders throughout the section to grow professionally in pursuit of new ideas and tools to engage players of all ages and skill levels in the game.

Together, we are making tennis better for all we serve and I thank everyone who attended for understanding the importance of providing the very best possible experience for our players.

Our pros and coaches are some of the best in the nation, and we’re blessed to have you working with us to grow the game.

So, for those of you have been hiding away all winter, tennis is calling. The bubbles are coming down and the sun is out. It’s time to get out there and have some fun at a facility near you! At USTA Northern, we’re ready and eager to help you find a USTA team to join or a tournament to enter. Let’s play tennis!

Carol Thies (952-358-3285) Adult Matchline Coordinator thies@northern.usta.com

2017 USTA SECTION OF THE YEAR

MAY 2019 3

Bruce Gullikson

A Good Start When examining their game, most people focus only on the finished product and oftentimes ignore the steps needed to get the required result.

When trying to improve a stroke or tactic, people think of the Rafa behind-the-head finish on the forehand, the Kerber knees-to-the-ground finish on either flank or some other exaggerated completion to a stroke and try to emulate it - usually unsuccessfully. As the song says, start at the beginning; it’s a very good place to start.

Here are some ignored areas at the beginning which can make a big improvement in your game and finished product:

Before practice or play Do a bag check and make sure your equipment is in working order, i.e. rackets strung and gripped, full water bottle, towels and clothes, snack and shoes are all included and ready to go.

It’s amazing how many players, especially in our out-of-necessity indoor climate half the year, decide to start gripping a racket or need to buy shoes when the match is ready to start. Things such as dynamic warm-ups and jumping rope are very commendable to do before you compete but do them before your scheduled match time so that you can get to business at the start instead of warming up for ten minutes after the start time.

During the warm-up, be realistic with how many ground strokes you need to hit (note: it doesn’t need to be 90 percent of your warm-up time) and make sure to hit volleys and overheads... and especially serves. Nerves are not the only reason why the first game of the match is generally the most common to break serve; most people simply didn’t hit enough serves in the warmup to be properly prepared to start. Lastly, use the warm-up to scout your opponent—DO NOT try to win the warm up.

Serve The serve can be a complicated stroke with many moving parts. Focus on just a couple things at the start, like developing a consistent routine. Have you ever seen a professional grab the ball and just serve without bouncing it? Routines and rituals don’t have to be long and extended but should be consistent as the top players are so consistent with their routines that it is easy to parody them, whether it be McEnroe’s famous side tilt, Sampras’s toe up or Isner’s between the legs bounce. Physically focus on starting the serve motion with the shoulder and not the arm; this is a subtle but important detail. It will also help develop coil and be easier to develop rhythm.

2017 USTA SECTION OF THE YEAR

Volleys There are many types of volleys: swingers, drops, lobs, angles, etc, but here are some key starting points to all of them. Move your hand first—this helps spacing and tracking and avoids excessive racquet movement; even on a swing volley, one should get the racquet to contact first and then determine how much time they have to bring the racquet back instead of running with the racquet behind them. Secondly, try to move forward with the foot closest to the ball as your first move; this helps you cut off angles. Remember: Move in a “V” for victory, not in an “L” for..... you know.

Groundstrokes Prepare when you see the ball coming; it’s different than taking the racquet back right away - you want to turn your body as a unit as you see the ball come off your opponent’s racquet, move to the ball, then determine how much backswing—if any— is required. It sounds nonsensical but if you get the racquet back early, your likelihood of hitting the ball late is amplified—watch the pros and see how they turn immediately but do not actually bring the racquet back until they are in position to hit the ball; that’s why they time their shots better than everyone else.

Overhead Step back and turn immediately. Too often, people are square to the net and try to hit unsuccessfully or with minimal power.

If moving back to hit the overhead, your first steps should be big. Shuffling is too time-consuming and the ball will likely get behind you.

The “Ready” Position Realize that the ready position will vary depending upon where you are on the court since there are a few variables to consider. When at the net, the racquet should be angled slightly toward one’s backhand side (in front of the left shoulder for a right-handed player) and not straight on. This helps one find a continental grip and also helps with relaxation; when players have the racquet straight out, they tend to extend the arms too far and tense up. Also, the closer to the net you are, the higher you can hold the hands. The farther back you stand, the lower your hands are. The other key in the ready position is that the weight of the racquet should be in the non-hitting hand because, if a grip change is required, you should use your non-dominant hand to make the change.

If you focus on starting your strokes correctly, you have a much better chance of finishing them correctly. A good start is always a good thing.

MAY 2019 5

Volunteers

National Volunteer Week For National Volunteer Week in early April, USTA Northern highlighted the volunteers who create positive experiences and grow the game in our section. Volunteers were nominated by people who recognize the huge impact they make and were featured on social media.

Our committee structure relies on volunteers being generous with their time and talent and numerous programs offered throughout the year are improved due to the commitment of volunteers throughout our section. Thank you to all USTA Northern volunteers and we look forward to working with you soon!

Volunteer: Robb Graham Organization: Madison Community Tennis Association From nominator Jessie Daw: “Robb is very involved in tennis in Madison. He coaches the girls high school team and also organizes summer tennis lesson opportunities for kids in Madison, SD. Without him, tennis definitely wouldn’t be as visible as it is. He provides opportunities for older kids to work with younger kids, helping to develop a nice connection through tennis.”

Volunteer: Lydia Healy Organization: Sioux Falls Tennis Association From nominator Jessie Daw: “Lydia has served as the volunteer

2017 USTA SECTION OF THE YEAR

executive director for the SFTA for the past 2+ years. This position is so important to the organization, as this person is the hub of a wheel that spins quickly and in different directions. Lydia keeps the group focused on providing better tennis options in the SF area, and she has brought leadership to a renewed commitment to fundraising for the organization. I suggested that this position ought to be paid, but she continues to work tirelessly as a volunteer!”

Volunteer: Robert Cordova Organization: North Dakota Tennis Association From nominator Susan Kringlie: “Bob is part of the first class of the NDTA Hall of Fame because of his participation in tennis and volunteerism. Currently, he serves on the Hall of Fame committee and is in charge of the NDTA website. He is a wealth of knowledge and passion for ND tennis!!”

Volunteer: Marc Kurtz Organization: Sioux Falls Tennis Association From nominator Jessie Daw: “Marc has effectively and efficiently run the Asfora South Dakota Open junior and adult tennis tournaments for several years now, as well as being a fixture on the SFTA board.

These two tournaments are pretty large, and especially with the adult tourney, have many divisions. He runs the tournaments with a smile!”

MAY 2019 7

Tennis In Your Park Find Yourself in the Game Through Tennis In Your Park

Looking for fun and fitness while making new friends? USTA Northern is once again expanding its Tennis In Your Park adult lessons program for 2019 with offerings in all parts of the Twin Cities. Tennis In Your Park is aimed at new or returning players to the game and offers weekly lessons and a play component delivered by USTA-trained instructors. Play begins the first week of June and goes until late July or early August. Need a racquet? No problem as all players registered in beginner lessons will receive a FREE racquet as part of your registration fee. To register, contact your local Park and Recreation website or contact Kathy Schneider at schneider@northern.usta.com.

2019

TENNIS IN YOUR PARK SITES COMMUNITY

MINNEAPOLIS

IN YOUR

PARK (ADDRESS)

EVENING

LEVELS AND TIMES

SESSION DATES

REGISTRATION

MLK Park 4055 Nicollet Ave S 55409 Logan Park 690 13th Ave NE 55413 Powderhorn Park 3400 15th Ave South 55407 Kenny Park 1328 W 57th Street 55419 Lynnhurst Park 1345 W Minnehaha Pkwy 55419 Logan Park 690 13th Ave NE 55413 Logan Park 690 13th Ave NE 55413 MLK Park 4055 Nicollet Ave S 55409 Lake Hiawatha Park 2701 E 44th St 55406 Waite Park 1810 34th Ave NE 55418 Armatage 2500 W 57th St 55410 Armatage 2500 W 57th St 55410 Kenwood 2101 W Franklin Ave 55405 Webber Park 4400 Dupont Ave N 55412

Sunday

B 6:00-7:00 pm AB 7:15-8:15 pm Drill and Play 6:00-7:30 pm

June 2-August 4 (no class July 7)

www.minneapolisparks.org

SOUTH METRO Inver Grove Heights Oakwood Park 3534 78th St E 55076

Sunday Monday

June 2-August 4 (no class July 7)

AB 6:00-7:00 pm I 7:15-8:15 pm Monday B 6:00-7:00 pm AB 7:15-8:15 pm Tuesday B 6:00-7:00 pm AB 7:15-8:15 pm Tuesday B 9:15-10:15 am AB 10:15-11:15 am Tuesday AB 6:00-7:00 pm I 7:15-8:15 pm Tuesday AB 6:00-7:00 pm I 7:15-8:15 pm Wednesday B 6:00-7:00 pm AB 7:15-8:15 pm Wednesday B 6:00-7:00 pm AB 7:15-8:15 pm Wednesday Drill and Play 6:30-8:00

June 3-August 5 ( no class July 1)

Thursday

B 6:00-7:00 pm I 7:15-8:15 pm AB 6:00-7:00 pm I 7:15-8:15 pm B 6:30-7:30 pm AB 7:30-8:30 pm

June 6-August 8 ( no class July 4)

B 6:15-7:15 pm AB 7:15-8:15 pm

Session 1: June 10-July 22 ( no class July 1) Session 2: July 29-August 26

www.invergroveheights.org/register

Thursday Thursday

Monday

June 3-August 5 ( no class July 1) June 4-August 6 ( no class July 2) June 4-August 6 ( no class July 2) June 4-August 6 ( no class July 2) June 4-August 6 ( no class July 2) June 5-August 7 ( no class July 3) June 5-August 7 ( no class July 3) June 5-August 7 (no class July 3)

June 6-August 8 ( no class July 4) June 6-August 8 ( no class July 4)

Richfield

Richfield High School 7001 Harriet Ave 55423

Wednesday B 6:15-7:10 pm AB/I 7:15-8:10 pm

June 12-July 24 (no class July 3)

www.richfieldmn.gov/register

Bloomington

Bryant Park 1001 West 85th Street 55431

Tuesday

Session 1: June 4-25

www.blm.mn/adultsports

B 6:15-7:15 pm I 7:30-8:30 pm

Session 2: July 9-30 Burnsville

8  MAY 2019

Neill Park 13501 Upton Ave S 55337

Tuesday

B/AB 10:00-11:00 am

June 4-July 16 ( no class July 2)

www.ci.burnsville.mn.us

N RTHERN EXP SURE

COMMUNITY

PARK (ADDRESS)

EVENING

LEVELS AND TIMES

SESSION DATES

REGISTRATION

Wednesday B 6:15-7:15 pm I 7:30-8:30 pm

June 5-July 17 ( no class July 4)

Mendota Heights Marie Park Marie & Lilac Ln 55118

Thursday

B 6:00-7:00 pm AB 7:00-8:00 pm

Session 1: June 6-July 18 (no class July 4) Session 2: July 25-August 29

www.mendota-heights.com

Farmington

Rambling River Tennis Courts 17 Elm Street 55024

Monday

B 6:00-7:00 pm AB 7:15-8:15 pm

Session 1: June 17-July 29 (no class July 1) Session 2: August 5-September 16 (no class September 2)

www.farmington.mn.us

Round Lake Park 16691 Valley View Road 55344 Central Middle School 8025 School Rd 55344 Holasek Park 6395 Pinnacle Dr 55344

Monday

B 6:00-7:00 pm I 7:00-8:00 pm B 6:00-7:00 pm I 7:00-8:00 pm B 9:30-10:30 am I 10:30-11:30 am

Session 1: June 3 -July 15 (no class July 1) Session 2: July 22-August 26

www.edenprairie.org

WEST METRO Eden Prairie

Plymouth

Tuesday

Session 1: June 4-July 16 (no class July 2) Session 2: July 22-August 26 Session 1: June 10-26 Session 2: July 8-24 Session 3: August 5-21 July 8-August 21 July 10-August 21

www.plymouthmn.gov

Wednesday B 6:15-7:15 pm AB 7:15-8:15 pm

July 10-August 14

www.parksandrec.crystalmn.gov

Monday

B 6:15-7:15 pm AB/I 7:15-8:15 pm

June 10-July 22 (no class July 1)

www.cityofroseville.com/parks

Rosebrook Park 2590 Fry Street 55113

Tuesday

B 6:15-7:15 pm AB/I 7:15-8:15 pm

June 11-July 23 (No classs July 2)

www.cityofroseville.com/parks

New Brighton/ Arden Hills

Hidden Oaks Park 1550 29th Avenue NW 55112

Wednesday B 6:15-7:15 pm AB/I 7:15-8:15 pm

June 12-July 24 (no class July 3)

www.newbrightonmn.gov

Falcon Heights

Community Park 2050 Roselawn Ave W 55113

Thursday

B 6:00-6:55 pm AB/I 7:00-7:55 pm

June 13-July 25 (no class July 4)

www.falconheights.org

Vadnais Heights Kohler Meadows Park 365 County Rd F E 55127

Thursday

B 6:15-7:15 pm AB/I 7:15-8:15 pm

Session 1: June 6-July 11 (no class July 4) Session 2: July 25-August 22

www.cityvadnaisheights.com/recreation

Shoreview

Commons Park 4580 Victoria St N 55126

Tuesday

B 6:00-7:00 pm AB/I 7:00-8:00 pm

June 11-July 16

www.registration.shoreviewmn.com

Edgewater Park 3100 Edgewater Drive 55125

Sunday

B 5:00-6:00 pm AB 6:15-7:15 pm B 6:00-7:00 pm AB 7:15-8:15 pm I 6:00-7:00 pm B 7:15-8:15 pm B 9:15-10:15 am AB 10:15-11:15 am

June 9-July 21 (no class July 7)

www.woodburyrecreation.com

Parkers Lake Community Playfield 15500 County Road 6 55447

Mon & Wed B 6:00-7:00 pm AB 7:00-8:00 pm Monday I 8:00-9:00 pm Wednesday B 8:00-9:00 pm

Crystal/Robbinsdale Cooper High School 8230 47th Ave 55428 NE METRO Roseville Pochahontas Park 2540 Pascal Street 55113

EAST METRO Woodbury

Tuesday Thursday Friday ST PAUL SPUT

Please contact St Paul Urban Tennis

2017 USTA SECTION OF THE YEAR

June 11-July 23 (no class July 2) June 13-July 25 (no class July 4) June 14-July 26 (no class July 5)

www.stpaulurbantennis.org

MAY 2019  9

Adult Update

NTRP Nationals USTA Northern players turned in strong showings and two podium finishes at the 2019 NTRP National Championships.

Victoria Bravo of Minnetonka won the 4.5 Women’s Singles title and Jodi Kruse and Elizabeth Temple of Rochester captured third place in 18 & Over 3.5 Women’s Doubles.

Both Bravo and the Kruse/Temple team played on clay at Academia Sanchez-Casal in Naples, FL. Bravo went undefeated in round robin play, dropping only four games in three Fast Four format matches. She recorded wins over players from California, Florida and Wisconsin.

In the final rounds, Bravo defeated eventual third-place finisher Maria Negron of Connecticut 4-3, 4-2 in the semifinals before winning the title with a decisive 4-0, 4-1 victory over Jessica Dreher of Georgia.

Jodi Kruse and Elizabeth Temple went 3-1 in round robin play to start the tournament and had their ability to perform under pressure to thank for the good record. Three of their first four matches went to three sets, with Kruse and Temple winning two of them to earn a place in the top finals bracket.

They lost in the semifinals but managed a podium finish after their third-place opponents withdrew due to injury.

The NTRP National Championships use the NTRP rating system to create competition in the 18 & Over and 50 & Over age groups. Started in 2018, the event features round-robin draws that lead into non-elimination playoffs in a short sets format.

This year, the tournament was split between two sites - Academia Sanchez-Casal and the Surprise Racquet and Tennis Complex in Surprise, AZ — over two weekends.

USTA Northern was represented in both age brackets and at both tournament locations. Ten Northern men and women competed in 18 & Over Singles; seven men and women competed in 50 & Over Singles; seven men’s and women’s doubles teams competed in 18 & Over Doubles; and four men’s and women’s doubles teams competed in 50 & Over Singles.

Congratulations to all the players who cashed in their Golden Tickets and represented USTA Northern at the NTRP National Championships!

USTA Northern players can qualify for the 2020 events by earning 2019 NTRP tournament ranking points. All upcoming adult tournaments can be found on the searchable tournament schedule on TennisLink.

For additional information, contact Nancy Lundberg, Director of Adult Play; lundberg@northern.usta.com.

Photo Credit - Mike Lawrence USTA

10 MAY 2019

N RTHERN EXP SURE

Cross Court Hall of Fame Class of 2019 Timothy Wynne, Grand Forks, ND Tom Wynne, Grand Forks, ND Hugh Curtler, Cottonwood, MN Larry Sundby, St. Cloud, MN

Ward C. Burton Junior Development Award Brian McCoy, Minneapolis, MN

Frank Voigt Pro of the Year Matt Boughton, Eau Claire, WI

Family of the Year Tim and Jan Butorac Family, Rochester, MN

Jerry Noyce Junior Sportsmanship Award Aidan DeBoer, Sioux Falls, SD, and Monti Knewtson, Fargo, ND

Albert Teeter Adult Sportsmanship Award Sara Hong, Minneapolis, MN

Jack Dow Adult Development Award Rod Morasch, Bismarck, ND

Rocky Rockwell Grassroots Official Award Lisa Mushett, Apple Valley, MN

Wolfenson-Ratner Community Service Award Cindy Huether, Sioux Falls, SD

Member Organization of the Year Rochester Athletic Club, Rochester, MN A recap of the event with honoree profiles will be featured in the next Northern Exposure issue.

Designers Assemble!

USTA Northern is hosting a t-shirt design contest for the 2019 Sectional Championships.

Information on criteria, rules and regulations is available below and on our website at usta.com/ northern.

Shirt Design Rules •D esign must be original and cannot contain any copyrighted imagery.

• Design is for the front of the shirt (USTA logo and sponsors will be on the back).

• A rtwork will be no larger than 10” W x 10” H on the actual shirt.

• No more than 3 colors can be used.

• Tennis themed preferred.

• T he design cannot contain the level of championship i.e. 40 and Over Sectional Championships but it can say 2019 Sectional Championships or Sectional Championships.

• You do not have to be a USTA member to enter but you must be 2017 USTA SECTION OF THE YEAR

18 years of age or older.

• You may enter more than once (each entry must contain a different design).

How to Enter: Submit your design(s) at https://bit.ly/2V0UuP5 no later than May 31, 2019 at 11:59 pm CT.* The USTA Northern Section Staff will review all submissions and select their top 8 designs. Following the initial selection process, the Adult Leagues department will select the final 4 designs from these top 8 choices.

The selection process will be anonymous and the winners will be announced by June 21, 2019. *Please review the Official Rules at the link above before you start to ensure that your design is eligible.

Questions? Contact Taylor Heltne at taylor@northern.usta.com.

MAY 2019 11

Championships

12  MAY 2019

N RTHERN EXP SURE

Tennis On Campus Nationals

Congratulations To The Teams

who represented USTA Northern at the Tennis on Campus National Championships!

USTA Northern sent three teams to the USTA Tennis on Campus National Championships in mid-April. The University of Minnesota, Valley City State University and Winona State University all earned bids to the tournament in Surprise, AZ, by way of their performances at the USTA Northern Section Championships in Eau Claire in February.

14  MAY 2019

N RTHERN EXP SURE

Connect With Us

Let’s Get Social

Twitter: @ustanorthern

Snapchat: usta.northern

Instagram: ustanorthern

Facebook: USTA Northern

2017 USTA SECTION OF THE YEAR

MAY 2019 15

Junior Tennis

Match Pointe Junior Championships (National Level 4) Feb. 15-17, 2019 Boys 18s SINGLES

1st Place: Bjorn Swenson def. Sam Dobbs 6-4, 6-1 3rd Place: Joe Mairs def. Varun Iyer wo(injury) DOUBLES

1st Place: Joe Mairs/Bjorn Swenson def. Caleb Fridinger/Varun Iyer 6-3 3rd Place: Aidan Nguyen/Luke Westholder def. Matthew Schmitz/ Michael Yousef 6-4

Girls 18s SINGLES

1st Place: Delaney Schurhamer def. Nore Ann Heinitz 6-2, 6-3 3rd Place: Grace Kalan def. Aili Hietala wo(illness) DOUBLES

1st Place: Delaney Schurhamer/Nicole Snezhko def. Nore Ann Heinitz/ Tanna Lehfeldt 6-2 3rd Place: Monterey Knewtson/Josefina Trella def. Aili Hietala/Ava Leonard 7-5 Life Time White Bear Winter Championships (National Level 4) Feb 15-17, 2019

Girls 12s SINGLES

1st Place: Claire Loftus def. Aarti Prochnow 7-5, 6-3 3rd Place: Alisa Ivanov def. Chloe Regal wo(illness) DOUBLES

1st Place: Claire Loftus/Aoife Loftus def. Zoya Hasan/Aarti Prochnow 6-3 3rd Place: Jahnvi Chopra/Elena Loucks - Bye Eden Prairie Life Time Athletic Winter Championships (National Level 4) Feb. 15-17, 2019

Boys 14s SINGLES

1st Place: Nolan Ranger def. Ashton Adesoro 6-4, 4-6, 6-0 3rd Place: Collin Beduhn def. Logan James 6-2, 4-6, 6-0 DOUBLES

1st Place: Eli Notkin/Hugh Perrill def. Nolan Ranger/Samuel Wolden 6-1 3rd Place: Ashton Adesoro/Dylan Pham def. Logan James/Ashish Thotakura 6-1

Boys 12s SINGLES

1st Place: Kaleb Ngwendson def. Tej Bhagra 7-5, 0-6, 1-0 3rd Place: Brandon Pham def. Quinn Martini 7-5, 6-2 DOUBLES

1st Place: Tej Bhagra/Brandon Pham def. Kaleb Ngwendson/Rishi Ranjith 6-2 3rd Place: David Teng/Noah Wisniewski def. Malhaar Jain/Thomas Loucks 6-4 16  MAY 2019

Life Time Lakeville Winter Championships (National Level 4) Feb. 1517, 2019

Boys 16s SINGLES

1st Place: Gavin Young def. Sujit Chepuri 6-1, 6-1 3rd Place: Kevin Thomas def. Tharun Inturi 6-1, 4-0 DOUBLES

1st Place: Sujit Chepuri/Josh Christensen def. Dylan Magistad/Hank Trondson 6-2 3rd Place: Ojas Bhagra/Riley Eddins def. Evan Huemoeller/Nick Olson 6-1

Girls 16s SINGLES

1st Place: Karin Young def. Zoe Adkins 2-6, 6-4, 6-2 3rd Place: Nicole Ridenour def. Selah Stibbins wo(illness) DOUBLES

1st Place: Sarah Shahbaz/Selah Stibbins def. Amanda Diao/Lillian Langhus 6-1 3rd Place: Zoe Adkins/Isabella Suk def. Sonia Baig/Lauren Splett 6-0

Girls 14s SINGLES

1st Place: Karina Elvestrom def. Emmeline Wang 7-6, 6-2 3rd Place: Allyson Jay def. Lauren Kallas 6-2, 6-3 DOUBLES

1st Place: Karina Elvestrom/Kelsey Phillips def. Molly Austin/Ryann Witter 6-3 3rd Place: Allyson Jay/Emmeline Wang def. Ancele Dolensek/Isabelle Einess 7-5 Rochester Athletic Club (National Level 4) March 8-10

Boys 18s SINGLES

1st Place: Gavin Young def. Bjorn Swenson 6-1, 6-1 3rd Place: Varun Iyer def. Joe Mairs 6-3, 6-1 DOUBLES

1st Place: Joe Mairs/Gavin Young def. Bjorn Swenson/Sujit Chepuri 6-4 3rd Place: Caleb Fridinger/Varun Iyer def. John Kasner/Parker Law 6-3

Boys 16s SINGLES

1st Place: Allen Gong def. Zachary Leslie 6-1, 6-3 3rd Place: Oskar Jansson def. Luke Westholder 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 DOUBLES

1st Place: Allen Gong/Oskar Jansson def. Kevin Thomas/Luke Westholder 6-3 3rd Place: Jayho Hong/Matthew Fullerton def. Matias Maule/Nolan Ranger 6-4

Boys 14s SINGLES

1st Place: Ashton Adesoro def. Emmanuel Alex 6-7, 6-4,6-1 N RTHERN EXP SURE

Junior Tennis 3rd Place: Logan James def. Will Lieberman 7-5, 6-7, 6-4 DOUBLES

Girls 16s SINGLES

1st Place: Kai Chen/Will Lieberman def. Jack Allaben/Kaushik Bukkuri 6-0 3rd Place: Ashton Adesoro/James Yousef def. Drew Gohl/Rocky McKenzie 6-4

Boys 12s SINGLES

1st Place: Kaleb Ngwendson def. Tej Bhagra 7-6, 6-0 3rd Place: Tarun Gopalakrishnan def. Andy Norman 6-3, 1-6, 10-5 DOUBLES

1st Place: Sarah Shahbaz def. Nicole Ridenour 0-6, 7-6, 6-0 3rd Place: Selah Stibbins def. Isabella Suk 6-3, 6-1 DOUBLES

1st Place: Sarah Shahbaz/Selah Stibbins def. Nicole Ridenour/Isabella Suk 6-2 3rd Place: Grace Kalan/Veronica Eliana Rodriguez def. Sonia Baig/ Amisha Kshetrapal 7-6

Girls 14s SINGLES

1st Place: Tej Bhagra/Andy Norman def. Kaleb Ngwendson/Rishi Ranjith 6-4 3rd Place: William Fleming/Soren Swenson def. Caleb Kennel/River McKenzie 6-0 Rochester Athletic Club (National Level 4) March 15-17, 2019

Girls 18s SINGLES

1st Place: Karin Young def. Eesha Varma 6-3, 6-3 3rd Place: Nore Ann Heinitz def. Lauren Ferg 6-1, 6-1 DOUBLES

1st Place: Zoe Adkins/Nicole Snezhko def. Nore Ann Heinitz/Karin Young 6-1 3rd Place: Chrisanna Kuester/Josefina Trella def. Lilly Anderson/ Alexandra Welty 6-4

1st Place: Ancele Dolensek def. Kelsey Phillips 6-3, 6-1 3rd Place: Brooke Kallas def. Claire Loftus 6-4, 6-1 DOUBLES

1st Place: Ancele Dolensek/Isabelle Einess def. Claire Loftus/Ryan Witter 6-1 3rd Place: Kelsey Phillips/Emmeline Wang def. Brooke Kallas/Lauren Kallas wd (inj)

Girls 12s SINGLES

1st Place: Aarti Prochnow def. Aoife Loftus 6-3, 6-3 3rd Place: Nandini Iyer def. Alekhya Gottemukkula 6-2, 6-4 DOUBLES

1st Place: Aoife Loftus/Aarti Prochnow def. Nandini Iyer/Sophia Raymond 6-1 3rd Place: Jahnvi Chopra/Alekhya Gottemukkulua - Bye

Team USA Section Camps In 2012, USTA Northern began hosting Regional Training Centers (RTC’s). The RTC’s have now become the Team USA Section Camps. Team USA Camps focus on older players engaged in higher level tournament play and on the competitive pathway on a section and national level.

In 2019, USTA Northern is hosting two Team USA Camps. The first camp was held April 13-14 at the Rochester Athletic Club in Rochester, MN. Camps are staffed by section coaches who have been working with past Team USA Camps. There is also a USTA National Faculty coach in attendance who provides feedback and input to USTA National Player Development.

The following players were selected with help from USTA Northern’s Player ID and Development Committee and USTA Northern Player Development staff based on criteria including their current section/ national ranking, technical and tactical development and their engagement, resiliency and passion for the game.

Aarti Prochnow Alekhya Gottemukkua Ancele Dolensek Andy Norman Aoife Lotfus Brandon Pham Caleb Kennel Cassandra Li Claire Loftus Emmeline Wang Isabelle Einess Jack Allaben 2017 USTA SECTION OF THE YEAR

Kai Chen Kaleb Ngwendson Max Exsted Noah Wisniewski River McKenzie Soren Swenson Spencer Wang Tarun Gopalakrishnan Tej Bhagra Will Lieberman William Fleming Zoya Hasan

Congratulations to all the players selected for USTA Northern’s April Team USA Camp!

MAY 2019 17

Junior Tennis Junior Tournaments Important Dates June 14-17: Boys and Girls 12s and 16s, Sioux Falls (Level 3) June 21-24: Boys and Girls 14s and 18s, Baseline Tennis Center (Level 3) July 6-10: 14s Intersectionals July 7-11: 16s Intersectionals July 21-24: World Team Tennis July 25-29: Zonals July 27-30: Boys 18s National Team July 28-31: Girls 18s National Team Questions? Contact Manager of Junior Tournaments and National Teams Katie Bergmann at katie@northern.usta.com.

July 26-27: Section Championships (14U Intermediate) Non-Advancing Track July 27-28: Section Championships (18U Intermediate) Non-Advancing Track

Junior Team Tennis Pre-Season Tournament (Advancing Track) June 14: 18U Intermediate and Advanced - Eau Claire, WI June 15: 14U Intermediate and Advanced - Hastings, MN Questions? Contact Manager of Junior Team Tennis Zeny McCoy at zeny@northern.usta.com.

Junior Team Tennis Important Dates May 25: Scheduling form and team creation in TennisLink due June 22: Player registration closes July 17: Section registration due July 22-23: Section Championships (14U Intermediate and Advanced) Advancing Track July 24-25: Section Championships (18U Intermediate and Advanced) Advancing Track July 26: Section Championships (12U Intermediate) Non-Advancing Track

18  MAY 2019

N RTHERN EXP SURE

WE L VE SUMMER JUNIOR TEAM TENNIS

Category

Membership

Non-Advancing Track

Advancing Track USTA Membership is required; registration through TennisLink

Register on TennisLink with a non-USTA member account

Team Composition

Co-ed teams– minimum 3 boys and 3 girls

Co-ed teams–minimum 2 boys and 2 girls

Age Levels and Play Divisions

Based on JNTRP 14 and Under Intermediate 14 and Under Advanced –3.5+ 18 and Under Intermediate 18 and Under Advanced –3.5+

12 and Under — Green Ball 14 and Under — Yellow Ball 18 and Under — Yellow Ball

Match Formats And Scoring

1 set of Boys and Girls Singles 1 set of Boys and Girls Doubles 1 set of Mixed Doubles 8-game pro-set, no-ad scoring Double-ups must occur in mixed doubles Match is determined by total games won

1 set of Boys and Girls Singles 1 set of Boys and Girls Doubles 1 set of Mixed Doubles 6-game pro-set, no-ad scoring Double-ups can occur anywhere Match is determined by total games won

Court Needs and Match Duration

3 courts for 1.5 hours

Advancement Opportunities

Local Season Section Championships National Championships

Advancement Eligibility Requirements

Each player is required to play in at least 2 team matches before Section Championships. Each team is required to play in 3 matches over the period of 3 or more days.

2 courts for 1.5 hours

Local Season Section Championships

No individual player match requirements. Each team is required to play in at least 3 matches before the Section Championships.

South Dakota High School Switch

South Dakota Two Tier System In April, the South Dakota High School Athletics Association (SDHSAA) made a major change to the structure of its tennis program by introducing a two-class system.

Under the new system, the 10 largest high schools in the state will play in Class AA while smaller schools can petition to play in Class AA with approval from the SDHSAA Board of Directors or automatically play in Class A. If a smaller school petitions to play in Class AA, both the boys and girls teams must play in Class AA for a minimum of two years.

In its current form, the high school state tournament is a single class that includes 24 teams, making it an extremely large event and even more vulnerable to inclement weather.

Lennox High School Girls and Boys Tennis Coach Kevin Plank is on the advisory committee that has been exploring the potential change and building the structure for the new system.

“The conversation amongst the coaches and the SDHSAA tennis representative on what options we have to help make the tournament run better has been going on for a few years now. To help work out the details and give suggestions there was a committee formed that included a few coaches, including myself,” Plank said.

“We were tasked with everything from how the regular season schedules would look or change or, if they needed to change, how the seed points would work and how Photo Credit - South Dakota Public Broadcasting the logistics of having two state tournaments would work out.”

Following the approval of the change by the SDHSAA in late April, it will be implemented at the start of the 2019 girls tennis season in August.

One of the largest positive results from the change is increased competition, which coaches are hopeful will translate to more interest in the sport and, potentially, more schools seeing tennis as a good option to add to their athletics roster.

Madison High School Girls Tennis Coach Robb Graham is optimistic that competitive parity will result in a more vibrant 2017 USTA SECTION OF THE YEAR

tennis landscape across the state.

“Tennis is more fun when it is a close or competitive match. It’s more fun when there are long rallies and close games. Since the large schools have five times as many students, they have more depth.

Since matches are not competitive, it’s not fun and a lot of kids will not continue with the sport,” Graham said.

While Graham admits the possibility of a team dominating one year or for a few years, having more competitive matches throughout the season and at the state tournament will mean more fun and - hopefully - more players.

It may be the first step in the process but if the appeal for tennis grows as a result of more consistently competitive play, both Plank and Graham believe more schools may consider adding tennis, building new opportunities to grow the game.

Only a few months remain before the change is put into practice during the girls season and some challenges will remain even after implementation.

“We hope to have a strong lower division. To make the lower division stronger, hopefully we can add tennis to some more South Dakota schools,” Graham said. “In my opinion, it would be nice to have two divisions of 16 teams. But it will be a challenge to get eight more schools. Hopefully we can get the word out.”

This big change doesn’t rule out tweaks and modifications to keep it functioning as intended and in the best interests of the student-athletes who participate in the years ahead.

“I’m sure there will be some adjustments and things that will come up over the first few years that we will have to look at,” Plank said. “But I think all the coaches and SDHSAA feel we have a good starting point to make the transition as smooth as possible in the beginning.”

MAY 2019 21

In the Community 2019 Minnesota Tennis Teachers Conference This year, USTA Northern partnered with the Minnesota Tennis Coaches Association (MTCA) and the United States Professional Tennis Association (USPTA) for the 2019 Minnesota Tennis Teachers Conference.

Held at the Fred Wells Tennis and Education Center, the conference hosted a total of 200 attendees and, in a new format this year, featured three days of on-court presentations. Over three days, expert clinicians covered a wide range of topics including player development, mental engagement, technical skill and many more.

Coaches attending the conference represented Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota and Wisconsin. The weekend event featured nine expert clinicians and nine vendors.

USTA Northern Executive Director Becky Cantellano underscored the importance of trained coaches in retaining participation in the sport year after year.

“Coaches play a crucial role in whether a child enjoys their time on the court or quits the sport altogether,” Cantellano said. “Data show that only five percent of kids who played for trained coaches quit the sport the next year while the attrition rate was 26 percent with untrained coaches.”

Understanding the collective effort it takes to grow the game is a critical step toward the shared missions and goals of the MTCA, USPTA Northern and USTA Northern.

“A successful tennis team is about more than one player or one coach,” said MTCA President Dave Wareham in comments at the event. “The same is true about tennis in Minnesota; it takes all of us to grow and strengthen the game.”

USTA Northern was proud to sponsor the 2019 Minnesota Tennis Teachers Conference and looks forward to seeing it grow in the years ahead.

New Brighton Carnival Growing tennis at every level is a central goal for USTA Northern and few partners are as valuable as the parks and recreation departments in cities around our section. While the section has seen huge growth in adult participation in the Tennis in Your Park program partnership with park and recreation departments throughout the Twin Cities, the kids are getting in on the action too!

Recently, the New Brighton Parks and Recreation Department hosted the New Brighton Tennis Festival, a free kickoff event for kids ages 5-10 who received free giveaways and were introduced to the game in fun new ways.

USTA Northern Tennis Service Representative Mya SmithDennis was on hand to help facilitate and spark some interest in tennis for the kids in attendance.

“These are really important opportunities to get kids interested in the game. It’s simple, it’s some fun games in an elementary school gymnasium,” Smith-Dennis said. “It doesn’t need to be complicated. It just needs to be fun and accessible and that’s what we’re all trying to help create.”

2017 USTA SECTION OF THE YEAR

MAY 2019 23