Fall 2021
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.
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USTA Missouri Valley 4121 W 83rd Street I Suite 108 Prairie Village, Kansas 66208
usta.com info@movalley.usta.com
4 2021 ANNUAL MEETING
(913) 322-4800 (888)368-8612 Toll Free
(913) 322-4801 Fax facebook.com/USTAMissouriValley twitter.com/USTAMoValley instagram.com/USTAMoValley Mary Buschmann Executive Director Manon Eilts Marketing, Communications & Membership Emily Steinwart Communications Coordinator Graphic Design and Digital Media
For questions about your USTA membership, please contact USTA Customer Care at 1-800-990-USTA or customercare.usta.com
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ON THE ROAD WITH CASEY RATZLAFF
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LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
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2021 ANNUAL CONFERENCE Get all the details, plus meet our 2021 Hall of Fame inductees and award winners
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LEAGUE SECTION CHAMPIONSHIPS
SPOTLIGHT ON:
Hispanic Heritage Month BACK TO SCHOOL: Learn more about getting tennis into your child’s school
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JUNIOR TEAM TENNIS: 2022 will see some changes to the Junior Team Tennis program
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COACH & ORGANIZE: Learn about the new Coach & Organize on USTA.com
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NET NOTES: News and highlights from around the section
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ON THE ROAD WITH CASEY RATZLAFF: The wheelchair tennis star has traveled the world recently
DISTRICT NEWS: Check out local news and schedules from your district
FROM THE DESK OF MARY BUSCHMANN What an opportunity for tennis over these last few months! There’s been lots of competitive play in tournaments and leagues for both juniors and adults. As we head into fall, we continue to engage our schools and community partners. Our goal is to introduce tennis to as many communities as we can. It’s such an exciting time to offer a socially distant, healthy way to keep our adults and youth moving and having fun together. For all of you passionate players out there, please introduce a friend to tennis and let them experience the joy and camaraderie of playing this sport for life. Please join us for our Annual Conference as we plan for 2022 and recognize all the wonderful volunteers and players in USTA Missouri Valley that make tennis so great! Please let us know how we can serve you in your community in 2022! Executive Director & CEO USTA Missouri Valley
Tennis is always open for everyone. All ages. All grunts. All zip codes. Anyone can play. So what are you waiting for?
LEARN MORE AT LETSTENNIS.COM © 2021 USTA. All rights reserved.
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Schedule: Friday, December 3 Junior Competition Committee Meeting Adult Competition Committee Meeting Welcome Reception Saturday, December 4 General Session Officials Committee Meeting Diversity & Inclusion Committee Meeting Hall of Fame and Awards Luncheon This event will follow CDC recommendations regarding COVID-19. Protocols are subject to change.
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HALL OF FAME
CLASS OF 2021
USTA Missouri Valley is excited to announce plans for our 2021 Annual Conference and our Hall of Fame Class of 2021. Our 2021 Annual Conference is back in person and will take place at the Olathe Conference Center. During the Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Celebration on Saturday, December 4, we will have the honor of inducting three new members to the USTA Missouri Valley Hall of Fame: Scott Hanover of Kansas City, Mo., the late Al Penelton of East St. Louis, Ill. and Tara Snyder of Truckee, Calif. (formerly of Wichita, Kansas). Hanover’s accolades as a tournament director and his impact on tennis around USTA MIssouri Valley are immeasurable. He currently serves as the Executive Director of the Stephanie Waterman Foundation in Kansas City. The foundation provides under-resourced inner-city youth free tennis programming, life skills and enrichment programs. Additionally, Hanover serves as the Vice Chair of the USTA National Competition Pathway, where he oversees six committees. In 2018, Hanover ran a record 44 USTA sanctioned tournaments - but his dedication to tennis began as a young adult in Iowa. While a student at Grand View College in Des Moines, Hanover began his years of service in tennis, beginning with USTA Iowa in the mid-1980s. He was also the youngest person to become the USTA Missouri Valley Executive Committee President Hanover helped found the USTA Heart of America Hall of Fame in 1999 and lends his talents at the mic as the emcee of the USTA Missouri Valley Hall of Fame ceremony. Penelton was an athlete growing up and played several sports at Vashon High School in St. Louis. He picked up tennis as a way to stay in shape as he got older. It wasn’t until 1978 that he became an official. As a service line umpire, he is considered one of the finest ever to do it. His gifts as an official are the reason he was also inducted into the Black Tennis Hall of Fame in 2021. The first pro tournament he worked was in 1978 - the WCT Classic at the Checkerdome. Just four years later, he worked his first of what would be 37 consecutive US Opens. He has also been an official at the three other Grand Slams multiple times, as well as the Olympics and numerous Fed Cup events. In 1996, he was honored with the highest award given to USTA umpires - the John T. McGovern Award - which is voted upon by fellow umpires. Tara Snyder grew up in Wichita and was coached as a child by her father, Darrel. Tennis was a natural fit for Snyder, whose father owns Mid-American Courtworks, a tennis court resurfacing company in the area. Snyder quickly rose up the ranks as a junior, becoming USTA Missouri Valley’s No. 1 player and climbing as high as No. 3 nationally. She won the U.S. Open Junior Singles title in 1995. A career in professional tennis came calling soon after, where she captured a silver medal in the Pan American games in 1999. Career highlights also include victories against Maria Sharapova, Marion Bartoli and Martina Hingis. Snyder also spent a significant part of her career playing World TeamTennis (WTT), including stints with the St. Louis Aces, Wichita Advantage, Springfield Lasers, Kansas City Explorers and Texas Wild. It is through World TeamTennis she met her husband, former No. 40 ranked doubles player Brent Haygarth. You are invited to attend the Hall of Fame induction and Awards Celebration to honor the classes of 2021 and 2020. Click on the previous page to register for Annual Conference. FALL SERVE 2021 USTA.COM 5
2021 USTA Missouri Valley Award Winners Adult Player of the Year (4.5 & above) — Brian Diefenderfer (USTA Oklahoma) Adult Player of the Year (4.0 & below) — Joseph Hawkes (USTA St. Louis) Distinguished Service — Larry Newton (USTA Nebraska) Facility of the Year — Edmond Center Court (USTA Oklahoma) High School Coach of the Year — Jamie Wheat (USTA Oklahoma) Junior Emerging Player of the Year (Female) — Lauren Krise (USTA Oklahoma) Junior Emerging Player of the Year (Male) — Schaefer Bates (USTA St. Louis) Junior High-Performance Player of the Year (Female) — Gracie Epps (USTA Oklahoma) Junior High-Performance Player of the Year (Male) — Cooper Woestendick (USTA Heart of America) Member Organization of the Year — Oklahoma City Tennis Center (USTA Oklahoma) Outstanding Adult/Senior Tournament — Level 5 Bud Simpson Open (USTA St. Louis) Outstanding Community Tennis Association — Triple A Breakpoint Tennis & Life Skills Academy (USTA St. Louis) Outstanding Contributor Youth High-Performance Program — Willy DeVilchez (USTA Heart of America) Outstanding Contributor to Youth Tennis — Mike Saniuk (USTA Nebraska) Outstanding Contributor USTA League Tennis Program — Tammy Tegler (USTA Nebraska) Outstanding Diversity Achievement — DeAnn White (USTA Kansas) Outstanding Junior Tournament — USTA Girls’ 16s Section Invitational Championships (USTA Oklahoma) Outstanding Official — Dean Richardville (USTA Oklahoma) Tennis Family of the Year — The Sutter Family (USTA St. Louis) USTA Junior Team Tennis Organizer — Toni McDonald (USTA St. Louis) Junior Sportsmanship — Girls 10s - Scarlett Milner (USTA Oklahoma) Girls 12s - Reeya Chundury (USTA Nebraska) Girls 14s - Samantha Nguyen (USTA Oklahoma) Girls 16s - Ivy Wilson (USTA Oklahoma) Girls 18s - Bryson Langford (USTA Heart of America)
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Boys 10s - Ben Lowe (USTA Nebraska) Boys 12s - John Finnie (USTA St. Louis) Boys 14s - Joseph Coder (USTA Missouri) Boys 16s - David Ju (USTA St. Louis) Boys 18s - Matthew Crossland (USTA Heart of America)
League Section Championships Nearly 40 teams from USTA Missouri Valley have advanced to the 2021 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:
65 & Over Invitational 6.0 Women, USTA St. Louis - Albrecht 7.0 Women, USTA Oklahoma - Roberts 7.0 Men, USTA Oklahoma - Langwell 8.0 Women, USTA Heart of America - Crampton 8.0 Men, USTA Heart of America - Cox 55 & Over Champions 6.0 Women, USTA Oklahoma - Johnson 7.0 Women, USTA Heart of America - Bennett 7.0 Men, USTA Oklahoma - Cohlmia 8.0 Women, USTA Oklahoma - Pascale/Bahan 8.0 Men, USTA Heart of America - Cox 9.0 Women, USTA Oklahoma - Grooms 9.0 Men, USTA Heart of America - Weber
check out usta.com for “Road to USTA League Nationals” content Click below to View our USTA League Section Championship Photo Gallery on Facebook
40 & Over Champions 3.0 Women, USTA Heart of America - Snyder 3.0 Men, USTA Oklahoma - Freed/Ray 3.5 Women, USTA Iowa - Schoenfelder 3.5 Men, USTA Heart of America - Everhart 4.0 Women, USTA Nebraska - Holbrook 4.0 Men, USTA Oklahoma - Magann 4.5 Women, USTA Nebraska - Allison/Wyse 4.5 Men, USTA Nebraska - Betts 6.0 Mixed, USTA Oklahoma - Doughty 7.0 Mixed, USTA Oklahoma - Casey/Thagard 8.0 Mixed, USTA Iowa - Despotovich 9.0 Mixed, USTA Nebraska - Allison/Betts
18 & Over Champions 2.5 Women, USTA Oklahoma - Penn/Taylor 3.0 Women, USTA Oklahoma - Prox 3.0 Men, USTA St. Louis - Rhoads/Brandt 3.5 Women, USTA Heart of America - Shoup/Duntz (Placed 3rd at Nationals) 3.5 Men, USTA Kansas - Seitz/Jones (Placed 3rd at Nationals) 4.0 Women, USTA Oklahoma - Feemster 4.0 Men, USTA St. Louis - Nosic/O’Neill 4.5 Women, USTA Iowa - Chase 4.5 Men, USTA Heart of America - Ramsdell (National Champions) 5.0 Women, USTA St. Louis - Gadsky (Placed 4th at Nationals) 5.0 Men, USTA Nebraska - Buckley 6.0 Mixed, USTA Oklahoma - Doughty 7.0 Mixed, USTA Oklahoma - Casey/Thagard 8.0 Mixed, USTA Iowa - Despotovich 9.0 Mixed, USTA Nebraska - Allison/Betts
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Spotlight on... Amanda Cervantes Wichita, Kan. “Playing tennis takes a time commitment but it’s worth that effort. The best part of tennis is that it takes one other person to participate and you can play at any age and level.” Amanda Cervantes
Robert Juarez
Davenport, Iowa “I enjoy meeting new athletes and traveling to different wheelchair tennis tournaments and competing.”
Jaime Vargas Jefferson City, Mo. Robert Juarez
“I love the sport of tennis. I love the coaching I learned from soccer as a goalkeeper, and I translate it to tennis. I played for Saint Louis University tennis, but I was the last guy on the team. I learned a lot. I just kept passing it on, and I keep helping people. And here I am.”
Jorge Ramirez St. Louis, Mo.
Jaime Vargas
“...when you see them [kids] improve and develop their skills. Not only in tennis but when you can influence kids in other areas. When you see people develop skills, get better and start competing, that’s pretty satisfying.”
Ricardo Lucien Kansas City, Mo. Jorge Ramirez Jorge Ramierz
“I played able bodied tennis and wanted to try every possible sport. Wheelchair tennis sounded almost impossible to me, so I decided to try it and get decent at it. Stop looking and start playing!”
Julio Silva Franco Omaha, Neb. “I was really bummed out for missing out on my junior season, but that only meant I had another year to put in the work. Covid didn’t stop me from training, I’d say it did the exact opposite. Demonstrating that an underdog can come out as a threat really hypes me up to do better.”
Ricardo Ricardo Lucien Lucien
Read full features of these players on USTA.com! Julio Silva Franco
Back to School: Let’s Tennis! By Jamie Hansen
September means back in the classroom for most students and teachers. It also means the beginning of Physical Education class in many school districts. A great PE unit for students in all grade levels? Tennis. Physical Education teachers help shape the future of their students every day, and tennis is an excellent sport to keep that endeavor alive. Studies show that youth who play tennis are more likely to engage in healthy behaviors and volunteer in the community. Of the youth who play tennis, 48% get good grades and 73% are better behaved.
The survey unearthed a wide variety of scenarios. In 2020, some schools were entirely virtual, while others had a combination of in-person learning and virtual learning. Many were back in the classroom entirely. In 2021, the majority of respondents are back in school. But with the Delta variant creating a lot of question marks, physical education courses - and tennis in the classroom remain in flux. Hall said school tennis programming provided by USTA has had to work hard to meet schools - and students where they are.
Tennis also requires alertness and tactical thinking, and according to the Tennis Industry Association (TIA) 2018 Tennis Participation Study, may generate new connections between nerves in the brain. This promotes a lifetime of continued brain development.
“We have many ways we can help teachers - and kind of meet them where they are,” Hall said. “If they have equipment, but not enough for all the kids, we can suggest stations or refer to some of the activities we did in the trainings with them. If they are short on equipment we can also steer them towards grants that can help close that gap. It really is a case-by-case scenario.”
With the Covid-19 pandemic Physical Education, like most curriculum, had to quickly adapt to the everchanging conditions at school. With school being either entirely online, a hybrid or completely back in the classroom, tennis too adapted to the changes.
Hall and USTA Missouri Valley Tennis Service Representatives (TSR), have curriculum and other ideas to help teachers in whatever scenario their school faces.
USTA Missouri Valley surveyed its school partners in Fall 2020 and again in 2021 to assess the status of Physical Education classes. Would there even be a PE class? How would that PE class be conducted (virtually, in school, hybrid), is a tennis unit in the curriculum? Lindsay Hall, USTA Missouri Valley Community Tennis Manager and her team had to work to understand the challenges the teachers face in order to best help them be successful.
“If we see comments about schools not allowing visitors so we can assist in training, we can still work to remind them or our virtual training, the demo games and the curriculum they can use in the classroom without us being present,” Hall said. “We can remind them of the athome activities available to them in case they go virtual. There’s a lot still up in the air.”
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USTA has created tools and resources for teachers that can inspire kids to get active—and stay active. Hall said that the curriculum is simple enough that teachers with no playing experience can still help kids learn the game. Even if there’s no court available or a teacher isn’t quite ready to put a racquet in kids’ hands, there are still a variety of ways to bring the game to students. Hall gave an example of using a ping pong paddle as a racquet and a balloon as the ball. With a little bit of creativity, the game is accessible anytime and anywhere. “Keeping tennis at the top of mind for teachers was important for us, but what is more important is understanding the correlation between the student and their academic performance and learning and how that relates to physical activity,” Hall said. “You also bring in the health component of movement and activity. They are also so closely related. If kids can move and get the wiggles out and release some of that energy during PE or recess or after school, there is a correlation between that and their performance academically.”
Want to learn more about how teachers can provide tennis in classrooms? Click here for resources for K-12 teachers, tennis coaches, as well as resource guides that explore even more resources for teachers. You can also contact Hall at
hall@movalley.usta.com
UPCOMING 2021 USTA MISSOURI VALLEY JUNIOR TOURNAMENTS October 29
Level 3 Closed - USTA MV G14 #2 Tournament ID: 21-80586 Clayview Country Club
October 30
Level 3 Closed - USTA MV B12 #2 Tournament ID: 21-68651 Life Time Athletic - Des Moines Level 3 Closed - USTA MV G12 #2 Tournament ID: 21-07466 Edmond Center Court Level 3 Closed - USTA MV B14 #2 Tournament ID: 21-62813 Hanscom Park Tennis Center Level 3 Closed - USTA MV B16 #2 Tournament ID: 21-03860 Oklahoma City Tennis Center
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Level 3 Closed - USTA MV G16 #2 Tournament ID: 21-01442 Overland Park Racquet Club
*Level 4 USTA MV G14 #7 Tournament ID: 21-79332 Life Time Athletic - Des Moines
Level 3 Closed - USTA MV B18 #2 Tournament ID: 21-99108 Blue Hills Country Club
*Level 4 Closed- USTA MV B16 #7 Tournament ID: 21-78342 Racquet & Health 91 - Tulsa
Level 3 Closed - USTA MV G18 #2 Tournament ID: 21-09180 Oaktree Country Club
*Level 4 Closed- USTA MV G16 #7 Tournament ID: 21-20431 Genesis Health Club - Rock Road
November 6
*Level 4 Closed - USTA MV B18 #7 Tournament ID: 21-47124 Edwardsville YMCA
*Level 4 Closed - USTA MV B12 #7 Tournament ID: 21-07473 Clayview *Level 4 Closed - USTA MV G12 #7 Tournament ID: 21-07473 Overland Park Racquet Club *Level 4 Closed - USTA MV B14 #7 Tournament ID: 21-76618 Jayhawk Tennis Center
*Level 4 Closed - USTA MV G18 #7 Tournament ID: 21-07581 Blue Hills Country Club
*denotes recent tournament changes December events have been cancelled for 2021.
Upcoming 2021 District Adult Tournaments October One-Night L7 St. Louis, Missouri October 16, 2021
The Greens Country Club "Food Bank of Oklahoma" L5 Tournament Oklahoma City, Oklahoma November 12-14
Lincoln Adult Open - Fast 4 MW Singles L7 Lincoln, Nebraska Oct. 17, 2021 Cooper Adult Doubles Fall Open L6 Springfield, Missouri November 12, 2021
The Greens Country Club OU Children's Hospital L5 Tournament Oklahoma City, Oklahoma December 3-5
JUNIOR TEAM TENNIS Junior Team Tennis looks a little different in 2022 and here is what you need to know as a coach, parent or player! There are now two opportunities for USTA Junior Team Tennis in our section: • USTA Local Junior Team Tennis • USTA National Championship Junior Team Tennis (NCJTT) Teams and players can participate in both Local Junior Team Tennis and National Championships Junior Team Tennis. Here is a breakdown of what this means for you!
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USTA.com: Coach
We’ve made some changes to USTA.com! Read on to learn more about navigating the new Coach & Organize section of the website. 1. Tennis Tool Center Looking for Serve Tennis? The Marketing Generator and information on Safe Play Certification? Find it all under Coach & Organize < Tennis Tool Center. Serve Tennis is your destination for tournaments and other play opportunities. The Marketing Generator can help you promote your programs with customizable flyers and other marketing materials. Safe Play Certification is easily accesible so you can keep your certification current at any time.
2. Grants Find USTA Missouri Valley section and district level grants under Coach & Organize < Grants. You can find detailed information about the grants and be directed to the application process for each. You will also find National USTA Grow the Game grant information on this page.
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1. 4.
h & Organize 3. Tennis Service Representatives Want to find out more information about establishing programming in your area and aren’t sure who to contact? You will find your local Tennis Service Representative in Coach & Organize < Tennis Support < Tennis Service Representative
4. Training & Webinars Learn from world-class tennis and industry experts. Expert panelists discuss topics like youth athlete development, local advocacy, or how to start a wheelchair tennis program. Learn about new business strategies, techniques, programs, innovative teaching and instruction, or the latest in tennis technology. Access section specific content under the Other Provider Webinars filter.
2. 3. 4.
5. 5. Officials Help grow the game in your area by becoming an official! For step-by-step instructions, go to Coach & Organize < Officiating. You can also locate your District’s Officials Chair and a list of officials near you.
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On the Road with Casey Ratzlaff
By Jamie Hansen
Casey Ratzlaff has definitely racked up a ton of airline miles in the past few months. This summer of 2021 has been a whirlwind for the Wichita native. His Summer of Tennis journey included the Tokyo Paralympics, the US Open in New York City and the BNP Paribas World Team Cup in Italy. The 22-year-old made his Paralympic debut cruising to a win over France’s Frederic Cattaneo with a straight-set victory, 6-2, 7-5, in his Olympic singles opener. Ratzlaff was able to break Cattaneo’s serve eight times and hit 29 winners. He and 21-year-old Connor Stroud came out a bit sluggish in the opening round of the doubles competition, but found a way to come out victorious over Leon Els and Evans Maripa of South Africa, 5-7, 6-1, 6-2. The unseeded duo dropped a tight first set in a long 2 hour, 47 minute match. Ratzlaff and Stroud trailed 5-2 in the first set before rallying to even the set at 5-5. The pair broke serve five times across the second and third sets to advance to the second round. Ratzlaff fell in the second round in both singles and doubles in straight sets. He faced Belgian Joachim Gerard in singles, who won two Grand Slam titles in 2021. From Tokyo, he headed straight to New York for the Open, where he earned a wild card into the eight-player field. In the first round he fell to top-seeded Shingo Kunieda from Japan, the eventual US Open champion. Kunieda also won Paralympic gold in Tokyo. Following his appearance at the Open, Ratzlaff traveled to Sardinia, Italy for the BNP Paribas World Team Cup. The men’s team finished 7th overall at that event. Before the Paralympics, Ratzlaff - ranked No. 23 in the world in singles - also played at events in Turkey, France and the Czech Republic. He reached the semi-finals of the Czech Open in his final tournament before the Paralympics.
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NET NOTES USTA MISSOURI VALLEY WELCOMES MARK COLLINS TO STAFF The United States Tennis Association Missouri Valley is excited to announce a new addition to its staff: Mark Collins. Mark joins the Section as the new Digital Content Producer after spending the past four years working in the golf industry. He grew up outside of St. Paul, Minn. and picked up tennis in junior high school. He proceeded to play varsity tennis all four years of high school. He graduated from the University of Missouri in 2016 with a Bachelor’s degree in Broadcast Journalism from the #1 journalism school in the country, as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Spanish. After graduating he moved to Kansas City for about a year before moving to Houston to get his start in the sports industry. He then spent the next few years running golf tournaments and coordinating communication efforts for the Texas Golf Association and Southern Ohio PGA. He moved back to Kansas City in February and joined the USTA Missouri Valley team in October. He is excited to trade in his golf clubs for a tennis racquet and help grow the game of tennis throughout the Missouri Valley.
HEIM, TAYLOR ON QUAD WORLD CUP TEAM Kevin Heim, Executive Director of Woods Tennis Center in Lincoln, Neb., and USTA Missouri Valley Net Generation Wheelchair Ambassador, coached the United States Quad World Cup Team at the BNP Paribas World Team Cup in Sardinia, Italy, from September 27-October 3, 2021. Wichita’s Nick Taylor competed on the team, playing doubles with his long-time partner, David Wagner. As mentioned on the previous page, Casey Ratzlaff also competed for the men’s wheelchair team. The Quad team finished second at the event, going 3-0 in round robin play before falling to the Netherlands in the finals. In 2018, Heim coached the US National Wheelchair Quad team at the World Team Cup in Apeldoorn, Netherlands to a bronze medal. “The players on the Quad team are historically some of the most recognized players in wheelchair sport and tennis specifically,” he said. “All of our players have been ranked in the top five in the world at one point in their career in singles and doubles. Over their careers, they’ve worked as hard or more than anyone else.”
Left: Taylor, Heim and Ratzlaff in Italy. Below: Taylor and Wagner.
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NET NOTES JUNIOR TEAM TENNIS SECTION CHAMPIONSHIPS The 2021 USTA Missouri Valley Junior Team Tennis Section Championships were a rousing success July 20-22 at Case Tennis Center at Lafortune Park in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Tulsa welcomed teams from USTA Kansas, USTA Oklahoma and USTA St. Louis for 12U, 14U and 18U competition. A total of 15 teams and 106 players descended upon Case Tennis Center for a shot at a championship. Awards were also given out for sportsmanship. Championship Results 18U Intermediate: Edwardsville 14U Intermediate: Britton Christian Church Tennis Academy (BCCTA) 12U Intermediate: Edmond Center Court A Congratulations to the sportsmanship award selections: 18U Intermediate Boy: Landon Wong - RH-91 Girl: Reece Compton - OKC Elite 14U Intermediate Boys: Evan Boyer - Earlywine Adam Everett - Acers Girls: Tokara Henderson - BCCTA Bobcats Tiana Braxton - Earlywine 12U Green Intermediate George Keske - Missouri Athletic Club Grace Leitner - Creve Coeur Racquet Club In addition to a sportsmanship award, the Spirit Award was given to teams who showed dedication to being great sports and teammates. The 18U Spirit Award winner is RH-91 of Tulsa. The 14U Spirit Award went to Britton Christian Church Tennis Academy of Oklahoma City. Click below to view the photo gallery on Facebook!
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NET NOTES USTA ADULT LEAGUE SPORTSMANSHIP, PLAYERS & VOLUNTEERS OF THE MONTH Leagues wouldn’t be as fun without players who are also great sports. USTA Missouri Valley offers the USTA Missouri Valley Adult League Sportsmanship Award for those who exemplify great sportsmanship on the court. We also would not be where we are today without the dedication of our volunteers. Here are the winners from Summer 2021: Sportsmanship: May: Katie Allen - USTA Oklahoma June: Rebekah Herrick - USTA Oklahoma July: Wei Tong - USTA Nebraska August: Deb Adams - USTA Nebraska September: Deb Bigando - USTA Nebraska
Players/Volunteers of the Month: May (Player): Nancy Kraemer - USTA St. Louis June (Player): John Weaver - USTA Oklahoma July (Volunteer): Jan Karibian - USTA St. Louis August (Volunteer): Kay & Glen Gulledge - USTA Oklahoma September (Volunteer): Atsuko Christiansen - USTA Nebraska
IOWA STATE TAKES TOP HONORS AT USTA MISSOURI VALLEY TENNIS ON CAMPUS FALL INVITATIONAL The 2021 United States Tennis Association Missouri Valley Tennis on Campus Fall Invite returned as a smashing success October 1-3 at Kossover Tennis Center in Topeka, Kan. after a one year hiatus. More than 100 college clubtennis players showed up to represent 13 schools across the section. This year’s Invite represented more than just a chance to compete on the courts, though. It was a return to normalcy after many club teams had to cancel their seasons in 2020. The Iowa State Cyclones team took home the top prize in the Scarecrow bracket by narrowly edging the team from Washington University - St. Louis. The Kansas Jayhawks (‘A’ Team) took home third place with a victory over the Oklahoma Sooners in the 3rd/4th place match. The St. Louis University Billikens rode a perfect 6-0 record to a first place finish in the Wizard bracket. They knocked off the Kansas Jayhawks (‘B’ Team) in the championship match to cap off their weekend. Oklahoma State and Missouri State rounded out the top four, respectively.
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DISTRICT NEWS & HIGHLIGHTS
DISTRICT NEWS Stay current on tennis news happening near you on USTA.com. Share your location on the top of the website, then click on News to see local or regional news. News is frequently added so check back often. Have a story idea? Email us at communications@movalley.usta.com Heart of America: Ricardo Lucien, born and raised in Venezuela, has been living in Kansas City for four years. His journey to tennis was born when his basketball coach suggested he give it a try in the off-season. This recreational tennis player has an inspirational and impressive basketball resume to share with us. Lucien's basketball journey is one that he describes as beautiful. It started 12 years ago when he encountered an injury that would add a wheelchair to his life. Iowa: For more than 50 years, Iowa has held a Co-Ed Tennis Tournament for high school players in the summer. It’s a chance for kids to play mixed doubles in a fun, competitive format. The 2021 tournament was held June 8-10 in Des Moines with 34 teams playing in the 1A Division and 41 teams in the 2A Division. Each school can enter up to two teams, and the best two-of-three sets with a third set tie-break. Kansas: Connie White teaches at St. Francis Xavier Catholic School in Junction City, Kansas. This will be her second year teaching PE and Health there to approximately 130 kids from pre-K to 12th grade. Last year White introduced tennis in all of her PE classes. Tennis in elementary, middle school, high school and after-school programs is an excellent way to combat childhood obesity and reintegrate physical activity into the childrens’ everyday lives. Missouri: A few years after undergoing open-heart surgery, Jaime Vargas’s kidneys began to not filter well. When the diagnosis came in late 2018 that he had Stage 5 kidney disease, Vargas called it a “shocking” development since he tried to take good care of his body and incorporated advice from his father, who worked as a doctor. Nebraska: For most of us, the closest we’ll get to the US Open is watching it on television. For Ty and Jane Strawhecker of Kearney, they were able to get up close and personal to many of the top players as they spent 15 days volunteering at the venue in Flushing Meadows. It was an experience they will never forget. Oklahoma: In honor of Hispanic Heritage month USTA Oklahoma is taking the opportunity to spotlight two outstanding Junior players, Alma and Andrea Mendoza. The Mendoza sisters attend Dove Charter School in Oklahoma City and play tennis at the Britton Christian Church Tennis Academy (BCCTA). STL As a child growing up in the 1980s and early ‘90s, Michele Walton watched tennis legends such as Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe frequently on TV. And though she wanted to emulate them, Walton dealt with uncontrolled asthma — the one available medicine during the time period didn’t work for her — which drove Walton away from sports and toward theater instead.
2021 USTA HEART OF AMERICA AWARD WINNERS Stephanie Waterman Junior Sportsmanship - Female Bryson Langford Facility of the Year Genesis Health Clubs (KCRC) Member Organization Jayhawk Tennis Center Outstanding Community Tennis Association Stephanie Waterman Foundation Family of the Year Chris Smith Family Junior Player of the Year - Female Sydney Fuger Junior Player of the Year - Male Cooper Woestendick Adult Player of the Year - Female Michelle Gifford Adult Player of the Year - Male Anthony Perkins Outstanding Junior Tournament USTA HOA - Level 2 - G16 Outstanding Adult/Senior Tournament USTA HOA 65s Invitational High School Coach Daniel Berkland Outstanding Contributor to USTA Tennis Youth Programs Jared & Christy Ward Outstanding Contributor to USTA Tennis Youth Programs Willy DeVilchez Outstanding Contributor to USTA League Tennis John Stroede Outstanding Official Janet Crawford
Adult Player - 4.0 & Below - Female Chriss Shoup-Duntz Adult Player - 4.0 & Below - Male Jacob Beck Emerging Junior Player of the Year - Female Shannon Finn Emerging Junior Player of the Year - Male Christian Clough Distinguished Service Helen Elliott Shawna Froeschl Adult Sportsmanship - Female Elizabeth Jarvis Volunteer of the Year Arlene Frye Event of the Year Bracket of Death Community Service Excellence Shashank Nautiyal Junior Sportsmanship Award Girls 10 Kynsey Smith Girls 12 Ava Beltran Girls 14 Shelby Smith Girls 16 Sydney Fuger Girls 18 Greta Stechschulte & Bryson Langford Boys 10 Varun Garikipati Boys 12 Anish Poojari Boys 14 Micah Ward Boys 16 Russell Lokko Boys 18 Matthew Crossland
2021 USTA IOWA AWARD WINNERS Facility of the Year Marshalltown Court Complex Member Organization of the Year Adaptive Sports of Iowa Outstanding Community Tennis Association River Cities Tennis Association Outstanding Adult/Senior Tournament Mississippi Valley Open, Dubuque, Iowa Outstanding Junior Tournament Midlands Jr. Open, Iowa City HTRC Distinguished Service Donna Farley Junior Sportsmanship Award Girls 10 Francie Hinch Girls 12 Ella Steffensmeier Girls 16 Anna Current Girls 18 Abby Struble Boys 10 Cullen Heckencamp Boys 12 Hayden Kunert Boys 14 Aryan Harwani Boys 16 Haden Taylor Boys 18 Zachary Johnson
2021 USTA Kansas Awards 2021 USTA Kansas Awards Adult Recreational Player of the Year Jean Boardman, Salina Adult Recreational Player of the Year Jean Boardman, Salina Junior High Performance Player of the Year Reagan Boleksi, Wichita Junior High Performance Player of the Year Daniel Harkin, Manhattan Reagan Boleksi, Wichita Daniel Harkin, Manhattan Junior Emerging Players of the Year Annabelle Aldrete, Wichita Junior Emerging Players of the Year Jack Judkins, Wichita Annabelle Aldrete, Wichita Jack Judkins, Wichita Junior Sportsmanship Awards Girls 12’s Ada Tantemsomboon, Wichita Junior Sportsmanship Awards Girls 14’s Clara Hocker, Wichita Girls 12’s Ada Tantemsomboon, Wichita Girls 16’s Jackie Ackerman, Wichita Girls 14’s Clara Hocker, Wichita Girls 18’s Aleta Souphanh, Wichita Girls 16’s Jackie Ackerman, Wichita ********** Girls 18’s Aleta Souphanh, Wichita Boys 12’s Peter Hobson, Wichita ********** Boys 14’s Carson Bachrodt, Wichita Boys 12’s Peter Hobson, Wichita Boys 16’s Eli Blankenship, Wichita Boys 14’s Carson Bachrodt, Wichita Boys 18’s Drake Lowe, Winfield Boys 16’s Eli Blankenship, Wichita Boys 18’s Drake Lowe, Winfield Tennis Family of the Year The McGrown Family, Wichita Tennis Family of the Year The McGrown Family, Wichita Facility of the Year Andover Public Schools Tennis Complex Facility of the Year Andover Public Schools Tennis Complex Outstanding Community Tennis Association Topeka Tennis Association Outstanding Community Tennis Association Topeka Tennis Association Outstanding Contributor to Youth Tennis Programs Outstanding Contributor to Youth Tennis Sara Rasmussen, Wichita Programs Sara Rasmussen, Wichita
Outstanding Contributor to Youth High Performance Program Outstanding Contributor to Youth High Marcel Miasato, Wichita Genesis West Central Performance Program Marcel Miasato, Wichita Genesis West Central Outstanding Official J. Patel, Topeka Outstanding Official J. Patel, Topeka High School Coach of the Year Kathy Schulte, Wichita High School Coach of the Year Kathy Schulte, Wichita Outstanding Diversity Achievement Genesis Foundation for Fitness and Tennis, Outstanding Diversity Achievement DeAnn White Genesis Foundation for Fitness and Tennis, DeAnn White USTA Junior Team Tennis Organizer Janet Glaser, Wichita USTA Junior Team Tennis Organizer Janet Glaser, Wichita Outstanding Adult/Senior Tournament Sunflower State Games, Topeka Outstanding Adult/Senior Tournament Genesis Health Clubs Sunflower State Games, Topeka Genesis Health Clubs Outstanding Junior Tournament Sunflower State Games, Topeka Outstanding Junior Tournament Genesis Health Clubs Sunflower State Games, Topeka Genesis Health Clubs Outstanding Contributor to USTA League Tennis Gary Shipp, Topeka Outstanding Contributor to USTA League Tennis Gary Shipp, Topeka Distinguished Service Aaron O’Donnell Distinguished Service Aaron O’Donnell Event of the Year McAdams Tennis Open, Alex Lee, Wichita Event of the Year McAdams Tennis Open, Alex Lee, Wichita
2021 USTA MISSOURI AWARD WINNERS Event of the Year City Kidsfest, Jefferson City Parks and Recreation Outstanding Contributor to the USTA League Ann Vogel, Springfield League Player of the Year Donna Hoffmann, Versailles League Player of the Year Hee-Sun Kim, Ozark Adult Sportsmanship Award Laurie Everett, Columbia Adult Sportsmanship Award Kelly Hayes, Ozark Junior Male Recreational Player of the Year Chace Corbin, Chillicothe Junior Sportsmanship Awards Girls 12s Kaylee Doran, Osage Beach Girls 14s Megan Wilde, Jefferson City Girls 16s Lily Delk, Jefferson City Girls 18s Sanhiya Baskar, Jefferson City Boys 12s Han Seo, Springfield Boys 14s Joseph Coder, Brookline Boys 16s Joshua Kim, Springfield Boys 18s Caden Lingenfelser, Willard
2021 USTA NEBRASKA AWARD WINNERS Adult Player of the Year - 4.5 & Above Colin Buckley & Julie Obear
Outstanding Contributor to USTA League Tennis Tammy Tegler
Adult Player of the Year - 4.0 & Below Becky Svatora & Stephanie Theis
Outstanding Contributor to Youth Tennis Programs Mike Saniuk
Adult/Senior Tournament of the Year Holiday Tourney Distinguished Service Larry Newton Facility of the Year Miracle Hills High School Coach of the Year Robert Weber & Shelly Patrick Junior High Performance Player of the Year - Female Ratna Kang Junior High Performance Player of the Year - Male Alex Liu Junior Emerging Player of the Year - Female Circe Tallman Junior Emerging Player of the Year - Male Dex Saniuk Junior Tournament of the Year L5 BG 12-18 in Fremont Media Excellence Andrea Gallagher Member Organization of the Year Genesis Westroads Outstanding Community Tennis Association Omaha Tennis Association
Outstanding Contributor to Youth High Performance Talor Wain Outstanding Diversity Achievement Joe Meyers Outstanding Official Noelle Wegiel Tennis Family of the Year The Thomas Family Junior Sportsmanship Award Girls 10 Addison Blumkin Girls 12 Reeya Chundury Girls 14 Pujitha Mudhelli Girls 16 Kailee Bailey Girls 18 Sydney Schroeder Boys 10 Ben Lowe Boys 12 Wilson Yan Boys 14 Micah Cortinas Boys 16 AJ Shefsky Boys 18 Andrew Nelson
USTA ST. LOUIS 2021 AWARD WINNERS Junior Player/Provider Awards Outstanding Contributor to Youth Progression
Edwardsville Tennis Academy
Junior Team Tennis Organizer
Toni McDonald
Emerging Player of the Year
Schaefer Bates / Meg Nakatani
High School Coach of the Year
Dan Skaer
Outstanding Contributor to Youth High Performance
Matt Kuelker
Judy Dippold Player of the Year
Gus Tettamble / Emily Kantrovitz
Junior Sportsmanship BG10
John Mathes / Grace Leitner
Junior Sportsmanship BG12
John Finnie / Ashley Hayes
Junior Sportsmanship BG14
Alan Walker / Emery Gross
Junior Sportsmanship BG16
David Ju / Yvonne Shannon
Junior Sportsmanship BG18
Clark Kent / Elizabeth (Lizzy) Barlow
Adult Player/Provider Awards Facility of the Year
CCRC
Member Organization of the Year
Parkway Schools
Outstanding Community Tennis Association
Triple A Youth Foundation
Outstanding Contributor to League Tennis
John Brinkmeyer / Barb Rhoads
Adult Recreational Player of the Year
Teresa Durbala / Joseph Hawkes
Adult Player of the Year
Stefan Nosic
Tennis Family of the Year
The Sutter Family
Outstanding Adult/Senior Tournament
Bud Simpson Open
Outstanding Official
Tom Weber
Outstanding Diversity Achievement
Dave Lipe
Distinguished Service
Paul Tobin
President's Award
It's a Surprise!
Awards Celebration, Sat. Oct. 9th, at Dwight Davis