USTA PACIFIC NORTHWEST E-NEWSLETTER E AUGUST 2014 Let the Madness Begin! August is USTA/PNW Sectional Championship Month There may not be any office pools or buzzer beaters but it s August Madness this month in the USTA Pacific Northwest as four Sectional Championships featuring players of all ages and ability levels are scheduled on the next three out of four weekends. Kicking off the festivities is the USTA League 18 & Over Mixed Doubles Sectional Championships in Yakima, Wash., on August 8-10. Forty teams will take to the courts to play for sectional titles and the opportunity to advance to the USTA League National Championships this fall. The following weekend will see two sectional championships for juniors and adults. First, on August 14-17, over 400 juniors will play in the USTA/PNW Junior Sectionals also in Yakima. The event is the largest junior tournament of the year with players competing in singles and doubles and it will feature many of the best junior players in the Pacific Northwest. Second, on August 15-17, the USTA League Adult 40 & Over Sectional Championships will be held in the Portland area with 70 men s and women s teams in the 3.0 through 4.5+ divisions. Finally, on August 22-24, it s the biggest league event ever held in the USTA Pacific Northwest as the USTA League Adult 18 & Over Sectional Championships take over Spokane, Wash. Over 90 men s and women s teams with more than 1200 players will look to have their One Shining Moment in the Lilac City sun as they compete for sectional titles and a trip to the 2014 USTA National Championships later this year. It s going to be a very exciting month of tennis in the Pacific Northwest and you can be a part of the madness even if you re not playing in any of the sectional championships. Spectators are welcome at all the tournaments so if you re in the Yakima, Portland or Spokane areas, go to the USTA/PNW website for more info and then come out to enjoy some great tennis action! Page 2: USTA/PNW News & Notes Page 3: Tennis Afterschool Zone (TAZ) Page 4: USTA League Page 8: USTA/PNW Junior Tournament Schedule Page 9: USTA/PNW Adult Tournament Schedule
New USTA/PNW Family Friendly and Play to Learn Programs a Big Hit This Summer Players of all ages and ability levels have enjoyed participating in the new USTA/PNW Family Friendly and Play to Learn recreational tennis programs. Offering a fun, social and affordable opportunity to learn and play tennis this summer, the programs were held outdoors at local parks and public courts in Spokane, Richland and Bellingham, Wash., Eugene, Ore., and Anchorage, Alaska. Most Family Friendly and Play to Learn sessions will complete their summer run next week but due to popular demand, programs in Richland, Spokane and Anchorage will be extended into September and October. For more information, please visit www.pnw.usta.com/ff_ptl_programs/ and to view more photos of all the Family Friendly and Play to Learn summer fun, check out the USTA/PNW Instagram account at www.instagram.com/ustapnw. Apply Now to Volunteer for a USTA Pacific Northwest Committee The USTA Pacific Northwest is currently seeking volunteers who reside in Oregon, Washington, Alaska and Idaho (north of the 45th parallel) to serve as committee members and committee chairpersons. Volunteers play an important role in helping to promote and develop the growth of tennis in our section by serving on committees. The fundamental role of each USTA Pacific Northwest committee is to follow the committee charge by assisting our Board of Directors and staff in addressing policy and operational matters. Committee members will serve a two-year term from 2015-16. For more details, including a list of USTA/PNW committees, applicant requirements and job descriptions, please visit the USTA/PNW website after August 11. USTA Pacific Northwest Partners with GEICO to Offer Insurance Discounts USTA Pacific Northwest is proud to announce a partnership with GEICO to offer an exclusive benefit to our USTA members. The USTA Pacific Northwest and GEICO have worked together to provide USTA/PNW members an exclusive savings opportunity on auto insurance. Contact GEICO today by visiting www.geico.com/disc/usta-pnw or by calling 1-800-368-2734 to receive a free quote and take advantage of the special discount offered to USTA/PNW members. GEICO will also support USTA/PNW tennis programs each time they issue an auto insurance quote to our members and they offer competitive rates on many other types of insurance. Participate in a Free Tennis Clinic and Help Fight Hunger in the Seattle Area The Forest Crest Athletic Club in Mountlake Terrace, Wash., will be offering free tennis clinics open to the public on Saturday, August 23 from 12-1:30 p.m. as part of an Ace Out Hunger event. All ages are welcome to participate in the clinics in exchange for three cans of food that will go to benefit Seattle area families in need. For more information, visit http://aceouthunger.com.
Help Us Bring the Benefits of Tennis to Schools and Students in Your Community With schools closed for summer vacation, July and August are months with no Tennis Afterschool Zone (TAZ) programs but that doesn t mean USTA/PNW staff aren t hard at work. Local schools are already signing up to be part of the fall TAZ season and in order to make those programs a success, more instructors are needed to share their passion of tennis. Instructors are specifically needed in Washington in West Seattle, Olympia and Tacoma (see below for application info). The USTA/PNW is also continuing to look for more schools to start the 2014-2015 school year off right with TAZ! You can help us in many different ways including: Identifying a school that is interested and has gym availability for the first hour afterschool. Spreading the word about TAZ to fellow tennis players and parents, especially if a quality program is already taking place in your community. Identifying potential partnerships with Parent Teacher Associations (PTA/PTG or PTO) as many of our most successful TAZ programs have been sponsored by those organizations. Applying for a Site Director or Instructor position or finding people you know that enjoy sharing the game of tennis with youth. Most instructors and site directors had little or no experience delivering tennis before getting involved in the TAZ program. The USTA/PNW provides the necessary training and it s easy to apply. To apply, go to www.surveymonkey.com/s/tazapp to become part of our TAZ team and contact the USTA/PNW s Hank Bauer at taz@pnw.usta.com with any questions about the program.
NORTHWEST WASHINGTON Includes all points between Kent and Bellingham including the greater Seattle/Bellevue/Everett area. Jill Borgida USTA League Coordinator P: (425) 531-5595 E: jborgida@pnw.usta.com Adult 55 & Over: Players can currently register for teams (a min. of 6 players per team need to be registered by August 8). Regular season will run September 12 November 23 with the local playoffs held December 5-7 at the Tennis Center at Sand Point Mixed 18 & Over: Players can currently register for teams (a min. of 6 players per team need to be registered by August 8). Regular season will run September 5 December 7 with the local playoffs held December 11-14 at the Tennis Center at Sand Point. SOUTHWEST WASHINGTON Includes: Tacoma, Lakewood, Olympia, Tumwater, Chehalis, Centralia, Auburn, Federal Way & Kitsap Co. except Bainbridge. Kathi McKay USTA League Coordinator P: (360) 688-8771 E: kmckay@pnw.usta.com Mixed 18 & Over and Adult 55 & Over Early Start League Team Confirmation Forms are due August 10, 2014. At least six players must be registered on each team by August 17. The Captains Meeting will take place on August 20 at 7 p.m. at Lakewood Racquet Club. September 5-7 marks the first weekend of match play for both the Mixed 18 and Adult 55 & Over leagues. CENTRAL WASHINGTON Includes: Wenatchee, Yakima, Tri-Cities, Lewiston, Pullman, Walla Walla, Pendleton, La Grande, Hermiston, Hood River and The Dalles. Elece Fiocchi USTA League Coordinator P: (509) 221-0823 E: efiocchi@pnw.usta.com Mixed 18 & Over Early Start League Team registration is open and will close on August 29. Minimum number of players must be registered by September 5. Schedule will be published on TennisLink on September 12 and Captains meeting will be held via teleconference on September 16 at 7 p.m. Match play will be at Yakima Tennis Club indoor facility on September 26-28. Adult 55 & Over Early Start League Team registration is open and will close on September 5. Minimum number of players must be registered by September 12. Schedule will be published on TennisLink on September 19. Captains meeting via teleconference on September 23 at 7 p.m. Match play will be at Tri-Cities Court Club on October 3-5. Adult Combo Early Start League Team registration opens August 4. Minimum numbers of players must be registered by October 17. Schedule will be published on TennisLink by October 24. Captains meeting via conference call on October 28 at 7 p.m. Match play will be at Yakima Tennis Club indoor facility: Women - November 7-9 and Men - November 14-16.
EASTERN WASHINGTON Includes: Spokane, Spokane Valley, Cheney, Coeur d'alene and Hayden. Cheryl Lepper USTA League Coordinator P: (509) 440-2698 E: clepper@pnw.usta.com Early Start League registration is now open for Mixed 18 & Over, Adult 55 & Over, and for our new Combo League (levels 5.5, 6.5, 7.5, 8.5, 9.5, and 10.5). Contact Cheryl Lepper for registration and league info. Volunteers needed for the 2014 USTA/PNW Adult 18 & Over League Sectional Tournament in Spokane on August 22-24, 2014. Contact Cheryl Lepper if you wish to help at one of the eight tournament sites. Spectators are also welcome Sectional Tournament as some of the best USTA League players in the Pacific Northwest will compete at the event. Match schedules will be posted as soon as possible at www.pnw.usta.com/usta-league/championships. Flex Singles League ends September 1. A seasonending celebration event is in the works and all participants will be contacted soon with more details. NORTHERN OREGON Includes: Greater Portland metro area, Vancouver and Longview. Jana Hirst USTA League Coordinator P: (503) 718-3331 E: hirst@pnw.usta.com The 2015 Early Start Leagues are in the final planning stages. Schedules will be posted on TennisLink on August 29. The Captains Meeting will take place on September 1 on a conference call. More details will be emailed out as soon as possible to all Adult 55 & Over and Mixed 18 & Over captains. Adult 40 & Over Playoffs were held July 18-20. The following teams (captains) will represent Northern Oregon at the USTA/PNW Sectionals in Portland on August 15-17. 2.5 Women: Stafford Hills (Stevens); wildcard: Irvington (Griggs/Doroff). 3.0 Men: MAC-Bernhardt; wildcard: West Hills (Mo/Fjeldsted). 3.0 Women: West Hills (Watt); wildcard: Cascade (Woodard). 3.5 Men: Stafford Hills (Summers); wildcard: MAC (Carter). 3.5 Women: Mountain Park (Nelson). 4.0 Men: Club Green Meadows (Jackson); wildcard: West Hills (Thompson). 4.0 Women: Clackamas River (Zielinksi/Low). 4.5 Men: Stafford Hills: (Farrell); wildcard: Club Green Meadows (Yothers). 4.5 Women: Sunset (Herkamp); wildcard: Vancouver T.C. (Cronk/Tran). SOUTHERN OREGON/WILLAMETTE VALLEY Southern OR: includes Bend/Central OR, Medford, Ashland, Klamath Falls, Grants Pass, Roseburg & Coos Bay. Willamette Valley: includes Salem/Keizer, Albany, Corvallis, Eugene/Springfield and Gleneden Beach (Salishan). Tony Hernandez USTA League Coordinator P: (541) 731-7411 E: thernandez@pnw.usta.com Adult 55 & Over League Team Confirmation Forms are due August 15. Deadline for teams to have the minimum number of players (6) registered on TennisLink is August 22. The planned Captains Meeting will be conducted via conference call on Tuesday, September 2 at 4 p.m. The regular season starts September 13 and ends November 22. Any necessary Local Area Playoffs will be held the next weekend on November 29-30. Mixed 18 & Over League Team Confirmation Forms are due August 15. Deadline for teams to have the minimum number of players (6) registered on TennisLink is August 22. The planned Captains Meeting will be conducted via phone conference on Tuesday, September 2 at 6 p.m. The regular season starts September 13 and ends November 1. Local Area Playoffs for this league are not anticipated but if needed they will be held November 8-9.
ALASKA Dana Griffin USTA League Coordinator P: (971) 804-4226 E: dgriffin@pnw.usta.com An All Captains Meeting will take place on August 28 at 6 p.m. at the Alaska Club East in Anchorage. All league topics will be discussed including TennisLink and the reduction of available courts for league play in the area. Flex League Singles registration deadline is August 22. All matches will be played August 25 - October 31 and players schedule their own matches. Adult Combo League team registration deadline is September 14. A 6.5 & 7.5 level will be offered in both men & women divisions. Matches will be played Sunday, September 21 and September 28. The format is three courts of doubles. Champions Crowned at USTA/PNW 55 and 65 & Over Sectional Championships The first two 2014 USTA Pacific Northwest Sectional Championships for the Adult 55 & Over and 65 & Over age divisions were held Sunriver, Ore., June 26 July 2. Congratulations to the following teams who won sectional titles: Adult 55 & Over 6.0 Men: Valley Athletic Club, Tumwater, Wash. 6.0 Women: Tualatin Hills Tennis Center, Beaverton, Ore. 7.0 Men: Wenatchee (Wash.) Racquet & Athletic Club. 7.0 Women: The Spokane (Wash.) Club. 8.0 Men: Lakewood Racquet/Sport Club, Tacoma, Wash. 8.0 Women: The Spokane (Wash.) Club. 9.0 Men: Seattle (Wash.) Tennis Club. 9.0 Women: Yakima (Wash.) Tennis Club. Adult 65 & Over 6.0 Men: Robinswood Tennis Center, Bellevue, Wash. 6.0 Women: Spokane (Wash.) Racquet Club. 7.0 Men: Cascade Athletic Club, Gresham, Ore. 7.0 Women: Columbia Basin Racquet Club, Richland, Wash. 8.0 Men: Sprinker Tennis Center, Tacoma, Wash. 8.0 Women: Lake Oswego (Ore.) Tennis Center. The 55 & Over sectional champions will represent the USTA/PNW in the USTA National Championships at Surprise Tennis & Racquet Center in Surprise, Arizona. The Adult 55 & Over 6.0 and 8.0 levels will be held October 31 November 2, 2014 with the 7.0 and 9.0 levels held November 7-9. The 65 & Over sectional champions will compete in a championship event in March 2015 against teams from other USTA sections. Site Proposals Being Accepted for all 2015 USTA/PNW Sectional Tournaments The USTA Pacific Northwest is now accepting Request for Proposals (RFP) for all 2015 Sectional Championship tournaments. All communities who are interested in hosting a USTA/PNW Sectional Championship are welcome to apply. RFP s will be accepted until September 8. Announcements of all 2015 Sectional Championship locations will be in October 2014. To download a copy of the RFP, please visit www.pnw.usta.com/usta-league/championships.
2015 USTA/PNW and USTA League National Regulations Highlighted The 2015 USTA/PNW and USTA National League Regulations are now available on the USTA/PNW website at http://bit.ly/1qxccx4. There are also documents on that page highlighting the major changes to both sets of regulations. Below are some of the highlights of the revised 2015 USTA League regulations at both the section and national level. If you have any questions regarding the 2015 USTA/PNW or National League Regulations, contact USTA/PNW Section League Coordinator Adam Hutchinson at ahutchinson@pnw.usta.com. USTA/PNW: Team Defaults: For 2015 Championship Year leagues, team defaults will no longer cause the standings to change. Team defaults will still be recorded as a total team default (i.e. majority of individual matches not played) however all other matches played or to be played will count. A team that commits a team default will still be ineligible to advance to a Championship. This only applies to local league play. Split match scorecard exchange: For any match that has split matches (i.e. 2 matches followed by 3 matches or 1 match followed by 4 matches, etc.) the scorecard must be exchanged prior to the first match played (if all matches are played on the same day). This keeps the USTA/PNW in compliance with National Regulation 2.01C(5). If a split match is played on multiple days, only the individual matches played on the first day are to be exchanged. Inclement weather: The USTA/PNW now has detailed guidelines for inclement weather. See 2015 Rule Change Summary for details. Residency Rule: For 2015 Championship Year, no more than four players may be on a roster from outside the area for Adult 18 & Over and Adult 40 & Over Leagues. For all other leagues, no more than three players may be on the roster from outside the area. USTA NATIONAL: 2.06A Move Up/Split Up (relaxed restrictions for Move Up/Split Up): Teams are allowed to move up an NTRP team level and play in another age group within the same division. There is no restriction for crossover between Adult and Mixed Divisions. Move Up/Split Up requirements apply only to players who participated in 3 or more matches, excluding defaults, for that team during the championship year. NOTE: This Regulation is applicable for play in the 2015 Championship Year for any team that advances to, or qualifies for, any 2014 National Championship. Rating Type B : This rating type will no longer be published but process will remain unchanged. Championship players will not be allowed to appeal their ratings down for one year after playing in Championship matches but will be allowed to appeal their ratings up if they otherwise qualify. Upgrades to USTA/PNW League Program Result in Increased League Fees The USTA/PNW league fee for the 2015 season will increase by $3 to $22 ($25 total including $3 nonrefundable Active.com processing fee). The increase for this year will help cover upgrades of the USTA/PNW league program including: Increased staffing expenses which will help improve communication and service to USTA/PNW league players. USTA certified officials to be used at select Local League Playoffs. Increased expenses at Sectional Championships, including more awards for players, t-shirts for all players, and improved player party experience.
Entry Deadline Dates Tournament Name ID # (click link to go to tourn. page) Location Aug 8 Aug 14-17 Irvington Club Jr. Challenger Indoor Championships 600214214 Portland, OR http://tennislink.usta.com/tournaments/tournamenthome/tournament.aspx?t=150143 Aug 10 Aug 15-17 Umpqua Valley Tennis Center Jr. Challenger 600010114 Roseburg, OR http://tennislink.usta.com/tournaments/tournamenthome/tournament.aspx?t=149800 Aug 14 Aug 22-24 Olympia End of Summer Champs 600713614 Tumwater, WA http://tennislink.usta.com/tournaments/tournamenthome/tournament.aspx?t=149830 Aug 15 Aug 22-24 Boxer Junior Championships II 600016214 Forest Grove, OR http://tennislink.usta.com/tournaments/tournamenthome/tournament.aspx?t=152252 Aug 16 Aug 21-24 Eastside TC August Challenger 600026514 Kirkland, WA http://tennislink.usta.com/tournaments/tournamenthome/tournament.aspx?t=156917 Aug 17 Aug 22-24 McMinnville Junior Challenger 600002814 McMinnville, OR http://tennislink.usta.com/tournaments/tournamenthome/tournament.aspx?t=156179 Aug 18 Aug 22-23 SummerSlam Survivor Series Grand Slam 600019914 Portland, OR http://tennislink.usta.com/tournaments/tournamenthome/tournament.aspx?t=153138 Aug 20 Aug 29-Sept 1 Level 4 - Spokane, WA 600017414 Spokane, WA http://tennislink.usta.com/tournaments/tournamenthome/tournament.aspx?t=152615 Aug 23 Aug 28-31 Eastside TC August Champs #2 600026614 Kirkland, WA http://tennislink.usta.com/tournaments/tournamenthome/tournament.aspx?t=156918 Aug 24 Aug 29-31 Willamette Valley Jr. Champs 600022214 Albany, OR http://tennislink.usta.com/tournaments/tournamenthome/tournament.aspx?t=154020 Aug 25 Aug 29-31 Bellevue Tennis Academy Labor Day Rookies 600015914 Bellevue, WA http://tennislink.usta.com/tournaments/tournamenthome/tournament.aspx?t=157394 Aug 25 Aug 29-Sept 1 Newcastle Days End of Summer Challenger 600804014 Bellevue, WA http://tennislink.usta.com/tournaments/tournamenthome/tournament.aspx?t=149695 Aug 27 Sept 5-7 Capitol City Tennis Fall Girl's Championships 600312714 Tumwater, WA http://tennislink.usta.com/tournaments/tournamenthome/tournament.aspx?t=149832 Aug 30 Sept 5-7 Acey Deucey Boys Champs 600021914 Vancouver, WA http://tennislink.usta.com/tournaments/tournamenthome/tournament.aspx?t=149693 Aug 30 Sept 5-7 Eastside TC September Rookies 600026714 Kirkland, WA http://tennislink.usta.com/tournaments/tournamenthome/tournament.aspx?t=156919
Entry Deadline Dates Tournament Name ID # (click link to go to tourn. page) Location Sept 1 Sept 13-14 Level 4A - G14 Albany Tennis Club 600020614 Albany, OR http://tennislink.usta.com/tournaments/tournamenthome/tournament.aspx?t=153547 Sept 3 Sept 13-14 Level 4A - G18 Rogue Valley 600001814 Medford, OR http://tennislink.usta.com/tournaments/tournamenthome/tournament.aspx?t=148344 Sept 3 Sept 13-14 Level 4A - B18 Lewis & Clark 600003114 Portland, OR http://tennislink.usta.com/tournaments/tournamenthome/tournament.aspx?t=149972 Sept 3 Sept 13-14 Level 4A - B14 Eastside Tennis Center 600015014 Kirkland, WA http://tennislink.usta.com/tournaments/tournamenthome/tournament.aspx?t=151633 Sept 6 Sept 12-14 Rogue Valley Country Club Jr. Challenger 600011814 Medford, OR http://tennislink.usta.com/tournaments/tournamenthome/tournament.aspx?t=153314 Sept 7 Sept 12-14 Sprinker Jr. Champs/Challenger/Rookie Superset 600008714 Tacoma, WA http://tennislink.usta.com/tournaments/tournamenthome/tournament.aspx?t=148327 Sept 10 Sept 20-21 Level 4A - G16 Lewis & Clark 600003314 Portland, OR http://tennislink.usta.com/tournaments/tournamenthome/tournament.aspx?t=149973 Sept 10 Sept 20-21 Level 4A - G12 Eastside Tennis Center 600015114 Kirkland, WA http://tennislink.usta.com/tournaments/tournamenthome/tournament.aspx?t=151634 Sept 14 Sept 19-21 Mint Valley Fall Tennis Championships 600014814 Longview, WA http://tennislink.usta.com/tournaments/tournamenthome/tournament.aspx?t=151574 Entry Deadline Dates Tournament Name ID # (click link to go to tourn. page) Location Aug 9 Aug 14-17 Beat the Heat at TCSP Men's NTRP (Level II 250) 600026914 Seattle, WA http://tennislink.usta.com/tournaments/tournamenthome/tournament.aspx?t=156928 Aug 16 Aug 22-24 Beat the Heat at TCSP Mixed Dbls NTRP (Level II 250) 600023914 Seattle, WA http://tennislink.usta.com/tournaments/tournamenthome/tournament.aspx?t=157196 Aug 22 Aug 29-Sept 1 2014 USTA/PNW Adult Sectionals (Sectional 600) 600002414 Yakima, WA http://tennislink.usta.com/tournaments/tournamenthome/tournament.aspx?t=148874 Aug 23 Aug 29-31 Beat the Heat at TCSP Doubles NTRP (Level II 250) 600026814 Seattle, WA http://tennislink.usta.com/tournaments/tournamenthome/tournament.aspx?t=157198 Sept 1 Sept 9-14 35th Amy Yee Open & Senior (Level II 250) 600414114 Seattle, WA http://tennislink.usta.com/tournaments/tournamenthome/tournament.aspx?t=148782 Sept 2 Sept 5-7 Newcastle Days Open & NTRP Singles (Level II 250) 600002114 Bellevue, WA http://tennislink.usta.com/tournaments/tournamenthome/tournament.aspx?t=149696 Sept 10 Sept 17-21 Bellevue City NTRP (Level II 250) 600009814 Bellevue, WA http://tennislink.usta.com/tournaments/tournamenthome/tournament.aspx?t=149760 Sept 15 Sept 19-21 Players/VTC Grand Slam #4 - Singles (Level I 500) 600501414 Vancouver, WA http://tennislink.usta.com/tournaments/tournamenthome/tournament.aspx?t=149318