11/16/09 2:05 PM

USTA/Maryland provided a Community Grant of $1,000 for equipment Friends of Patterson Park, a park in the Baltimore City Parks & Recreation department . The grant was used to purchase equipment and Executive Director Tim Almaguer (and Maryland’s Junior Administrator of the Year) offered free beginner tennis lessons. About 30 urban children ages 6-10 attended the clinics. According to the Baltimore Guide, Almaguer said, “We want to continue being able to offer tennis free of charge in a program that is open to anybody in our diverse community.”

10/27/09 12:31 PM

Four non-profit Community Tennis Associations received USTA Recreational Tennis Grants. The Roanoke Valley Tennis Association (Roanoke, VA), Lynchburg Tennis Patrons Association (Lynchburg, VA), Active Aces Super Senior Tennis Club, Inc. (Washington, D.C.), and Greater Baltimore Tennis Patrons Association, Inc., (Baltimore, MD) were given grants to increase tennis participation.

10/9/09 6:23 PM

Dave Wendt and Fred Drilling BRISTOW, VA—Mid-Atlantic Tennis & Education Foundation President Dave Wendt, world-class player Fred Drilling, and USTA/Mid-Atlantic Community Tennis Manager Ronnie Goodall introduced several kids to QuickStart tennis at the Youth For Tomorrow school’s 24th Annual Country Fair/Auction, founded by former Washington Redskins and three-time Super Bowl Champion Coach Joe Gibbs. The Youth For Tomorrow school is a nationally respected adolescent program consisting of three integrated components—Residential, Education and Counseling—designed to meet the needs of children ages 11-17 struggling with a variety of difficulties at home and school.

7/13/09 1:37 PM

Nearly 50 people attended the Recreational Coaches Workshop under the direction of USTA National Recreation Coaches and Programs Manager Anne Davis at Army Navy Country Club.

9/28/09 2:24 PM

Northeast Battle of the Sections Champion: The University of Virginia FLUSHING MEADOWS, NY—In a battle of unbeatens, the University of Virginia nipped Brown University 26-25 in a super tiebreaker after battling back and forth. The Cavaliers prevailed in the Tennis On Campus Battle of the Northeast Sections at the US Open’s Louis Armstrong stadium. The USTA/Mid-Atlantic Section (consisting of Virginia, Virginia Tech, Georgetown and Maryland) took home the Section Champion award, for their teams having the best results overall. The Mid-Atlantic office will receive a silver bowl that is passed around each year to the winning section.

9/22/09 12:16 PM

Nominate outstanding NJTLs from the Mid-Atlantic Section for the 2009 NJTL of the Year award. Top selections will become the Section’s NJTL of the Year recipients and will go on to be entered into review for National consideration. Finalists will be selected on the quality of their application, not just our collective knowledge of the organization. National winners will be recognized at the Community Tennis Development Workshop (CTDW) in San Diego, CA, from January 22-24. Please note that the CTDW is a month earlier than in the past.

9/22/09 12:51 PM

Nick Taylor Nick Taylor will speak at the 2009 USTA/Virginia Annual Meeting and Awards Luncheon on October 24 at The Dominion Club in Glen Allen, VA. Aside from being a two-time Paralympic Gold Medalist (winning the gold in 2008 in Beijing and 2004 in Athens, both times in Wheelchair Tennis Doubles), Taylor is part of Team USA for World Team Cup, holding World Champion titles for the last 10 years.

9/14/09 1:41 PM

Nick Askew and Ronnie Goodall The USTA celebrates 40 years of the National Junior Tennis and Learning (NJTL) Network. Prince George’s Tennis and Education Foundation's Director of Programs Nick Askew and Community Tennis and Diversity Manager Ronnie Goodall were at the US Open for the festivities.

8/27/09 6:31 PM

Tennis in the Parks (TIP) helps you improve and expand opportunities in communities nationwide for the public to learn and play the lifelong game of tennis. Program resources are FREE to eligible agencies that are committed to growing and improving tennis programs and infrastructure in the community. TIP is focused on quality tennis programming from instruction, team tennis and league play to marketing and partnerships. TIP helps ensure that public tennis facilities are in optimum condition.

8/27/09 4:36 PM

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA—Albemarle County Parks & Recreation recently completed its second year of QuickStart summer programs. Almost 100 kids participated in total this year, up from 40 last year. Amy Smith, Albemarle County Parks & Rec Supervisor, says, “QuickStart Tennis was a huge success. We more than doubled our participants from last summer. Lynda Harrill has done a tremendous job spreading QuickStart Tennis throughout the community!”

8/17/09 3:29 PM

PALMYRA, VA – A group of enthusiastic community volunteers has just completed a four-session QuickStart pilot program to see how kids at Lake Monticello would take to QuickStart Tennis. Twenty-eight kids and 12 senior tennis player-volunteers hit the courts on four successive Wednesdays starting in mid-July to get QuickStart going at the Lake. This was inter-generational tennis at its best! This was true community tennis, aimed at creating a tennis tradition in Fluvanna County.

8/17/09 2:23 PM

Ellis Acres Memorial Park CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA–Ellis Acres Memorial Park, USTA/Mid-Atlantic, Buckingham Parks & Recreation and CATA QuickStart are joining forces to introduce QuickStart Tennis in Buckingham County, help restore the Ellis Acres historic site, and create a community park for all Buckingham County residents.

8/11/09 4:06 PM

Champion University of Virginia is crowned at the Legg Mason Tennis Classic. University of Virginia wins the first ever Legg Mason Tennis On Campus Challenge. The Cavaliers rebounded from missing going to nationals by one point, dropping a tiebreaker 5-4 at the Mid-Atlantic Sectional Championship in February. But they learned from that experience and are now the Legg Mason Tennis On Campus Champions. The challenge was played on the finals weekend of the Legg Mason Classic professional tennis tournament and featured the top 4 teams in the Section. After UVa., Maryland finished second, Virginia Tech placed third, and Georgetown fourth in this World TeamTennis format, where every game counts toward a team total.

8/11/09 4:20 PM

Edward Harding III, 16, won the Arthur Ashe National Essay Contest. Harding, the 15-16 year old champion, is a part of the Prince George Tennis and Education Foundation (PGTEF) in Upper Marlboro, MD. Mid-Atlantic Section winners are Greater Baltimore Tennis Patrons’ Lamar Burke (male, 10) and Sophia Williams (female, 12); An Achievable Dream Academy’s Dejon Washington (male, 12) and Seanna Tucker (female, 18); and PGTEF’s Shariah Dunwell (female, 10), Qamar Ghani (male, 14), Maria Reyes-Chian (female, 14), and Katelyn Stokes (female, 16).

8/11/09 5:38 PM

Denise Yetzer CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – The C’Ville Market and Charlottesville Area Tennis Association (CATA) are joining forces to promote healthy eating for kids 10 and under. As part of the Go Bananas for QuickStart! campaign, the C’Ville Market will provide coupons for elementary school kids in the City of Charlottesville. Each coupon will offer a free banana, free bottle of water, and free tour of the store to learn about fruits and vegetables.

7/31/09 3:27 PM

Radek Stepanek signs an autograph for Maya Kanaan, 5, of Great Falls, VA. RESTON, VA—Kastles and World TeamTennis championship coach Murphy Jensen and No. 17 ranked serve-and-volleyer Radek Stepanek helped kids and adults improve their games at the Asian Festival Block Party. Each Lake Newport court was packed with beginners to advanced players who enjoyed the prize court, drills and games with more people attending this year than last year.

7/1/09 4:59 PM

Please join us to celebrate diversity in tennis at the Community Tennis Association luncheon at the 6th annual Asian Festival; Lake Newport Tennis Park; Reston, VA. Murphy Jensen will make an appearance Aug. 1 and wrist bands and gift bags will be provided at check in. Stay for the Asian Festival and USTA/Virginia Tennis Block Party from 4-6 p.m.

6/23/09 6:18 PM

West Virginia University's Tennis On Campus Team West Virginia University’s Tennis On Campus Team and USTA/West Virginia District invite you to The Greenbrier Cup. Held at one of the country's Top 50 Tennis Resorts (Tennis Magazine), WVU club tennis and the West Virginia District have worked hard to host a unique tournament. This tournament is a Tournament Series event, so your Tennis On Campus team will receive points.

6/22/09 6:43 PM

Maryland will play at the Legg Mason on Aug. 8-9 in a USTA/Mid-Atlantic Showdown. At the Legg Mason Tennis Classic on Aug. 8-9, the top four Mid-Atlantic Tennis On Campus teams will have a showdown. Defending Sectional Champions Virginia Tech will look to defend its crown by battling Maryland (the Terps finished sixth at USTA nationals), Georgetown (last year’s champion) and the University of Virginia (the Cavaliers fell to Georgetown this year by one point). The winner will be crowned the Legg Mason Tennis On Campus Champions. Semifinals will be Aug. 8 with the final on Aug. 9 at the Legg Mason mini-grandstand courts.

6/11/09 4:26 PM

The Virginia Club Tennis Championships, a Mid-Atlantic Tennis On Campus Tournament Series Event, will be held Oct. 17-18 at the University of Virginia's Snyder Tennis Courts in Charlottesville, VA. Deadline for the tournament is Sept. 13.

5/29/09 1:16 PM

Open to all coordinators, coaches, teaching Pros & Physical Education teachers in the Mid-Atlantic section. This workshop is a great resource that will provide you the skills to instruct children of all ages to learn tennis more quickly than the traditional methods. Your students will then have the skills to play on teams and leagues sooner and can start enjoying the fun, fitness and social benefits that tennis provides.

5/12/09 2:13 PM

Murphy Jensen with Keith and Le Pham The Thai Tennis Organization in America (TTOA) took home the title at the sixth annual Asian Games held at Jefferson District Park in Falls Church, VA. Kastles coach Murphy Jensen, the 1993 French Open Doubles Champion & current Tennis Channel host, was on site at the Block Party answering questions from the crowd, taking pictures and signing autographs. Jensen was on site on behalf of the Washington Kastles, who kick off their World TeamTennis season in Washington, DC. Participants at the Tennis Block Party experienced fun & games on court, QuickStart Tennis, a Singha Fast Serve Contest and a prize court. About 125 people participated in both events.

5/12/09 5:26 PM

This year’s Fiesta Asia Street Fair will take place on May 16 and is FREE to the public. Enjoy live performances by musicians, vocalists and dance artists, sample mouth-watering Pan-Asian cuisine, browse through the multicultural marketplace, participate in interactive activities, be wowed by martial arts performances, learn from cooking demonstrations and stroll through exhibits of traditional and contemporary Asian crafts.

5/11/09 1:24 PM

Colleges and universities participating in the USTA/Mid-Atlantic Tennis On Campus program will battle it out in a Fall Tournament Series. Several schools will host tournaments open to teams throughout the Mid-Atlantic Section. Each school’s top 3 results from the tournaments will be used for seeding purposes at the Section Campus Championships in February 2010.

5/5/09 2:44 PM

In celebration of May as National Tennis Month, the USTA will conduct festivities nationwide to celebrate tennis as the fastest-growing traditional sport in the U.S. The 12th year of National Tennis Month comes at a great time for tennis, as recent data from the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association shows that tennis is the fastest growing sport in the country, with participation increasing 43% since 2000 and 9.6% last year alone. Tennis legends Billie Jean King and John McEnroe will kick off National Tennis Month in New York City with a media appearance on May 6 to help promote the community tennis initiative.

4/27/09 1:38 PM

Elena Branker Elena Branker’s life is dramatically different because of tennis. Because of this sport, she has traveled, received an education, and landed a job. She traveled to many countries for Tournaments and received a full athletic scholarship to play Division I Tennis for Howard University. Branker graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. The 26-year-old is now the Jr. Team Tennis Manager at the USTA/Mid-Atlantic Section.

4/24/09 5:48 PM

Harshitha Mattapally's 2008 winning artwork Artwork should be no larger than 12-16” and can be any medium. It should be original artwork that is multicultural in nature or reflects the increasing diversity of tennis to the Mid-Atlantic Section. Essay should be submitted on an 8 ½” x 11” paper. It should be a paragraph of no more than 300 words on how playing and watching tennis has been a positive influence in your life. The competition will be judged by the Diversity Committee. All judging by the Committee will be final and binding. Participants will be notified by phone and / or mail. First and second place winners are awarded prizes and recognized at the Mid-Atlantic Section’s Annual Awards Luncheon in November. Certificates will be presented at winners schools gym also. Additionally the winning Essay and Artwork will be framed and placed on display at both the Luncheon and in the MAS Office.

4/22/09 6:25 PM

Charlottesville, VA – The Charlottesville Area Tennis Association’s Jump Start QuickStart Tennis Initiative has made its first QuickStart equipment grants to three schools and two parks & recreation departments in Central Virginia. Tim Thomas, PE Teacher at Ruckersville Elementary, CATA’s very first grant recipient, said “I received all the packages yesterday and really appreciate all you have done. I am jumping right into QuickStart Tennis.” Louisa County’s Athletic Supervisor Brian Vesely said, “That is awesome! Thank you very much. We will put that equipment to good use and get a bunch of kids excited about tennis in Louisa County. Thanks for all you do! Thanks to the Charlottesville Area Tennis Association for thinking of us. This is great!”

4/21/09 5:25 PM

Georgetown Nationals SURPRISE, AZ--Georgetown University was the Houdini team of the USTA National Tennis On Campus Championship. After escaping defeat time and again with miracle comebacks, the Hoyas scraped and clawed its way to finish 11th, the highest out of any Mid-Atlantic team.

4/21/09 12:13 PM

Jr. Team Tennis in Virginia is exploding! Virginia is seeing phenomenal growth with six new leagues, and existing programs are doubling and tripling in size. When asked to coordinate a new league in Roanoke, VA, Robin Echols jumped at the chance. Key ingredients: interested parents and pros, available tennis courts, and a determined first-year coordinator. The League kicks-off on April 25 with 17 teams and 160 or more participants. Local tennis pro Tom Gibbs commented, “The kids used to be nonchalant about coming to practice. Now that they are on a TEAM they show up every time.”

4/17/09 2:53 PM

Maryland Terps are still alive in Arizona. Surprise, AZ--Maryland and Georgetown went undefeated at the USTA National Tennis On Campus Championship to reach the Top 16. The Terrapins and Hoyas pulled off miracle wins to go undefeated in Pool play, so they could compete for a National Championship. Maryland, the Mid-Atlantic Sectional Finalists, overcame a five-game deficit, while Georgetown, the Sectional Third-Place Team, was down by 13 games. Georgetown won Pool C by beating South Carolina 27-26, Wisconsin (Whitewater) 29-14, and Arizona State 22-18. Maryland won Pool P by defeating St. Louis 27-17, Minnesota 23-20, and Wisconsin (Milwaukee) 27-26.

4/15/09 5:23 PM

Charlottesville, VA– USTA/Mid-Atlantic Section Executive Director Rod Dulany said the “Go Bananas for QuickStart!” program will make exercise healthy and fun. “It is a great program starting up in our section that focuses on tennis, fitness, conditioning, hydration and nutrition. Kids can play like the pros by hitting back and forth. The only difference is they play on smaller courts with foam tennis balls. This program also teaches them to eat and train like the pros.” The Jump Start QuickStart Tennis Initiative is directed by Charlottesville Area Tennis Association (CATA) QuickStart Tennis Coordinator Lynda Harrill. Harrill says, “Applying for a grant from the Childhood Obesity Task Force was the inspiration for "Go Bananas for QuickStart!" Adding nutrition and hydration to the mix seemed like a natural. There’s no better food than bananas for tennis players and most kids love them. We’re going to use tennis players as nutritional role models for kids starting with bananas. Want to be a great tennis player? Eat like a great tennis player!”

4/13/09 6:33 PM

2009 Sectional Champion Virginia Tech Four Mid-Atlantic Teams will compete April 16-18 in the USTA Tennis On Campus National Championships at the Surprise Tennis & Racquet Complex in Surprise, AZ. Mid-Atlantic Section Champion Virginia Tech is in the same bracket with Northern Illinois University, the University of Miami, and last year’s National Champion --the University of Texas at Austin. Mid-Atlantic Finalist Maryland is in the same flight as the Northern Section Champion -- the University of Minnesota (Twin Cities), the University of Wisconsin (Milwaukee), and St. Louis University. The Georgetown Hoyas, who finished third in the Sectional Tournament, is in the same flight as Arizona State University, the University of South Carolina, and the University of South Carolina (Whitewater).

4/9/09 6:19 PM

All USTA/Virginia Tennis and Singha Fast Serve Contest contestants are entered to win US Open tickets, with the Grand Prize being a US Open package worth $1,000. Finalists face off at the Legg Mason Tennis Classic in Washington, DC. Proceeds benefit the Virginia Tennis Foundation, Reston Tennis Association, The Thai Tennis Organization in America, and the Washington Tennis & Education Foundation.

4/9/09 3:54 PM

The USTA’s Tennis On Campus (TOC) program has prepared the Navy women to become a varsity team in the fall. The female players gained valuable experience, helping their TOC team post a 7-4 mark.

4/9/09 2:38 PM

Charlottesville Area Tennis Association Charlottesville, VA—The Charlottesville Area Tennis Association (CATA) is teaming with the Boyd Tinsley $50,000 Challenger Tennis Tournament, to get people’s hearts in shape. Feisal Hassan, a National Trainer for the Tennis Industry Association’s Cardio Tennis Initiative, will lead this heart-pumping fitness event. Feisal’s resume includes USPTA Master Professional (only 1% of tennis pros worldwide have this certification), USPTA Pro of the Year in 2003, USTA High Performance Coach and USTA National Recreational Coach and QuickStart trainer. Heart rate monitors will be used to help participants gauge the beneficial effects of this ultimate, high-energy workout.

4/8/09 2:46 PM

USTA Serves awarded seven Mid-Atlantic Organizations grants. The Recreation Wish List Committee (RWLC), the Latin American Youth Center (LAYC), the Washington Tennis & Education Foundation (WTEF), the Lobs and Lessons program, An Achievable Dream Academy (AADA), Reach for College!, and the Annapolis Area Tennis School (AATS) received grants. USTA Serves Chief Executive Karen Martin-Eliezer said, “It is extremely rewarding to see how programs across the country are using USTA Serves funding to help children improve academically and learn positive life skills which will help them grow to be healthy, productive adults. We are grateful to the USTA, and so many corporations and individual donors for the generous support that empowers USTA Serves to allocate life-changing funds.”

4/3/09 11:53 AM

Seven Mid-Atlantic non-profit organizations received USTA grants totaling $93,000: The Washington Tennis & Education Foundation (Washington, DC) received $50,000; the Charlottesville Tennis Patrons (Charlottesville, VA), $9,500; the Latin American Youth Center (Washington, DC), $9,000; the Annapolis Area Tennis School (Annapolis, MD), $7,500; Montgomery County (MD), $7,000; Prince George’s Tennis & Education (Upper Marlboro, MD), $5,000; and the City of Richmond (Richmond, VA), $5,000.

4/3/09 5:17 PM

A Wheelchair Tennis Coaches Workshop will be held Saturday, April 25, at the Hermitage Country Club in Mankin-Sabot, Virginia. USPTR Certified Instructor Robbie Thomas will lead the workshop. Sportable will provide wheelchairs to attendees to demo. Resource materials will be available for all attendees. For more information and to sign up for the workshop, please e-mail Shima Grover at shimagro@gmail.com

4/1/09 5:24 PM

Anyone interested in learning the basics of coaching, teaching tennis or seeking a refresher on more current methods and effective tools should attend a USTA Recreational Coach Workshop at the Fort Lincoln Tennis Center in Washington, DC. Rob Issem, a Certified USTA Trainer, will instruct the 2009 Workshop.

3/31/09 2:45 PM

Find information about the latest QuickStart and Recreational Coaches Workshops, Tennis On Campus and Jr. Team Tennis Championships, and Sixth Annual Asian Games. Also, the Mid-Atlantic Tennis & Education Foundation Tennis Camp information is now available.

3/30/09 1:51 PM

Rob Issem Join us for a Recreational QuickStart Tennis Training Workshop with USTA/Virginia Tournaments Administrator Rob Issem, a Certified PTR (Professional Tennis Registry), National Recreational Coaches Workshop and QuickStart Trainer. The Falls Church event will be for Parents, Recreational Instructors, Volunteers, and Jr. Team Tennis Coaches. It will be held at the Skyline Sport & Health Club, and is designed especially for 10-and-under children. Sign up quickly because it is limited to 20 participants.

3/25/09 2:46 PM

Chris Tran The George Mason University Tennis Club is the latest club sport to join the list of intramural sports offered at Mason. Created by co-presidents and sophomores Michelle Le and Mike Pippa, the club is open to all Mason students regardless of experience. According to Le, the club’s purpose is to “provide an intercollegiate tennis team for all Mason students who wish to continue to play tennis actively at a competitive level. “Tennis is a very popular sport and it is a shame that we haven't had a tennis club for a while,” said Pippa. “The club provides students another way to participate in extracurricular activities. Also, it will give upcoming freshmen that were former high-school tennis players an opportunity to not let tennis vanish from their life."

3/12/09 5:35 PM

Jr. Team Tennis in on the rise in the Mid-Atlantic. With 1,779 players in 2008, we are already at 1,718 players in March. Mid-Atlantic Jr. Team Tennis Manager Elena Branker said the Section is 61 registrants away from bypassing last year’s total numbers. “We are growing very rapidly and still have the biggest season, summer, to go,” she added. “It should increase as the DC District and West Virginia District look to expand their leagues as well.” The Jr. Team Tennis concept emphasizes fun, fitness, and friends in intermediate and advanced divisions, competing in District, Sectional, and National Championships. To become a program coordinator or to join a team, contact Caroline Downs (Virginia) at caroline@virginiatennis.com; Alicia von Lossberg (Maryland) at avonloss@isiglobal.net; Carmela Goodall (Washington, DC) at carmela_goodall@msn.com; or Alice Ann Sarver (West Virginia) at aliceann@westvirginiatennis.com.

3/10/09 5:56 PM

Charlottesville QuickStart Workshop This Tennis Association is helping grow the game in Central Virginia. The Charlottesville Area Tennis Association (CATA), led by QuickStart Tennis Coordinator Lynda Harrill, wants 16,000 children to learn tennis in the next three years. Training QuickStart instructors is an essential part of CATA's Jump Start QuickStart Tennis Initiative, which will take tennis to 42 elementary schools in seven counties and Charlottesville. Virginia District’s Rob Issem and the Eastern Section’s Michelle Skelley conducted the three-hour QuickStart Tennis Workshop at Boar’s Head in Charlottesville. More than 40 people – physical-education teachers, tennis instructors, parents, grandparents and other volunteers from six different counties in Central Virginia -- learned activities for young children. Elly Appel, who played in Wimbledon, said she loves QuickStart because it grows tennis from the ground up.

3/11/09 1:30 PM

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.-- More than 700 tennis facilities, recreation departments and community centers across the U.S. took part in the USTA’s first-ever national youth-registration initiative for spring and summer tennis programs—many in spite of unexpectedly heavy snow and winter weather—attracting tens of thousands of kids and parents to take part in the inaugural celebration of “Tennis Night in America.” Tennis Night in America also included the BNP Paribas Showdown for the Billie Jean King Cup at New York’s Madison Square Garden. The Showdown featured four of the top women’s players in the world—10-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams, two-time defending Wimbledon champion Venus Williams, reigning French Open champion Ana Ivanovic and 2008 year-end No. 1 Jelena Jankovic—competing in a single-elimination tournament for the inaugural Billie Jean King Cup before a live national TV audience on HBO. The tournament was captured by Serena Williams in a straight-set victory over her sister Venus.

2/23/09 12:06 PM

2009 Mid-Atlantic Tennis On Campus Sectional Champions: Virginia Tech ANNAPOLIS, MD -- USTA/Mid-Atlantic crowned Virginia Tech the 2009 Tennis On Campus Sectional Champions. Virginia Tech demolished Maryland 30-15, winning all five sets to sweep the men and women’s singles, men and women’s doubles and mixed doubles at the Naval Academy’s Brigade Indoor Tennis Center. In the semifinals and finals, Caroline Koch, Krissy Rud, Mike Vaughan, Russ Taylor, and Lauren Palmucci were undefeated. Virginia Tech, Maryland, Georgetown, and the University of Mary Washington Qualified for Nationals. The top three teams qualified for automatic bids and will receive $1,000 for travel to Arizona, while UMW qualified as an at-large team.

2/17/09 2:22 PM

Community Tennis Development Workshop About Virginia Representatives attended the 2009 USTA Community Tennis Development Workshop in Hilton Head, SC, to hear featured speakers Oracene Price (Venus and Serena Williams' mother) and Aimee Mullins, President of the Women's Sports Foundation. Mullins is a record-breaking Paralympic athlete and became the first athlete with a disability to compete against able-bodied athletes as part of an NCAA Division I track team.

2/16/09 4:50 PM

Harrisonburg City Tennis Program was named Tennis Welcome Center of the Month. In 2008 alone their QuickStart program grew 97% and their adult beginner lesson program grew more than 60%. Even more remarkable is that the Harrisonburg City Tennis Program had 71 participants in 2003 and the next five years of TIA engineered programming totaled 1,056 participants to achieve more than 1000% program growth.

2/16/09 2:55 PM

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – The Charlottesville Area Tennis Association has received its first grant funding for its Jump Start QuickStart Tennis Initiative. Jump Start QuickStart, which was officially launched in December 2008, aims to take the USTA’s new format for kids 10-and-under to 16,000 kids in 42 elementary schools in seven counties in central Virginia and the City of Charlottesville over the next three years. The first grant was made by the Luck Stone Foundation of Richmond, VA. Charles S. Luck, III, President of the Foundation, said, “We are committed to supporting the communities where we operate and are delighted that we could assist with this project.” Lynda Harrill, QuickStart Tennis Coordinator, said “We are thrilled! I received the news of Luck Stone’s generous grant during the UVa Men’s Tennis match against Kentucky, so no one thought my jumping up and down was unusual. I was over the top. This will mean so much to so many kids in our region.” Grant funding will be used to purchase QuickStart Tennis equipment for schools and parks and recreation departments in Albemarle, Buckingham, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa, Nelson and Orange counties and the City of Charlottesville.

1/23/09 2:01 PM

Rod Dulany and TCCP coaches Out of 28 coaches playing in a QuickStart doubles tournament, only two were left standing. Jen Thomas and her assistant coach Mohammed Dajini won First Place and brand-new tennis racquets at the 2009 USTA/Mid-Atlantic High School Coaches Workshop. After tying for second place, Pete Shepherd and Victoria Neudecker, and Mehmet and Selim Yargici each received a bag of foam QuickStart tennis balls. Eighty coaches from the Mid-Atlantic Section participated in classroom instructions, on-court drills and QuickStart Training in College Park, MD. Tom Daglis, USPTA Vice President, presented “Singles and Doubles Strategy” and information on the “Tennis Resource Center.” Tommy Wade (Former college coach and current Director of Tennis for Decatur, AL) spoke on “What College Coaches Look for in Players” and “Changing Trends in the Modern Game.” Tennis Center at College Park (TCCP) coaches Kyle Bailey and Oliver Akli demonstrated on-court drills Jan. 17 at the TCCP, which is a newly designated USTA Junior Tennis Champions Regional Center.

1/23/09 3:27 PM

Resource Websites for School Tennis Coaches, including USTA Resources, Organizations, Tennis Manufactors and Vendors, and District and Sectional Contacts.

1/15/09 5:35 PM

Enoch Thompson celebrates good tennis. The NBC4 Health & Fitness Expo? was a hit. More than 85,000 visited the NBC4 Health & Fitness Expo in Washington, DC. The Washington Tennis Association (WTA) collected more than 500 requests for tennis information in Washington, DC. It was a smooth transition of responsibilities between Past President Maurice Patterson and current President Kelly Jackson. The event was successful and had more than 30 volunteers that assisted Jackson in her inaugural event as President of the USTA/WTA. Patterson and current USTA Board members volunteered at the event.

11/21/08 5:02 PM

Desiree Gross of the Baltimore Tennis Patrons Rob Issem, Mid-Atlantic Section QuickStart trainer, conducted a workshop for coordinators, coaches, teaching Pros & Physical Education teachers in the Mid-Atlantic Section. The workshop is a great resource that will provide participants the skills to instruct children of all ages to learn tennis more quickly than the traditional methods. Because we had more than 50 participants, Issem conducted a workshop at the William H.G. Fitzgerald Tennis Center in DC’s Rock Creek Park, while Maryland Community Tennis and Assistant Executive Director Jen Gregg simultaneously instructed another QuickStart workshop at the East Potomac Tennis Center in Southwest Washington.

11/21/08 1:40 PM

After winning Mid-Atlantic’s Campus Recreation Award, West Virginia University women’s tennis coach Marc Walters was a finalist for the national USTA/ITA Campus Recreation Award. Walters, a Morgantown, WV, native, is in his second season leading the Mountaineers and before that has been a Division II coach for 12 years with a 394-196 record (.667 winning percentage). His teams have won seven 20-plus win seasons and 21 top three conference finishes. This award honors an ITA coach who has done an outstanding job implementing the USTA's Tennis On Campus program or similar recreational tennis programs on campus in an effort to grow tennis participation within the campus community.

11/20/08 1:14 PM

The SWAT Team Five new courts opening in three months. Impossible. Not for the SWAT Team. The Staunton / Waynesboro / Augusta Tennis Association, the Mid-Atlantic and Virginia Section Organization of the Year, gets things done. In the November 2008 Parks and Recreation (Bethesda, MD) magazine, the SWAT team was mentioned in an article titled “Tennis, Everyone?” by Robin Bateman about “Why tennis is important to your community – and how you can acquire funding to build new or renovate your existing courts.”

9/3/08 2:59 PM

Six Mid-Atlantic Sectional Champions were crowned Aug. 9-10 at the University of Mary Washington with more than 150 players competing in Fredericksburg, VA. 12-and-Under Advanced Champion: FRC Servin’ up Trouble, Captain Kim Brown. 12-and-Under Intermediate Champion: Howard County Awesome Aces, Captain Shantha Chandra. 14-and-Under Advanced Champion: Richmond Nomads, Captain Lynn Maready. 14-and-Under Intermediate Champion: Regency Reds, Captain Chris Tran. 18-and-Under Advanced Champion: DTA, Captain Ryan Davidson. 18-and-Under Intermediate Champion: An Achievable Dream, Captain Donald Widener. Winning teams in the 14-and-under Advanced and Intermediate, and 18-and-under Advanced and Intermediate divisions will advance to the USTA National Junior Team Tennis Championships held October 23-November 2 in Mobile, Alabama.

8/29/08 3:01 PM

Alice Lee NEW YORK CITY--Thousands of kids attended Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day at the U.S. Open and several won racquets, jump ropes, and sweatpants for hitting targets during tennis drills on 18 courts. So many people attended this year’s event, there was an hour-and-a-half wait for face painting. In the afternoon session, Novak Djokovic, the No. 3 player in the world, played the 2003 U.S. Open Champion Andy Roddick.

6/19/08 8:56 PM

USTA/Virginia and the Charlottesville Tennis Patrons Association (CTPA) presented this event, which kicked off Albemarle County Parks & Recreation’s summer tennis programs and introduced the community to the new USTA tennis format for kids, ages 5 to 10. Almost 50 kids participated, and at least 50 parents and other siblings watched.

8/29/08 5:18 PM

CARY, NC – The Texas Longhorns beat California 22-16 in Saturday’s championship match at the 2008 USTA National Campus Championship presented by Tennis Warehouse at the Cary Tennis Park. The fifth time was a charm for the Longhorns: Texas has advanced to the championship match five times (’00, ’01, ’02, ’05 and ’08), but hadn’t clinched the title until this year. This was the first finals appearance for California since the tournament began. This event, which dates back to 2000, offers a national championship for non-varsity club and intramural tennis programs.

8/29/08 5:09 PM

CARY, NC – The University of Virginia won the Silver Championship Division, which is for all the teams that finished second in its flights, and James Madison won the Sportsmanship Award at the 2008 USTA National Campus Championship presented by Tennis Warehouse at the Cary Tennis Park. Virginia, the National Silver Champions and Mid-Atlantic Third-Place Finishers, beat South Carolina 27-21, Villanova 27-22, Northwestern 27-20 in the semifinals, and Michigan 29-25 in the Silver Division championship. The University of Virginia, last year’s two-time defending national finalist, finished second in Pool A with a 2-1 record. The Cavaliers beat Cornell 26-23 and the University of North Carolina-Greensboro 30-6, and fell to unbeaten eventual flight A winner Wisconsin 29-21. Virginia team members are seniors Rick Sherwood, Greensboro, NC, Warren Waterman, Quogue, NY, and Sara Heppe, Spotsylvania, VA; sophomores Chip Miller, Naples, FL, Andrew Gautier, Houston, TX, Britt Aspinall, Richmond, VA, and Kristen McVitty, Woodland Hills, CA; and freshmen Aaron Brownell, Newport News, VA, Lisa Addison, Midlothian, VA, and Michelle Le, Fairfax, VA.

2/12/08 3:19 AM

In the finals, Georgetown defeated VT 25-17, and in the semifinals nipped home-team UVA 25-23, while VT topped Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) 28-17 in the other semifinal. UVA earned third-place by defeating VCU 29-13 in the consolation match for the final national berth. The Hoyas sailed through the Gray Flight with an unbeaten 2-0 record over second-place U.S. Naval Academy and third-place James Madison University. VT earned a semifinal berth by going undefeated and downing second-place University of Maryland (Baltimore County) and third-place Johns Hopkins University. UVA went unbeaten, winning the Red Flight to advance to the semifinals, followed by second-place University of Mary Washington, third-place George Washington University, and fourth-place Christopher Newport University.

4/6/09 6:35 PM

Five Fort Belvoir players were crowned Rapid Rally Champions. In the boys’ division, Hattan Kahlil (12-13 year old champion); Talan Crum (10-11 champion) and Anthony Lawrence (8-9 champion) have qualified for Regionals in Manassas. In the girls’ division, Katie Stencavage won the 10-11 age group while Adia Dean won 8-9 division, playing in the Coast Guard’s racquetball courts in Alexandria, VA. If the children win Regionals on May 16 at the Boys and Girls Club, they go to Nationals in Chulavista, California. Rapid Rally coach Gloria Dean ran the event with help from the children’s parents. Dean said, “We have 19 parents who have volunteered and have completed a QuickStart and Recreational Coaches Workshop.”