BLAST! Home Page
February 1, 2010
BLAST

BUZZ:
  2010 Big Book of Colorado Tennis just days away
  Tenth Annual Colorado Tennis Hall of Fame Gala in the books!
  Dann, Miller and Wright to represent US at ITF Senior Worlds
  Roaring Fork tennis enthusiasts coming together for indoor tennis
  Colorado Wheelchair Tennis Foundation Annual Awards Banquet & Fundraiser
  Submit news and calendar items to COLORADO TENNIS and BLAST!

COMMUNITY:
  Funding available for new and growing tennis programs and youngsters in need
  Funding available for public court improvements
  USTA Colorado/CYTF Grant Information Night
  Racquets for All expanding south
  Recreational Coach Workshop
  New Combined CTA & NJTL Registration System
  Be an advocate for tennis: The Big Serve
  2010 Tennis Block Parties

JUNIOR LEAGUES:
  Junior League Coordinator meetings set
  Important Date Changes for JTT

ADULT LEAGUES:
  Important Changes for the 2010 League Season
  New league - Trio Men's League

PLAY:
  Find a Team/Find a Player
  Upcoming Tournaments


2010 Big Book of Colorado Tennis just days away
The 2010 Big Book will be mailed to all USTA member households in just a few days. Anyone needing an extra copy should look for one at your local tennis facility, or stop by the USTA Colorado office above Gates Tennis Center.

Tenth Annual Colorado Tennis Hall of Fame Gala in the books!
The tenth annual Colorado Tennis Hall of Fame Gala was held on Friday, January 29. Five individuals were inducted into the Colorado Tennis Hall of Fame and 24 USTA Colorado annual awards were presented. Special thanks to Steele Street Bank for their continued support. Event photos and wrap up will appear on COLORADOTENNIS.com in the coming days.

Dann, Miller and Wright to represent US at ITF Senior Worlds
The USTA announced that three Colorado players will represent the United States at the 30th ITF Seniors World Team Championships hosted by Federacion Mexicana de Tenis. Denver’s Willie Dann and Lew Miller (Italia Cup, Men’s 35 & over), and Grand Junction’s Susan Wright (Maria Bueno Cup, Women’s 50 & over) will join other top American tennis players March 29-April 3, in Mexico City, Mexico. The ITF Seniors/Super-Seniors World Team Championships is the most coveted team event on the ITF Seniors circuit. Since its inception in 1981, the number of competitors attracted to this event has increased year by year. The ITF World Individual Championships will take place April 4-11 in San Luis Potosi, Mexico.

Roaring Fork tennis enthusiasts coming together for indoor tennis
A grassroots group of tennis enthusiasts in the Roaring Fork Valley, ACE-IT (Aspen Community Effort for Indoor Tennis), will be hosting an Après-Ski Wine & Cheese informational event on March 7, from 4 till 6 pm in the Red Mountain Grill at the City of Aspen Golf & Tennis Center. ACE-IT! has been working with the City of Aspen to put a bubble over four of the public tennis courts. While the group has the full support of the City, they do not have the funds for the structure. Once the bubble is up, the City will run programs and cover operating expenses. This event is intended to update the Roaring Fork Valley’s tennis enthusiasts as to the status of the proposed covered courts, as well as give folks the opportunity to donate to or volunteer their time towards this goal. For more information, visit Roaring Fork Valley Tennis/phone: 970/279-1223/email.

Colorado Wheelchair Tennis Foundation Annual Awards Banquet & Fundraiser
Support wheelchair tennis and join the CWTF in recognizing achievement and commitment to the sport on Friday, March 12, at the Clubhouse at Indian Tree Golf Course in Arvada (7555 Wadsworth Blvd, 80003). Cocktails at 6 PM followed by dinner and an awards presentation at 7 PM. Visit CWTF.net for more information and to register.

Submit news and calendar items to COLORADO TENNIS and BLAST!
Got a story idea that you think COLORADO TENNIS should pursue? Is there a special program, event or person that is making news in your community? The editor of COLORADO TENNIS newspaper and BLAST! wants to hear about it.
Players, facilities and program directors from across the state are encouraged to submit news and calendar items to COLORADO TENNIS, the state’s premier tennis publication, and BLAST!, the monthly e-newsletter from USTA Colorado.
The deadlines for editorial and photo submissions to COLORADO TENNIS newspaper are:
• Spring issue (published mid-March): February 16
• Summer issue (published mid-June): May 19
• Fall issue (published mid-September): August 11
• Winter issue (published early-December): October 27

BLAST! Deadlines are the 15th of the month prior to publication. Each issue of BLAST! is published on the first of the month. Submit your event/announcement for USTA Colorado’s BLAST! to Kurt Desautels by the 15th of the month prior to publication.

All news items and photos become the property of USTA Colorado. Photo credit will be given if provided. USTA Colorado reserves the right to withhold any news item. There is no guarantee that submissions will be published, but we will make every effort to do so if they are received by the deadline date.

Funding available for new and growing tennis programs and youngsters in need
USTA Colorado and the Colorado Youth Tennis Foundation are seeking and new creative approaches to getting more people involved in tennis. Program grants typically range between $100 and $1,000 and are available for organizations targeting almost any population or group – adults/seniors, adaptive, ethnically diverse and youth. Deadline is April 1 so get your application in soon.
The CYTF is also accepting special need scholarship applications from juniors who need assistance in order to pursue tennis. The application deadline is also April 1. For more information and an application.

Funding available for public court improvements
Adopt-A-Court grants are available through USTA Colorado to match funds needed for repairing and/or upgrading existing public tennis courts, court equipment or amenities. Application deadline is April 1.

USTA Colorado/CYTF Grant Information Night
Have questions about the USTA CO/CYTF grant process and how to start writing a grant to support your tennis program or facility project? Wondering what other USTA grants may be available to your organization? Join us at the USTA Colorado/CYTF office for a Grant Information Night on Tuesday, March 2, 6:30-7:30 PM. Please RSVP to Kristy Harris by February 26.

Racquets for All expanding south
Racquet collection efforts are ready to begin in Colorado Springs with the Metz Family – parents Jeannie & Brian led by daughter Jessica – signing on as the regional coordinators. Facilities and players in the area should contact them to get involved!
Regional coordinators are still being sought for Central Denver and North Denver/Boulder. Contact Kristy Harris if you are interested. Learn more about the Racquets for All program.

Recreational Coach Workshop
There’s still time to register for the first USTA Recreational Coach Workshop of the year at Littleton Golf & Tennis Club on Tuesday, February 10 from 9 AM – 3:30 PM. This interactive, on-court training is designed for tennis teachers and coaches working with players of all ages at the recreational level. This workshop is an excellent primer for new coaches as well as a valuable refresher course for those with teaching experience but who seek more current methods and effective tools. Click here for registration brochure.
For more information on Recreational Coach Workshops or Recreational QuickStart Tennis Workshops or to learn more about hosting one of these trainings.


New Combined CTA & NJTL Registration System
All community tennis associations (CTA) and national junior tennis & learning (NJTL) programs that are currently part of the USTA network and would like to continue to receive benefits like discount insurance and access to grants and other resources for your organizations and participants must renew for 2010 as soon as possible. Registration for new organizations and renewal for our current partners is free. Contact Kristy Harris if you have questions about this process.


Be an advocate for tennis: The Big Serve
Want to see more tennis programs and facilities in your community? Check out a great on-line resource from the USTA, The Big Serve. Loads of information, access to resources and a place to share success stories and get connected.


2010 Tennis Block Parties
Tennis Block Parties are an integral part of the USTA’s Tennis Month promotional platform designed to kick off the outdoor tennis season in May. This year’s theme is “It’s Time”... To sign up the kids, coach tennis or get the family involved. Tennis Block Parties are easy to organize and provide a great platform to promote your local tennis programs to players of all ages and abilities. These events can be hosted at any public facility and should feature two to three hours of tennis instruction, interactive games, and attractions for player of all ages and abilities.
The online 2010 Block Party Site Commitment Form is now available. Once it is completed and submitted to the USTA, Block Party organizers will have access to downloadable marketing materials and printed tips to help make the Block Party a success. Your event will also be featured on USTA.com and Active.com! Local Tennis Block Party organizers submitting their commitment forms between now to March 31, 2010 will be considered for the USTA marketing grants, which are available to increase attendance at and awareness of the events. Contact Kristy Harris for more information and to coordinate events within Colorado.


Junior League Coordinator meetings set
Facility Coordinator meetings for USTA Junior Team Tennis have been set. Dates and times are as follows:
• Thursday, March 4 at 10:00 am
• Wednesday, March 10 at 6:00 pm
• Tuesday, March 16 at 10:00 am
• Thursday, March 25 at 6:00 pm
All meetings will take place at the Colorado Tennis Association’s office, located at 3300 E. Bayaud Ave, Suite 201 in Denver. Please RSVP to Dan Lewis by February 15. The date for the Northern Colorado Facility Coordinator meeting has not been set. This information will be available in the March issue of BLAST!.


Important Date Changes for JTT
All dates for the Denver Metro Junior Team Tennis League are one week later relative to last years schedule. This includes the team creation deadline, the 4-player minimum deadline, regular season match dates, and the State Championships. The specific dates are as follows:
June 2 – Team Creation Deadline
June 4 – Player Minimum Deadline (at least 4 on each roster)
June 21 – 1st Match Day
June 28 – Match Day
July 5 – Match Day
July 12 – Match Day
July 19 – Match Day
July 26 – Match Day
August 2 – Match Day
August 13-15 – CO JTT State Championships


Important Changes for the 2010 League Season
New Regulation: All teams must have at least 75% of their rostered players “in level”. More info
Mixed Doubles time shift: Match times will be 12pm and 3pm for both USTA Mixed and ITA Fall Mixed. More info
CTA Women's Summer Daytime date shift: league will start and end one week later in 2010. More info

New league - Trio Men's League
The CTA Men's Tri-Level league has undergone a complete overhaul for the 2010 season and has become a new league. Trio Men's League will take place on Saturday afternoons beginning in late March. The league will be 4-5 weeks in length and will be a warm-up (preseason) league for the upcoming league season. Sorry ladies, at this time, it is just a men's league. The format will be 2 singles and 1 doubles position per team match. Levels offered will be Men's 2.5, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5 and 5.0. Each team must have at least four (4) players registered by the deadline on March 19 to be included in the schedule. The league fee will only be $12 per player. Men's 3.0, 4.0 and 5.0 matches will be scheduled for Saturdays at 1pm. Men's 2.5, 3.5 and 4.5 will be scheduled for Saturdays at 3pm. All matches will utilize a tiebreak in lieu of the third set. Contact Kailey Jonas for more information or to get involved in this new league.

Find a Team/Find a Player
Are you looking for a team to play on or to find players for your existing team? The USTA Colorado league department keeps a list of players looking for teams and teams looking for players. Please visit our find a team page on COLORADOTENNIS.com and submit a player information form to Taylor McKinley (taylor@coloradotennis.com) or fax to 303/695-6302 if you would like to add your name to our list.


Upcoming Colorado Sanctioned Tournaments
(Entries closing in the next 45 days)
Tournament Name Entries
Open/Close
Tournament
Start/End
Ranch Indoor Open (DESIGNATED)
MW(35,45,55,65,75)sd; X(35,45,55,65,75)d
11/27/2009 (Open)
02/09/2010 (Close)
at 11:59:00 PM
02/16/2010 (Start)
02/21/2010 (End)
Colorado Springs Racquet Club Chp./4.0/3.0
Open: MW(Op)sd; X(Op)d; NMW(3.0,4.0)sd
12/26/2009 (Open)
02/09/2010 (Close)
at 11:59:00 PM
02/16/2010 (Start)
02/21/2010 (End)
Evergreen Sports Center Spring Doubles Challenge
NMW(3.0-4.5)d,SE
01/01/2010 (Open)
02/19/2010 (Close)
at 11:59:00 PM
02/24/2010 (Start)
02/28/2010 (End)
Flying Horse Indoor Clay Thoroughbred Champ.
BG(18-10)s
01/25/2010 (Open)
03/05/2010 (Close)
at 11:59:00 PM
03/12/2010 (Start)
03/14/2010 (End)
Meadow Creek Junior Open (DESIGNATED)
B(18-12)s,SE; G(14-12)s,SE
01/16/2010 (Open)
03/07/2010 (Close)
at 11:59:00 PM
03/14/2010 (Start)
03/20/2010 (End)
Young Guns Championship
BG(14-10)s
01/13/2010 (Open)
03/07/2010 (Close)
at 11:59:00 PM
03/12/2010 (Start)
03/15/2010 (End)
Lewis Tennis March Madness Satellite
Satellite: BG(18-10)s, Non-elimination
01/13/2010 (Open)
03/09/2010 (Close)
at 11:59:00 PM
03/13/2010 (Start)
03/13/2010 (End)
Art Kono Memorial Tennis Tournament
NMW(3.5,4.5)sd; NX(3.0-4.5)d
01/27/2010 (Open)
03/14/2010 (Close)
at 11:59:00 PM
03/22/2010 (Start)
03/28/2010 (End)
 
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