Your monthly USTA Ky newsletter is here!

Your Monthly News & Updates

What's new with USTA Kenucky!!

PRESIDENT'S CORNER

I have just returned from attending the semi-annual USTA Southern meeting in Asheville NC. I am excited to report that Kentucky was mentioned numerous times for our accomplishments in promoting, developing and growing tennis for 2016. I am so proud of Jason Miller our Executive Director, our incredible staff and our outstanding volunteers! It is such an exciting time for tennis in Kentucky. The future looks bright and the possibilities are endless. To update you on the accomplishments of USTA Kentucky so far this year, I have included my President's Report from the meeting. Click here to read the report and revel in Kentucky's achievements. Every tennis player in Kentucky is a part of the success we have achieved so far and I thank you all. Remember: All tennis is good tennis.

Dell Kelly

President

USTA Kentucky

Tennis...It All Matters!

OFFICE COORDINATOR POSITION OPEN

We are so very sad to see Karen Johnson leaving us!! But our loss is your gain, as we are looking for a part-time Office Coordinator in Louisville. Candidate must be organized and able to provide bookkeeping and accounting support, administrative support, and event planning to staff and providers. Please click for details!

2016 LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON

Wow, it's hard to believe that it is already the middle of August! We have completed four of our eight League Championships. This year has been very exciting, as we have incorporated a lot of changes at each championship. These are changes that our league participants have enjoyed, either while playing or just attending to cheer on their friends.

The "Vendor Village" has been a huge addition to all of our championships. Included in the Vendor Village is the tournament shirt vendor where a player can redeem a coupon for the tournament shirt or they can choose to upgrade and select a different item. Also in the village, we have had women's tennis clothing, tennis gift items, massage table, and painted glass art!

In addition to the vendor village, an upgrade from the previous cotton t-shirt to a nice dry fit shirt for each participant is provided by redeeming their coupon. Another change includes the awards presentation. Each award is presented from a USTA Kentucky Board of Director and or the Executive Director while thanking each player for their participation in league

Thank you for your participation in playing USTA League tennis!! We are always looking for ways to grow and improve the experience while playing tennis in Kentucky!

ADULT 55 & OVER CHAMPIONSHIP

Thank you to the Owensboro Daviess County Tennis Association and all of their volunteers for a wonderful League Championship! Matches were played at Shifley Park, Moreland Park and Kentucky Wesleyan College as well as Centre' Court and the Evansville Tennis Center. All facilities were great to work with us as we dealt with Mother Nature, again. Thank you to all of those that helped in drying courts each time the rain stopped!

Congratulations to the following teams that will be advancing to compete in Asheville, NC the weekend of September 16th - 18th. They will be playing against eight other states that are part of the Southern Section for an opportunity to advance to the USTA Adult League Nationals.

Be sure to wish them the best of luck when you see them!

3.0W Louisville/Hamilton

3.5W Louisville/Branson

4.0W Owensboro/Walther

9.0W Louisville/Habeeb

9.0W Wildcard/Louisville/Dixon

3.5M Lexington/Tallon

4.0M Henderson/Scalfano

DROP SHOTS BEGINNING

IN LEXINGTON CONTINUES

IN LOUISVILLE, PADUCAH

Drop Shots, the Adult Recreation Tennis League that has become very popular in 2 Kentucky cities, is now expanding to a 3rd city. Lexington will begin its first ever session of Drop Shots on Tuesday, August 16th at Castlewood Park. The league will run for 8 weeks, every Tuesday from 6:30-8:30pm. After each night, players are invited to a post-match social hour at a local establishment. Players do not have to sign up by the 16th but rather can sign up for this session as late as August 30th. Leagues are also being renewed in Louisville and Paducah for the fall. Louisville will begin on August 30th at Seneca Park and Paducah will begin the following week, September 6th at Paducah Community College. These leagues are all a perfect opportunity for young professionals to get out in a fun, relaxed environment and play a little tennis and meet some new people. For registration click here

or click on the links below:

LOUISVILLE REGISTRATION: Click Here
LEXINGTON REGISTRATION: Click Here

PADUCAH REGISTRATION: Click Here

KENTUCKY JUNIOR CUP MAKES ITS RETURN!

After a 2-year hiatus, the much anticipated Kentucky Junior Cup is making its way back onto the junior tournament schedule in 2016. The event will take play September 24th-25th in Louisville. The event is a team-based event where groups of 12's, 14's, and 16's players of both genders play a series of matches over the course of 2 days. Players will play a combination of singles and doubles in each match with final matches won being the winning factor. This event does have a draw limit of 72 and Kentucky rankings will be used to determine the final entrant list. To enter the tournament, you can register here.

HIGH SCHOOL PLAYERS GEAR UP FOR FALL INTERSCHOLASTIC

In an effort to get high school aged players more opportunities in the fall, USTA Kentucky puts on several local Fall Interscholastic leagues across the state in the months of September and October. These leagues do offer intermediate and advanced divisions and kids at the middle school level can play up this league. Players are encouraged to play for the high school they attend but are allowed to play for other teams if their school does not organize a team. Click for more information about these leagues.

In October, a State Championship is played in Louisville for any team that played locally and would like to play in that championship.

ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL TENNIS

School is back in session and we're ready to add new fall school programs to our calendar. In order to do so, we will need to recruit more teachers, parents and volunteers to make the programs successful. If you are interested in volunteering with a kids' tennis club, please contact Louisville Schools Coordinator Robyn Ballinger or (502) 491-1290.

We are also working on expanding the middle school tennis league in Louisville and starting a new elementary school tennis league. Thanks to some grants received from USTA Southern, we are able to get high-quality tennis pros to help our new schools who are joining the middle school league for the first time and to help the elementary league get started.

We have officially wrapped up our summer programs in the park. These programs were run with the support of the Louisville 10 and Under Tennis Association and we were able to have almost 70 kids playing tennis all summer in 5 different Metro Louisville parks.

ARTHUR ASHE ESSAY CONTEST WINNER!

USTA Kentucky would like to congratulate Chase, the state winner of the Arthur Ashe essay contest! This young man is involved with the National Junior Tennis and Learning organization, Rising Stars of Kentucky Tennis. As the state winner, he will receive a trip to the Winston-Salem Open in North Carolina- the final stop on the US Open Series Tour! We are very proud of Chase and are thrilled for this opportunity for Chase and his family.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP COMING IN OCTOBER!

Community Tennis Associations! Save the date for the Kentucky Community Development Workshop happening October 21st and 22nd at the Marriot Louisville East. Also, don't forget, during the Community Development Workshop is the Annual Kentucky Awards Luncheon. More details to come soon!

PLAY IT FORWARD

To date, Kentucky had 6 Play It Forward Grant recipients, the most of any of the 9 Southern states in our section. USTA KY staff helped bring 3 of these grants to life and we are willing to do the same with your organization or tennis program. Over $1.2 million has been made available for programs and tournaments focused on innovative ideas and growth based programming. The next deadline is October 31st, 2016. For more details and requirements go to our website or contact Stacey Croley if you'd like to apply but do not know where to get started.

BUILD IT FORWARD GRANT OPEN!

USTA Southern has opened registration for grant applications for the Build It Forward initiative. 500K has been made available to build or reconstruct tennis courts. For more details on the grant requirements and for the actual application, please visit ustaky.com for information. There is no deadline, as funds will be available until exhausted. For additional questions on the grant, please email John Callen.

WHEELCHAIR TENNIS TRAINING

A Wheelchair Tennis Clinic will be held in Louisville, KY and facilitated by the Nationally acclaimed Wheelchair Tennis Facilitator, Harlon Matthews and local wheelchair tennis experts, David Hartsek and Meg Peavy on September 9th in the PM and 10th in the AM. $30 registration fee- space is limited and this will be .7 of CEU credit. Call 502-244-5040 to get registered.

E-NEWS!

Do you have Community Tennis News you would like to share? If so, please email Stacey Croley with the information no later than the first day of each month, for inclusion in that's month's E-News.

ATP WESTERN and SOUTHERN OPEN CINCINNATI/ USTA BUS TRIP!

Thanks to everyone who came along for the "ride"! It was a rainy morning, but a GREAT day of tennis!

SHOP AT KROGER - SUPPORT RAISE A RACQUET FOUNDATION

It's time to re-register your Kroger card and select Raise a Racquet as your charity of choice!!!

Everyone has to re-register their card in August even if you have already selected Raise a Racquet!

Just Click !

YOUR LOCAL LEAGUE COORDINATORS

Looking for additional league playing opportunity? How about getting a family member or friend involved in tennis? Your Local League Coordinator can hook you up!

Ashland

Leagues
Jerry Groce
606-329-2246