The Maureen Connolly Brinker Tennis Foundation (MCB) would like to let all of our players, parents, and friends know about a very special event happening this week - Jersey Mike's Subs "Day of Giving" on Wednesday, March 27! Jersey Mike's restaurants in the Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) Metroplex will give 100% of the day's sales (not profits) to Wipe Out Kids' Cancer!

We are thrilled to have Jersey Mike's Subs as the "Title Sponsor" of all 2024 "Little Mo" tournaments. Cindy Brinker Simmons, MCB President and daughter of Maureen "Little Mo" Connolly Brinker, founded Wipe Out Kids' Cancer in 1980. We are so happy to support both of these wonderful organizations!

What is the "Day of Giving"?

Wipe Out Kids' Cancer is joining forces with 70 Jersey Mike's Subs in the Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) Metroplex for the 14th Annual March "Month of Giving" fundraising campaign to support local charities. During the month of March, customers can make a donation to Wipe Out Kids' Cancer at participating Jersey Mike's restaurants. In 2023, $584,000 was raised in support of Wipe Out Kids' Cancer!

The "Month of Giving" campaign will culminate with Jersey Mike's "Day of Giving" this Wednesday, March 27, when DFW Jersey Mike's restaurants will give 100% of the day's sales (not profits) to Wipe Out Kids' Cancer. All Jersey Mike's locations nationwide are participating in the "Day of Giving" and restaurant owners in each city select a single charity that supports local neighborhoods and builds a stronger community. We hope you will consider buying some delicious Jersey Mike's subs for your family and friends this Wednesday!

At their first nationwide fundraiser in 2011, all of Jersey Mike's 454 locations raised $600,000 for 66 charities. Since then, Jersey Mike's annual "Month of Giving" has raised more than $88 million for local charities. This March, Jersey Mike's hopes to exceed last year's record-breaking national fundraising total of $21 million and help local charities striving to fulfill their missions and make a difference.

"Jersey Mike's embodies best practices in the franchise industry through serving the greatest subs in the stratosphere," said Cindy Brinker Simmons. "Many thanks for your consideration to participate in the March 27th 'Day of Giving'. This is Wipe Out Kids' Cancer's biggest annual fundraising event. For 44 years, Wipe Out Kids' Cancer's mission is to bring comfort, hope, and support to kids with pediatric cancer and their families while relentlessly pursuing a cure through research funding. We are truly blessed to have this glorious partnership with Jersey Mike's. It's all for the kids!"

Any donations to Wipe Out Kids' Cancer (either on the "Day of Giving" or online) would be greatly appreciated. To make a donation, please click on the button below:

We would like to invite our players to join us for a very special contest held in honor of Jersey Mike's Subs "Day of Giving". To participate in this contest, please take a photo of your player enjoying a sub at any Jersey Mike's location nationwide on Wednesday, March 27. Players, be sure to wear your "Little Mo" t-shirt and take the photo in front of a Jersey Mike's sign! If there is not a Jersey Mike's location in your city, you can make a creative drawing that includes the Jersey Mike's name and/or logo instead. The deadline to submit your drawing or photo is Thursday, March 28, by 5:00pm (Central Time). Please email your player's name, city/state/country, and submission to: tiffany@mcbtennis.org to be included in the contest.

All contest entries will be posted on the MCB Twitter page (@mcbtennis) on Thursday afternoon. The player with the most "likes" for their drawing or photo by Friday, March 29, at 5:00pm (Central Time) will receive a $150 gift card to Jersey Mike's Subs AND a complimentary entry ($280 value) into a 2024 "Little Mo" Internationals of their choice (Colorado, New Jersey or Florida). Remember to click on the "heart" icon to "like" the drawing or photo of your choice on the MCB Twitter page for your vote to count in the contest!

Everyone who participates in this contest will receive a $25 prize at the "Little Mo" Internationals. Please visit the "Little Mo/Big Mo" Booth during any of our three international tournaments this year to receive your prize. All contest entries will also be combined into a fun collage to commemorate the "Day of Giving" to be posted on the MCB Twitter page (@mcbtennis). Good luck to all players! MCB is honored to have such a generous and philanthropic Title Sponsor as Jersey Mike's Subs!

Cindy Brinker Simmons, MCB President and daughter of Maureen "Little Mo" Connolly Brinker, nationally releases a new book, Restored: Reconnecting Life's Broken Pieces, on March 26!

Net proceeds from the sale of Restored will be donated to the Maureen Connolly Brinker Tennis Foundation (www.mcbtennis.org) and Wipe Out Kids' Cancer (www.wokc.org).

With a voice of empathy, wit, and vulnerability, Cindy will walk you through practical tools and biblical truths that will reconnect you to God, others, and yourself. Restored's message is for anyone who needs:

• a fresh infusion of hope
• a gentle reminder of God's love and goodness
• a healthy dose of inspiring thought and strength to persevere
• a helpful roadmap to move forward and experience God's plan and purpose
• an effective way to reconcile and strengthen relationship

Restored will help you choose joy in the midst of heartache and hardship. You will be encouraged!

"No one is immune from the painful bumps and bruises of daily living. Sometimes it is really hard to take the first step when life weighs too much. Restored will reinvigorate the spirit of those who need to be refreshed and strengthened. It will motivate those who need life breathed back into them. Every life has a plan and a purpose. My hope is that through Restored, readers will make an important discovery: God is always present." 

~Cindy Brinker Simmons

A Special Thank You To Our Sponsors:

The "Little Mo" tournaments are hosted by MCB in memory of its tennis champion namesake, Maureen "Little Mo" Connolly Brinker. Born in San Diego, Maureen became the first woman to achieve the Grand Slam of tennis in 1953 by winning all four major championships (Australian, French, Wimbledon, and US Open) in the same year. She was well-known for her powerful groundstrokes from the baseline, which earned her the famous nickname "Little Mo" - a comparison to the explosive firepower of the battleship USS Missouri, also known as "Big Mo". Only five players in the history of tennis have won the calendar Grand Slam, and Maureen is still the only American woman and the youngest at age 18 to have accomplished this magnificent feat. She won an amazing nine consecutive championship titles (three US, three Wimbledon, two French, one Australian) - undefeated in 50 matches.

Unfortunately, her spectacular career would be short-lived due to a horseback riding accident in 1954. While she could no longer compete at an elite level, Maureen's legacy as a legendary tennis star would continue through the Maureen Connolly Brinker Tennis Foundation (MCB). Founded in 1968 with her dear friend Nancy Jeffett, MCB's mission would be the promotion and support of junior tennis development worldwide. That same year, she was inducted into the prestigious International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island. Sadly, Maureen lost her valiant battle with cancer the following year and passed away at the young age of 34. Although her tennis career only spanned three years, many premier sportswriters consider Maureen Connolly to be the finest of all female players for her achievements on and off the court. In 2019, she was honored by the United States Postal Service with her very own "Little Mo" Commemorative Forever Stamp.

Today, MCB continues to support the growth of junior tennis by organizing numerous "Little Mo" tournaments throughout the United States annually for talented girls and boys (ages 8-16). These events are designed to provide outstanding competition at the regional, national, and international level while also encouraging players to develop new friendships, learn good sportsmanship, and most of all, have fun. The "Little Mo" tournaments are also unique in that young players have the opportunity to gauge their ability against others born in the same year from around the world (i.e., 8's play 8's, 9's play 9's). MCB strives to empower young athletes by giving travel grants, "Mo" Coins for prizes, and also Sportsmanship and Kindness awards to deserving individuals in honor of Maureen's legacy. The Foundation also contributes financially to many notable programs including the National Junior Tennis League for inner-city youth and Invest In A Child for deaf and wheelchair tennis.

Over the years, many well-known collegiate players and famous tennis professionals have participated in the "Little Mo" tournaments including Andy Roddick, Coco Gauff, Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul, Belinda Bencic, Madison Keys, Leylah Fernandez, Dominic Thiem, Emma Raducanu, Sebastian Korda, Christopher Eubanks, Jenson Brooksby, Brandon Nakashima, Vasek Pospisil, Borna Coric, Mackie McDonald, Denis Kudla, Ryan Harrison, Taylor Townsend, Donald Young, Steve Johnson, Sofia Kenin, CiCi Bellis, and Ana Konjuh among many others. Roddick won the "Little Mo" in 1992 (age 10) and he said, "the 'Little Mo' was my first big win!" Gauff won the "Little Mo" in 2012 (age 8) and she said, "the 'Little Mo' is where the belief began." This is all wonderful news for junior tennis and we are so proud that the "Little Mo" continues to be one of the most popular events for young players around the world.

MCB has promoted the development of junior tennis for over 55 years and continues to benefit countless numbers of young players worldwide. It is our mission to provide a special and meaningful experience at all of our events while also inspiring outstanding attributes at a young age such as fair play, good character, integrity, sportsmanship, kindness, giving back, and an "attitude of gratitude". Thank you so much for your support of the "Little Mo" tournaments and the legacy of Maureen Connolly Brinker. Thousands of players compete in the "Little Mo" tournaments annually and we hope to see even more youngsters play this wonderful "sport for a lifetime" this year. We would also very much appreciate your help in spreading the word about the "Little Mo" so we can continue to impact future generations of young players. The MCB Tennis Foundation is led by its directors: Cindy Brinker Simmons (President), Brenda Brinker Bottum (Vice President), and Elizabeth Jeffett (Vice President). Carol Weyman (Executive Vice President), Matthew Cody (Tournament Operations Manager), and Tiffany Hollebeck (Tournament Operations Coordinator) organize the "Little Mo" tournaments. For more information about the "Little Mo", please visit our MCB website at: www.mcbtennis.org and click on "Tournaments". Play "Mo" Tennis!

We hope you will find some time to enjoy the 1978 "Little Mo" movie (made for TV) about Maureen Connolly. The movie is about 2.5 hours long and features some major movie stars like Mark Harmon, Leslie Nielsen, and Glynnis O'Connor. It is a wonderful movie for the entire family and is very inspirational for young players who love the game of tennis. Thank you so much for sharing the "Little Mo" story with your child as it will help make their "Little Mo" experience more meaningful.

To watch the "Little Mo" movie, please click on the popcorn icon!