Registration is Now Open for all 2023 "Little Mo" Regionals

We are looking forward to seeing all of our players again this year and welcoming new families for all of the fun, festivities, and memories on and off the tennis court! Thank you so much for your continued support of the “Little Mo” and a special thank you to our tournament sites, volunteers, and proud sponsors: Jersey Mike’s Subs (Title Sponsor), Tennis Competitors of Dallas (TCD), RBC Wealth Management (RBC), Wilson Sporting Goods("Official Ball and Racquet"), Lucky in Love Kids ("Official Apparel"), and Palm Beach County Sports Commission (PBCSC). The “Little Mo” is truly a “one of a kind” tournament for young tennis players held in honor of tennis legend Maureen “Little Mo” Connolly Brinker. These special events are focused on sportsmanship, character, new friendships, and competitive matches with approximately 2,000 youngsters from over 70 different countries competing annually. We hope you and your family will join us for one or more of our tournaments!

We are so excited to announce registration is NOW OPEN for our four "Little Mo" Regionals (North, South, East, West) - open to any USA player (ages 8-12)! Registration for all four regional tournaments will be on a first-come, first-served basis up to the entry limit - we will be accepting the first 32 players in each division. Be sure to register early as the draws typically fill before the registration deadline!

To register for a "Little Mo" regional tournament, please click on the "Register Now" button or scroll down to click on one of the events below:

"Little Mo" Internationals Update: We are planning to open registration for our three “Little Mo” Internationals (California, New York, Florida) in the coming months - open to any player worldwide (ages 8-16 CA/FL and ages 8-12 NY). Tentative sites and dates are included below.

All yellow ball results from the "Little Mo" tournaments (Regionals, Nationals, Internationals) will count towards your player's Universal Tennis Rating (UTR). *NEW IN 2023: All green dot results will count towards the new UTR colored ball rating. Also, a friendly reminder that players must register in the proper age division according to their birth year for all "Little Mo" tournaments. This ensures that our players are competing against others who are born in the same calendar year (i.e., 8's play 8's, 9's play 9's). For example, if your player is turning 10 at any time this year (regardless of what age they will be at the time of the tournament), they will need to register in the 10's division.

Just a friendly reminder that the registration deadline for the 2023 "Little Mo" East Regionals tournament is coming up soon on Friday, April 7 at 11:30pm (Central Time) - open to any USA player (ages 8-12)! Click on the ad above to register!

26th Annual

"Road to the Little Mo Nationals"

The “Little Mo” began in 1976 as a local tournament for Dallas youngsters and later grew to include players from all over Texas. In 1998, it expanded nationwide and became known as the “Road to the Little Mo Nationals”, one of the premier series of junior tournaments for boys and girls ages 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12. The Road is now in its 26th year as a yearlong circuit of regional and national tournaments for players who reside in the USA and its territories. It is the only circuit of its kind for talented, high-performance boys and girls in the United States who compete against others born in the same year.

The Road begins in the spring and summer with the four “Little Mo” Regionals (North, South, East, West) held in different cities across the United States. Yellow (regular) ball divisions will be offered for boys and girls ages 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 in addition to a green dot option for ages 8, 9, and 10. The top four yellow ball players (semifinalists) in each age division from each regional event will advance to the prestigious “Little Mo” Nationals held in Austin, Texas. These players will form a 16-size draw in each age division at the Nationals. The top 160 players who reach the Nationals are the youngest and brightest future stars in American tennis!

IMPORTANT REGISTRATION INFORMATION:

There is a very important document uploaded as an attachment to each tournament's UTR homepage that includes our “Little Mo” Rules and Regulations, Code of Conduct, Tournament and COVID-19 Liability Waivers, and Health/Safety guidelines. Please take a moment to read through all of this information carefully.

"Little Mo" East Regionals

Palm Beach Gardens Tennis Center

Palm Beach Gardens, Florida

April 22-24, 2023

Registration Deadline: Friday, April 7 at 11:30pm (Central Time)

"Little Mo" South Regionals

Arlington Tennis Center

Arlington, Texas

May 27-29, 2023

Registration Deadline: Friday, May 12 at 11:30pm (Central Time)

"Little Mo" West Regionals

Berkeley Tennis Club

Berkeley, California

July 15-17, 2023

Registration Deadline: Friday, June 30 at 11:30pm (Central Time)

"Little Mo" North Regionals

Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning

Bronx, New York

September 3-5, 2023

Registration Deadline: Friday, August 18 at 11:30pm (Central Time)

26th Annual "Road to the Little Mo Nationals"

Rules and Regulations

Welcome to the 26th Annual “Road to the Little Mo Nationals”! These tournaments are designed to provide outstanding competition at the regional and national level while also encouraging players to develop new friendships, learn good sportsmanship, and most of all, have fun. The Road is the only circuit of its kind for talented, high-performance boys and girls in the United States who compete against others born in the same year. Please read through the following rules and regulations carefully: 

• Eligibility:  The Road begins in the spring with the four “Little Mo” Regionals (North, South, East, West) held in different cities across the United States. The Regionals are open to any player who lives in the United States and its territories (ages 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12). There are no other special qualifications or ranking needed to register for the regional events - any USA player who registers will be accepted into the draw until the draw limit is reached. *Please note that players must have lived in the United States for at least six consecutive months prior to the tournament start date in order to be eligible for a regional event. If a player does not meet this requirement, they will be withdrawn from the tournament.

• Entry Limit:  Registration for all four regional tournaments will be on a first-come, first-served basis up to the entry limit - we will be accepting the first 32 players in each division. Be sure to register early as the draws typically fill before the registration deadline! *Please note that once you have received a confirmation email from UTR/Stripe, your player’s entry has been accepted into the tournament and you can make your travel arrangements.

• Multiple Events:  Players may play in any regional event regardless of where they are currently living in the United States or its territories. Players may also play in as many regional events as they would like, but they only need to compete in one regional event and finish in the top four (yellow ball division only) to qualify for the “Little Mo” Nationals.

• Event Type / Guaranteed Matches:  The “Little Mo” Regionals and Nationals are Singles only tournaments (no Doubles or Mixed Doubles events). All players will be guaranteed at least two Singles matches during the tournament.

• Age Eligibility / Registration by Birth Year:  Players must register in the proper age division according to their birth year. This ensures that our players are competing against others who are born in the same calendar year (i.e., a player born in 2013 must play in the 10’s division since they will be turning 10 this year).
• Boys and Girls 12’s - born in 2011
• Boys and Girls 11’s - born in 2012
• Boys and Girls 10’s - born in 2013
• Boys and Girls 9’s - born in 2014
• Boys and Girls 8’s - born in 2015 (Only players who are born in 2015 will be allowed to play in the 8’s divisions. Players born in 2016 or 2017 will not be eligible).

• Divisions:  Yellow (regular) ball divisions will be offered for boys and girls ages 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 in addition to a green dot option for ages 8, 9, and 10. Players must register for only one Singles division. This means that players competing in the 8’s, 9’s, and 10’s divisions must choose to play with either the yellow (regular) ball or the green dot ball for their age group. Players in the 11’s and 12’s must play with the yellow (regular) ball. All divisions will be played on a full 78’ tennis court with either the yellow (regular) ball or green dot ball.

• Draw Size / Format:  The “Little Mo” Regionals will be using several different draw formats based on the division size:
• For a 32-size draw, a Modified Feed-in Consolation format through the Round of 16 with a 3rd/4th Place and 5th/6th Place playoff will be used. This means that any player who loses before the Quarterfinal Round (Main Draw) will be fed back into the Consolation draw. The losers of the Quarterfinal Round will play into a 5th/6th Place playoff and the losers of the Semifinal Round will play a 3rd/4th Place playoff.
• For a 16-size draw, a Feed-in Consolation format through the Quarterfinals with a 3rd/4th Place playoff will be used. This means that any player who loses before the Semifinal Round (Main Draw) will be fed back into the Consolation draw. The losers of the Semifinal Round will play a 3rd/4th Place playoff. The Consolation Winner and Consolation Runner-Up are the 5th/6th Place winners in this format.
• For an 8-size draw, a First Round Losers Consolation format with a 3rd/4th Place playoff will be used. This means that any player who loses in the First Round (Main Draw) will move into the Consolation draw (a Feed-in format is not possible because the Second Round is the Semifinal Round). The losers of the Semifinal Round will play a 3rd/4th Place playoff. The Consolation Winner and Consolation Runner-Up are the 5th/6th Place winners in this format.
• A Round Robin format will be used for all divisions with 5 or less players.

• Scoring Format:  All age divisions (8, 9, 10, 11, and 12) will use the same scoring format regardless of draw format or ball type. All Singles matches (Main Draw and Consolation) will consist of two tiebreak sets (first to 6 games). At 6 games all, a 7-point set tiebreak (first to 7, win by 2) will be played. If players split sets, a 10-point match tiebreak (first to 10, win by 2) will be played in lieu of a third set. Regular scoring (with ad) will be used for all Main Draw matches and a 5-minute warm-up will be given before each match. *NEW IN 2023: No-ad scoring will be used for all Consolation matches. A 2-minute rest period will be given between the first and second sets, and between the second set and match tiebreak. No coaching is allowed at any time. *Shortened scoring may be used in the case of rain. 

• Advancing to the “Little Mo” Nationals:  The top four yellow ball players (semifinalists) in each age division from each regional event will advance to the prestigious “Little Mo” Nationals in Austin, Texas. These players will form a 16-size draw in each age division at the Nationals. If you advance to the Semifinal Round (top 4) in your age division at the Regionals and you (and your parent/coach) have followed the Code of Conduct, you will receive your Nationals invitation with a special code needed for registration by email from the MCB office following the event. The top 160 players who reach the Nationals are the youngest and brightest future stars in American tennis!

• Alternate Players for the “Little Mo” Nationals:  If one of the top four yellow ball players (semifinalists) from a regional event cannot attend the Nationals, we will contact the 5th and 6th Place winners (if applicable) to take their place as the first and second alternates. If neither player can attend, we will consider other players in the draw and other regional draws as replacements based on their results and UTR. If there is not a 5th/6th Place Playoff, we will contact the Consolation Winner as the first alternate instead. If the Consolation Winner cannot attend, we will consider other players in the draw and other regional draws as replacements based on their results and UTR. The MCB office will let you know as soon as possible via email if there is an opening to attend the Nationals. While the green dot players will not be able to advance to the Nationals, they might be considered as replacement players if there is an opening in the yellow ball division.

• Universal Tennis Rating (UTR):  All yellow ball results from the “Road to the Little Mo Nationals” (Regionals, Nationals) will count towards your player’s Universal Tennis Rating (UTR). *NEW IN 2023: All green dot results will also count towards the new UTR colored ball rating.

26th Annual "Little Mo" Nationals

Presented by

RBC Wealth Management

Austin Tennis Academy

Austin, Texas

September 22-25, 2023

2023 "Little Mo" Internationals

In 2006, MCB created the “Little Mo” Internationals for USA players to experience different styles of play and meet others from various countries and cultures from around the world. This flagship event was first held in Texas and it has evolved over the years into three different events in California, New York, and Florida. Today, the Internationals attract thousands of talented boys and girls (ages 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12) who travel from across the United States and worldwide to compete against others born in the same year. The “Big Mo” divisions have also been added in California and Florida for ages 13, 14, 15, and 16. These unique tournaments are held at some of the most prominent and historic tennis clubs in the United States, which helps to create an unforgettable experience and enjoyable vacation for the entire family. There are also many fun tourist attractions and sights to see near our three international events such as Disneyland, Hollywood, US Open, Times Square, Statue of Liberty, Broadway shows, Disney World, Epcot, and beautiful beaches.

This year, our host sites are in California (Site and Dates TBA), The West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills, New York (August 20-24); and the Palm Beach Gardens Tennis Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida (First Week of December). In California and Florida, yellow (regular) ball divisions will be offered for boys and girls ages 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16 in addition to a green dot option for ages 8, 9, and 10. In New York, only yellow (regular) ball divisions will be offered for boys and girls ages 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12. All players have an opportunity to participate in Singles, Doubles, and Mixed Doubles in addition to many exciting and memorable activities such as the Player Clinic, Player Parade, Group Photo, Opening Ceremony, Player Gift Exchange, "Mo" Coins, Player Party, "Little Mo/Big Mo" Booth, and much more. Last year, the "Little Mo" Internationals in Florida featured over 600 players from 60 different countries!

10th Annual "Little Mo" Internationals in California

Site TBA

Dates TBA

12th Annual "Little Mo" Internationals in New York

The West Side Tennis Club

Forest Hills, New York

August 20-24, 2023

17th Annual "Little Mo" Internationals in Florida

Palm Beach Gardens Tennis Center

Palm Beach Gardens, Florida

Dates TBA (First week of December)

2023 "Little Mo" Slam

Win the Tallest Trophy in Junior Tennis (6 Feet Tall)!

Have you ever dreamed of winning the tallest trophy in junior tennis? In 2013, MCB created the ultimate challenge for any player (ages 8-12) to win the "Little Mo" Slam. The Slam was created in honor of Maureen Connolly's Grand Slam win in 1953 - winning all four major championships (Australian, French, Wimbledon, and US Open) in the same calendar year. If a “Little Mo” player can win their yellow ball division at all three Internationals (California, New York, Florida) in the same year, they will receive the tallest trophy ever given in junior tennis (6 feet tall) and the title of “Little Mo” Slam Champion! The Slam continues this year with the 1st leg in California (Site and Dates TBA). The 2nd leg will be held at the historic West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills, New York (August 20-24). The 3rd and final leg will take place at the Palm Beach Gardens Tennis Center in Palm Beach Gardens Florida (First Week of December). This year, we will also be celebrating a very special milestone - the 70th Anniversary of Maureen Connolly's Grand Slam win in 1953. There have been nine players who have accomplished this magnificent achievement in the past ten years.

Who will win the "Little Mo" Slam title in this special anniversary year?

Player Referral Program!

In order to claim your referral prize, please stop by the "Little Mo/Big Mo" Booth during any "Little Mo" tournament this year. Referral prizes will only be awarded at the tournament. The more players you refer, the more you can earn. If you have any other questions about this special offer, or if you would like to help promote the "Little Mo" tournaments by distributing flyers to clubs in your area, please send an email to: carol@mcbtennis.org.

Would you like to be a Sponsor of the "Little Mo" Tournaments?

We are actively looking for sponsors for the 2023 "Little Mo" tournaments. If you are interested or you know someone who works for a company that would be interested in being a sponsor of our "Road to the Little Mo Nationals" circuit and/or the three "Little Mo" Internationals (California, New York, Florida), please send an email to: carol@mcbtennis.org. We will be happy to send a customized PowerPoint sponsorship proposal, which would include branding opportunities such as placing banners at various sites across the country, advertising in the player program and booklet, having your logo on the tournament t-shirts, and promoting your product(s) to our players, parents, and their families.

Do you have any Creative Ideas for the "Little Mo" Tournaments?

We are always trying to improve the "Little Mo" tournaments and create a fun and memorable experience for our players and their families. If you have a creative idea or suggestion for the "Little Mo" tournaments, please send an email to: carol@mcbtennis.org.

Would you like to help the Maureen Connolly Brinker Tennis Foundation?

Thank you so much for your support of the Maureen Connolly Brinker Tennis Foundation and the "Little Mo" tournaments! It is the mission of the Foundation to organize memorable tennis events for young players while also providing opportunities to develop their game, enjoy tennis, and learn good values such as character, sportsmanship, and kindness. The Foundation has promoted the development of junior tennis for over 55 years and continues to benefit countless numbers of boys and girls throughout the United States and worldwide. We greatly appreciate any donations so that we can continue to offer the "Little Mo" tournaments in honor of Maureen "Little Mo" Connolly Brinker.

If you are interested in making a donation, please click on the "Make A Donation" button above. All donations are tax-deductible as the Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization. We are also always looking for volunteers at the "Little Mo" tournaments so if you would like to earn community service hours or volunteer your time, please send an email to: carol@mcbtennis.org. We thank you for your consideration and wish you all the very best for a wonderful and memorable year ahead!

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 boys and girls (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, Taylor Fritz, Sebastian Korda, Emma Raducanu, Leylah Fernandez, Dominic Thiem, Belinda Bencic, Jenson Brooksby, Madison Keys, Tommy Paul, Brandon Nakashima, Vasek Pospisil, Borna Coric, Coco Gauff, Mackie McDonald, Ryan Harrison, Taylor Townsend, Donald Young, Steve Johnson, Sofia Kenin, Denis Kudla, 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". 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". 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) and Matthew Cody (Tournament Operations Manager), and Tiffany Hollebeck (Tournament Operations Coordinator) organize the "Little Mo" tournaments. Thank you so much for your support of the "Little Mo" tournaments and the legacy of Maureen Connolly Brinker. For more information about the "Little Mo", please visit our website at: www.mcbtennis.org and click on "Tournaments". Play "Mo" Tennis!