ROBERT PORTER - Richmond Police Activities League

MAY/JUNE 2013
Yolo, solano & coNtra costa counties
The monthly update from your USTA Northern
California, Yolo, Solano, Contra Costa
Counties, Tennis Service Representative
From Your Tennis Service Rep.
Cherryl Silva
[email protected]
(510)224.7304
Dear Tennis Partners:
Tennis continues to bloom in
the sector. We thank you for your
continued support and
advocacy of the sport in
your community. Summer
will be a very busy tennis
season; please contact
me to get involved.
PLAYDAYS
PlayDays are a great way for kids under the age
of 12 to play tennis in a fun, non-threatening, nonelimination and competitive environment. Over the
duration of a few hours,
a PlayDay allows kids
to experience serving,
rallying and scoring in an
informal competition.
Contact me for more information on 12 & Under
and Adult PlayDays:
[email protected].
COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT: ROBERT PORTER
A MAN ON A MISSION
“Small stature but houses a big heart, with a wicked forehand and laser volleys” is how one may
describe Robert Porter. “A gentlemanly nature with a friendly smile.”
Robert Porter, a San Francisco native, moved to Hercules about 25 year ago. The first thing that
Robert looked for when he purchased his home was the closest tennis facility. He found a local public site, Refugio Park, with four courts, surrounded by beautiful trees, grass and colorful flowers. The
courts are busy from 7am to 8pm on any given day.
Through the years and neglegence of maintaining the facility, the beautiful park from when Porter
first moved there was just a memory. With the help of the local CTA (Hercules Tennis Club), Robert
has repeatedly requested the city to improve the courts. Due to the budget cuts and lack of funding –
the city was not able to restore the courts.
Robert took matters into his own hands and slowly restored the facility. He started by replacing
nets for the first year; second year he replaced windscreen, put dividers between
courts and replaced broken post. His action was contagious and soon others followed in helping improve the courts.
He had spent about $8,000 of his own money, but it’s not been enough. For the last
couple of weeks, Robert has been going to the courts at 5 o’clock in the morning to
paint. Once the paint dries his next mission is to get courts resurfaced. “It’s my way
of giving back to the sport that I love,” he says.
Adult PlayDay held April 14th, in partnership
with Greater Vallejo Tennis Association, was
a blast with new coach in town…Coach Skip
Redondo – Welcome to USTA NORCAL!
Coach Redondo discusses doubles
strategies with the group.
2013 Spring League in full bloom in
Contra Costa and Solano Counties….
THANK YOU TO ALL PARENTS, VOLUNTTEERS AND COACHES
FOR ORGANIZING JUNIOR TEAMTENNIS BY PROVIDING A FUN
ATHMOPSHERE FOR THE CHILDREN TO PLAY AND IMPROVE
THEIR GAMES!
Travel Teams and Coaches/Captains:
• Benicia Community Tennis Association – Jojo Donetti
• Dougherty Valley Academy – Joyce Bonesera
• Green Valley Country Club – Steve Devries
• Millennium Vallejo – Aaron King
• Advantage Point Tennis – Nathan Jackmon
Recreational Leagues and Commissioners/Coaches:
• Greater Vallejo Tennis Association – Mel Lee
• Travis Youth Center – Calvin McCullough
• Daugherty Tennis – Joyce Bonesara
• El Cerrito Tennis Club – Margo Takemiya
• Girl Scout Lafayette – Nathan Jackmon
• Richmond PAL – Mark Torres
• Omega Boys & Girls – Jeff Wong
Sponsor Local Youth
Organizations
Support our local Youth Tennis League and become a
Sponsor to help grow the game of tennis in the community. If you’re interested in partnering with youth organizations including local after school programs, Police
Activity Leagues (PALS/SALs), Boys & Girls Club and the
Girl Scouts etc., please contact me for further details:
[email protected]
Summer JTT Registration now open…
College Scholarship Deadline May 17.
Looking for volunteers to help with Girl Scout
Play Days and Girl Scout Junior Team Tennis
League! email [email protected]
The USTA Northern California Diversity
Committee offers four scholarships for
high school seniors residing in the USTA
Northern California Section to further
their education and tennis. Click here
to access the criteria and application.
The deadline to apply is May 17.
FACES IN
THE CROWD
Nigel Pugh, Gabe
DeCastillo, Fernando
Cordova during 10 and
under training
Below: One of the t-shirts
from a Jr. Team Tennis
recreational League
Travis Youth
Center staff during JTT Kick off
Play Day.
Left: Easter Bunny with Coach Mac (New Frontier Tennis)
Below: City of Vallejo Major Davis with Mel Lee
(GVTA) during the City’s budget expo…
SOLANO COUNTY GRAND SLAM JUNIOR TOURNAMENT/PLAY DAY CIRCUIT
This level is for players who have match play experience. Players MUST be able to serve overhand and keep score. Players
will participate in round robin or compass draw (determined by number of players). Top 3 players will receive medals.
Divisions: Green Ball (12 and under) Orange Ball (10 and under)
French Open Championship
Wimbledon Championship
US Open Championship
When: June 15, 2013
When: July 20, 2013
When: August 24, 2013
Where: Dover In-Shape
3001 Dover Avenue, Fairfield
Where: Vacaville In-Shape
Where: Rancho Solano In-Shape
3446 Browns Valley Rd, Vacaville
3250 Rancho Solano Pkwy. Fairfield
Time: 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm
Time: 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm
Time: 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm
Registration Deadline: JULY 6, 2013
Registration Deadline: AUG. 10, 2013
Registration Deadline: JUNE 1, 2013
To Register Go to: www.norcal.usta.com/playdays (click on “Register Now”; then select Contra Costa/Solano/Yolo County)
Fee: $20 per event (must be usta members to participate) guaranteed 2 matches and player’s gift to all participants.
Contact: Cherryl Silva, [email protected] or call (510)224-7304 Note: Must have at least 16 participants to hold event!
NJTL Regional Training Session
The USTA’s offering a two-day
NJTL Regional Training session at
Stanford University, June 1-2. The
training combines tennis, education/
life skills and organizational development, and features experts and
partners from NJTL National staff,
USTA Serves, USTA Player Development and USTA NorCal Section staff.
The training sessions include an in-depth player development
workshop and organizational workshop, offering vital information and
best practices to grow a program.
NJTL Regional Training, Stanford University, June 1-2 OR attend the
one-day Player Development Workshop on June 2, at 9 a.m. -- $15;
register by May 28
USTA LEAGUE...
Leagues in Progress . . .
Adult 18 &Over
Adult 40 & Over
Districts May 3-5 , & Sectionals May 17-19,
in the Sacramento area
NorCal Super Senior 65
Sectionals June 24-26 at Silverado Country Club
Leagues Starting Soon . . .
Mixed Doubles 18 & Over -- Team registration closes May 19
Season opens June 17
Adult 55 & Over -- Team registration closes May 19
Season opens June 17
Flex – Summer Season -- Registration closes May 26
Season opens June 17
More information
For more information contact Alison Vidal
925 482 5410
[email protected]
10 and Under training in Mill Valley,
Sun., May 19, with Todd Dissly!
Spend the afternoon in beautiful Mill Valley at the Scott Valley Swimming & Tennis Club for this comprehensive and very informative
training on the latest new teaching format for kids. This is an interactive 3.5-hour intensive training geared specifically toward teaching
10 and Under tennis with the new rules and tennis equipment. Along
with receiving training from national professionals, participants will
receive the knowledge to implement the 10 and Under Tennis into
their programs and will review recreational practice plans.
To register, please contact: Michelle Skipwith at (415) 279-1973 or
email: [email protected]
Sun., May 19, 3 p.m. - 6 p.m. @ Scott Valley Swim & Tennis Club
Join us as we kick off our Corporate Summer Program! The day promises to be filled with fun, food and lots of tennis.
Corporate Series Event - one-day tournament
WTT Format -- Coed Teams - 3.5 & 4.0 Levels
Sunday, June 2, 2013 -- 12 pm – 8pm
Diablo Country Club – Diablo
Sunday, June 23, 2013 -- 12:00pm – 8:00 pm
Decathlon Club – Santa Clara
Minimum players per team(6) – 3 Men, 3 Women
Maximum players per team(10) – 5 Men, 5 Women
Registration opens: May 1, 2013
Contact DeDee Winfield [email protected] for more information
USTA Northern California Diversity Committee created the Multicultural Tennis Training Camps to provide juniors ages 10-16 of ethnically diverse backgrounds the opportunity to improve their tennis skills in a camp environment with players of similar age and skills. This camp is NOT for beginners.
USTA NorCal is offering two camps to be held at San Jose State University.
all-girl camp: July 11-14, 2013 & all-boy camp: July 17-20, 2013
The deadline to apply is Friday, May 24, 2013
Tournament play is the cornerstone of tennis
competition. Get more players in the game and
introduce them to what the USTA has to offer!
From April 1 – June 30, USTA Northern
California’s offering $250 in Tennis Warehouse gift cards to the adult tournament director who gets the most players registered
for USTA membership and a tournament. In
addition, just for using the promo code, the
player will receive a FREE sports duffel bag
gift from USTA NorCal!
http://www.norcal.usta.com/TDPromo/
JR. TEAM TENNIS STARTS IN JUNE. ARE YOU SIGNED UP?
Join us as we kickoff another fun and colorful tennis season of USTA Jr.
Team Tennis at the Red, Orange, Green and Yellow Ball levels. Kids, 6- to
18-years-old, play with their friends on co-ed teams in singles, doubles and
mixed doubles. Young players really enjoy a team environment.
For more information and to find out about deadlines in your area, visit
www.norcalteamtennis.com. If you are interested in starting a recreational
league or joining a competitive travel league, contact us today!
Darren Wenger, Junior Team Tennis Coordinator
[email protected], 510-263-0467
JUNIOR DEVELOPMENT PATHWAY NEWS
The Junior Development Pathway (JDP) is designed to help you get the
most out of competitive tennis. The earned advancement rewards you for
competing, offers you the opportunity for frequent level based play and
helps inspire you to develop your game.
Determining Your Level Online by August 31, 2013
Players will first need to be a USTA Member and can then determine their
level by visiting norcal.usta.com/taut, type your name in the Player Search
and click on Search. Click on your name and then click on the link Determine
Your Junior Development Pathway Level. As of September 1, 2013 all players
must play in their chosen level and earn their way into the next level.
Help grow
wheelchair tennis
Want to help more wheelchair players learn
tennis? Volunteers are always needed for
tournaments/events and also on the committee. Contact Committee Chair Peg Byrne
for more information at: byrn916@comcast.
net or 916-481-3364 Contact your local TSR
or Chris Samuel, [email protected],
510-213-5289, for details.
Adult TOURNAMENTS
IN YOUR AREA:
$4000 Bay Counties Open
May 30 - Jun 2
RACKETS, RALLIES and KICKS!
In partnership with the Hayward
Area Recreation and Park District
(HARD) and a year in the making,
USTA NorCal will be rolling out
the first of its kind pilot program
that combines soccer and tennis,
called Rackets, Rallies & Kicks.
This cleverly named pilot program,
made possible by the Latino Outreach Grant from USTA National, is
designed to introduce a new sport,
like tennis, to a community largely
dominated by soccer. Rackets,
Rallies & Kicks also emphasizes
the fundamentals and similarities
of both sports, such as footwork,
agility, and hand-eye coordination;
and in the process, participants
will simultaneously learn two fun
sports!
On April 27, HARD, the Alameda
Deputy Sheriff’s Activities League,
and USTA NorCal promoted Rackets, Rallies & Kicks through a
festival. More than 50 kids and their
parents came out to the festival
and got sneak peak of the pilot
program. Rackets, Rallies & Kicks
is new and exciting for both sports
and will begin in Hayward’s Sunset
Adult School in the summer.