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 USTA School Tennis Announces National No-Cut Coach Starfish Award Winners

Angel Martinez of Grapevine High School in Grapevine, Texas along with Rich Johns of Saratoga Springs High School in Saratoga Springs, New York were named the 2009 National No-Cut Coach Starfish Award Winners. These coaches have 70 years of combined coaching experiencing and work with between 90 - 155 players each on their respective high school teams.

“These individuals truly exemplify the time, effort and planning it takes not just to be a No-Cut Coach, but a successful coach who has contributed to the growth of tennis in their communities, said Kirk Anderson, Director of Recreational Coaches and Programs. These two coaches will be recognized during the USTA Tennis Teachers Conference in New York City and treated to matches at the U.S. Open.

Please notify your USTA Section office if you know of a No-Cut Coach that should be considered for this prestigious award. To register as a No-Cut Middle School or High School Coach and receive a complete appreciation package and access to coaching resources, go to www.usta.com/no-cut.

TENNIS IN THE PARKS UPDATE

For over ten years, NRPA has partnered with the United States Tennis Association (USTA) to bring parks and recreation agencies, Tennis in the Parks (TIP). TIP is a strategic initiative designed to help improve and expand opportunities, in communities nationwide, for the public to learn and play the lifelong game of tennis.

Tennis in the Parks (TIP), and all associated program resources, are FREE to eligible agencies that are committed to growing and improving tennis programs and infrastructure in the community. A three-prong approach ensures that the TIP initiative meets park and recreation’s needs:

· TIP is focused on quality tennis programming from instruction, team tennis and league play, to marketing and partnerships.

· TIP helps ensure that public tennis facilities are in optimum condition.

· TIP is committed to ensuring the sustainability of tennis in the public park sector by:

o developing an advocacy agenda to support master planning to include tennis,

o mounting bond referendum support for community projects that include tennis, and

o building a network of local tennis advocates eager to reach out to local policy makers about the need and benefits of quality tennis programming and infrastructure.

Registered TIP communities also gain access to:

· Marketing support for programs

· Court Construction and Maintenance manual,

· “The Big Serve,” USTA’s online tennis advocacy resource

· Expert technical assistance from USTA's Technical Team

· Discounts on tennis equipment

· Training support for coaches

· Information on USTA events and trainings in your area

· Access to USTA grants for tennis programming and facilities

· And more!

To register your park and recreation agency please go to: www.usta.com/tennisintheparks

2009 Tennis in the Parks Priorities:

• Increase the number of registered TIP agencies as a marker of growth
• Increase the number of TIP agencies implementing team based play programs, focusing on youth using the QuickStart tennis format for 10 & under youth.
• Increase the number of quality best practices and case studies
• Develop a network of TIP peer advisors to mentor park and recreation agencies.

Tennis Strokes for Stroked Folks

Tennis is a sport that requires the use of both sides of the brain to alternately move both sides of one’s body (forehand, backhand). Stroke is a brain affliction that robs individuals of the use of one side of their body in various degrees. Rehabilitation for stroke survivors involves exercises that force them to use both sides of brain and body so that the affected side regains strength, balance, flexibility and mobility. Therefore, tennis for stroke victims is an excellent fit!

Since 2007, stroke survivors and brain-injured individuals in Dallas, Texas, have had the opportunity to learn and participate in tennis especially adapted to meet their special needs. Through grants provided by USTA Texas and the USTA Adaptive Tennis Committee, this six-week program, administered by The Dallas Tennis Association in the spring and fall, is free to all participants. All equipment is provided, along with certified teaching professionals, at The Village Tennis Center for 90-minute sessions once a week.

Contrary to popular belief, stroke is not something that only strikes old people. The Dallas tennis program has served those in their twenties up to late sixties. Since every stroke is different and causes different deficits, rehab must be individually adjusted to each. The sport of tennis can serve many of those needs, and since it’s a game, the integration of exercise is far simpler and more fun for the person post stroke than the traditional rehabilitation regime. Just as able-bodied folks select tennis over boring repetitive exercises, stroke survivors can have that opportunity.

Standing symmetrically in the ready position is an important exercise for a person who has had a stroke. Gripping a racquet with a weakened hand, hitting a backhand when that side of the body has suffered neglect, calling out the score for one who has lost verbal skills, all are benefits that tennis can offer this population. They don’t need to learn how to hit a topspin lob deep to a backhand. They just want to enjoy the social interaction of an activity that “normal” folks enjoy with others like themselves. And when connecting a racquet to a ball is also a form of therapy, that’s a big bonus.

In Dallas, when stroke strikes, whether it’s to a high-level tennis player who must learn to play with their non-dominant hand, one who played recreationally once upon a time, someone who never played but was active in other sports, or complete novices, there’s an opportunity to get off the couch, away from the TV, and get outside to learn and play tennis. It can supplement or complement traditional therapies, and one might even win a t-shirt! Quite simply, without spending a great deal of money, the lives of a special population are enhanced and improved through tennis.