ENDORSEMENT FOR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS & SUMMER TEAM EVENTS

 

All juniors who hope to be endorsed for participation in National Surface Championships and Team Events should read this information very carefully. Make sure you understand the procedures and regulations for endorsement.

 

It is the responsibility of the player to initiate as well as secure an endorsement.

 

Questions regarding endorsement should be directed to Junior Development Manager Nicole Fintell at 480.289.2351 x106 or nfintell@southwest.usta.com or juniorcomp@southwest.usta.com. 

 

 

What is Endorsement?

Endorsement is the Section’s approval of a junior player to play National Events based on ranking and meeting the section’s endorsement requirements.

The draws for the USTA's National Championships, National Clay Court Championships, National Winter Championships, National Indoor Championships, and Summer National Team events are limited and are based on the southwest endorsement list at the time of selection.

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You can view the current Endorsement Standings at the same place you view the regular standings.

 

What you need to do

If you are interested in trying to gain entry into national events it is important that you complete all of the following steps:

1.             Read the following pages carefully regarding endorsement procedures and regulations.

 

2.             Fill out the Summer Endorsement information sheet by May 1st.  Should you check an event and later be unable to attend that event, this is not a problem. This sheet is a register to make sure that no one is overlooked or uninformed.

3.             Maximize your singles and doubles points by playing the appropriate tournaments. In points per round there are no minimum requirements.

How it works

All players who have one win in an eligible tournament in a particular age group and accumulate points will appear on the endorsement list.

Each of the 17 Sections of the USTA has an exact, guaranteed quota for every National Championship (see quota below for each event).

The endorsement list will include the past 12 months of a player’s record. This combined ranking will use 100% of a player’s singles points and 25% of a player’s doubles points. The best six (6) singles and doubles tournament results during the past 12 months will count. This can include any USTA Sanctioned Sectional, USTA National tournament or ITF tournament (that used TDM. Your Best Six (6) singles tournaments may be different then your Best Six (6) doubles tournaments.

 

Please refer to selection/endorsement breakdown in next section.

 

A PLAYER MUST HAVE AT LEAST ONE WIN IN THE AGE GROUP TO APPEAR ON THE LIST. The list will not include you if you are only counting points down from a higher age group. Consult section office for more information.

 

Surface National Championships

 

National Clay Court Championships (July 14-21, 2019) Players are selected via the section quota, USTA Southwest has 4 spots in BG16-18 and 3 spots in BG12-14 – this tournament will be a draw of 192 in singles and 96 in doubles for BG16-18 and 128 draw for singles and 64 for doubles in BG12-14. Our endorsement list (used for section quota) will be published during the week of the tournament’s deadline.

 

National Championships (August 3-12, 2019) Players are selected via the section quota, USTA Southwest has 4 spots for BG18, 4 spots for BG16, and 3 spots for BG12-14– this tournament will be a draw of 192 in singles and 96 in doubles for BG16-18 and 128 singles and 64 doubles for BG12-14. Our endorsement list (used for section quota) will be published during the week of the tournament’s deadline.

 

*Point Race for the National Championships includes November L3, February L4, March L4, and Southwest Closed L3.  The winner of the point race in 12-18 age divisions is guaranteed a spot into the National Championships.

 

Sectional Endorsement lists for National Clay Court and National Championships will be posted by the Monday before the entry deadline at Southwest ranking/standing pages.

Alternates

 

To be an alternate you must be endorsed by the Section and appear on our Endorsement list. An alternate list is published for each national event. This list is used if someone drops out of the tournament. If you must drop out and gained entry as a sectionally endorsed spot please notify the tournament and myself as soon as possible. If the draw has not been made and you are an endorsed player and you drop out they will take the next endorsed player from our section. If the draw has been made then they move on to the alternate list and then on-site alternates.

 

Medical Release Forms

 

The USTA and Medical Release forms associated with these tournaments may be printed while registering online for Nationals and must be filled out and brought to on-site registration.

 

Information on a specific National Championships

 

The normal “tournament information” can be seen on the www.usta.com by locating the tournament. Any information sheets sent to me for Nationals will also be distributed but there will not be paper entry forms distributed for these National events.

 

Withdrawals

·         If you must withdraw from a national tournament before the draw is made please notify the tournament director and me immediately so we can ensure that the next person on our endorsement list gets in.

·         If you must withdraw from a national tournament after the draw notify the tournament director and me. At this point, the tournament will be filled by the alternate list (order of strength).

Please keep in mind that at national tournaments singles draws are not done sooner than one week before the start of the event (you may not even see the draw until the day before) and doubles draws are done at on site registration.

 

Summer National Team Events

Selection will be based on a combined ranking from the Summer Endorsement List. This combined ranking will use 100% of a player’s singles points and 25% of a player’s doubles points. The best six (6) singles and doubles tournament results during the past 12 months will count. This can include any USTA Sanctioned Sectional, USTA National tournament or ITF tournament (that used TDM. Your Best Six (6) singles tournaments may be different then your Best Six (6) doubles tournaments.

• Summer teams for BG 14-16 Intersectional Team will not include the 2019 Southwest Junior Closed results.  BG 12-16 zonal team and 18 Summer teams will include the 2019 Southwest Junior Closed results.
• The USTA SW Section Junior Competition Committee has the discretion to allow a player to play on more than one team.
• The lineup for singles play will be set by UTR (Universal Tennis Rating) and may not be in order of the endorsement list.
• The Junior Competition Committee can also decline an endorsed player due to unsportsmanlike conduct regardless of the venue or medium, including but not limited to unsportsmanlike conduct on court, at tournament sites,  tournament activities, hotels or other housing venues, or online.
• The USTA Southwest Section provides a coach for the team.
• Notification of selection on team Players will be notified of selection to a team by email.

Summer Team Wildcard Criteria

In order to field a stronger section team, a player that does not naturally qualify for a team may be selected to compete on a specific team if that team needs a player.  

 

The criteria are as follows:

a.       If the player has a rating (UTR) that is above 50% of the qualified team members

b.      If a player has head to head wins over 50% of the qualified team members

c.       If a player is competing mainly ITFs and has a junior ranking of 300 or higher

 

 

If an intersectional team or Boys’ and Girls’ 18 team cannot field 4 or 7 players and no players meet the wildcard criteria, the section Junior Competition Committee has the right to only select 3 girls and/or boys (Intersectionals) or 6 girls and/or boys (Girls’ and Boys’ 18 National Team Championships) for the respective team.

·         Withdrawals: If you must withdraw from a team event please notify the Junior Player Development Manager immediately so we can fill the spot with the next person on the Endorsement List.

• Boys’ & Girls’ 16, 14, 12 USTA Zone Team Championships (16’s – 5-10 ranked boys & girls, 14’s – 5-10 ranked boys & girls, 12’s – Top 12 ranked boys & girls)
• Boys’ & Girls’ 16 and 14 USTA Intersectional Team Championships (Top 4 Boys and Top 4 Girls)
• Boys’ 18 National Team Championships (Top 7 players)
• Girls’ 18 National Team Championships (Top 7 players)

 

Citizen and Residency Requirements

To be endorsed and play in these national events you must be a U.S. Citizen (or have an Alien Registration Card/Green Card) and be a resident of the USTA Southwest Section. Residency is defined as follows: Only players who maintain a permanent residence within the boundaries of the Southwest Section (states of Arizona, New Mexico, and El Paso County, Texas) are eligible for Southwest endorsement, ranking and closed tournaments.

A junior player, who lives with one or both parents, or a legal guardian, shall be considered a permanent resident of the location where he or she physically resides for the majority of the year, where he or she attends school and/or where he or she primarily engages in training and playing tennis.

A junior player who is an established resident of the Southwest Section according to the aforementioned criteria, but is currently living apart from his or her parent(s) for reasons such as college, tennis academy or boarding school attendance, military involvement, etc. will continue to be considered a permanent resident of the Southwest Section as long as his or her parent (S0 maintain a permanent residence within its boundaries.

For this purpose, permanent residency for the calendar year for the parent(s) is defined as a minimum of 184 days. Anyone moving into the section during the year must change their membership with the membership department. The residency committee has the right to ask for proof of permanent residency. The burden of proof will be on the player/parent.

 

 

Team Event Information

 

Please read the Summer Team information closely.

 

Boys 18 National Team Championships – July 27-July 30 in Urbana, IL (U. of Illinois)

·      Coach selected by the USTA Southwest Section Junior Competition Committee

·      Top 7 boys applying for the team from the summer endorsement list

·      The USTA Southwest Section provides a coach

·      All players must have a chaperone. Parents may team up to chaperone players

·      Please contact Jr. Player Dev. Manager to coordinate flight departure and arrivals with the coach’s

·      All USTA Sections are represented in this competition

·      Entry Fee: Check made out to USTA Southwest Section for $150. Section sends one check for team entry fee.

 

Girls 18 National Team Championships – July 28-July 31 in Claremont, CA    

·      Coach selected by the USTA Southwest Section Junior Competition Committee

·      Top 7 girls applying for the team from the summer endorsement list

·      The USTA Southwest Section provides a coach

·      All players must have a chaperone. Parents may team up to chaperone players

·      Please contact Jr. Player Dev. Manager to coordinate flight departure and arrivals with the coach’s

·      All USTA Sections are represented in this competition

·      Entry Fee: Check made out to USTA Southwest Section for $150. Section sends one check for team entry fee.

 

Boys and Girls 16 Intersectionals –July 7-11 in Shreveport, LA       

·      Coach selected by the USTA Southwest Section Junior Competition Committee

·      Top 4 Boys and Top 4 Girls applying for the team from the summer endorsement list

·      The USTA Southwest Section provides a coach

·      All players must have a chaperone. Parents may team up to chaperone players

·      All USTA Sections are represented in competition

·      This event is played on Clay

·      Entry Fee:  one check to USTA Southwest Section for $150. Section sends one check for team entry fee

 

Boys and Girls 16 Zonals – July 25-29 in Salt Lake City, UT     

·      Coach selected by the USTA Southwest Section Junior Competition Committee

·      Top 5 through 10 ranked Boys and Girls (first 4 players go to Intersectionals) applying from the summer endorsement list (6 Boys and 6 Girls).

·      The USTA Southwest Section provides a coach

·      All players must have a chaperone. Parents may team up to chaperone players

·      Please contact the Jr. Player Dev. Manager to coordinate flight departure and arrivals with the coach’s

·      Competition includes Hawaii-Pacific, Intermountain, Northern, N. California, and S. California

• Entry Fee: $150 to USTA Southwest Section. Section sends one check for team entry fee.

 

Boys and Girls 14 Intersectionals-July 6-10 in Auburn, AL

• Coach selected by the USTA Southwest Section Junior Competition Committee
• Top 4 ranked Boys and Girls applying from the summer team endorsement list
• The USTA Southwest Section pays for coach
• All players must have a chaperone. Parents may team up to chaperone players.
• Please contact the Jr. Player Dev. Manager to coordinate flight departure and arrivals with the coach’s
• This event is played on clay
• Entry fee: $150 to USTA Southwest Section. Section sends one check for team entry fee.

 

Boys and Girls 14 Zonals – July 25-29 in Arlington, TX       

·      Coach selected by the USTA Southwest Section Junior Competition Committee

·      5-10 ranked Boys and Girls applying for the team from the summer endorsement list

·      All players must have a chaperone. Parents may team up to chaperone players.

·      The USTA Southwest Section pays for coach

·      Please contact the Jr. Player Dev. Manager to coordinate flight departure and arrivals with the coach’s

·      Competition includes Caribbean, Florida, Missouri Valley and Texas

• Entry Fee: $150 to USTA Southwest Section. Section sends one check for team entry fee.

 

Boys and Girls 12 Zonals – July 25-29 in Tucson, AZ    

·      2 coaches selected by the USTA Southwest Section Junior Competition Committee

·      Top 12 boys and top 12 girls applying from the summer endorsement list

·      All players must have a chaperone. Players and parents may team up for chaperones

·      USTA Southwest Section pays for the two coaches

·      Competition includes Hawaii-Pacific, N. California, Pacific Northwest and S. California

·      This event typically requires more than 12 boys and 12 girls as we are the host section and provide substitutes for other teams

• Entry Fee: $95 to USTA Southwest Section. Section sends one check for team entry fee.

 

 

Team Entry Deadlines:

• May 30^th – Team Selections finalized for 14s & 16s Intersectional events
• June 8th – Team entry forms and fees due to the USTA Southwest Section office for 14s and 16s Intersectional events
• June 20^th – Team entry forms and fees due to the USTA Southwest Section office for Boys & Girls 18s National Team Events and 12-16 zonal teams (you can give to Nicole or Eric at the Southwest Junior Closed)
•  

Payment by Check

• You can mail the team entry fee and entry form to me at 7010 E Acoma Dr Suite 201 Scottsdale, AZ 85254
• Event checks for BG14-18 are made payable to USTA Southwest for $150; BG12 zonals is $95 to USTA Southwest

 

In Summary, here are the important dates to remember!

• May 1st  – Endorsement Information sheet due
• May 28^th – Entry Deadline for the Southwest Junior Closed

• May 30^th – Team Selections finalized for 14s & 16s Intersectional events and entry fees due for Intersectional events
• June 13^th – Our latest Southwest Section Endorsement list will be published
• June 20^th – Team entry forms and fees due to the USTA Southwest Section office for Boys & Girls 18s National Team Events and 12-16 zonal teams; this will be the date of making the line-up for teams based on UTR

 

*The Southwest Section will not be sending a chaperone for BG 14 and BG 16 events in 2019.  Parents must chaperone children or can pair up with other parents to accompany the players. 

 

Be aware of Internet Entry deadlines for The National Championships!! They are 11:59 am EASTERN TIME!!

If you have any questions please feel free to contact me at:

Nicole Fintell, Junior Player Development Manager

nfintell@southwest.usta.com

480.289.2351 x 106

 

Did you know?

 

There are other team events this year that are not part of the National Junior Tournament Schedule. Check them out. Information on these events will be sent to prospective players later in the year.

 

17th Annual Billie Jean King World Team Tennis (WTT) Junior Nationals

Barnes Tennis Center - San Diego, CA July 21^st-24^th, 2019  

This event includes sixteen teams from throughout the nation competing in the World Team Tennis Format which includes Singles, Doubles and Mixed Doubles. Our team will be made up of 3 boys and 3 girls that are between 16-18 years old. This is one of the truest team competitions out there. Very competitive and very fun. 

 

10 and Under Border Battle

Texas Section-November 2019

This event is an annual competition between the USTA Texas and USTA Southwest Sections usually held between late October and early December. Our team will be made up of 6 boys and 6 girls that are 10 years old and younger that compete in 10 & Under Green Ball with at least 1 boy and 1 girl selected from the Southwest Section orange Early Development Camps. This tournament will use the green ball on full court. It’s a blast!

 

Pacific Coast 10’s Exchange

Northern California Section-Fall 2019

This is a green ball team event where the Southwest’s best age eligible 10 year olds will compete against Intermountain, Pacific Northwest, Hawaii, Southern California, and Northern California.  4 boys and 4 girls will be selected to play in this team event.