Missouri Valley

11 squads compete at 2024 Junior Team Tennis Section Championships

Josh Sellmeyer | July 24, 2024

Nearly 100 players from 11 teams located throughout the USTA Missouri Valley descended upon central Oklahoma to compete in the 2024 Junior Team Tennis Section Championships. USTA Oklahoma continued its run of dominance at the fun and competitive event—which took place July 16-17 in Edmond—winning both the 18U and 14U divisions for the third straight year.

The Oklahoma City-based Britton Christian Church Tennis Academy (BCCTA) Bears coached by Brad Lund captured the 18U title in dramatic fashion. The Bears defeated Greens Country Club, coached by Tim Shanahan, in a mixed doubles tiebreak. It was the first time in about a decade a tiebreak was necessary to decide an overall division champion at the Junior Team Tennis Section Championships.

In 14U competition, Tulsa’s Tucker Tennis Academy/Genesis Riverside led by Ellie Bailey/Tiffany Milner snagged the title. OKC Elite coached by Seth Moore was runner-up in the 14U division to give USTA Oklahoma the top-two finishers in both divisions (full results are listed below.) Moore said the team-oriented Section Championships were a nice change of pace for his players.

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“All of our kiddos are friends; they’re always having to play against each other in tournaments,” Moore said at the championships. “We’re here to have some fun. They get to be on a team this week. They’re having a blast.”

At the conclusion of each match coaches nominated one boy and one girl from the opposing team as their sportsmanship selection, with the individuals who received the most votes earning sportsmanship recognition.

Jasmine Crain (The Greens Country Club) and Evan Goates (Riverside Tennis Center) were chosen as the 18U sportsmanship winners. Sophia Gooch (Tucker Tennis Academy) and Braley Griffith (OKC Elite) were named 14U sportsmanship winners. Coaches, players, spectators and tournament staff can continue to recognize standout sporting behavior by nominating individuals for the USTA Missouri Valley SuperSport campaign.

Participating teams were decked out in red, white and blue attire with ‘Olympics’ being the 2024 theme. The 18U and 14U Edwardsville squads coached by Emily Cimarolli both won team spirit awards for their patriotic apparel and positive energy. Top City Tennis (18U) and Tucker Tennis Academy (14U) finished runner-up in their respective divisions.

Edmond Center Court, a USTA Premier Facility, was the host site for the Junior Team Tennis Section Championships. When rain fell on the event’s second day play was moved to Greenwood Tennis Center—the home facility of the Oklahoma State University tennis teams—which offered participants the opportunity to compete on a high-level college campus.

Dean Richarsville and Charlie Smith officiated the championships, and Richarsville noted the contrast in environment of the team event versus individualized tournaments. For a USTA Missouri Valley article highlighting the benefits and rising popularity of team events, click here.

“At team environments, you have other players standing around cheering their players on,” Richarsville said. “In a tournament format, you don’t have that because everybody is competing against each other. That’s what I like about that. It almost brings the college aspect to it of cheering their players on.”

The Junior Team Tennis Section Championships featured seven teams and 60 players in the 18U division plus four teams and 37 participants in 14U action. Bee Healthy Café at Edmond Center Court provided smoothies to players and lunch for the officials, coaches and staff.

Tiffany Milner, who helped guide the 14U Tucker Tennis Academy/Genesis Riverside squad to a title, said the Section Championships are always a memorable event for her competitors.

“We’ve been doing it for years, and we absolutely love it,” Milner said. “Every single kid who’s playing plays all kinds of tournaments. They’ve grown up playing all through USTA. And consistently, every single time, they always say this is the one that they’re going to remember. This is the one they love.”

Tara Williams, USTA Missouri Valley community tennis and Junior Team Tennis manager, organized the Section Championships with the help of numerous staff members and volunteers. The USTA Missouri Valley is grateful for everyone’s assistance and participation.

Teams advanced to the Junior Team Tennis Section Championships by either competing in one of the four JTT Qualifiers scattered throughout the USTA Missouri Valley, winning a JTT summer local league or receiving a wild-card invitation. To read an article detailing how teams earned their spot at the championships, click here.

18U Championship Results

1. BCCTA Bears (Lund / Oklahoma City)

2. Greens CC (Shanahan / Oklahoma City)

3. Genesis Greys (Tan / Wichita)

4. Forest Lake (Goodyear / Chesterfield, Mo.)

5. Riverside (Reyes / Wichita)

6. Top City Tennis (Brown / Topeka)

7. Edwardsville (Cimarolli / Edwardsville, Ill.)

14U Championship Results

1. TTA/Genesis (Bailey / Tulsa)

2. OKC ELITE (Moore / Oklahoma City)

3. CCRC Crocs (McDonald / St. Louis)

4. Edwardsville (Cimarolli / Edwardsville, Ill.)

To view photos from the 2024 Junior Team Tennis Section Championships, click here. Follow the USTA Missouri Valley on Facebook and Instagram for additional content from the championships.

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