Adult Spring Cooper Tournament Slated for June 17

The Adult 18+ Spring Skirmish — run by USTA Missouri Executive Director Leslie Echols — is set for June 17 at Cooper Tennis Complex in Springfield. The Level 6 NTRP event features men’s and women’s singles and doubles as well as Mixed Doubles divisions for a fun-filled weekend of tennis.

The tournament will take place outdoors with indoor courts booked in case of inclement weather. Participants are guaranteed three matches per event. With discounts offered for each additional event, individuals can register for up to three events. Echols noted a handful of players did just that a year ago, which was the inaugural rendition of the tourney. To register for the Adult 18+ NTRP Spring Skirmish, click here.

“This is a very well-attended tournament,” Echols said. “It is a great opportunity to play a wide variety of players from across the section and even outside the section. Past participants raved about how fun it is and how nice it is to have a facility where players can come together between matches and get to know each other off the court.”

To assist in those efforts, Echols holds a player reception for all participants on Friday night from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. The tournament — which features a staggered schedule — kicks off Friday evening with men’s and women’s singles at the NTRP 3.0, 3.5, 4.0 and 4.5 levels. Singles action will conclude Saturday evening.

Men’s doubles and women’s doubles begin Saturday morning at the NTRP 3.0, 3.5, 4.0 and 4.5 levels and wrap up Sunday morning. Mixed Doubles at the NTRP levels of 3.0, 3.5, 4.0 and 4.5 start Saturday afternoon and finish Sunday afternoon.

“It ends up being an awesome weekend, packed full of tennis and opportunities to play,” Echols said. “People coming in from out of town — if they want to play singles and doubles — they don’t have to stay all the way through Sunday. Or if someone just wants to play mixed doubles, it’s Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning.”

Echols said it’s a great NTRP tournament for individuals seeking to collect points in 2023 to potentially earn a golden ticket to USTA Nationals. Snacks and prizes will be offered to participants.

“You never walk away empty-handed when you come to one of my tournaments,” Echols said. “There will be some sort of goodie bag and other fun things throughout the weekend for sure. It’s a great atmosphere. People have a great time. It’s well-organized, which I think people appreciate.”

Anyone interested in volunteering to help at the tournament or sponsoring it can reach out to Echols at ustamissouridirector@gmail.com or can click here. She noted it’s a good opportunity for prospective tournament directors to shadow her, too. As was the case last year, the Adult 18+ Spring Skirmish will incorporate ball kids. Parents interested in having their children chip in there can click here.

“It makes it fun for the participants to have ball kids on the court, especially in those final matches,” Echols said. “It’s also a great opportunity for families who have kids interested in tennis to be a part of the event. Certainly people can reach out to me if they would like their kids to be able to participate in that way.”