Putman, Cooper Named Youth Provider of the Month

The award is called Youth Tennis Provider of the Month. This USTA Missouri Valley honor is given to a provider that stands out in the Team Product space, which includes Team Challenges, Team Tournaments and Junior Team Tennis.

But for the month of June, Jeff Putman would like to pluralize the award. The Community Recreation Supervisor for the Springfield-Greene County Park Board has a team of his own working hard at Cooper Tennis Complex.

Putman called the award really cool, but deferred all questions to his head tennis pro, Kyle Wartick.

“I was very humbled to learn of our program being selected USTA Missouri Valley Youth Provider of the Month,” Wartick said. “We are all experiencing a strange season of life at the moment. You never know the battles others are fighting when they walk onto our courts or inside our facilities. We challenge ourselves as providers to make personal connections with our athletes and parents each day. This simple challenge has never been more important.”

The staff at Cooper has been up to the task. It’s an experienced group, including some with NCAA Division I and Pro Circuit experience.

“This wide range of experience is what makes our programs successful,” Wartick said. “Each member of the teaching staff brings a passion for developing players with varying goals to the table.”

Nearly 180 kids train in the programs at Cooper each month, using USTA Player Development parameters.

“The youth programs at Cooper are part of a cohesive developmental pathway,” Wartick said. “Our players begin their developmental journey on age and skill appropriate equipment, competing in skill and age appropriate USTA events.”

The programs, though, go beyond the fences at Cooper Tennis Complex.

“Through USTA outreach programs, partnerships with the Boys and Girls Clubs, public schools, neighborhood associations and the Springfield Lasers, we see over 1,000 kids annually in free programs alone,” Wartick said. “Many of these kids are picking up a racquet for the first time. I would like people to understand that we place as much emphasis on our outreach programs being successful as we do our High Performance athletes obtaining college scholarships.”

Wartick has been with the Springfield-Greene County Park Board for 13 years now. One thing that he’s particularly proud of is the culture that has been created at Cooper.

“Kids who grow up and graduate out of our programs often come back and work or volunteer at some level,” he said. “Whether it be as an instructor, a member of the front desk Welcome Team, maintenance, or working as part of the Springfield Lasers operational staff. I am proud that we send young men and women out into the world confident that they are part of something bigger than themselves. With an understanding  that no matter how crazy things get, someone from Cooper cares and is only a call or text away.”

And that is comforting right now for the young people they work with.

“As tennis providers it is our job to create and maintain positive environments for our athletes and families,” Wartick said. “At the moment, the physical and mental well-being of folks takes precedence over tennis specific skills. I think it is important that we don't lose sight of this fact anytime in the foreseeable future.”

Putman and his team will receive a certificate and a Tennis Warehouse gift card.