USTA Missouri Seeking JTT District Coordinator

Echols credited Courtney Nesbitt, USTA Missouri junior competition coordinator, for her efforts in getting Junior Team Tennis rolling in several of the district’s pockets. Nesbitt has JTT humming in Camdenton and Jefferson City. Columbia has featured JTT on and off, and Echols would like more regular offerings there.

Springfield played host to an all-new Junior Team Tennis summer league this past July at the Cooper Tennis Complex. Mallory Weber, USTA Missouri president and coordinator for the four-week league, called the offering the “resurgence” of JTT in the Springfield area. To read a previously published article on the new league, click here.

Echols noted other areas within USTA Missouri, such as Marshall, have terrific junior programming taking place but no JTT options. Other cities — including Joplin, Monett and Cape Girardeau — feature standout high school programs but lack a JTT presence. Those types of locations would be logical starting points for the new JTT district coordinator to connect with.

“We want to go to these areas and get it going just in that local area. And if that’s as far as it goes, that’s OK,” Echols said. “But we want to provide those opportunities in the local areas so travel is not required for participants. If people then want to come together for district playoffs or whatever, we’ll certainly provide those opportunities too.”

While travel isn’t mandatory for the newly hired JTT district coordinator, it will be encouraged. Echols said the district is ready to support the individual visiting cities to meet and network with potential JTT providers. That includes any individual interested in putting together a team, such as teaching pros at tennis facilities or country clubs, high school tennis coaches or even parents.

“We hear the negatives, the challenges, and why we can’t do it. And we are ready to do it anyways to find out what works for our district,” Echols said. “Yes, we are unique. We are spread out and small. So we are going to come up with creative solutions to provide these opportunities to kids. We want someone who will think outside the box and work to provide these offerings. That’s the kind of person we’re looking for.”

To learn more about what Junior Team Tennis is, click here.