Cimarolli Impacts JTT in Southern Illinois

Emily Cimarolli is a gymnastics school dropout.

It could not have worked out better for her – and for tennis in Southern Illinois.

For her significant impact on Junior Team Tennis (JTT) and more in Southern Illinois, she is selected as a USTA Missouri Valley Gold Star Award winner. The award recognizes those who support and grow the game.

“I couldn’t do a cartwheel in gymnastics, and still cannot,” Cimarolli said. “When my sister, who is two years younger than me, passed me up ability-wise in gymnastics, I knew it was time to switch sports. Myparents encouraged me to play an individual sport.”

So Cimarolli moved onto tennis. What did she like most about tennis?

The team aspect. She was a huge fan of JTT growing up in Althoff, Ill. – as well as the team chemistry part of high school tennis.

The assistant tennis coach at Edwardsville High School, along with fellow assistant Kirk Schlueter have fond memories of playing JTT in their youth. They realized it was a missing piece of the youth tennis fabric in the area and brought it back to Edwardsville after a decade-long hiatus.

“JTT is a great stepping stone for competitive play,” Cimarolli said. “A lot of our 10s, 12s and 14s players had never played competitively. This was an excellent opportunity to introduce them to match play in a low-pressure environment. Kirk and I love being on the court to coach players throughout their matches. They can use JTT to help build confidence and independence on their way to playing weekend tournaments and high school tennis.”

In most cases, tennis is indeed an individual sport. The beauty of JTT is even if you are slated to play singles, your team is counting on you. Cimarolli and Schlueter are all about bringing the fun of the game, along with what it means to be part of a team.

“The team aspect is our favorite part of JTT,” Cimarolli said. “As high school coaches, we are constantly in the team mindset, supporting one another. Participating in JTT allows players to have fun and be social with their friends, build each other up and cheer for each other. It also allows players to develop relationships with other players, coaches, and parents. We stress that every game counts for the team.”

For Cimarolli, tennis is all about being social. That is what so great about tennis – not only is it a sport that one can start early – it’s a sport one can play for a lifetime. She loves giving kids a stepping-stone to an activity they can enjoy for years to come.