SPORTSMANSHIP, SPIRIT RECOGNIZED AT 14U JTT NATIONALS

Sportsmanship and team spirit go hand-in-hand with Junior Team Tennis. And at the 2018 14U National Championships, several players and teams were honored for their exemplary behavior both on and off the court.
 

In the Advanced division, Marlon Abarca Jr. from the USTA Hawaii Pacific section’s Slamming Acers and Sarah Allen (pictured above) from the championship-winning Dallas Select of the USTA Texas section each earned a Sportsmanship Award.
 

And in the Intermediate division, the Sportsmanship Award was presented to Justin Sowinski from the USTA Southwest section’s Team ATA and to Kei Chung, whose Sunshine Aces G7 team from the USTA Southern California section finished 15th.
 

The awards were given to the players who received the most votes from his or her opponents throughout the tournament for displaying good sportsmanship.

In addition, a separate award was also presented to the team that displayed the best team spirit and sportsmanship throughout the event.
 

That accolade went to the team from Ormond Beach, Fla., representing the USTA Florida section. On the court, the team finished in 16th place in the Intermediate division.
 

Elsewhere, an award was presented in each division to the team that created the best team banner.
 

RH-91 White, representing the USTA Missouri Valley section, won the Best Banner Award, given to the team with the most creative team banner, in the Intermediate division. On the court, the team finished in 10th place.
 

Huaka'I, a wild-card team from the USTA Hawaii Pacific section, claimed the Best Banner Award and went on to finish in 11th place in the Advanced division.
 

"Junior Team Tennis is so much more than wins and losses, and these award winners truly demonstrated what we look for in JTT competitors," said Matt Barnhart, National Manager for USTA Junior Team Tennis. "We're thrilled to recognize each of these honorees who had a positive impact on this year's National Championships."
 

The 2018 USTA Junior Team Tennis 14U National Championships, held at the USTA National Campus in Orlando, Fla., Nov. 2-4, brought together the top 32 teams at intermediate and advanced levels from various USTA sections throughout the country.