Broward Celebrates, USTA Florida League Championship Cup Embarks on #USTAFLLeagues Tour

The six Broward County winning team captains and Ernest Burkeen, recreation director for the City of Plantation (right), pose with the USTA Florida League Championship Cup

Broward County tennis team captains and players that won USTA Florida League Sectionals titles during the 2016 league season celebrated winning the inaugural USTA Florida League Championship Cup on Sunday, Feb. 12, 2017 with some Fast4-format tennis and a luncheon at the Frank Veltri Tennis Center in Plantation, Fla.

Threatening to rename the trophy the Broward Cup, and to keep the Cup in Broward for the 2017 USTA Florida League season, the six Broward Sectionals (state)-winning teams took photos with the Cup and celebrated edging Orange and Pinellas counties, which tied for second place one title behind.

The USTA Florida League Champion Cup this week begins its #USTAFLLeagues Tour, where each of the six teams will have possession of the Cup for one week of photo ops, selfies and general bragging rights.

“We’re looking forward to teams showing the Cup around their respective clubs, taking it around town and sharing their victory with other tennis fans via the hashtag #USTAFLLeagues,” says USTA Florida Director of Leagues Christine Ducey.

The majority of players showed up en mass sporting blue shirts from Weston’s Midtown Athletic Club, which boasted three teams winning state titles and advancing to represent Florida at USTA League Nationals. Posing for teams photos with the Cup, players could be seen hurriedly stripping off shirts and donning the shirts of another team since they participated on multiple squads.

“We don’t let the players do their own teams, because then players go all over the place,” said Midtown’s Director of Adult Tennis Ismael Rosales on their successful league formula for the 25-court private club west of Ft. Lauderdale. “We help the captains form the teams and I think it works better that way. We have help from the coaches and the directors to put together some strong teams.”

Broward County was in eighth place as late as August on the 2016 league championship cup standings, but “stole” the Cup from traditional area powerhouses Orange (Orlando) and Pinellas (Clearwater/St. Pete) counties after a late surge that included Combo league titles in the last two Sectionals Championships of the season.

“We love this USTA Florida League Championship Cup event, this is something that really motivates the clubs and the captains and the players,” Rosales said.

Broward County winning clubs and teams roll call:

Frank Veltri Tennis Center in Plantation (Combo 18 & Over Women’s 9.5 winner)
Season Roster: Veronica Wank (captain), Beverly Norona, Jill Rickey, Meg Jackson, Casilda Diaz, Sharon Runk, Laura Di Lauro, Winnie Schuetz, Gedvile Norkute, Jacqueline Pichardo, Kumiko Currie

Dillon Tennis Center in Oakland Park (Combo 18 & Over Men’s 6.5)
Season Roster: Kevin Sims (captain), Mario Huayamave, Rafael Rigotto, Carlo Cantavero, Alain Nicolas-David, Francesco Marrama, Armando Orozco, Ronald Coletto, Kevin Almonte, Leo Julien, Todd Wozniewski, Antonio De Cecchi, Mark Reyes, Ara Toroyan

Tennis Center of Coral Springs (55 & Over Men’s 4.5)
Season Roster: Londi Romero (captain), Randy Webb, Leonardo Torrellas, William Dellinger, Gordon Light, Gary Dunay, Kent Weiss, Albert Muniz, Kevin McCarthy, Fred Carrasquillo

Midtown Athletic Club in Weston (18 & Over Men’s 3.5)
Season Roster: Fernando Lamus (captain), William Guasch, Ramon Mora, Gaston Belen, Alberto Ettedgui, Juan Llano, Kevin Whiteside, Luis Di Lauro, Nick Boros, Enrique Escobedo, Juan Molano, Ricardo Cardenas, Edward Benavides, Ronald Coletto, Ruben Lisman, Guillermo Sarria

Midtown Athletic Club in Weston (Mixed 18 & Over 8.0)
Season Roster: Gustavo Risquez (captain), Gaston Belen, Kenny Torrellas, Cristina Tomadin, Ronald Coletto, Leonardo Torrellas, Victoria Sujoy, Enrique Escobedo, Angel Silvestrini, Samir Cury, Barbara Barrios, Laura Di Lauro, Paulina Riveros, Carla Neopensi, Lorena de Guzman-Barron

Midtown Athletic Club in Weston (Mixed 18 & Over 7.0)
Season Roster: Enrique Escobedo (captain), Ronald Coletto, Maria del Rosario, Pia Diodato de Brozzi, Luis Ocampo, Astrid Iriarte, Gaston Belen, Lizette Ibarra, Victoria Sujoy, Ramon Mora, Juan Molina, Carla Neopensi, Guillermo Sarria, Lissette Loddo, Gloria McRae, Beatriz Nassar, Elizabeth Gordillo, Ricardo Cardenas, Carolina Varela, Gustavo Bencid

At the end of the six weeks the USTA Florida League Championship Cup will return to the USTA Florida headquarters where it will be displayed through the end of the season.

Follow the Cup’s journey by tuning in to @USTAFlorida and #USTAFLLeagues on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat. To find a USTA Florida League in your area for 2017 go to www.ustaflorida.com/local-contacts/?contact_program=usta-leagues.