Tennis Briefs(3): League Sign-Ups, One-Day Tourneys, Grants

Gainesville, Orlando, Tallahassee Among 7 USTA Florida Foundation Tennis Grant Recipients

Seven community tennis organizations received tennis grants totaling more than $7,000 in the month of March from the USTA Florida Foundation, the charitable arm of the United States Tennis Association-Florida Section (USTA Florida).

Recipients of grants were organizations in Gainesville, two Orlando-area grants, Palm Harbor, Satellite Beach, and two grants in Tallahassee.

USTA Florida Foundation grants offer funding for youth tennis programs, adaptive tennis programs for those with special needs, community tennis programs in economically challenged areas, along with facility assistance in the renovation, refurbishment and building of quality public tennis facilities.

“The USTA Florida Foundation‘s ability to award grants to organizations like these is made possible through friends of tennis who show their love of the game with the ‘Play Tennis’ license plate on their car or other vehicle,” says USTA Florida Foundation Director Linda Curtis. “These are the people and players that champion our mission of ‘Changing Lives through Tennis.’ If you don’t have a ‘Play Tennis’ license plate, visit your local DMV today to get your tag and be a supporter of grassroots tennis in Florida.”

Since 2010, USTA Florida and the USTA Florida Foundation have awarded more than $1,000,000 in grants for tennis programs serving people of all ages and abilities throughout Florida.

USTA Florida Foundation grants in March:

Gainesville — Gainesville Junior Team Tennis League
Grant: Equipment grant to be used for balls and mini-nets for the 10 and Under Tennis players in the JTT Gainesville league.

Orlando-area (multiple grants) — Orlando Junior Team Tennis League
Grant: Equipment grant for red, orange, green and yellow tennis balls for JTT leagues at the Fort Gatlin, Lake Cane, Red Bug Lake and Sanlando tennis centers.

Palm Harbor — YMCA of the Suncoast
Grant: Equipment grant for age-appropriate tennis equipment for students in the After School Summer Enrichment Program at Curlew Creek Elementary.

Satellite Beach — Space Coast Tennis Association
Grant: Equipment grant for age-appropriate tennis equipment for kids in the summer camp and Kids Club tennis programs at DeSoto Park.

Tallahassee — Leon County Schools CLAY Program
Grant: Adaptive tennis equipment grant for students in the Leon County Schools Exceptional Student Education program.

Tallahassee — USTA Tallahassee Tennis Challenger
Grant: For transportation of students to the USTA Tallahassee Tennis Challenger, t-shirts for the Special Olympic athletes and volunteers, and pizza party for the children.

The USTA Florida Foundation’s mission is “Changing Lives Through Tennis,” providing financial support through organizational grants that help Floridians of all ages and abilities improve their health and quality of life through the game of tennis. It is the USTA Florida Foundation’s belief that tennis provides opportunities for healthy social, emotional, physical and educational development, and encourages peer and family participation.

For more information on individual grants or for more information on the USTA Florida Foundation go to www.ustafloridafoundation.com.

One-Day Tiebreak Tennis Tournament in April at Treasure Island

The 2nd annual Treasure Bay One-Day Tiebreak Tournament will be hosted by Treasure Bay Golf & Tennis on Saturday, April 23, 2016 in Treasure Island, Fla.

Divisions include Open and 50 & Over, and NTRP men’s and women’s divisions of 3.0-4.5. The tournament entry deadline is April 20, and the entry fee is $23.

Alternative-format events such as Tiebreak Tournaments, Fast4, and One-on-One Doubles in Florida offer players a chance to play competitively in one-day and abbreviated tournaments rather than giving up an entire weekend.

“The main reasons why players enjoy these alternative format events are shorter duration of event and lower cost,” says USTA Florida Director of Competitive Tennis Jason Gilbert. “The entry fees are significantly lower for one-day events, with great competition in a shorter time frame.”

For more tournament info or to enter go to http://tennislink.usta.com/tournaments/TournamentHome/Tournament.aspx?T=174516.

USTA Leagues Signing-Up Across Florida, Find a League Today

Build your social network and add some fun and competition with USTA League tennis. Leagues are signing-up now, so grab your racquet and head to your local club or public courts to be part of a fun, healthy activity.

Registration for USTA tennis leagues are now taking place across the country — the perfect way to play for those looking to enjoy the thrill of competition while making friends in the process.

In addition to tennis being social and fun, the health benefits of the lifetime sport include increased burning of calories, reduction in blood pressure and reduced stress. These benefits play a role in reducing the risk of heart disease, the No. 1 life-threatening disease among men and women.

USTA League offers several programs throughout the year that vary by gender, age and skill level. Formats also vary, with singles, doubles and mixed doubles available. Teams and leagues are set up by ability, which means matches are competitive and stimulating.

For more info or to find a league in your area go to www.ustaflorida.com/leagues.