Tennis Briefs: USTA National Campus in Orlando Unveils Executive Team; More

USTA National Campus in Orlando Unveils Executive Team

An artist’s rendering of the USTA National Campus in Orlando

The USTA named three key executives this week for the Orlando USTA National Campus, which will finish construction in late 2016.

Kurt Kamperman will become Chief Executive, Community Tennis and USTA National Campus. Craig Morris has been hired as General Manager, Community Tennis and Youth Tennis; and Tim Cass has been hired as General Manager, USTA National Campus.

A model tennis facility, the USTA National Campus, will feature more than 100 tennis courts, and will be divided into areas that focus on the complete tennis pathway. Open to the public, the USTA National Campus will be able to accommodate family outings, clinics, camps, leagues and every type of tennis competition and program, from youth tennis events to age-based national championships.

Collegiate tennis will be a staple of the facility, with the USTA National Campus serving as the home of the University of Central Florida’s men’s and women’s tennis teams, as well as hosting collegiate tournaments.

The USTA’s Community Tennis and Player Development divisions, which focus on strengthening the game’s grass roots and developing the next generation of American champions, will also be housed on the site, incorporating the latest technology and equipment to assist with advanced training techniques, sports science, coaching education and improved athletic performance. USTA Player Development will continue to report to USTA Executive Director Gordon Smith.

“With the USTA National Campus, we are creating an unrivaled tennis facility that will serve as a resource and destination for tennis players of all ages and abilities, and most importantly a launching pad for the next generation of tennis players and providers,” said Smith. “Kurt Kamperman’s long history and background in our sport and with the USTA makes him the ideal candidate to turn our vision into reality.”

Kamperman has served as Chief Executive, Community Tennis since 2003. Prior to joining the USTA, Morris had served as the Director of Participation for Tennis Australia since 2013. Cass had served as the Chief Operating Officer/Deputy Athletics Director for the University of New Mexico since 2006.

Kamperman, Morris and Cass will be based in Orlando, Fla. For more info go to www.usta.com.

Ft. Lauderdale’s Blokhin Wins, Boca’s Medrano Recognized at ‘Little Mo’ Tennis Nationals

 

A Florida winner punched through at the 18th annual “Little Mo” Nationals presented by Babolat, held at the Austin Tennis Academy in Austin, Texas, in October when Fort Lauderdale’s Nathan Blokhin captured the title in the Boys’ 9 division.

Another Florida native, Boca Raton’s Owen Medrano, received the Sportsmanship Award.

The “Little Mo” Nationals is the only national tournament for boys and girls ages 8-12. It is the culmination of the yearlong “Road to the Little Mo Nationals” circuit featuring the youngest and brightest stars in junior tennis. The “Little Mo” tournaments are designed to be fun and provide good competition for the younger player at the sectional, regional, and national level.

Approximately 1,500 players participated at the sectional level, and quarterfinalists from each age division at each sectional advanced to one of the four “Little Mo” Regionals held in the summer. The semifinalists from each age division at each Regional advanced to the “Little Mo” Nationals.

The event is named for Maureen “Little Mo” Connolly, the top-ranked woman’s player in the world in the early 1950s, winning Wimbledon in 1952-54. In 1953, she became the first woman (at age 18) to win the Grand Slam. “Little Mo” died of cancer in 1969 at the age of 34 in Dallas, Texas.

For the full results go to http://www.usptaplayer.com/tournaments/862/.