Junior Team Tennis Expanded
As teams start practices, mid-November will see the first matches of an expanded Junior Team Tennis season. In it’s 4th season, JTT , a USTA product, has seen growth every year but this year in particular participation has skyrocketed from 5 to 16 teams plus a welcome addition of league sponsorships.
Three new divisions have been added; 14 and Under Beginner, Intermediate, and 12 and Under Beginner which join with the traditional 18 and Unders, which when combined could bring 200 youth into program. “I am quite prejudiced about what I believe is the best Junior program around for these kids to compete before, during, and after their school seasons or tournaments”, League Coordinator and Coach Robert Brown said. Brown went on to add “the addition of new quality coaches (PTR President Dan Santorum, Beaufort Academy’s Gregg Crosby, Beaufort’s Floyd Johnson and David Reidmayer) to go along with Wexford’s Patrick Mason, Chaplin Park’s Tim Austin, locally renowned teacher/player Scot Nicols has brought needed attention as well as big numbers to the program”. The Bluffton Badkatz, now with 3 teams has added Boys Assistant and Armstrong Atlantic standout Kristen Kelly joining Brown to work with the “14’s”. The league welcomes sponsors Weichert Realty (Scot Nicols) and Players World of Sports who will assist with uniforms, prizes, and a year ending banquet.
Between Nov. 17 and January 16 about 50 matches will be played locally with all divisions save the beginners vying for a shot at the State Championship in July in Sumter, SC. Last July, Scot Nicols’s “Villains” and Bluffton Badkatz represented our area at the championships.
The co-ed format features 8 game pro-sets with all wins going into team total which accumulates throughout the year. Individual matches consist of Boys Singles, Girls Singles, Boys Doubles, Girls Doubles, and Mixed Doubles. The season is purposely sandwiched between the Boys and Girls Varsity Tennis seasons making it ideal for middle school and high school practice as well as giving all others who might aspire to hs team or tournament play a chance to experience a team dynamic.
More information, match schedules and more can be seen on SCtennis.com “Junior Team Tennis” or contact Brown at 290-2833.
