blufftontennis.com

Bluffton Today Open Update Announced

Vegas — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 21:40:47 +0000

Bluffton Today Tournament Founder Robert Brown announces today several tournament updates for the third annual charity BTO played at Bluffton High, Palmetto Bluff, Hampton Hall, Shell Hall, and Oldfield. The tournament benefiting the courts at Bluffton Recreation Center, financially disadvantaged local tennis children, and the fund to build new public courts in Bluffton has a few new wrinkles this year acording to Brown. “First off, we welcome new sponsors Holiday Inn Express of Bluffton, Chic-Fil-A, Bluffton Family Chiropractic, and O’Neill Power Equipment. New also this year is a fun Beat the Pro Contest held as dinner entertainment on Saturday night where players can compete for prizes and bragging rights against some local tennis “celebs”. The public is invited to free viewing of all events. There will be some surprises here. Also, dinner on the grounds this year will be catered by Moes and Saturday morning breakfast will be provided by Chi-Fil-A”.
The format is new this year also featuring combined ratings totaling 5.0,6.0,7.0 and 8.0 (Mixed, Mens and Womens plus Juniors)which allows for 3.0’s and 4.0’s to combine for a 7.0 team. There is a silent auction which should be shown in the paper and possibly on-line with some great and different items to bid, again with all proceeds going to the growing tennis cause.
“I am always excited about the Child/Adult Contest in it’s second year where you can play with your child or we provide you with one in a fun environment. This is a growing part of our efforts. The tournament, now in it’s third year is played on beautiful sites with great prizes professionally run by Gavin Cox of Low Country Sports Network”, Brown went on to say.
Entry forms are available at BlufftonToday.com,blufftontennis.com,at Bluffton High, Players World of Sports on Hilton Head Island or by calling Brown at 290-2833.

Junior Team Tennis Spring - Summer 08 Gets Underway

Vegas — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 15:07:43 +0000

Junior Team Tennis 08, administered by PTI, will open registration on May 1 (through June 1) for the Spring Summer League with matches to begin late in May JTT is a product of USTA where kids ages 6 -18 can compete in a team format featuring Boys/Girls Singles and doubles as well as Mixed Doubles. The Fall 07 season was a huge success with a record number of team’s rostering 145 Beaufort County kids by opening up new play divisions such as 12 and Under Beginner and 14 and Under Intermediate. Two local teams from this past season as well as the winners of this coming season, assuming they are different teams, will represent our area at the State Championships in July in Sumter, SC. Winning beyond that leads to a Regional and National Championship.

The Spring season, ideally timed in between the concluding Boys High School season, school end and before the High School Girls season is a perfect way to keep a racquet in kid’s hands, prepare for tournament play as well as high school jv – varsity even college playing. Scoring is Pro-sets with cumulative games won adding to the team’s total. Most games won during match and season win. All stats and standings are collected and displayed on Tennislink (under Team Tennis – sctennis.com). This scoring is conducive to team bonding and point focus. If the response level is high for 6 – 10 year old beginners, the USTA Quick Start (modified equipment and court size) will be incorporated in JTT.

USTA Membership is required (special Jr. rate) and a team fee of about $50 includes matches, practice session, balls, refreshments, a year ending party and a team tee shirt. In the past JTT featured teams from Hilton Head Island, Beaufort and Bluffton and boasts of high caliber coaching to include the likes of Dan Santurum, Scott Nichols, Patrick Mason, several pros from Palmetto Dunes and Local League Coordinator Robert Brown saying”We hope to see our numbers even higher by adding new teams plus a new division 14 and Under Beginners. We don’t want to turn any child away”.

More information regarding open teams, coaching, sponsorship and volunteer opportunities can be obtained through Brown at 290-2833. Visit the USTA or Sctennis.com web sites to learn more.

Quickstart Tennis at Hampton Hall

Vegas — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 15:00:08 +0000

Lowcountry Sports Network has announced the start of a new USTA product called Quickstart Tennis. This is a new program using smaller courts, nets, racquets and slower balls for 10 and under kids. Please see the attached flyer or contact Lowcountry Sports Network at 816-2033 or 816-1665.

quickstart_08_jr_flyer.doc

Buckwalter Community Tennis Court Petition

Vegas — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 00:46:34 +0000

We are in desperate need of additional tennis courts in Bluffton. PLEASE click on the following link that we are going to send to Beaufort County to put the New Buckwalter Community Tennis Courts to the top of the list. The facility is going to have 13 courts with 1 Championship “Stadium Type” Court.
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/buckwalter-community-park-tennis-courts

New Off Island League Announced

Vegas — Sun, 13 Jan 2008 15:43:43 +0000

Groundwork in Place for 2 Area Leagues
Get Ready…Get Set…SPLIT: The Bridge Will Separate Super Seniors Next Fall
The foundation for separating the area’s USTA Leagues into two systems was laid today, establishing “The Bridge” as the dividing line and the fall Super Senior season as starting point.
Although details could vary from rating level to rating level, basically the current Hilton Head Island league system will remain in place for HHI teams and To Be Named* will take over and operate a separate system of teams from Moss Creek to Greater Bluffton to Sun City to Beaufort and The Islands — Callawassie, Dataw, Fripp, etc.

South Carolina State League Coordinator Mary Goins conducted today’s groundwork (and groundbreaking) session with about 25 attendees from the various off-HHI tennis communities. A second session will take place in about 10 days to continue the planning and set up the staff to administer the new league area. Positions to be filled include a local league coordinator, vice president, secretary, treasurer and two level coordinators.

HHI Local League Coordinator Jackie Reynecke, Senior Men’s Coordinator Don Grider and Senior Women’s Coordinator Mary Ellen Arboe joined Goins today to set up the founding organization strategy.
“The new league area will govern itself,” Goins said, citing the current 147 Hilton Head Island teams and 103 from off-HHI as a solid base for establishing the two leagues. It will operate independent from the Tennis Association of HHI. Champions from the two league systems would not play off against each other, but would advance directly to the appropriate South Carolina State Championships.
Anyone interested in joining the organizing effort and/or in continuing in one of the official roles should contact Reynecke at jackie@palmettodunes.com.
*One of the first details is coming up with a name for the new playing area. “Lowcountry” is out because that already is the Charleston area designation. Got a suggestion? Email it to TENNIS E-News at banana@hargray.com and the name will be passed on to the league organizers.
Stay tuned. Much more to come. Much more. Your questions will be accepted.

BLUFFTON TENNIS NEEDS YOUR VOTE!!!

Vegas — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 15:32:36 +0000

On Saturday Jan. 19th between 9:00 and 12:00 an open town hearing will
occur at the community center building Shultz Park, Bluffton. I am told
that this is our opportunity to let the town of Bluffton know that there
are hundreds of us interested in seeing the proposed public tennis
courts off Buckwalter become a reality in the near future. Please vote
your interest with your appearance or minimally write a letter. Forward
this to those you think might help with my thanks.

Robert E. Brown

Bluffton 2.5 Women Need Players

Vegas — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 03:38:33 +0000

The Bluffton Alley Cats, captained by Dianne Austin, need additional players to fill out their roster. The Alley Cats practice each Wednesday Night at Bluffton High School starting at 6:00pm. Please contact Dianne at dianneaustin@hargray.com for additional information.

BLUFFTON SMASH NEEDS 4.0 MEN

Vegas — Sat, 15 Dec 2007 02:36:47 +0000

The Bluffton Smash Men’s Adult 4.0 Team is in need of players. Please contact Tim Austin at vegas@hargray.com or 298-0746.

BLUFFTON TODAY OPEN

Vegas — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 15:25:33 +0000

Bluffton Today Open

Thank you for supporting the Bluffton Today Open Tennis Tournament now in our third year! We have experienced growth each year and this year we hope for 150 participants plus supporters. With your help, we are able to make another sizable contribution towards the building of needed public tennis courts in Bluffton. Additionally, proceeds from your tournament support the Bluffton Junior Benevolence Fund and the resurfacing of Bluffton’s only other public courts (those at Bluffton Recreation Center).

3 Ways You Can Help!

BE A SPONSOR.. Your donation will offset an expense or go directly to our bottom line. Let’s be creative and fun. Sponsor an event. Post a banner. Get on our commemorative tee!
DONATE TO THE SILENT AUCTION. Goods/Services, which we can sell at, check in and through the newspaper!
UNDERWRITE an underprivileged Bluffton Youth who might not otherwise get to play.

….. And of course JOIN US AND PLAY!

Fun Facts About the 2008 BTO

DATE: May 16 – 18, 2008

WHERE: Palmetto Bluff, Hampton Hall, Oldfield, and Shell Hall. Juniors at Bluffton High

FORMAT: NEW! Adult Combined Ratings (same gender and mixed – all doubles) and juniors – all guaranteed 2 matches

SPECIALS: Adult/ Youth Contest, NEW! “Beat the Pro”, Silent Auction

INCLUDED: Breakfast snacks each am, Player beverages, dinner on grounds, tournament collector tee shirt, prizes, entertainment and plenty of family fun!

Please support Bluffton’s own and only tennis tournament. For additional information, please feel free

To contact us. Cheques payable to Bluffton Today Open, c/o 58 Rose Hill Drive, Bluffton, SC 29910

Robert E. Brown • Tournament Founder • 843-290-2833

Junior Team Tennis Off and Running

Vegas — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 02:57:46 +0000

For Immediate Release

Bluffton, SC

11/17/2007

Week One for Junior Team Tennis Completes

Four matches were played during the inaugural weekend including those in two new divisions (12 and Under Beginners and 14 and Under Intermediate).
Home Team Bluffton BadKatz beat the Wexford Warriors 37-26 in the 14’s Division
Home Team Beaufort Jazz beat Chaplin Red Devils 33-29 in the 18’s Division
Home Team Wexford Warriors lost to Racquet Club Villains 33-20 in the 14’s Division
Home Team Racquet Club Villains lost to the Wexford Warriors 39-18 in the 12’s Division
Next matches scheduled include;
Chaplin Red Devils home (18’s) v. Racquet Club Villains at 5:30 on Thursday Nov. 29
Beaufort Jazz (14’s) home v. Wexford Warriors at 2:00 on Sunday Nov. 25
Wexford Warriors at home v. the Dolphins at 4:00 on Friday Nov. 30
Beaufort’s home matches are played at the municipal facility in downtown Beaufort. Home matches for the Villains are played at Hilton Head Middle School and the Bluffton Badkatz play at Bluffton High School. The public is welcome to attend free of charge. Over 150 local children are registered for league play, which culminates in winner’s appearance at State Championship in Sumter, SC in the summer. This USTA League is sponsored by Scot Nicols of Weichert Realty and Players World of Sport, administered by Public Tennis Inc. (PTI).