|
QUICKSTART RISING STARS TENNIS TOURNAMENT
Tournament to be Played on Charleston’s Only Permanent QuickStart Courts
The Family Circle Tennis Center, home of the Lucy Garvin QuickStart Tennis Courts, will present the USTA Southern Section-sanctioned QuickStart Rising Stars junior tennis tournament from 9:00am - Noon on Saturday, July 10th, 2010. Boys and girls ages 10 and under, of all skill levels and abilities, have an opportunity to compete on Charleston’s only permanent QuickStart courts. USTA members must register and pay the $23.00 entry fee by the July 8th deadline via TennisLink using Tournament ID 704143010.
Two different sized courts and balls will be utilized for this event: a 60’ court and low-compression balls for the 10s Division, and a 36’ court and foam balls for the 8s Division. All players will receive a tournament gift upon check-in, a medal for their participation, and are invited to participate in a hot-dog cookout/social after play concludes. There will be a special meeting for parents prior to the start of play at 8:30am.
“The most appealing aspect of QuickStart tournaments is that players of all abilities can participate, and each player is guaranteed to play multiple matches,” said Dewey Caulder, Tennis Director, Family Circle Tennis Center. “Each participant will also take home a medal, as well as a tournament gift.”
Named in honor of Lucy Garvin, a South Carolina native and current Chairman of the Board and President of the USTA, the Family Circle Tennis Center’s Lucy Garvin QuickStart Courts are the only permanent QuickStart courts in the Charleston area. This bank of four red and green courts were completed and dedicated to Garvin on Friday, April 16th in a special presentation during the 2010 Family Circle Cup.
“Our QuickStart Courts have been very busy with lessons and play since their construction in April,” commented Rob Eppelsheimer, Director, Facilities and Tennis Development, Family Circle Tennis Center. “Juniors are having fun and learning the game of tennis at a rapid pace, and this tournament will showcase the benefits of the QuickStart format.”
Quickstart tennis is a new format for learning tennis, designed to bring children into the game utilizing smaller equipment, shorter court dimensions and modified scoring, all tailored to age and size. It is divided into two different levels – ages 8 and under and ages 10 and under. By modifying the court dimensions, equipment (racquets and balls), net height and scoring system coupled with a play component, kids develop better technical and tactical skills. When each of these elements is used collaboratively, kids achieve earlier success and tend to stay in the game.
For an adult player to succeed at tennis, racquet control is essential. The same is true for kids. However, since kids are smaller than adults, kids have trouble controlling full-size racquets. They are too long, too heavy and the grips are too large. Kids need racquets that are proportionate in length and weight and have a grip that fits their smaller hands.
Kids also need a ball that is sized and paced to their playing abilities. A regulation tennis ball moves too fast, bounces too high and is too heavy for their smaller racquet. Each age group, therefore, uses a ball better suited to its size and unique playing ability. For 8-and-under, a foam ball moves slower, bounces lower and travels less distance. For 10-and-under, a low compression ball moves a little faster and travels farther than the ball used with the younger group, however, it still has a lower bounce than the original.
Complete QuickStart tennis programming information is available at www.QuickStartTennis.com.
 The Family Circle Cup has granted its first Qualifying Wild Card of the 2010 event to Shelby Rogers, SMASH Jr. Cup presented by Dunlop Sport Girls 18 Division Champion, who defeated Emily Gelber Scarsdale, NY 6-1, 6-2 in yesterday’s final. Rogers, a 17-year-old Daniel Island resident, will make her Sony Ericsson WTA Tour debut at the Charleston event.
Rogers is the No. 926 ranked player in the world, and the 73rd ranked US player on the WTA Tour. She has notched a 6-4 ITF career record, posted earnings of $1,029 to date, and holds 11 Tour ranking points.
“We have been aware of Shelby Rogers’ incredible talent since her earliest years when she was involved in Family Circle Tennis Center junior development programs,” said Eleanor Adams, Family Circle Cup Tournament Manager. “We are happy to give her the opportunity to play against the best players in the world.”
“I’ve dreamed of competing at the Family Circle Cup since I first attended the tournament in 2001,” commented Shelby Rogers. “I’m so excited to play in my first Sony Ericsson WTA Tour event, and I really look forward to having my friends and family in the stands to cheer me on.”
The SMASH Junior Cup presented by Dunlop Sport, one of only two junior tennis tournaments in America to offer top players the opportunity to compete for a wildcard invitation into a Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Premier Event, will return to Charleston in February. The tournament has Level 3 Southern Tournament status, offering greater ranking points per round than a standard tournament. This event is sanctioned by the USTA, STA and SCTA, and is also one of only five events in the state of South Carolina to have a Level 2 state status. The 9th annual SMASH Junior Cup presented by Dunlop Sport will bring more than 350 regionally and nationally ranked juniors to the Family Circle Tennis Center, February 20-22, 2010.
The Girl’s 18 champion will be awarded a direct entry into the Qualifying Draw of the 2010 Family Circle Cup via a wildcard invitation.
Dunlop is the official ball and racquet of the Family Circle Tennis Center, as well as the SMASH Junior Cup presented by Dunlop Sport. All tournament matches will be played with this professional quality championship ball.
“We are very proud to continue our support of such an important and successful tournament which attracts so many of America’s young stars on the junior circuit today”, noted Oren Carton, Client Services Manager at SMASH Magazine. “The excitement of this premier event consistently draws top players who are looking for experience competing against some of the strongest competition in the country.”
“With SMASH Magazine’s support, the tournament’s Southern Level 3 status, and a wild card invitation into the Family Circle Cup, it’s easy to attract elite junior players to Charleston for this event,” commented Rob Eppelsheimer, Director, Facilities and Tennis Development - Family Circle Tennis Center. “SMASH Magazine’s commitment over the previous four years has been instrumental in building this event to its present stature as a top level junior event.”
SMASH, a cutting edge magazine launched by TENNIS Magazine for teenage players, features behind-the-scenes access to the top tennis stars like Maria Sharapova and Andy Roddick, along with the latest fashion trends, gear reviews, instructional tips and junior rankings. SMASH Magazine is published quarterly with a circulation base of 155,000, and is available on newsstands across the country.
Look at the photogallery from the 2009 SMASH Jr. Cup presented by Dunlop Sport
~ 2009 SMASH Jr. Cup Event Photogallery
Family Circle Tennis Center
161 Seven Farms Drive
Charleston, SC 29492
Pro Shop: (843) 849-5300
Toll Free: (800) 677-2293
Fax: (843) 849-5392
|
