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PROJECTS & Events Recorder
The USTA Eastern Events Exhibit is an engaging, chronological, digital display of the Section’s major tennis events, programs, and milestones. It’s a visual representation of the organization’s belief and demonstrated commitment that anyone who has a desire to play tennis or grow the game, should have an opportunity to do so.
Welcome to our journey!
2021
JUNE '21
JUNE 18: USTA EASTERN - TENNIS DEMO & CLINIC
(ALL AGES)
Queens, NY
Located in the heart of Southeast (Merrick Blvd & 119th Ave) Queens is Roy Wilkins Park. This property is in honor of civil rights leader Roy Wilkins (1901-1981). Born in Missouri and raised in Minnesota, Wilkins grew up with interest in journalism and civil rights.
INTERNATIONAL SOULFUL YOGA EXPERIENCE
MAY'21
GLEN COVE EVENT
Join us to celebrate the newly resurfaced FREE tennis courts in Perth Amboy, NJ!
This inclusive tennis event welcomes all community members who want to try the social distancing sport.
Saturday, May 15th, 2021
1:00 to 4:00 p.m.
56 Brighton Avenue
Perth Amboy, NJ 08861
Visit parecreation.recdesk.com to register.
PERTH AMBOY TENNIS COURT
TENNIS 2021 JUBILEE
The City of Orange Recreation In Collaboration with The Althea Gibson Community Tennis Association and the United States Tennis Association
Presents
TENNIS 2021 JUBILEE
At Central Playground Tennis Courts
Central Ave @ Carteret Place
Orange New Jersey 07050
Saturday May 8, 2021 - From 10:00am until 1:00pm
Fun Games Raffles Music History Prizes
Register for Lessons and Summer Camps
Call 973-952-6120 For More Info
APRIL '21
MAKING A RACQUET FOR AUTISM
MARCH '21
WOMEN'S
HISTORY
MONTH
FEBRUARY '21
BLACK
HISTORY
MONTH
JANUARY '21
EASTERN
TENNIS
CONFERENCE
2020
SEPTEMBER '20
THE FIRST 'SERVES IN SUPPORT' TOURNAMENT
The West Side Tennis Club, in Forest Hills, N.Y., hosted the section’s first Serves in Support tournament and raised over $28,000 for the American Cancer Society.
West Side Tennis Club member Marnie Perez Ochoa vividly recalls learning her mom had been diagnosed with breast cancer in March 2019.
The total amount they raised surpassed $20,000. Having dinner with a friend, Perez Ochoa says she started “jumping up and down, screaming in excitement...I genuinely got so excited after every donation. It doesn’t matter how much the person donated. Sure, those big $5,000 and $2,500 donations were fantastic, but it was beautiful seeing how our community came together to raise so much money.”
AUGUST '20
The section organized a post-quarantine event for college players to help them get back in the swing.
With so much uncertainty regarding college athletics this fall, USTA Eastern, in conjunction with the Cary Leeds Center for Tennis and Learning, organized the first-ever USTA Eastern Collegiate Series to provide high-level competitive play opportunities for college athletes and juniors across the section. The series featured players from over 20 colleges and universities, including Adelphi University, Columbia University, Hofstra University, New Jersey City University, New York University, SUNY Oneonta, St. John’s University, Syracuse University, UCLA, University of Connecticut, University of Texas, University of Virginia and Vassar College.
USTA EASTERN'S COLLEGIATE SERIES
JULY '20
15 LOVE'S
10 BLOCK
ART PROJECT
Students in Albany’s 15-LOVE organization showed off their artistic skills on a tennis court.
On August 19, the non-profit—which serves up tennis and educational programming to about 5000 children in the Albany area—turned a tennis court into a canvas with its 10 BLOCKS initiative. The project allowed a select group of 15-LOVE participants and their families to create a piece of chalk art within one of the ten boxes that form a full tennis court: the two service boxes and doubles alleys, as well as the space between the baseline and service line—called no-man’s land—on both sides of the net. Each individual piece needed to address themes of equality and multiculturalism, and the project ultimately resulted in one large colorful patchwork creation that drone footage captured from above.
Two tennis players formed a community tennis association (CTA) to promote the sport in their local park.
In 2015, Gordon Panek had just helped secure funding for wind screens and benches at the Chestnut Ridge Park Tennis Courts in Orchard Park, New York when Tim Sands, a fellow tennis player, approached him about creating a local tournament together.
“Our Summer Classic Tennis Tournament actually was the largest draw we’ve had in our six years of running it ...192 participants, 274 entry slots and 164 matches."
GROWING THE GAME IN CHESTNUT RIDGE
JUNE '20
WOODSTOCK TENNIS CLUB SCHOLARSHIP
Members of the Woodstock Tennis Club organized a fundraising initiative to share their love of tennis with kids in underserved communities.
This past June, Woodstock Tennis Club members Vivienne Hodges and Dana Patton were having a socially-distanced lunch together, talking about the state of the world. The pandemic, which had particularly devastated New York in the months prior, was only starting to recede at the local level. Just days earlier, George Floyd’s death at the hands of police officers had been captured on cameras, leading to protests that engulfed cities across the country. “It was just one of those times where you couldn’t help but ask yourself: What can we do?” Patton says. “We’re kind of in a little bubble up here in Woodstock, but there must be something.”
MAY '20
Members of the USTA Eastern community reveal their experiences treating patients with COVID-19.
The COVID-19 pandemic has produced much uncertainty across the country, but one thing it has unequivocally reaffirmed is our respect and adoration for the many officials and health care providers dedicating their lives to keeping others safe. In our series From the Baseline to the Front Line, we honored members of the USTA Eastern community who also happen to belong to that heroic group.
“My five-day work week turned into a six-day work week, and then into a seven-day work week...It was very stressful. But I thought, if I feel this way, imagine how these patients feel.”
FROM THE BASELINE TO THE FRONT LINE
APRIL '20
KINGS COUNTY TENNIS LEAGUE
During the COVID-19 shutdown, the Kings County Tennis League served up online tennis programming for their students.
“We were really excited to kickstart KCTL Cares,” Gerstman says. “We wanted to let our families know that we were there for them, that we could help them out and [bring them] the important items they needed.” The initiative was ongoing throughout the pandemic and the staff continued surveying individuals to further assess their needs; they also distributed multiple books (courtesy of neighborhood non-profit Brooklyn Book Bodega) to every child in their programs. Once KCTL Cares launched, the organization then began brainstorming how they could keep their tennis-loving pupils active and engaged from home.
MARCH '20
After local officials announced social distancing and quarantining safety measures, USTA Eastern created the Youth Progression at Home series as a way to help 10 and Under players stay active.
In March, USTA Eastern swiftly suspended all tournaments as local government officials implemented social distancing and quarantining measures across Connecticut, New York and New Jersey in reaction to the COVID-19 pandemic. When it became clear that the suspension could last longer than a couple weeks, the organization moved quickly to create a program to help 10U players stay active from the comfort (and safety) of their own homes.
YOUTH PROGRESSION AT HOME
FEBRUARY '20
ARTHUR ASHE LEGACY LIVES DAY
Through the Conkey Cruisers NJTL, Theresa Bowick introduced the sport to 2,000 kids in just one day.
Sure enough, on February 6, the district celebrated the addition of tennis to their P.E. curriculum with Arthur Ashe Legacy Lives Day. They hosted an opening ceremony celebrating the global impact of Arthur Ashe at one of the schools. (Bowick and the principal of this particular school had a close relationship after singing in church choir together, so “again, it was an easy sell,” Bowick says.) Monroe County Executive Adam Bello and Rochester Mayor Lovely Warren attended the event and proclaimed February 6 Arthur Ashe Day in the county and the city. Tennis pros then headed to other schools in the district to host tennis clinics. Over the course of one day, 2,000 students picked up a tennis racquet. USTA Eastern provided T-shirts and trophies for all the participants.
January '20
In January 2020, months before the phrase “social distance” entered the popular lexicon, the USTA Eastern community came together at the Renaissance Westchester Hotel in White Plains, N.Y. for the Eastern Tennis Conference. Over two days, tennis leaders and professionals from all across the section convened at the annual professional development gathering to learn more about the state of competitive and community tennis, discuss new trends, network and collaborate. Heather Hawkes, USTA Senior Manager of Digital Services for Community Tennis, and Leah Friedman, USTA National Manager of Net Generation, led classroom sessions, while 14-time Grand Slam champion Arantxa Sánchez-Vicario and five-time Grand Slam champion Emilio Sánchez, as well as Midtown Athletic Club National Tennis Director Butch Staples, were on hand to run several oncourt demonstrations.