CHESTNUT HILL, MA- More than 50 guests attended USTA New England’s Organizational Member Summit on Thursday, April 14, at the historic Longwood Cricket Club in Chestnut Hill, MA. Org. Member Summits are free luncheons created for tennis organizations to provide networking opportunities, share best practices and learn from industry specialists.

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Toni Wiley spoke on the successful programs Sportsmen’s Tennis and Enrichment Center offers.

“This is the sixth event of its kind and the most successful so far,” said Alex Hinckley, USTA New England Director of Marketing. “Our goal is to be inclusive and be the best local tennis resource for our organizations. We recognized the need for in-person interaction and are very happy by the attendance at the summits.”

The event included seven round table discussion topics, from integrating diversity and inclusion into current programming to new apparel and equipment displays from Babolat and New Balance. USTA New England’s Dave Zeutas-Broer and Karen Zuidema unveiled a new Youth Progression initiative to launch in September, and featured guest speaker Toni Wiley, Executive Director of Sportsmen’s Tennis and Enrichment Center in Dorchester, MA, discussed the variety of programs her club offers to children in the Greater Boston Area.

“I came to Sportsmen’s as a consultant with a really short-term plan and fell in love with the mission and possibilities, and to see it all starting to come to fruition is really exciting,” Wiley said. “We all know the kids need something positive and multi-faceted, so through the tennis, academics, social aspect, relationship building and mentoring, it’s really been important to us to reach out and expand, and the support USTA New England has really helped us do that.”

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More than 50 guests attended the Org. Member Summit at Longwood Cricket Club on April 14.

Through its numerous programs, Sportsmen’s has grown from hosting 600 children in 2008 to providing for 5,500 in 2014. The club was also named USTA New England’s 2015 Organization of the Year.

The Youth Progression initiative has been created to serve as a guide for coaches, parents and players to ensure that kids 10 and under participate in events using the appropriate ball for their skill level. The progression tracking system rewards players for participation and inspires them to play more.

“I came up because I was interested in the 10 and Under program and the changes that were being made. We just like to stay on the cutting edge of things, and this is the place to go to do that. The information is invaluable,” said Bill Donahue, Manager of the Farmington Valley Racquet Club in Simsbury, CT. “The new progression makes a lot of sense, and I’m looking forward to taking it back to our program and informing everyone what’s coming down the road.”

USTA New England’s Woody Freeman and Christo Schultz hosted a table that explained FastFours!, new ½ day and full day tournaments, and both Wiley and Donahue took an interest in incorporating them into their programs.

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USTA New England’s Woody Freeman and Christo Schultz hosted a table that explained FastFours!

“I’m definitely excited about the FastFours!, they should work well for us,” Wiley said. “Our league season ends shortly, and those matches take place over a three-hour time span, so if we can move these right into that time slot, that would be great!”

Kristen Liteplo, USTANE Tennis Service Representative (TSR) for Eastern Massachusetts, spoke about Junior Team Tennis and working effectively with the community, and Maine and Southeast New Hampshire TSR Eric Driscoll explained the ins and outs of Short Court Tennis.

Guests enjoyed a gourmet lunch provided by Longwood Cricket Club and had the opportunity to tour the hallowed grounds that have hosted Hall of Famers such as Rod Laver, Jimmy Connors and Bjorn Borg during the U.S. Pro Tournament’s 36-year run.

“I’ve been to several of these events, and every time I come back, I pick up something new. If it wasn’t this useful, I wouldn’t keep coming back,” Donahue said.

The next Org. Member Summit will take place on June 10 at the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, RI. The third and final summit of the year will take place November 11 during the first New England at the Hyatt in Newport, RI. Check back with USTA New England for more information on these upcoming events.

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By James Maimonis  | Communications and Engagement Coordinator
www.newengland.usta.com