.
.
.
SB Tennis Academy
March 2013
Volume 1, Issue 1
Inside this Issue
1
1
1
2
2
3
3
4
Welcome
Tournament Levels
Picking The Right
Tournament
Ask the Official
SB Celebrates
SB Celebrates cont.
This Month’s Events
Pictures
Welcome to Our
First Edition!
It feels like Spring is in the air and that
means so is Tournament Season. In this
first issue of the SBTennis Academy
newsletter, we will be discussing the
different tournament levels and how to
choose between all of your options.
We will also try to answer some
“Official” questions. These answers
will come straight from our premier
tennis guidebook “Friend at Court.” We
will also give you information on how
to get a copy for your own use and
information.
In our Celebrations section, we will be
recognizing our Academy Kids
achievements both on and off the court.
If your child has an important event
such as a birthday, graduation, or any
special honor, please let us know so we
can recognize them. We would also
love to know how your kiddo did in his
or her last tournament so we can share
the news with everyone.
We hope you enjoy these newsletters.
Please let us know what you would like
to see in here of if you have a “rule”
question or event we need to celebrate!
Tournament Levels
What Do They Mean?
If you go to the Southern Tennis
Website
http://www.southern.usta.com/Juniors/t
ournaments_rankings/2013_level_14_to
urnaments/?intloc=headernavsub2 you
will find a list of tournaments. Along
with the list, you will find certain
amounts of information. One thing you
will see listed is the letter L with a
number. This donates what the
tournament “Level” is for this
particular tournament. What does this
mean?
In Junior Tennis, players are ranked by
a point system. Points are awarded to a
player based on the number of matches
he or she wins in a “sanctioned”
tournament. (Sanctioned means the
tournament is approved by the United
States Tennis Association.) The USTA
is the governing body for Adult, Junior,
and Professional Tennis in America.
The lower the level number, the more
number of points given to a player
based on the number of matches the
player won in that tournament. For
example:
If a player wins the first round in a level
3 tournament, he will get more points
than if he wins the first round of a level
4 tournament.
Picking the Right
Tournament for Your
Child
So how do you know which tournament
level is right for your child? Below is a
list of the different tournament levels
and a description of them.
Junior Novice – These are local
tournaments and are perfect for the
beginning junior player. The
competition will be made up of
beginners and children who have very
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
March 2013
little tournament experience. These
tournaments are on Saturday only and is
held almost once a month in the
Shreveport Bossier area. Everyone who
signs up will be entered into the
tournament. No points are given for
this tournament, but trophies are given
to the winners.
Grand Prix, Level 5, and Level 4
Tournament - These tournaments are
perfect for the beginning junior player.
They are held in many different cities in
the Southern Section and like a Junior
Novice, competition will be made up
primarily of beginners and children who
have very little tournament experience.
These tournaments are usually Friday
thru Sunday or sometimes Saturday
through Monday, and assures the player
will play at least 2 matches. Everyone
who signs up will be entered into the
tournament. Points and trophies are
given for these tournaments, but the
points given are not many.
Level 3 Tournaments - These
tournaments are geared to the junior
player who has more tournament
experience and has had more practice
play . These tournaments limit their
entries to 32 players per age division
and players are selected by their
ranking in the Southern Section. They
are ranked by the number of points the
player has received as a result of
winning matches in other tournaments.
They are held in many different cities in
the Southern Section and are played
Saturday and Sunday only. The Level 3
Tournaments split the 32 entrants into 2
groups of 16 and also assure your child
that he or she will play at least 3
matches (weather permitting). Points
and trophies are given for these
tournaments, and the points given are
much higher than a level 4 or 5.
Level 2 –Bullfrog Tournaments.
Competition in a Bullfrog tournament is
for the junior player who has much
more tournament experience. The draw
(number of kids accepted into the
tournament) is limited to 64 players per
age division and players are selected by
their ranking in the Southern Section.
They are held in many different cities in
the Southern Section and are played
Friday through Monday. Points and
trophies are given for these
tournaments, but the competition to
enter a Bullfrog tournament is often
times very tough, but the points are high
for a win. Bullfrogs are also National
Level 5 tournaments, so if your child
wins a match at a Bullfrog, they will
also receive National points and will
have a National ranking.
Ask the Official
Player: Hey Ref, a ball just fell
out of my pocket, can I call a let?
Ref: USTA Comment 26.2. Can a
player’s own action be the basis
for that player calling a let or
hindrance. No, nothing a player
does entitles that player to call
a let. For Example, no lets are
called for broken strings, players
hat flies off, or a ball in the
player pocket falls out.
SBTA recommends all players have
a copy of the USTA Tennis
Tournament Rule Book, Friend at
Court(FAC). Having your own copy of
FAC will insure that you and your child
know the rules and your child will know
their rights. See below:
Friend at Court - Tennis Rules &
Regulations Handbook (Copied from
the USTA Website)
Each year the USTA publishes Friend at
Court, a book that includes not only the
USTA Regulations, but also the ITF Rules
of Tennis and "The Code," the players’
guide for matches when officials are not
present. It is highly recommended that
Next Month- We will discuss Level 1
Tournaments, Qualifying, and Closed
Tournaments.
each junior tennis family have a copy of
this publication as a reference. You can
purchase the easy-to-carry Friend at Court
by calling toll free, (800) 677-0275.
SB Celebrates
Happy Birthday
Carter 3-20
Cameron 3-26
Lillie 3-31
2
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
NEWSLETTER
SB Celebrates cont.
Tournament Results
Louisiana Spring Championships
Kody Anderson - Winner - Boys 18s Singles -
Consolation
Andrew Deutsch - Winner Boys 16s Singles - Main Draw
Grey Bianca – Finalist – Boys 16s Singles -
Main Draw
Grey Bianca and Andrew Deutsch – Winners – Boys 16’s Doubles
Mary Cecile Hancock –
Doubles Runner Up - Girls 12s
Mary Cecile Hancock – 3rd Place – Girls 12s - Main Draw
Tiffani – Winner – Girls 12s Doubles
Upcoming Tournaments
http://tennislink.usta.com/Tournaments/TournamentHome/Tournament.aspx?T=133657
Pleasant Valley Spring Junior Open Championships – Southern Level 3
Little Rock, Arkansas
April 13 – 14, 2013
http://tennislink.usta.com/Tournaments/TournamentHome/Tournament.aspx?T=133098
Red River Shoot Out – Southern Level 3
Shreveport, Louisiana
April 19-20
http://tennislink.usta.com/Tournaments/TournamentHome/Tournament.aspx?T=130489
Aquafina RTC Junior Open State Championships – Southern Level 3
Ridgeland, Mississippi
April 27 – 28, 2013
The deadline to sign up for most Level 3 tournaments is approximately 2 weeks to 10 days
before the tournament starts. Please check the tournament website for the actual date and
time their entries close.
Please see the following website links for more tournaments opportunities:
3
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
March 2013
http://www.southern.usta.com/Juniors/tournaments_rankings/2013_level_14_tournaments/
Maggie and Mary Cecile at the Louisiana Spring Junior Championships
Grey and Andrew at the Louisiana Spring Junior Championships
4
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .