2011 QuickStart Tennis Day at Darden Towe Park

The 4th annual QuickStart Tennis Day at Darden Towe Park was held on Saturday, May 7 in Charlottesville.

This year was special because this year's event served as the platform to launch the Charlottesville Area 10 and Under Tennis Pathway, which is creating many new tennis opportunities for kids 10 and under, and to celebrate May as National Tennis Month.

Our community was chosen last fall as one of only four pilot communities to receive this honor from the USTA. We will be receiving $100,000 over the next three years to build a "pathway" of programming and facilities for kids 10 and under. QCV's Schools Tennis Program (Jump Start QuickStart Tennis Initiative) was featured as a USTA Schools "best practice" at the 2011 USTA Community Tennis Development Workshop Target Market meeting which included 14 additional communities. The USTA will invest in a total of 100 communities over the next three years.

A 10U Tennis Pathway ribbon-cutting ceremony was held which featured Pat Hanssen, Mid-Atlantic President of the United States Professional Tennis Association and immediate past President of USTA/Virginia, Dave Koehn, Voice of the Virginia Cavaliers, Brian Boland, Coach of the #1 UVa Men's Tennis Team, Mark Guilbeau, Coach of the #11 UVa Women's Tennis Team, Kathy Stroop, President of USTA/Mid-Atlantic, Alanna Broderick, Manager of Community Tennis Development for USTA/Mid-Atlantic and Lynda Harrill, Vice President, QuickStart Tennis Coordinator and Founder of QuickStart Tennis of Central Virginia.

About 120 kids, ages 5 to 9, participated this year in the two on-court sessions. They were joined by another 100 parents, grandparents, siblings and a few dogs. On-court support was provided by Jonathan Amos and Avi Parida of USTA/Mid-Atlantic, Donny Weed and Alex Chan of USTA/Virginia, members of the Varsity Tennis Teams at Albemarle and Western Albemarle High Schools and many other community volunteers. And a special thanks to our Court Captains -- Pat Hanssen, Donny Weed, Jason Grigg, Alex Chan and Chris Cubbage. THANK YOU to all! We couldn't do it without your help and support!

The weather was wonderful! Everyone had a great time!

MANY THANKS to our QuickStart Day Sponsors for making this signature event possible!

ACAC Fitness & Wellness   **  Albemarle Family Magazine  **   The Chase Family   **   Downtown Athletic Store   **   Jim Fernald   **   GAMMA Sports   **   Platt Financial Services   **   Prince Sports   **   Union First Market Bank   **   USTA/Mid-Atlantic   **   USTA/Virginia   **   Volvo of Charlottesville   **  Whole Foods   **   Wilson Sporting Goods   ** 

Charlottesville Area 10U Pathway ribbon-cutting ceremony

             
    Emcee Dave Koehn, Voice of the Cavaliers                     Pat Hanssen, USPTA and USTA/Virginia

    
                           Coach Boland                                             Coach Guilbeau

It's official!!!

 QuickStart Tennis Day

   
Elsie Thompson, B & G Club and Kathy Stroop        Check-in with Melodie, Tracy, Sue and Michelle
  
Our videographer, Trevor Chase, gets some            The best-looking 10U/QuickStart supporters in the country!
last-minute coaching from his Dad, Stuart

On Court Festivities -- First Session

                     Red Court -- First Session                                                Blue Court -- First Session

                               Yellow Court -- First Session                                                                     Green Court -- First Session


                                   Current Star -- Alanna!                                  Future Star -- Emmy!

On Court Festivities -- Second Session

 

 
                                Red Court -- Second Session                                       Blue Court -- Second Session
  
                      Yellow Court -- Second Session                                   Green Court -- Second Session
 

The Faces of QuickStart


                  

The future of our sport! It all begins with a 10U Tennis Pathway and QuickStart Tennis!