TennisMetro is a community of local tennis players that makes it easy to find a hitting partner at your neighborhood court. TennisMetro maintains a huge database of courts in the Twin Cities metro area, and allows players to register at their favorite courts, connect with other players, and post bulletins.

Started by Bruno Bornsztein, a St. Paul web developer and tennis-nut, the site is looking to expand its user base and help local players form communities and improve their game!

Yesterday was first day to register your team for the 2009 Fall/Winter season. You can register your team by going to http://tennislink.usta.com/leagues. Click on “Create a Team On-Line” on the right-hand side, and follow the instructions from there. Have your team name in mind when creating your team, but please use the format of ‘Last name – Team name’. Other general information about 2009 Fall/Winter leagues:

* Minimum rosters due/home court forms due/team registration closes: September 5 for Adults, September 16 for Seniors, September 23 for Mixed
* Play will be every other week
* Contact your facility ahead of time to make sure you can have home courts there!

All other information can be found at our Captains/Players page on the USTA Northern website at http://www.northern.usta.com/news/fullstory.sps?iNewsid=3825661&itype=1363. Click on the 2009 Fall Winter Captain’s Packet for a Word document with the latest updates.

2009 Fall/Winter League registration opens August 11, 2008 for Adult, Mixed Doubles and Senior USTA. Teams will need to be registered with minimum rosters by the following dates:
Registration Deadline League Season
Adult - September 5, 2008 September 29, 2008
Senior - September 16, 2008 September 29, 2008
Mixed - September 23, 2008 October 10, 2008

If you need a team to play on or need players for your team be sure to contact our Matchline. Contact Kristi of matchline at matchline@usta.com .

What: Tennis Happy Hour
When: Wednesday, July 23 4:30-7 p.m.
Where: One Financial Plaza (2nd Ave. & 5th Street in downtown Minneapolis right next to the Light Rail line)

Come play tennis games, while listening to musical group SIKA rock the Plaza on July 23 from 4:30-7 p.m. at One Financial Plaza in downtown Minneapolis. Food will be provided by Erbert & Gerbert’s (while supplies last), and Gluek’s bar and restaurant will provide a cash bar. Three members of SIKA are USTA Northern members and are playing in the men’s doubles draw of the Aquatennial Plaza Tennis Classic which runs through Friday, July 25. After Happy Hour, stay for the Aquatennial Torchlight parade at 8 p.m. It should be a fun time in downtown Minneapolis!

USTA Northern Wants You For Board, Councils and Committees

Love tennis and want to help grow the game? USTA Northern is looking for volunteers to serve on its Board of Directors, Councils, Committees and Board Development Committee for 2009-10. Applications must be submitted to the USTA Northern Board Development Committee for all Board of Directors and Board Development Committee positions by July 7, 2008. Council and Committee member applications are due by October 1, 2008. Terms for the Board of Directors, Councils and Committees are two years, while Board Development Committee members serve four-year terms.

For more information, please contact Mike Goldammer at (952) 358-3284 or goldammer@northern.usta.com.

Career Opportunity:

Adult Competition Specialist – USTA Northern, located in Bloomington, MN is conducting a search for an Adult Competition Specialist. This position will be responsible for the administration and coordination of the Twin Cities Metro area USTA League Tennis program including the Twin Cities Area Championships. This position assists the Director of Adult Competition in all areas of adult competition, while possessing a variety of skills to effectively achieve strategic goals and core values of the section. Candidates should have general knowledge of all USTA and USTA Northern programs and opportunities, while possessing an identifiable tennis background, excellent communication skills, both written and oral, and should be proficient in Microsoft and web application.

A competitive salary and benefit package is offered.

Interested candidates are invited to send a cover letter, resume and references by July 11, 2008 to: Kara Johnson, USTA Northern, 1001 W 98th St. Suite 101, Bloomington, MN 55431, or email to: johnson@northern.usta.com. For more information, call Kara Johnson at (952) 358-3285.

USTA Northern is seeking site directors and volunteers for its Area and Section Championships including USTA League Tennis presented by Chrysler Twin Cities Area Championships (August 1-3); USTA Northern Adult Championships (August 15-17); USTA Northern Senior Championships (September 12-14) and USTA Northern Mixed Doubles Championships (September 19-21). For more information, please contact Ursula Shute at shute@northern.usta.com or call her at (952) 358-3287.

Combo Doubles & Combo Mixed Doubles registration is now open. All matches will be played at the Baseline Tennis Center utilizing both their indoor and outdoor facilities. Teams must be registered with their minimum number of players (6) by July 21, 2008. League play will begin the week of August 4, 2008 and continue through September 26. Three positions of doubles are played each match and partners combined ratings cannot exceed the level of play. Levels and days of play offered are:

Combo Doubles Men & Women
5.5 Men & Women - Monday
6.5 Men - Monday
6.5 Women - Thursday
7.5 Men - Thursday
7.5 Women - Tuesday
8.5 Men - Tuesday
8.5 Women - Thursday

Combo Mixed Doubles
5.5 - Wednesday
6.5 - Wednesday
7.5 - Wednesday
8.5 - Monday

Combo Doubles league registration fee is $10 and court costs per player are only $6.

2009 Fall/Winter League registration will open on August 11, 2008. Teams will need to be registered and have their minimum rosters filled by September 5, 2008. If you need a team to play on or need players for your teams be sure to contact our Matchline Service. Contact Kristi of matchline at matchline@usta.com .

The Twin Cities Area Championships are taking place August 1-3, 2008. The captains meeting for this event will take place on Wednesday July 30, 6:00 PM at the Radisson Bloomington Mall of America. Due to space limitations, one captain per team please. The tournament will take place at the Baseline Tennis Center Indoor and Outdoor, Lifetime Fitness Lakeville and Reed Sweatt Family Tennis Center. See below for details on where play will take place for each level. On-line registration details will be forwarded to qualifying teams.

Location League

Baseline Indoor 3.0 Women, 4.5 Men

Baseline Outdoors 3.5 Men, 4.0 Men

Lifetime Fitness Lakeville 3.5 Women

Reed Sweatt Family Tennis Center 4.0 Women

Early Start Ratings will be published on our web site August 11th. An early start rating is a tentative rating for exclusive use by players who register for an early start league prior to publication of year-end ratings. The number is based on the most current dynamic rating at the time of publication. Early start ratings are replaced by year-end ratings. All early start rating appeals must fill out the 2008 appeal form available online and returned to Kara at johnson@northern.usta.com or fax to (952) 887-5061.

Off the tennis topic but important for local hockey players.

We are pleased to announce the launch of pickuphockeyfinder.com a tool to find local hockey games, schedule scrimmages, or just get back into the game.

Games will be scheduled once enough people are registered with their preferred time of play. This will include regular adult hockey, youth hockey and pond hockey.

Everyone that registers between now and July 15th will be entered into a drawing for 10 Free Hockey Games.

Baseline Tennis Center

2008 summer

In-House Leagues

June 9th-August 21st

The BTC is proud to announce our 6th season of in-house league tennis. Both morning and afternoon leagues are offered at all levels of play. 10 guaranteed matches (all players play every week); new balls for each match and awards for the top finishers make this a great time for everyone. Registration deadline is May 23rd. See below for more details.

Breakfast Leagues (7:00 am to 8:30 am):

Monday Men’s and Women’s 3.0 Singles
Tuesday Men’s and Women’s 3.5 Singles
Wednesday Men’s and Women’s 4.0 Singles
Thursday Men’s and Women’s 4.5 Singles

Lunch Leagues (Noon to 1:30pm):

Monday Men’s and Women’s 4.5 Singles
Tuesday Men’s and Women’s 4.0 Singles
Wednesday Men’s and Women’s 3.5 Singles
Thursday Men’s and Women’s 3.0 Singles

FEES:

Public: $140
U of M Faculty: $120
U of M Student: $100

Interested in registering? Need more information or a sign up sheet? Please contact Reven Stephens at step0220@umn.edu or call 612-625-2444. We hope to see you this Summer.

2008 Summer In-House League Play at Reed-Sweatt

League play offers the advantage of regularly scheduled matches against players of similar ability. The center organizes players by playing level (N.T.R.), prepares match schedules, reserves court time and maintains league standings. If you do not have a current N.T.R., then you will need to sign up for one of our rating clinics at the tennis center on Saturday March 27, 2008 or Sunday April 6, 2008, or take a private lesson with one of our tennis professionals. The registration deadline for the In-House Leagues is Monday April 14, 2008. We will continue to take registrations after the deadline, but cannot guarantee a regular spot, but can for sure place you on the waiting list and sublist.

For more information see Reed-Sweatt League info