USTA Eastern

The United States Tennis Association's Eastern Section, also known as USTA Eastern, is one of 17 geographic sections of the USTA, the national governing body for tennis in the United States. The section is based in White Plains, New York, and encompasses all of New York State, Northern New Jersey and Greenwich, Connecticut.
USTA Eastern is a not-for-profit community service organization, whose mission is to promote and develop the growth of tennis. The section also establishes and maintains rules of fair play, high standards of sportsmanship and represents, in its jurisdiction, the programs and policies of the USTA.
A number of professional players have come from the section, including John McEnroe, Ronald Holmberg, Renée Richards, Betty Rosenquest Pratt, Dick Savitt, Julie Heldman, Scott Lipsky, and Christina McHale.
Geographic Structure
USTA Eastern is divided into six regions:
* Long Island (Nassau and Suffolk counties)
* Metro (the five boroughs of New York City)
* New Jersey (including Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Passaic and Union counties)
* Northern (including Albany, Saratoga Springs, Schenectady, Troy and Utica)
* Southern (including Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, Orange, Ulster and Sullivan counties, and Greenwich, CT)
* Western (including Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Ithaca and Binghamton)
Membership Structure
USTA Eastern serves more than 48,000 individual members and more than 800 organizational members.
Individual members are able to compete in USTA Adult and Jr. Team Tennis Leagues, and in USTA sanctioned tournaments. They also receive free subscriptions to TENNIS and USTA Magazines; special access to discount seats at the US Open and other major tournaments; and discounts on dining, travel, shopping and entertainment throughout the country. The cost of membership ranges from $19 a year for junior players (ages 19 and under) to $42 a year for adult members. Discounts are offered for three- and five-year memberships.
Organizational members are eligible to apply for USTA Eastern grants to help fund their tennis programs. The more than 800 Eastern member organizations range from schools and after-school programs, to tennis clubs and camps. The cost of membership varies depending on the size of the organization and its facilities; it ranges from $35 to $110 a year. There are discounts offered for three- and five-year memberships.
Organizational Structure
The USTA Eastern is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors, who each serve two year terms. The Board is chaired by the President and works closely with the section’s Executive Director. The board meets to receive reports from the Executive Director concerning the Section's operations, finances and marketing activities. It evaluates and makes decisions about policy and new initiatives or changes in Rules, Regulations and Standing Orders. It documents its actions through the preparation of minutes and reports, which are available for review by the Board. It is also responsible for overseeing the various Board committees.
Board of Directors (2011-2013)
* President: Jeff Williams
* Vice President: Gerard Cuva
* Secretary: Claude Okin
* Treasurer: John Klenner
* USTA Section Delegate: Tim Heath
* Alternate USTA Section Delegate: Gerard Cuva
* JTF Delegate: Elaine Viebranz
* Regional President (Long Island): Daniel Burgess
* Regional President (Metro): Carl Summerlin
* Regional President (New Jersey): Lou Wiggs
* Regional President (Northern): Sue Wold
* Regional President (Southern): Fran Osei
* Regional President (Western): Steve Pekich
* Members at Large: Roberta Feldman, Andrea Jayson, Mark McIntyre
In addition to the above, the Executive Board is comprised of all members of the Board of Directors;all the Past Presidents of USTA Eastern; and Chairs of the following Standing Committees: Adult Competition, Adult Leagues, Junior Competition, Community Development, Multicultural Participation, and
Nominating. Committee Chairs (who are appointed by the President) and members enable the Board to analyze programs and issues more completely. In general, the Committees discuss programs and policies, advise staff and present recommendations to the Board of Directors for approval. Committees also supplement staff efforts with additional expertise and volunteer service to ensure effective programs, rules, regulations and strategies.
Executive Board Members (2011-2013)
Alex Aitchison; Steve Cobb; George Dartt; Louis Dimock; Michael Gordon; Bob Ingersole; Ray Krueger; Carol Magnes, Stephen Powell; Lois Prince; Richard Scheer; Bob Schmitz.
Programs
Adult Leagues
USTA League tennis is the most successful adult recreation program in the country with over 330,000 participants each year. The League provides men and women, ages 18 and up, an opportunity to compete in organized team matches culminating in local, Section, and National Championships. Teams are set up according to ability level using the USTA’s National Tennis Rating Program (NTRP). The section holds seven League Championships throughout the year, most of which are held in either Schenectady or Syracuse, New York.
Jr. Team Tennis
USTA Jr. Team Tennis gives children the opportunity to play tennis with their friends and enjoy the camaraderie of being on a team. Teams are made up of at least three boys and three girls, of similar ages and skill levels. The emphasis is on skill development, teamwork and friendly competition, all with the possibility of advancing to the USTA National Championships. The section holds two Jr. Team Tennis Championships: one for the winter season in June and one for the summer season in August.
Tournaments: Junior and Adult
For those who want to compete outside of Leagues, USTA Eastern sanctions both junior and adult tournaments all year long. The tournaments vary in size, but all provide competition based on age and ability. New tournaments are added all the time.
Jr Team Competition
Every summer, top-ranked USTA Eastern juniors add a team component to their individual competition, when they play together in prestigious USTA National Championships across the country. The juniors are selected based on their section endorsement and participate in the USTA Intersectional (16 and Under), National (18 and Under), and Zone Team (12-16) championships. The week-long competitions allow the juniors to develop friendships and enjoy being part of a team.
Adult Cups
Top-ranked Eastern adults also compete against other sections each summer in historic team competitions. The players are invited to play on the team by the section. These competitions include the Church Cup; the Sears Cup, the Addie Cup, the Talbert Cup and the Men’s and Women’s Intersectionals.
National Junior Tennis and Learning Centers
Parents who want their children to receive tennis instruction and character development can enroll their kids in one of the USTA’s National Junior Tennis and Learning (NJTL) centers. The NJTL centers offer on-court programs and a wide range of classes: from computer skills and health to college preparation. Most of the programs are offered at little or no cost to the participant.
College Showcase Day
High school juniors and seniors from across the section get a chance to impress college tennis coaches and learn about the wide range of playing opportunities after graduation at USTA Eastern’s Annual College Showcase Day. The Showcase Day is usually held the first in late October or early November. It features on-court drills for juniors, a tournament for seniors and special seminars for students and parents about preparing for college tennis. Seniors also get to spend extra time walking around to talk and meet with coaches, representing colleges from across the country.
CTC Rally Day
Every year, high-performing junior team representing USTA Eastern’s Competitive Training Centers gather for a day of fun, competition and education the section’s annual CTC Rally Day. The CTC programs provides young players, up to 13 years of age, a chance to learn about competitive tennis without worrying about rankings. The CTCs, are located at tennis facilities in each of the USTA Eastern’s regions. This year, the event was held at the United States Military Academy at West Point.
Camp A.C.E.
For a week every summer, USTA Eastern runs its annual Camp A.C.E., an NJTL Regional Leadership camp designed to help high school students improve their tennis skills and prepare for college. Camp A.C.E., which stands for Achieving through Coaching and Education, provides players ages 14-17 a week of daily tennis and fitness instruction and workshops in business etiquette, finance and college admissions, geared to helping students continue their success after graduation. In 2011, the camp was held July 24-30 at Ramapo College of New Jersey, and featured Rodney Harmon, the former Olympic Men’s Tennis Coach, the US Open quarterfinalist; Katrina Adams, former professional tennis player and winner of 20 career doubles titles, Leslie Allen, former professional tennis player; and Ann Koger, the women’s tennis coach at Haverford College and a professional tennis pioneer.
Cross Sectional Training Camp
Every fall, two boys and two girls from USTA Eastern get a chance to compete against the top 10-and-under players from neighboring sections at the annual Annual Cross Sectional Camp Training Camp. The 3rd annual camp, which was held Sept. 18-19, 2010 at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, included juniors from the Mid-Atlantic, New England and Middle States sections. The kids had their strokes analyzed with Dartfish video, and learned about USTA’s Training Center - East, which conducts year-round programming for youth in the New York metropolitan area, and camps for kids throughout the Eastern seaboard.
Annual Meeting and Volunteer Development Workshop
Tennis volunteers, community leaders, teaching pros, and high school coaches come to White Plains every January to attend USTA Eastern’s Annual Meeting and Volunteer Development Workshop. The meeting focuses on the skills needed to excel, both on- and off-the courts. There are classes on how to write grants and run USTA tournaments; on-court workshops for coaching players and developing their mental games; and informative sessions on USTA initiatives. The event also includes the Annual Meeting of the Board of Directors, in which new members and officers begin, or conclude, their two-year terms.
Junior Awards Gala
On Opening Day of the US Open, junior players from across the section are awarded for their outstanding performance in sectional tournaments at USTA Eastern’s Annual Junior Awards Gala. The juniors, ages 12 to 18, are honored for their outstanding results in Eastern Designated tournaments from January to June. The gala is held at the Indoor Training Center, at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. All of the junior players receive free grounds passes to watch Opening Day of the US Open.
Volunteer Opportunities
USTA Eastern provides a wide range of volunteer opportunities to help grow tennis. Whether it’s serving on a committee, coordinating Leagues, teaching tennis to the disabled or helping out at the U.S. Open, Eastern volunteers play a critical role in the section's success.
10 and Under Tennis
USTA Eastern is promoting 10 and Under Tennis, using the QuickStart Tennis play format to introduce kids to the game. The format uses equipment, courts and scoring, all tailored to a child’s age and size. The format is offered in classes, tournaments and leagues.
Past Presidents of USTA Eastern
* Tim Heath, 2008-2010
* Dale G. Caldwell, 2006-2008
* Stephen B. Cobb, 2004-2005
* Louis C. Dimock, 2002-2003
* Michael N. Gordon, 2000-2001
* Robert W. Ingersole, 1998-1999
* Marina Nudo, 1996-1997
* Lois Prince, 1994-1995
* Louis C. Dimock, 1992-1993
* Daniel B. Dwyer*, 1990-1991
* Elaine F. Viebranz, 1988-1989
* Robert A. Schmitz, 1986-1987
* Richard A. Scheer, 1984-1985
* Alex B. Aitchison, 1982-1983
* Harry A. Marmion*, 1980-1981
* Barbara S. Williams*, 1978-1979
* Julius Larkin Hoyt*, 1976-1977
* George Dartt, 1974-1975
* Eugene L. Scott*, 1972-1973
* Ernest J. Oberlander*, 1970-1972
* Leslie J. FitzGibbon*, 1968-1969
* Henry Benisch*, 1966-1967
* Alastair B. Martin*, 1964-1965
* Clifford Sutter*, 1962-1963
* Donald O. Hobart*, 1960-1961
* James B. Dickey*, 1953-1959
* W. Dickinson Cunningham*, 1948-1952
* Charles E. Hall*, 1943-1947
* Lt. Richard M. Hurd, Jr.*, 1942
* Anton E. Von Bernuth*, 1939-1941
* Maskell E. Fox*, 1936-1938
* Russell B. Kingman*, 1934-1935
* Holcombe Ward*, 1932-1933
* P. Schuyler Van Bloem*, 1929-1931
* Louis P. Dailey*, 1927-1928
* Walter L. Pate*, 1925-1926
* Jones W. Mersereau*, 1923-1924
* Charles S. Landers*, 1921-1922

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