2007 Community tennis association of the year: Grants Pass CTA
For the Grants Pass Community Tennis Association in Grants Pass, Ore., tennis is more than a sport. The CTA, now in its 17th year, has made junior player development a priority, with programs now serving 70 children, some of whom hold a state ranking. This past August, the CTA hosted its first USTA sanctioned junior tournament.
In 2008, another major focus will be outreach to at-risk groups of youth and adults in the community, says CTA President Howard Wand, partly in response to methamphetamine abuse throughout the county. “We believe our goal is to make a dent in that, to show people that there are other things they can be doing that are a lot more fun,” Wand says. “We’re providing them with racquets and free clinics, to get these people off the streets and on the courts.”
For its use of the game to build confidence and community, RSI has chosen the Grants Pass CTA as our 2007 Community Tennis Association of the Year.
In the Pacific Northwest, shoveling snow off courts for winter play isn’t unusual, but the Grants Pass CTA is advocating for a public, indoor tennis facility on a portion of open space recently purchased by the city. Government officials have expressed interest, making fundraising the next step.
“The Grants Pass CTA works tirelessly to deliver tennis at all levels,” says David Slade, USTA national manager of Community Tennis Associations. “In addition to its successful community-wide tennis programming, they are committing themselves to promoting tennis as a means of making their community a better place to live.”
Tips for success
- Expand your team to include committed individuals. It’s said that 80 percent of the work is done by 20 percent of the people.
- Create a five-year plan and update it annually.
- Run your CTA like a small business, delegating tasks and full authority to officers, board members and volunteers.
See all articles by Kristen Daley
About the Author
Kristen Daley 
is a contributing editor for Tennis Industry magazine.
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