The USTA today announced that the Cooper Tennis Facility in Springfield, Mo., is one of 12 winners in the 35th annual USTA Facility Awards program, which recognizes excellence in the construction and/or renovation of tennis facilities throughout the country. The Cooper Tennis Complex will be honored in New York City on September 1 at an Awards luncheon.
The Cooper Tennis Complex is home to one local high school team, four collegiate teams and the World TeamTennis Springfield Lasers. The facility hosts all levels of USTA events, including Play Days, 10 and Under events, as well as USTA sanctioned tournaments. Junior Team Tennis, Tennis On Campus and USTA Adult local leagues compete at Cooper making this one of the busiest tennis facilities in the state. Cooper Tennis outreach programs include the Springfield Public Schools, Boys and Girls Clubs, Arc of the Ozarks, Solutions, Neighborhood Associations, and area churches.
“Great tennis facilities like the Cooper Tennis Complex help us to grow the game at the grass-roots level, and we are proud to recognize them for their ongoing impact on the sport of tennis,” said Kurt Kamperman, Chief Executive, Community Tennis, USTA. “The Cooper Tennis Complex has embraced many of our tennis initiatives and kept the sport at the forefront of its community each year.”
To be considered for an award, facilities must be under the jurisdiction of a park and recreation department, an educational institution, a nonprofit corporation or be a private or commercially owned and operated facility that offers both USTA and public programming designed to help grow tennis.
Facilities were judged on the following criteria: overall layout and adaptation to site; excellence of court surface and lights; ease of maintenance; accommodations for players, spectators and press/officials; aesthetics; graphics (including the use of signs and landscaping); amenities such as casual seating for spectators, food services and social areas; and the facilities’ participation in USTA programs.
Nominated facilities were voted on in the following categories: Public Courts that are either small tennis centers with 2-10 courts or large tennis centers with 11 or more courts; Educational Institutions; and Private Facilities that support the USTA and other “growth of the game” programs open to the public.
All 2016 award winners will receive a wall plaque and an all-weather sign, which can be mounted at the facility. Certificates of award will be made available to park and recreation departments, schools and those professionals responsible for the design, construction and maintenance of the facility. In addition, a one-year complimentary membership to the USTA will be awarded to each winning facility.
The 2016 USTA Facility Awards Program winners are:
Public Courts: Small Tennis Centers (2 to 10 courts)
San Sebastian Tennis Courts – San Sebastian, P.R.
Public Courts: Large Tennis Centers (11 or more courts)
Cherry Hill Health & Racquet Club – Cherry Hill, N.J.
Cooper Tennis Complex – Springfield, Mo.
Henry L. McMullen Tennis Complex – Clearwater, Fla.
Oak Brook Tennis Center – Oak Brook, Ill.
Oklahoma City Tennis Center – Oklahoma City, Okla.
Sound Shore Indoor Tennis LLC – Port Chester, N.Y.
Owensboro Tennis Facility – Owensboro, Ky.
The Candy Erickson Tennis Center – Park City, Utah (Featured Facility)
Educational Institution
McCallie School Strang-Voges Tennis Center – Chattanooga, Tenn.
Michael & Anne Greenwood Tennis Center – Stillwater, Okla.
Private Facilities
Sea Colony Tennis – Bethany Beach, Del.
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The USTA is the national governing body for the sport of tennis in the U.S. and the leader in promoting and developing the growth of tennis at every level – from local communities to the highest level of the professional game. A not-for-profit organization with more than 715,000 members, it invests 100% of its proceeds in growing the game. It owns and operates the US Open, the highest-attended annual sporting event in the world, and launched the Emirates Airline US Open Series, linking seven summer tournaments to the US Open. In addition, it owns approximately 90 Pro Circuit events throughout the U.S. and selects the teams for the Davis Cup, Fed Cup, Olympic and Paralympic Games. The USTA’s philanthropic entity, the USTA Foundation, provides grants and scholarships and helps under-resourced youth and individuals with disabilities, and supports wounded, ill and injured service members, veterans and their families. For more information on the USTA, log on to usta.com, “like” the official Facebook page, facebook.com/usta, or follow @usta on Twitter.
For more information, contact:
Steve Pratt, BZAPR on behalf of the USTA, (310) 408-4555 or stevep@bzapr.com
