INSIDE - USTA.com

JUNIOR
PLAYER
DEVELOPMENT
By Valerie Weaks
“
If
you have
questions
about this
change or
anything else
regarding
junior
development
in the Pacifi c
Northwest,
you are
always
welcome to
contact me at
weaks@pnw.
usta.com
”
FROM THE
TOURNAMENT
DESK
Section moves to Combined Ranking system for juniors in 2009
T
he leaves have fallen and we are mere days from the official
start of the winter season…I wonder where the year has gone.
It feels like just yesterday USTA Pacific Northwest (USTA/PNW)
Jr. Development staff and members of the USTA/PNW Youth
Competition Committee came together to finalize rule changes
for 2008 and here we are looking at 2009.
The major change that we’ll address as we move into the next
year is the transition to a Combined Ranking system. The USTA
is making this change to encourage junior players to play more
doubles and to reward players for their success in doubles. Further,
the USTA believes doubles competition will help players
with their overall growth and development.
USTA National has been running the Combined Ranking
system since January 1, 2008. The point calculation in our section
will be identical to national except that we will only count a
junior’s best six singles events and best six doubles events (USTA
National calculates a player’s best eight singles events and best
eight doubles events).
The change will take effect in the USTA/PNW on January 1,
2009. To begin the transition to combined rankings, the USTA/
PNW will date back to results posted in July of 2008. In 2009,
the USTA/PNW will no longer publish individual singles and
doubles standings but will instead publish a combined ranking.
Keep in mind that this combined ranking will still be listed under
the heading “12 Month Rolling Standing”.
How the Combined Ranking system
works
The Combined Ranking system will include results from singles
matches and doubles matches in all sanctioned tournaments. The
points earned in singles competition will be combined with the
points earned in doubles competition to form one final point total
that will be used to generate the 12 Month Rolling Standing list.
A player’s point total will be calculated by combining 100 percent
of their points from their best six singles events and 15 percent of
their points from their best six doubles events.
For Example:
T
Player X (a player with better singles results)
Best six (6) singles tournaments = 1000 points
Best six (6) doubles tournaments = 500 points
15 percent of 500 = 75 points
1000 + 75 = 1075 total combined ranking points
Player Y (a player with better doubles results)
Best six (6) singles tournaments = 500 points
Best six (6) doubles tournaments = 1000 points
15 percent of 1000 = 150 points
500 + 150 = 650 total combined ranking points
Important notes on the change
Doubles standings will no longer be published in 2009. A player’s combined
ranking will be used for seeding purposes in doubles events. Th e Year-end Ranking
list will also be a combined list.
Th e transition to a Combined Ranking system will not aff ect the year-end
ranking eligibility requirements in regards to participation in the USTA/PNW
Junior Sectional Championships. If you competed and completed junior sectionals,
then you will need to play in six tournaments in a specifi c age division to receive
a year-end ranking. If you did not compete and complete junior sectionals, then
you will need to play in nine tournaments in a specifi c age division to receive a
year-end ranking.
Many of you are reading this on the couch under your favorite blanket in front
of the fi replace with a hot chocolate in hand. Hopefully this news didn’t disturb
you. It may seem like a lot to take in but we are expecting a smooth transition as
we follow in the footsteps of the national ranking model. If you have questions
about this change or anything else regarding junior development in the Pacifi c
Northwest, you are always welcome to contact me at weaks@pnw.usta.com.
Have a great 2009! �
Tournament directors increase knowledge and skill at section workshop
By Becky Tallent
he 2008 USTA Pacific Northwest Tournament Director Workshop
held in October proved to be a great success as over 15 tournament
directors from our section were in attendance.
USTA National staff members Adnan Zaidi and Ryan Drew were
featured speakers during the workshop and shared their vast knowledge
on USTA TennisLink programs. They covered the in’s and out’s
of the TennisLink online sanction form as well as the Tournament
Data Manager (TDM) software. Zaidi and Drew also talked about
recent enhancements that have been made to TDM including the
ability to move tournament entrants from your “player” list over to an
“alternate” or “withdrawn” list. The key to remember in performing
this function is to select the appropriate list in the drop-down menu
on the “Events” page of TDM.
Perry Hines, the incoming Chair of the USTA Pacific Northwest
12 TENNIS TIMES WINTER 2008/09 � www.pnw.usta.com
Hot Shots wants your name here
Want to see your name here? Tennis Times is looking for a new Hot Shots columnist
and you could be it. If you’re a junior who plays tennis in the Pacifi c Northwest and
would like to share junior tennis news and information with the rest of the section,
email Tennis Times Managing Editor Hillary Moore at moore@pnw.usta.com. Please
include your contact information and a brief description of your tennis activities.
(USTA/PNW) Officials Committee presented information outlining the
benefits of hiring an official for your tournament. In addition, Hines discussed
how to handle situations in regards to your hired official and what
to do in case of misconduct. The USTA/PNW Officials Committee works
hard to train our officials and wants to ensure tournament directors have
the best experience possible when hiring them. Any type of misconduct by
a hired official needs to be reported in writing to Hines so the appropriate
actions can be taken.
The 2008 Tournament Director Workshop offered a substantial amount
of information regarding procedure and resources that are available to our
section’s tournament directors, and we will continue to provide opportunities
like this in the future. The USTA/PNW is grateful to our tournament
directors for their efforts to develop and grow tennis for all ages in the
Pacific Northwest. Any suggestions or comments you may have to help us
better support you are welcomed. Please contact Becky Tallent by email at
beckyt@pnw.usta.com. �