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The USTA Mid-Atlantic Foundation, one of 17 sections of the United States Tennis Association, is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization committed to promoting tennis by offering quality recreational and competitive programs for people of all ages and abilities. Mid-Atlantic has been part of the official governing body for tennis in America since 1923. The USTA MAS serves over 35,000 members in the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, and eastern and southern West Virginia. Tennis players of all ages and skill levels are involved in leagues, tournaments and programs sanctioned by the section. The USTA Mid-Atlantic Section promotes a message of acceptance, respect, and inclusion. We aim to leverage our members’ diverse backgrounds and perspectives to remove barriers to play and thereby increase participation and expand opportunities that will promote community-level engagement throughout the Section. As a tax exempt organization under Section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Service contributions and donations will be tax deductible. A formal Tax Exempt 501(c)3 letter can be obtained upon request.

Love All: One League Team’s (Successful!) Adventures in Matchmaking

This post is written by Heather Carr and tells the story of what happens when a league team is nearly as dedicated to its matchmaking as its tennis. Happy Valentine’s Day from USTA Mid-Atlantic!

After 10 years of League matches, tournaments, practices, social gatherings and countless hours together, a tightknit team of couples and friends had evolved and set an ambitious goal in 2017: Making it to Nationals in the 4.5 men’s, 4.5 women’s and 9.0 mixed divisions. We never thought it would really happen, but after many local league and postseason matches, lucking out with a wildcard to Regionals and eventually winning Sectionals, we did it!

The achievement of playing at Nationals in the mixed, men’s and women’s levels in November was incredibly exciting. We are proud of this accomplishment, but would like to take this opportunity to reflect on the journey we took to get here. It not only brought us together for this occasion but has given us many other special moments along the way.

These are the stories of love and friendship that would most likely not have happened were it not for our love of tennis and the USTA! Introducing Heather Carr, Jan Neumann, Kelly Moler Glass, Ben Glass, Kelley Regan-Cosca, Chris Cosca, Mario Ceste and Anne Polino: the 2017, 18 and over 9.0 Mixed Doubles Team that represented the Mid-Atlantic Section, otherwise known as the “Wrecking Ball.”

Year: 2008
Location: Newport News, VA
Event: Adult 18 & Over Mid-Atlantic Sectionals

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The Northern Virginia women’s and DC men’s teams were enjoying a joint Italian dinner together to give Heather Carr an opportunity to actively recruit for her upcoming mixed doubles team. She was introduced to Jan Neumann (rooming with Mario Ceste at the time) who was a newcomer to DC-area tennis. Heather invited Jan to play on her team and Jan wisely accepted.

Fast forward six months to after one of their mixed doubles victories, where Jan had tried to impress Heather with his biggest serves. Yes, Heather was definitely impressed, but as a result, Jan injured his shoulder. Being a physical therapist, Heather offered to help Jan rehabilitate his shoulder. Heather will never forget teaching Jan a shoulder exercise where he was kneeling on one knee in front of her. At that moment she thought to herself, one day this man is going to get down on one knee again and ask me to marry him… Eight years later, Jan and Heather played together as a married couple at the 2017 Mixed Doubles National Championships.

Year: 2012
Location: Newport News, VA
Event: Adult 18 & Over Mid-Atlantic Sectionals

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Kelly Moler, Kelley Regan, Ben Glass, and Mario Ceste were out at the Red Star Tavern. A few months prior, Heather Carr had mentioned to Kelly Moler that Ben Glass was a “really great guy” from Jan’s team.  Heather had a little tennis get-together where Kelly found that out for herself.  Ben is a very deliberate and slow-moving person while Kelly is not.  So, after months of flirting through emails, Kelly told her teammates she was just about ready to give up on the whole thing.

Dr. Kelley Regan (Kelly’s doubles partner) stepped up and asked Ben if he was interested and, if so, he had better act on it now…Minutes later, he asked Kelly out.   Thank goodness for Kelley Regan’s intervention! Otherwise Ben and Kelly would likely not have ended up dating, getting married, having their lovely daughter Kenza, or playing together as a marital mixed doubles pair with their friends at the National Championships.

Year: 2013
Location: Newport News, VA
Event: Adult 18 & Over Mid-Atlantic Sectionals

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Kelly Moler had a debt to repay to Kelley Regan – after all, Kelley Regan was the linchpin in bringing Kelly and Ben together. Now it was Kelly’s opportunity to return the favor, and she had identified fellow League player Chris Cosca as a potential good mate for Kelley. Mastermind Moler had been working on Cosca, convincing him that Regan was the woman for him. Chris certainly knew who Kelley was, but Kelley was not quite sure who he was.

That all changed in front of the Marriott at City Center (just steps away from the Red Star Tavern) where Kelley got her first look at the handsome Cosca. Once this spark was ignited, Chris and Kelley joined forces on and off the court, leading to numerous victories, a marriage and a baby boy. They’re now busy raising their adorable 1-year old Parker and are thankful to have had the chance to play together at Mixed Doubles Nationals.

Years: 2008-2015
Situation: Mario is single.

The solution: During post-tennis meals, Mario’s teammates coach him on how to secure a girlfriend. We survey his online dating profiles, drill him with questions, make recommendations, and listen to his many stories of dating woes. In 2015, Kelley and Kelly created Mario’s online dating profile at Heather and Jan’s Halloween party which shortly lead to him securing a date with the lovely Kate, who is now his wife and wholeheartedly supports his fanaticism for tennis. Kate joined the team in Mobile at Nationals.

Our recent championship run would not have been possible without the leadership and hard work throughout these years by our captain Anne, who bore witness and has partaken in the fun that comes along with all of this matchmaking on and off the court. Without her, we would not have made it to Mobile for yet another incredibly memorable tennis trip.

Turning Love into Aces

Since 2013, USTA Mid-Atlantic’s Junior Player Scholarship Program has supported young tennis players and their families through financial awards that help with costs associated with learning, developing, and competing in tennis. This program aims to help more children get into tennis so that ALL can play and gain the healthy, lifelong benefits of the sport. 

The scholarship program depends on generous donations and when you give, you support players like Jelani, who wrote this letter to share how meaningful the USTA Mid-Atlantic Junior Player Scholarship Program is and how it helped him and his family.

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Dear USTA Mid-Atlantic:

My name is Jelani Sarr, and I am 13 years old. All my life I’ve been playing the game I love – tennis. Since no one in my family has ever played tennis, how I started playing tennis is kind of an unusual story.

My story starts with me, my cousin, and my stepdad, waiting for my mom outside of the local library. While she was inside getting books, my stepdad, who I call my Uncle Coach, was trying to keep me and my cousin busy by having us hit some tennis balls against the wall with some old wooden racquets he had in his trunk. I was only three years old. Since that day, I’ve played other sports, like football and wrestling, but I kept coming back to tennis. It just stuck. I’ve been playing competitive tennis ever since.

Tennis has made multiple impacts on my life. For one, I travel to places in the United States that are beautiful! I also meet new friends among my fellow players. When we are not on the tennis court, we don’t see each other as competitors but as friends. My parents’ lives have also been affected because they get to travel with me. They have supported me all my life and have never given up on me; we have grown so much together.

A proud moment for me, where I felt like I have given back to my parents, was when I received a Sportsmanship award after winning my first National tournament. To cap it all off, the tournament sponsor let me wear his Golden State Warriors championship ring. I felt like a real warrior that day!

I would like to say thank you to the USTA Mid-Atlantic scholarship program and to everyone who supports it. This scholarship has been so important to me and my family because it makes me feel good to see my parents receiving something for a change. My parents have worked really hard to provide me with opportunities in the sport of tennis and given me tools to go as far as I can. This scholarship is recognition for all tennis parents and their hard work for turning all their love into our aces.

Sincerely,

Jelani Sarr

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Jelani is an avid competitor in tennis tournaments across the nation.  He received a USTA Mid-Atlantic Junior Player Scholarship in 2017 and wrote this thank you letter to USTA Mid-Atlantic at the time.

USTA Mid-Atlantic Section, Inc. is an exempt organization as described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code; EIN 54-1472806. All donations made to USTA Mid-Atlantic Section Inc. are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.

Top Moments of 2017

Each new year is full of new possibilities on the court: A child picking up a racquet for the first time. A first-time Regional champion. A first trip to the US Open. In both the Mid-Atlantic and the entire tennis world, 2017 was full of so many unforgettable moments big and small. So before we move on to a new year of new opportunities, we chose some of our favorite tennis memories of the past year, in no particular order.

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Who could forget the first Grand Slam final of the year? A throwback showdown between the Williams sisters in Melbourne! Despite Venus’ best efforts, Serena came out on top 6-4, 6-4 to take home the trophy. But only months later did we find out that Serena was eight weeks pregnant when she won the Australian Open, an incredible way to earn her 23rd Grand Slam…and Baby Alexis’ first. 

RogerandRafa Laver cup

 2017 certainly saw the resurgence of the Federer-Nadal rivalry and friendship. First, at the Australian Open Final on opposite sides of the court when Roger prevailed in their first meeting at a major final since 2011. Then, in a move that tennis fans had certainly dreamed about for years, the duo teamed up for some Doubles at the Laver Cup. Who thinks we’ll see Federer-Nadal #39 at a Grand Slam in 2018?

Intersectional 16s Champs

In July, Mid-Atlantic’s Intersectionals 16s team went from unseeded to unstoppable and were crowned National Champs! These kids took down top players from other USTA Sections and showed great sportsmanship and enthusiasm along the way. It was certainly a moment they’ll remember for years to come!

Sophie Chang

We’re heading to the Citi Open for our next top moment of 2017, which is where Mid-Atlantic’s own Sophie Chang got her first WTA-level victory! The 20-year-old Havre de Grace, MD native took advantage of entry in her hometown tournament by winning her first match and has kept the success rolling through the rest of the year. Sophie’s currently ranked a career high #305 in the world in Singles and #185 in Doubles!

Award Photos

We loved seeing THREE Mid-Atlantic adult league teams be crowned National Champions this year! Congrats to the 55 & Over 8.0 Men from Virginia Beach, the Mixed 18 & Over 10.0 team from DC, and the Mixed 40 & Over 8.0 team from Montgomery County. Who wants to be celebrating a 2018 national championship with their team?

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Tyler, from the Metropolitan Tennis and Education Group, had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be the honorary coin flipper before a match during the Citi Open. Standing between Lauren Davis and Aryana Sabalenka, Tyler did a great job representing the Net Generation and future of tennis in America.

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Bringing the Fed Cup back to the US for the first time since 2000 was more than enough to be one of our favorite moments in 2017! These women defeated teams from countries across the world and came out as champions.

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We couldn’t stop watching Mid-Atlantic’s own Frances Tiafoe continue to grow as a player and achieving new firsts. In 2017, Frances won his first Grand Slam match, got his first Top 10 win over Alexander Zverev and pushed Roger Federer to 5 sets in Arthur Ashe Stadium. We can’t wait to see what’s in store in 2018!

Our final favorite moment of 2017 was basically just the entire last few days of the US Open on the Women’s side. From FOUR Americans in the semifinals to Sloane Stephens winning it all in her comeback year to the “hug heard ’round the world” after the Final, we won’t forget what happened in Flushing Meadows for a long, long time.

Official Rules: Seven Days of Shirts Celebration

Abbreviated:

  1. Each day’s contest will be announced on the USTA Mid-Atlantic official Facebook page daily between Dec. 11 and Dec. 17, 2017. To enter on Days 1,2, 4, 5 and 7, successfully comment on the corresponding Facebook post on the USTA Mid-Atlantic (Official) Facebook page. To enter on Day 3, register for an Adult League in the Mid-Atlantic Section between Dec. 13 and Dec. 18, 2017. To enter on Day 6, successfully complete the Storytelling form found here: https://form.jotform.com/70195017690961. All entries must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. the day following the corresponding Facebook post.
  2. Among eligible entrants, one winner each day will receive one tennis holiday-themed t-shirt. Winners are chosen at the discretion of USTA Mid-Atlantic staff. The shirt cannot be exchanged for an alternate prize and holds no value.
  3. Winners will be notified via Facebook message or email and must respond with their address in a timely manner or a replacement winner will be chosen. All shirts will be shipped to the address the winner provided.

 

OFFER VOID WHERE PROHIBITED OR RESTRICTED BY LAW. By submitting an entry, you agree to be bound by these rules and represent that you satisfy all eligibility requirements.

  1. ELIGIBILITY: The Seven Days of Shirts Celebration (the “Contest”) is open to residents of the United States over the age of 18. Employees and other representatives of USTA Mid-Atlantic Section (“USTA MAS”) or its affiliates, distributors, agencies, and members of each of their immediate families are not eligible to enter or win. Offer is void where prohibited or restricted by law. One entry per day per person.
  2. TIMING: Day 1 of the contest will begin on Dec. 11, 2017 and Day 7 of the contest will begin on Dec. 17, 2017. Entries must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. the day following each day’s corresponding Facebook post, unless otherwise stated. For Day 3 of the contest, registrations must be completed by 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 18, 2017. USTA MAS reserves the right to select no winners for any day’s contest.
  3. SELECTION OF WINNERS: Winners will be chosen at the discretion of the USTA MAS employees, either by selection or random drawing. USTA MAS reserves the right, at its discretion, to disqualify any entry that does not comply with the rules or to disqualify any individual (and their entry) who tampers with the entry process.
  4. WINNER VERIFICATION: Potential winners will be notified by Facebook message or email. If the winner is unreachable, ineligible or fails to claim the prize within fourty-eight (48) hours after being contacted, such winner will forfeit the prize and the prize may be awarded to another winner, at the discretion of USTA MAS.
  5. GENERAL CONDITIONS: Entrants grant to USTA MAS the right to use and publish their proper name online, in print or in any other media in connection with the Contest. Acceptance of a prize constitutes permission for USTA MAS to use winners’ names and likeness’ for advertising and promotional purposes without additional compensation unless prohibited by law. By entering, participants release and hold harmless USTA MAS, its parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, directors, officers, employees, and agents from any and all liability for injuries, loss or damage of any kind arising from or in connection with the Contest or any prize won. Promotion is subject to the USTA Privacy Policy found at https://www.usta.com/en/home/about-usta/who-we-are/national/usta-privacy-policy.html?intloc=footer. A list of winners can be made available upon request.

This is Mid-Atlantic Tennis: Matt Modderno’s Story

This post is part of a series that tell the stories of how tennis has influenced people’s lives in the Mid-Atlantic Section. Meet Matt Modderno from Gaithersburg, Md. Over the past two years, Matt has played on over 20 League teams across Maryland, DC and Virginia! To share your story or send to someone you know, click here.

Tell us a little about yourself.

I work full-time for the FAA while attending grad school. And that’s in addition to my other full-time job, captaining USTA teams!

How has tennis impacted your life?

Tennis is my outlet. It’s helped me meet some of my best friends in life, blow off steam after a stressful work day, and its the only thing keeping me from being 300lbs.

When and how did you first become involved with the USTA?

I played my first league in 2010 during my senior year of college. I played pick-up tennis next to a guy who was very active in leagues so he got me on his teams and we are still good friends and teammates to this day.

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Matt (far right) and his teammates took home a 4th place finish at USTA National Championships in 2016

When thinking about tennis’ role in your life, how do you feel?

I mostly feel satisfied, with some happiness and pride mixed in. I’ve met good people, gotten better at the sport, and been reasonably successful in league play.

What do you like most about tennis? What keeps you coming back to the sport?

Being able to compete. There aren’t many options for adults to compete in recreational sports where the people actually take it seriously. The grateful teammates who reach out and tell you that they had a good experience being on your team/teammates with you keeps me coming back.