CENTRE COUNTY — The Centre Region Community Tennis Association is hosting the Happy Valley Junior Open will be held Saturday, Sept. 12 and Sunday, Sept.13, at the State College Area School District tennis courts.
The CRCTA is a nonprofit organization that focuses on growing and supporting tennis throughout the local region.
“One of the goals is to create more opportunities for junior players to compete locally,” said CRCTA’s Chuck Thompson. “Families in Central Pennsylvania often must travel considerable distances to find USTA junior tournaments, so bringing an event like this to State College gives our local players an opportunity to compete close to home while also bringing players and families from outside the area into Happy Valley.”
Happy Valley Junior Open is a USTA Level 6 tournament and is open to both boys and girls in the 12-and-under and 16-and-under divisions. Players will earn USTA ranking points based on their wins. The CRCTA expects a mix of developing players along with more experienced juniors. Thompson emphasized that “players don’t have to be elite, national-level juniors to participate in competitive USTA tennis. A Level 6 tournament can be a very good step for a young player who is ready to move beyond recreational play and gain tournament experience.”
The tournament will include four singles divisions: Boys 12-and-Under, Girls 12-and-Under, Boys 16-and-Under, and Girls 16-and-Under. Matches will be best two out of three sets, with a 10-point match tiebreaker played if needed.
CRCTA is committed to building competitive tennis in the Centre Region. With the area’s strong tennis community and excellent recreational opportunities, CRCTA believes the region is a great place for families to come for a weekend of great tennis.
“We’re trying to create a pathway where a young player can learn the game locally, play recreationally or for a school team, and then have opportunities to compete in sanctioned tournaments right here in the Centre Region,” Thompson said.
Player registration fee is $36.79 and there is no admission charge for spectators. Matches take place from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on both days. Registration deadline is Sept. 6 at 5:59 p.m. More information is available on the CRCTA Facebook page, and participants can register for the event at the CRCTA tournament page at www.playtennis.usta.com/centreregioncta/Tournaments
