Tennis Association celebrates a decade on June 9

Public welcome to attend

By Gail Peckler-Dziki
Correspondent

The Western Kenosha County Tennis Association is celebrating a decade on Saturday, June 9, and the public is invited to attend the event, which features a Single Day Showdown United States Tennis Association Level 5 tournament from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m.

The celebration, which starts at 8 a.m., will be at the Westosha Central High School tennis courts along Highway 83, about 1/4 mile south of Highway 50.

WKCTA plans to begin the festivities with the USTA Level 5 Tournament, and then open the courts to all ages and skill levels for free drills, games and competitions from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m.

Refreshments will be available beginning at noon.

The USTA Level 5 Tournament consists of boys and girls 18’s and 14’s (singles) divisions.

The cost is $23 to enter, with an 11:59 p.m. June 6 deadline. Draws and match ups will be posted the following day.

Meanwhile, as the organization celebrates 10 years, WKCTA Board President Bob Ferruzzi remembered when it started.

Ferruzzi, who became involved when his oldest son was about to enter high school, recalled Westosha Central having tennis matches at an area park.

“At that time, Central shared a team with Wilmot and they used the tennis courts at Fox River Park,” he said.

“When tennis coaches and program coordinators Paul and Pat Brings asked me if I would get involved with the summer program, I said yes,” he states. “I had one son entering high school and two more sons who played tennis to go.”

Courtesy of a grant from the USTA, and funds received from the referendum, Westosha Central now has eight tennis courts on school grounds.

In the last 10 years, in addition to the referendum and tennis courts, WKCTA has provided a series of tennis assemblies in local elementary schools to promote the summer tennis program.

With facilities in place, WKCTA introduced the game of tennis to more than 1,000 children and adults in the community through a number of summer programs, supported Junior Tennis teams in statewide competition, provided training programs to local elementary and secondary physical education teachers promoting tennis instruction in the schools and provided nets, balls and racquets to elementary and secondary schools.

WKCTA, additionally, awarded more than $5,000 in college scholarships to high school seniors. The organization raised and donated more than $10,000 to the American Cancer Society through its annual Rally for Life fundraiser.

The Rally for Life fundraiser collected non-perishable food items, backpacks and other back to school items for The Sharing Center.

To register for the tournament, visit www.wkcta.com, and click the 10-year anniversary tab.


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