Board Meeting — 8/9/21
Call to Order: President Dolly Robinson called the meeting to order at 5:36 PM.
Members present included: Dolly Robinson, Mike Null, Joe Hinkle, Mark Mansbach, Nelson Rivera, Laura Hunter-Null, Liza Viplav, and Linda Williams.
Guest: George English, USTA Florida Tennis Representative
Correspondence was received by Leigh Chak, USTA Florida (Region 2) Adult Play Coordinator, letting LCCCTA know she would not able to attend the meeting, but hopes to come to one, soon. She has been watching our CTA’s progress on Facebook and website and encourages LCCCTA to apply for the USTA grant for beginning players (both junior and adult).
George English explained the 2021 USTA $3 million grant is called, “Grow the Game”. It is targeted at attracting and engaging new and returning tennis players between May and November.
Of that funding, the USTA Florida section has been awarded $156,000 to identify and reward tennis organizations who meet the grant criteria. The grants are intended to help defray the costs of delivering quality entry-level programs by providing funding for: coaching costs, tennis balls and teaching equipment (tubes, carts, hoppers), cleaning and sanitizing efforts (disposable gloves, disinfectant, cleaning equipment), marketing for tennis programs, and other tennis-related expenses.
George English reported he was very happy to be present at this meeting; the last LCCCTA meeting he was able to attend was January 2020. He hopes to be able to be approved by USTA to attend regularly.
Mr. English just recently completed wheelchair tennis training by a world-wide trainer and US wheelchair tennis player who will be playing in the upcoming Paralympics. He is now able to understand just how difficult it is to play tennis with an impairment.
G. English announced this year’s US Open will be at full player capacity. However, there will be no foreign fans, no line judges, and only chair umpires.
Last year’s US Open lost $95 million without having 800,000 fans and this loss has affected the USTA Florida budget. He added that most of USTA’s revenue comes from the US Open.
G. English offered to assist our teaching professional in any way possible; he told M. Mansbach his service area extends from Pensacola to Ocala.
Mr. English added that he would like to restart the Net Generation Program at the Columbia County schools.
USTA provides a tennis equipment package with a training manual and also pays an afters chool teacher to teach tennis to youth.
L. Viplav said she is now a volunteer parent at Belmont Academy and expects to be working with their new PE coach to introduce the Net Generation Program, as well as provide information about LCCCTA youth programs.
Pierce Kelley was not able to attend the meeting, but sent an email on behalf of Youth Tennis Foundation (YTF).
Mr. Kelley asked L. Williams to announce the funding approved/budgeted by YTF for LCCCTA at the YTF Annual Meeting. He also asked L. Williams to give his best to all LCCCTA board members.
The Minutes of the June 14, Board Meeting were reviewed. A motion was made by M. Null to approve the 6/14/21 minutes as presented; the motion was seconded by M. Mansbach, and the motion carried unanimously.
President D. Robinson reported Summer Program participant numbers for youth and adult clinics.
Tennis professional and LCCCTA board member, Mark Mansbach, led four two-week sessions for both youth (25 participants) and adults (28 participants). There was a total of 53 tennis players.
LCCCTA was provided $265 revenue as a result of the summer tennis clinics.
D. Robinson expressed gratitude to M. Mansbach for conducting LCCCTA’s tennis programs and for continuing to maintain the new courts.
D. Robinson spoke with several lady players who are very happy with the purchase of four yellow portable and tilting umbrellas that provide shade on the sides of courts 1 and 2. The ladies made a $500 donation to LCCCTA and D. Robinson was able to purchase them for $300.
D. Robinson said she continues to research sail shade covers to place over the metal bleachers between courts 2 and 3.
M. Null and D. Robinson also discussed installation of the tennis backboard. They both plan to meet with the City’s interim public works director to see if poles can be placed in concrete on city property, as LCCCTA would be attaching poles to the City of Lake City’s assets.
D. Robinson said she will write a thank you note to LCCCTA Board member and former CHS Boy’s Tennis Team coach, Tom Moore. His many contributions to our CTA have been very appreciated.
L. Williams suggested LCCCTA have a youth tennis program named in honor of him.
VP Null reported he had recent correspondence from George English regarding a USTA grant application to benefit middle and high school tennis teams by providing tennis balls, tennis bags, and markers. The CHS Girl’s Tennis Team coach registered immediately for the grant. Unfortunately, a CHS Boy’s Tennis Team coach has not been named at this time.
M. Null will submit the online USTA Foundation Grant Report to include LCCCTA’s summer program participation and revenue, as well as the number of under-served players.
M. Null will continue to look into the Dick’s Sporting Goods Grant once he has specific upcoming program criteria. The grant is offering 501c3 nonprofit organizations (LCCCTA) who are helping youth sports, an opportunity for grant funding. The requests are accepted on a rolling basis and new grant requests are reviewed on a monthly basis.
L. Williams reported that she is serving as an officer on the YTF Board of Directors. She attended YTF’s 2021 Annual Meeting on August 1 st which was held at Mission Inn Resort and Club located in Howey-in-the-Hills, FL. During the August 1 st meeting, the Board voted to approve and award $1000 to LCCCTA to be used for youth programs through June 30, 2022. LCCCTA board members expressed much appreciation.
J. Hinkle provided the August Treasurer’s Report to LCCCTA board members in an email, following the August 9th meeting. The current balance in the bank account is $2,206.18, which includes all recent deposits.
Mark Mansbach stated that he is seeing a slow advancement in tennis participation through the private lessons he conducts. He hopes to see an increase in both youth and adult numbers when the weather gets cooler.
M. Null said LCCCTA is very blessed to have a teaching pro seven days a week; the public always sees a presence at the tennis courts. He added that LCCCTA is fortunate to be able to utilize the pro shop provided by YTF.
L. Hunter-Null suggested LCCCTA create an Event Calendar with specific days designated for ladies, men, and mixed doubles tennis. She believes these structured events will attract tennis players and a hard copy of the Calendar of Events could be picked up from the pro shop.
L. Viplav suggested LCCCTA have a sign-up sheet at the pro shop that ties into our LCCCTA website link, ‘Tennis Connections’.
D. Robinson reminded the group that both suggestions would require a member be present and our teaching pro may not be willing and/or available to do this. It was decided these ideas would require further discussion after speaking with him.
M. Null reminded the group our last scheduled Summer Adult Tennis Social will be held from 7-9pm on Sunday, August 29th.
D. Robinson suggested changing the time from 7-9pm to 6-8pm when scheduling September through November adult tennis socials. All members agreed. The cost will remain at $5 per person to include tennis clinics and tennis round robins.
D. Robinson recommended LCCCTA members be involved in assisting M. Mansbach with our Fall Youth Team Tennis (YTT) Program. To publicize the program, direct contact with schools will be necessary, specifically PE coaches.
D. Robinson suggested offering the after school YTT Program two days per week—Tuesdays and Thursdays—for six (6) weeks beginning in October and going through mid-November (completing before the holidays). She believes separating groups by grades, not ages, will be best. Much group discussion determined that 3-7 grades would be taught on one day and 7-12 on the other day. (7th grade participants will be assigned to a group once a conversation has been held with their parents)
L. Viplav suggested afternoon instruction clinics remain at 45 minutes, and the group agreed. A participant cost has not been established at this time.
D. Robinson asked L. Williams to add email addresses from both spring and summer program participation forms to LCCCTA’s group email distribution list so upcoming YTT information can be sent out. L. Williams said she will create a LCCCTA Youth Programs email group.
President Robinson announced the next Board meeting is set for September 13, 2021.
There being no further formal business, President Robinson adjourned the meeting at 7:20PM.