The GCTA Supports Tennis

GCTA Board Meeting
1/18/07
In Attendance: Art Haus, Doug Snapp, Dan Witteman, Charles Weisent, Otto Laster, Vincent Solomon, Joel Madenwald, Deena Snapp, Erin Ortman, Doug DiRosario, Harvey Beahm, Andy Alexander, Carol Alexander, Geri Schlegel, Jim Hendrix, Jake Will, Jr., Rita Brown, Mark Anderson, Kelly Hoffman

1. Approval of Minutes
Jim Hendrix, GCTA President called the meeting to order and asked for corrections to the September minutes. It was pointed out that a "d" was missing on page five causing what should be "down" to read as "own." Doug Snapp made the correction on the computer copy and indicated he would also upload a corrected copy. Hearing no other changes, Vince Solomon moved to accept the minutes, Joel Madenwald seconded, and the motion passed with a voice vote.

2. Treasurer's Report
GCTA Treasurer, Jake Will, Jr., gave the report. He indicated that the all bills for the 2006 year have been accounted for. The GCTA received extra money from the USTA and that money was enough to cover GCTA expenses for the ITA Tournament sponsored by OSU. Jake said the checking account is $927, the flex fund is $56,125, the junior fund is $5,536, the Mansfield fund is $1,516 for a total GCTA bank account of $64,104. Hearing nothing more, Deena Snapp moved to accept Jake's report, Rita Brown seconded, and the motion passed with a voice vote.

3. Women's Leagues
Erin Ortman, Women's Chair, gave the report. The women's kickoff parties have been scheduled for February at Wickertree Tennis Club. Information has been provided to members and is on the GCTA web site. With the entire women's league reporting scores on tenniscores.com, there will be upcoming, must-attend meetings. This information has been mailed and will also appear on the GCTA web site.

4. Men's Leagues
League Chair, Jake Will, Jr., commented that there would be a meeting in February with the Men's Board and a March mailing will be made.

5. USTA Leagues
Doug Snapp gave a short explanation as to how the league is set up. He indicated that information is on the GCTA web site.

6. USTA Junior Team Tennis Leagues
No report at this time.

7. ITA Tournament
Jim thanked thanked Deena Snapp for the organization of the volunteers. He indicated that the ITA was very impressed with the volunteers and the hospitality room. Rebecca Stanchin-Hancart provided a report of the money spent for the hospitality room. The final cost for food was $1,200--that amount was well under the budgeted amount; and, as previously indicated, the amount was covered by extra money provided to the GCTA by the USTA. Rebecca's complete report can be seen on the GCTA web site at Rebecca's Report in PDF Format. Rita Brown commented that it was a "very neat experience" that the players truly seemed to enjoy. Jim shared that the ITA was so impressed that they have granted the tournament to OSU for another year even though it had been promised to another university. Doug Snapp read a very positive letter from OSU Coaches Merzbacher and Tucker. The letter can be view at the following location on the GCTA web site: Letter in PDF Format.
Deena Snapp commented with the following written report:

Volunteers for ITA Tournament
Summary Report
January 18, 2007

GCTA volunteers were on hand supervising the Hospitality Room and helping the Tournament Desk for 34 hours during the ITA tournament in November 2006. Four volunteers were available each hour of coverage. This task was handled by 37 people. Many volunteers worked multiple days and multiple two hour shifts. Most of the volunteers heard about the tournament from their team captains. Some volunteers saw the notices which were posted at each club. Volunteers came from many teams and clubs.

The volunteers made the first contact by calling Deena Snapp. Then Deena made a follow up call or email to confirm the exact times and give final information. After the tournament, each volunteer received a Caribou Coffee coupon and thank you note from the GCTA.

Special Thanks to:
Erin Ortman and Doug Snapp for notifying the team captains regarding the need for volunteers.

John Campbell who organized his friends and team members to cover all positions the first two mornings of the tournament.

Other Board Members who volunteered: Shirley Neibauer, Rita Brown, Mark Anderson, Dan Witteman, Bob Schafer, Jeff Johnston.

Recommendations for next year:
Give clubs and teams an earlier notification of the need for volunteers.
Four volunteers each two hour shift works well.
A coupon is nice to have as a thank you for volunteers.
Sign in and name tag with instructions at the desk worked.

Doug DiRosario commented on the lack of coverage in the newspapers. Doug Snapp felt that the amount of coverage given was justified considering the place of tennis in the present sports scene. When you consider that this was in sports competition in Columbus, Ohio, with a #1 ranked OSU football team and on the weekend that that team played, the coverage was realistic. Certainly as supporters of tennis, we would all like to see more coverage, but tennis does not carry that kind of clout. Doug went on to say that OSU Football Coach Tressel had introduced OSU Women's Tennis Coach Chuck Merzbacher at Tressel's weekly news conference and that Coach Merzbacher had addressed the media, but "did not receive one question from them." Several people said that the one thing that could be done better is to get information into the tennis clubs sooner. The university was suppose to provide posters for that purpose, but they were not ready. It was also commented that at several times, there could have been no larger crowds at the Racquet Club: the facility would not have held any more people.

8. Junior Wightman & Junior Davis Cup
Jim said that details on the format/location are not available as of yet, but it would likely be the same as last year because it seemed to run smoothly. He will contact Steve Ryuse and Michelle Jarrett to check their availability as captains for the event.

9. Area and District Qualifier
Jim will be organizing Area Qualifier and he assumes that most of the people and clubs that were involved last year will be participating this year. There was discussion as to raising the entry fee; it was decided that the fee should be kept the same. We will consider the possibility of a change again next year. The month of May will be the time frame for the tournament.
The District Tournament dates are the 9th to the 12th of June. Janet Craycraft has indicated that she will not be available to run the District Girls' 16's this year. Jim discussed alternatives and he is looking for a coordinator.

10. Ohio Valley Tennis Association
Harvey Beahm gave the report. Even though he was not able to attend the November 5th Annual Meeting at Kenwood Country Club, he provided complete minutes of the meeting. Harvey said that Art Haus and Bob Schafer will now be serving as delegates representing the Columbus Area at the Ohio Valley level. Harvey reported the Columbus winners of OVTA awards: Kirsten Flower, Christine Johnston, and Will Petrie.

11. Columbus Recreation and Parks
Kelly Hoffman gave the report. He indicated that they are working on a grant for Tennis in the Parks through the USTA.
They are in the process of getting bids for maintenance for Champions Tennis Club. They will be doing more online registration. They will run the Central Ohio Tennis Tournament on their own this year. Kelly will be doing the draws and would like to post them online. He indicated that the tennis camp will likely move back to Whetstone, but may have to go to Wolfe Park because of work being done at the Whetstone site. They will again have a camp at the Champions facility. Adult participation in their clinics was up to around 200 participants; this is double the number from recent years. Kelly said they again plan to take kids to the Cincinnati professional tournament; this worked well last year. They try to take their most active participants.

12. Awards
Deena Snapp commented that the ceremony went very smoothly in September. She asked that as GCTA members go through their tennis year they make note of people deserving awards and get those names and related information to her for consideration.

13. Umpires
Vince Solomon discussed the process for becoming a certified USTA tennis official. He added that training sessions would be conducted by Dave Engel at Wickertree Tennis Club. USTA training schedules can be found on the web.

14. Old Business

15. New Business
Andy Alexander shared that former Grove City star, Ann Grossman Wunderlich, has been inducted in the USTA Midwest Hall of Fame. Doug indicated that there is a link to the award on the GCTA web site. Andy added that Ann will be working at the New Albany Country Club.
Andy made attendees aware of a new USTA program: Welcome Back to Tennis 2007. The USTA is making a push to get more of the 50-and-up age-group either back into playing tennis or starting to play tennis. There will be promotions. Andy went to one of the promotion clinics and said that it was "a fun day." Information is available on the USTA Midwest web site.
Jim announced that the next quarterly GCTA board meeting is scheduled for April 19, again at Swim and Racquet.

16. Adjournment
Hearing no further announcements and/or business, Jim asked for a motion to adjourn. Such a motion was made, seconded, and passed with a voice vote.

Respectfully submitted,
Doug Snapp
GCTA Secretary