A letter from our outgoing NNMTA President:
It has been a pleasure and honor to have served as president of the Northern New Mexico Tennis Association. We have an active tennis community which has been a true pleasure to participate in and to have contributed to its continued growth. Our district has been on the cutting edge of creative programs to grow our sport.
I am so pleased that we have a sanctioned adult tournament series named for a true visionary in the NNMTA scene. Dick Gorman was a gentleman and a sportsman and a tireless volunteer in New Mexico tennis. The Dick Gorman Grand Prix NTRP is a well deserved honor for Dick and for our district. These nine NTRP tournaments honor his memory.
Participation is huge for our kids! NNMTA has 10-and-under play and training for instructors. Our mid-school tennis is the finest program in the United States. Junior Team Tennis participation has more players than any other district in the Southwest. NNMTA has 1,175 kids playing team tennis compared to 408 kids playing in the other six districts.
We will continue training programs for volunteer instructors to work with elementary age kids. Our new "Lucky 7 Circuit" tournaments for mid-school and junior varsity players will help us keep kids playing and enjoying our great sport.
What a great year for Jerry Cline! Finally after years of negotiations, meetings, lobbying, and persuasion Albuquerque now has a facility that I hope will attract USTA Juniors and Adult National Tournaments, as well as being a professional venue.
The ColemanVision Women's Professional Tournament and its director, Sue Jollensten, must continue to be supported by our tennis community. This is the longest running professional sports event in New Mexico. More important, all the money raised goes to the New Mexico Youth Tennis Foundation that provides financial support for the tennis youth of New Mexico. Thank you Coleman family for your backing, loyalty, and sponsorship for this monumental event.
We have made great strides in the past four years to develop a terrific relationship with the New Mexico Activities Association and the New Mexico High School Coaches Association. We are now a speaker participant at the annual New Mexico Coaches Convention. In June, 2014, our top high school seniors will be participating in the second North/South New Mexico All-Star Tennis Match.
I have been blessed with a wonderful Executive Tennis Board that is dedicated and works so hard for our tennis community. Thank you everybody! Especially, Becky Lee our Tennis Service Representative, Sue Jollensten, NNMTA Program Director, Dee Sanchez, Secretary, Don Faraone, Treasurer, Karen Amond, Adult Rec., Mary Wommack and Cee Ann Vaughan, Jr Rec., Fred Hultberg, Parks and Rec., Brian Bingham, Officials, Toby Smith, Publicity and Media, Marion Colbert and Julanie Lee, Awards, Dave Pitts Grievance, Jud Lee, Adult League Coordinator, and Shelley Barker, past NNMTA Treasurer and current SWTA Treasurer.
I will continue to support Northern New Mexico and this tennis game, a game that has helped shape my life. Good luck to our new president, Joe Felice. Joe is a long-time USPTA colleague and friend and will bring years of experience to the position.
Sincerely,
Dick Johnson, USPTA
President-NNMTA, 2005-2006, 2010-2013