The local USTA team ends the season

The USTAs Junior Team Tennis (JTT) has put together a record-breaking season locally. Partly due to Covid constraints, the tennis court has experienced 4 million players nationally and a million players in the South alone, which also includes nearly 40% growth in first-time players.

The Golden Isles Tennis Association (GITA) supports a local league for children competing on about 20 different teams ranging in age from 10 to 18: Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced. About 400 local youths from Savannah to Brunswick competed for 2 seasons per July state championship in Macon, Georgia. Universal Tennis Rating (UTR) and USTA points are awarded along the way, which can affect university scholarships.

Our own 18U intermediate team from Hinesville United, led by nine-year-old Bradwell tennis coach Ken Scharnagl, joined Effingham, Glynn County, Statesboro, Richmond Hill and Pierce County to compete. According to local league coordinator Robert Brown, the GITA area decided 10 teams to advance to the John Drew tennis center at the end of Julys.

Although Hinesville United did not make progress this year, the team was eliminated 2 years ago and placed 3rd in the semi-finals. This year, the summer 2021 team is shown below.

JTT is a USTA league product for 8-18 year olds. Local USTA pro and former high school coach Robert Brown started the league about 20 years ago in South Carolina as a way to keep the rackets in the hands of players of the year. . Since then, he has moved to Georgia to grow sports here as well.

Giving lessons to the Scharnagls boy (Adam, class 2019 Bradwell), Brown introduced Scharnagl to JTT, who has led the team for the past 3 seasons in the winter and summer.

JTT is collaborative and includes: Boys and Girls Doubles, Boys and Girls Doubles, and Mixed Doubles, in a predetermined format where the total number of games is the winning criterion.

We are constantly looking for new divisions, new coaches and new growth areas, Brown commented. Scharnagl plans to form a team of 14U beginners (Liberty Legends) this year.

For more information on tennis opportunities, such as in JTT Liberty County, visit www.usta.com and / or contact Ken Scharnagli at 912-977-1086.