The year’s festivities of the Wheeling Oglebay Tennis Club will begin on Saturday, May 11, with the “Swing into Spring” round robin and membership picnic.
The event will be held at the Oglebay Tennis Facility. The round robin will be played from 1-3 p.m. followed by the social, annual meeting, dinner, and entertainment. Annual membership types include family ($25), individual ($15), and junior ($10).
During the meeting, the Wheeling Oglebay Tennis Club/Johnston Tennis Scholarship will be awarded to the 2019 recipients. One boy and one girl from the OVAC will each receive a $1000 college scholarship.
Membership in the WOTC helps to promote tennis; supports elementary play days, Millie Mulhern Youth Tennis, the OVAC High School Kick-off and the Summer Camps at Oglebay; provides opportunities to experience free monthly round robins, socials during the tournaments, tennis discounts with the Wheeling Park Commission; and enables area tennis information to be shared with those interested.
Membership in the WOTC runs from May 1 through April 30, 2020. Last year, there were 230 members in this non-profit organization, and the club hopes to top that number this year.
All tennis enthusiasts (players and non-players) are encouraged to join the WOTC. For more information about membership, email Tom Andrews at tandrews39@comcast.net.
MILLIE MULHERN YOUTH TENNIS
Millie Mulhern Youth Tennis is a free program offered each spring and fall. Beginning on Tuesday, May 7, the WOTC will present the spring session for all children in grades 4 through 11. No experience is needed.
MMYT will follow the Net Generation format, an initiative developed by the United States Tennis Association. The USTA’s goal is to bring together volunteers, coaches, professionals and parents to introduce this “sport of a lifetime” to children across the country.
All practices and matches will be held at the Hilltop Courts at Wheeling Park, thanks to the generosity of the Wheeling Park Commission.
Practices for all participants will be on the following Tuesdays and Thursdays: May 7, 9 14, 16, 21, 23, 28 and 30 from 4:30- 6 p.m. Matches will be from 4-6 p.m. on the following Sundays: May 19, May 26 and June 2.
Tennis racquets are available for those who need them. Participants need to wear appropriate athletic shoes and shorts with pockets (or have a ball clip); they also need to bring water or sports drinks.
To have a child signed up for Millie Mulhern Youth Tennis, email the participant’s name and age to the WOTC at wheelingoglebaytennisclub@gmail.com. Then either request a registration form to complete and bring to the site on Tuesday, May 7, or arrive at the Hilltop Courts by 4:15 p.m. Tuesday, May 7, to fill out the registration form.
Brad Jones, the Bethany College men’s and women’s tennis coach, will be coordinating this year’s program. WOTC volunteer coaches will be on court with the participants to provide instruction, supervise the activities, and monitor courts during the matches. For additional information on Millie Mulhern Youth Tennis, call Jones at 276-494-4948.
SUMMER TENNIS CAMPS AT OGLEBAY
The Summer Camps at Oglebay, sponsored by the WOTC, will begin with a week of tennis for the Oglebay Park Children’s Association participants. During the week of June 10-14, children who are bused from various neighborhoods will have two hours of instruction per day provided by local professionals with the assistance of WOTC volunteers.
The four weeks of age-based camps will begin on Monday, June 17, and run through Thursday, July 11.
On Mondays (June 17, June 24, July 1 and July 8), the following camps will be held in the morning: 4- to 6-year-old group (10:30-11:30 a.m.), the 7- to 8-year-old group (11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.), and the 9- to 12-year-old group (10:30 a.m.-noon).
A camp for 13- to 18-year-olds will be from 10:30 a.m. to noon Thursdays (June 20, June 27, July 3 [Wednesday] and July 11).
The adult beginner camp will be offered from 6-8 p.m. on those same dates (June 20, June 27, July 3 [Wednesday] and July 11).
The 2019 staff for the Summer Camps at Oglebay will include professionals Jeremy McClelland and John Chatlak, camp coordinator Brad Jones and WOTC volunteers.
Last summer, over 200 children and 45 adults attended these camps. With a mission statement of growing tennis, the WOTC encourages all youth and adults to take advantage of this opportunity to give tennis a try.
To request additional information, a flyer and a registration form for the Summer Camps at Oglebay, email the club at wheelingoglebaytennisclub@gmail.com. The information will also be available at the Wheeling Park golf/tennis shop, the Wheeling Park office in the White Palace and the tennis shop at the Oglebay courts.
TOURNAMENTS
The WOTC will be hosting two adult tournaments this summer. The Jack Dorsey Senior Memorial Tournament will be held from June 6-9. This is a national clay court category II men’s event that draws players from across the country. Divisions include singles and doubles for those ages 35 to 90. Registration for this event is open online at tennislink.usta.com. For additional information about this tournament, email tournament director Kelly Rose at rosek@gabrielrichard.org.
From July 25-28, the WOTC will host the Bordas and Bordas West Virginia Open. This is a Middle States clay court sectional championship, which awards a total of $5,000 in prize money to those competing in the open divisions: men’s and women’s singles and doubles and mixed doubles. Age and NTRP (ability level) divisions are also available for both men and women. Contact tournament director Debbie Pickens at dpickens1018@comcast.net for more information.
The WOTC is able to offer these programs and tournaments because of the many dedicated volunteers and sponsors. If you would like to assist this non-profit organization with your time or a sponsorship, email the wheelingoglebaytennisclub@gmail.com.