To promote and develop tennis in Virginia.

Two Virginia Teams Take Perfect Records to USTA JTT National Championships

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The Legends (18U Advanced)

Ridgetop Rebels (18U Intermediate)

During the second weekend of August at the USTA/Mid-Atlantic Section Championships, two Jr. Team Tennis (JTT) teams from Virginia would punch their tickets to the National Championships in South Carolina. Remarkably, both The Legends (18 and Under Advanced) and the Ridgetop Rebels (18 and Under Intermediate) never lost a head-to-head match during their local league seasons, or at the District and Section Championships.

Between both teams, they would play and win 36 team matches over the course of the year. On the weekend of October 26-28, they will put their unblemished records to the test against the top junior teams in the country.

The Legends, captained by Dr. Helen Roberts and coached by Arnold Pence and John Fraser, and playing out of Princess Anne Country Club in Virginia Beach, competed locally in the 2012 Spring Hampton Roads USTA JTT League during May and June. They had 13 kids on their roster, and won 223 of their 310 games (72%). They went 26-4 in individual matches, and 6-0 as a team.

At the USTA/Virginia District Championships, The Legends won 73% of their games (148 of 203), went an impressive 19-1 in individual match play, and finished 4-0 as a team. They played three of the same teams at the Section Championships, winning 103 of 162 games (64%), 11 of the 15 individual matches, and swept all three head-to-head team matches.

“The JTT experience has been nothing short of amazing for our team! While all of them are seasoned tournament players, they all agree that winning the Mid-Atlantic Section Championships in August and advancing to Nationals has been the highlight of their tennis careers!” says Dr. Roberts.

The Legends’ road to Nationals saw a handful of close team matches, but with the maximum number of games a team can win in a match being 40, they managed to average nearly 37 games per win. Their perfect 13-0 team record, and 56-9 individual mark, will be tested in the 18 and Under Advanced Flight 3 at Nationals, with matches against Southwest, Southern, and the Caribbean.

Dr. Roberts goes on to say that “The impact of advancing to Nationals on our club and community has been huge! The growth of JTT has been explosive at Princess Anne Country Club over the past year with the number of teams competing quadrupling this year. JTT is one aspect of the USTA that is a big success and a vital part of the future of tennis for juniors.”

The Legends are taking five boys and two girls from their original local team, and substituting one girl from the DTA Grinders (14 and Under Advanced), a team playing out of Virginia Beach Tennis & Country Club.

On Friday, October 26, The Legends will face off against the Southern Section, a team from Augusta, Georgia. They will follow that with a match against a team from El Paso, Texas (Southwest Section). They will wrap up their flight play on Saturday with a match against the Caribbean Section’s Puerto Rico team.

The Legends’ National roster:

*Substitute from DTA Grinders 14U ADV

The Ridgetop Rebels, captained by Kristi Brody and coached by Pat Anderson, play out of the Ridgetop Recreation Association in Richmond. They competed in two local seasons in Richmond (fall and spring), as well as the Mid-Atlantic Winter Wildcard Invitational. During those three competitions, the Ridgetop Rebels won 515 of their 724 games (71%). They went 65-13 in individual matches, and 15-0 as a team.

Shannon Scarvey, Richmond League Coordinator, and whose daughter is on the Ridgetop team, says “The Richmond league experienced tremendous growth this past spring and to have a Richmond team representing the Mid-Atlantic at Nationals is just icing on the cake. I hope the players fully realize what a terrific accomplishment this truly is!”

According to Coach Anderson, “The JTT experience has given our players more confidence and has continued their development through match play against teams they normally wouldn't compete against. I couldn’t be more proud of their performance.”

At the District Championships, the Ridgetop Rebels won 65% of their games (146 of 224), finished 16-4 individually and 4-0 as a team. They played four close matches against four different Maryland teams at the Section Championships, but pulled out wins in all four matches by winning 58% of the games (141 of 242), and 13 of the 20 individual matches.

The Ridgetop Rebels, very similarly to their 18U Advanced counterparts from Virginia Beach, won an average of just over 37 games per match over the course of their local seasons and Championships, and finished with a 23-0 team record. They have been placed in Flight 3 of the 18 and Under Intermediate division at Nationals, with matches against teams from the Florida, Eastern, and Southwest Sections.

“It's been such a fun year watching the Ridgetop Rebels, many of whom did not even know each other last September, bond and grow as a team,” said Team Captain Kristi Brody. “Their enthusiasm and support for each other has helped drive their success at Districts and Sectionals.”

The Ridgetop Rebels’ National roster consists of six girls and three boys from their original local team.

On Friday, October 26, the Ridgetop Rebels will begin play against a Westchester County (NY) team from the Eastern Section. The same day, they will compete against the Florida Section’s Brevard County team. Their final flight match will be on Saturday against a Northern New Mexico team (Southwest Section).

Ridgetop Rebels’ National roster:

The Legends’ 2011-12 JTT Results:

2012 Spring Hampton Roads League
5/06/2012 vs TTC Loose Strings JR 18U ADV - Won, 40-12
5/20/2012 vs DTA Grinders 14U ADV - Won, 36-15
5/20/2012 vs TTC Loose Strings JR 18U ADV - Won, 35-9
6/03/2012 vs DTA Grinders 14U ADV - Won, 34-29
6/10/2012 vs TTC Loose Strings JR 18U ADV - Won, 40-4
6/17/2012 vs DTA Grinders 14U ADV - Won, 38-18

2012 Virginia District Championships
7/20/2012 vs Smashers 18U ADV - Won, 40-14
7/20/2012 vs Tennis 4 Life 18U ADV - Won, 40-0
7/21/2012 vs Netwits 18U ADV - Won, 38-15
7/21/2012 vs Richmond Nomads 18U ADV - Won, 30-26

2012 Mid-Atlantic Section Championships
8/10/2012 vs Smashers 18U ADV - Won, 32-23
8/11/2012 vs Netwits 18U ADV - Won, 40-8
8/11/2012 vs Richmond Nomads 18U ADV - Won, 31-28

Ridgetop Rebels’ 2011-12 JTT Results:

2011 Fall Richmond League
10/02/2011 vs MRTC 18U INT - Won, 40-7
10/16/2011 vs ACAC 14U INT - Won, 37-19
10/23/2011 vs MRTC 18U INT - Won, 37-18
11/06/2011 vs ACAC 14U INT - Won, 39-11
11/13/2011 vs MRTC 18U INT - Won, 39-9
11/19/2011 vs ACAC 14U INT - Won, 32-18

2012 Mid-Atlantic Wildcard Invitational
3/04/2012 vs Baseliners 18U INT MD - Won, 22-14
3/04/2012 vs PG Blue Team 18U INT MD - Won, 20-18
3/04/2012 vs The Avengers 18U INT MD - Won, 17-15

2012 Spring Richmond League
4/22/2012 vs Willow Oaks-Pinkerton 18U INT - Won, 39-16
4/29/2012 vs MAC-Alabaster 18U INT - Won, 40-13
5/13/2012 vs MTC-Hadland 18U INT - Won, 40-6
5/20/2012 vs Woodlake-Showalter 18U INT - Won, 36-15
6/03/2012 vs Avalon-Vaughan 18U INT - Won, 40-8
6/10/2012 vs ACAC-Bradt 18U INT - Won, 37-22

2012 Virginia District Championships
7/21/2012 vs NOVA Dream Team 18U INT - Won, 36-17
7/22/2012 vs Culpeper 18U INT - Won, 40-8
7/22/2012 vs Achievable Dream 18U INT - Won, 34-31
7/22/2012 vs ACAC Smart Aces 18U INT - Won, 36-22

2012 Mid-Atlantic Section Championships
8/10/2012 vs MCTA Spartans 18U INT MD - Won, 34-26
8/11/2012 vs Howard Co. Eclipse 18U INT MD - Won, 36-21
8/11/2012 vs St. Mary’s Team Blue 18U INT MD - Won, 33-30
8/12/2012 vs Team Shocks 18U INT MD - Won, 38-24