The Indianapolis Tennis Center on the campus of IUPUI has been named a United States Tennis Association Certified Regional Training Center, a designation shared by only three other centers in the country.
The USTA uses these centers to work closely with the country’s top junior players and their coaches to best develop young players and help transition them into the national program. The other current USTA Certified Regional Training Centers are in College Park, MD; Austin, TX, and Atlanta, GA, where recent US Open breakout star, Melanie Oudin, trains.
According to the USTA’s website, the establishment of Regional Training Centers will enable the USTA to partner with the best Regional programs in the country, building relationships between the best coaches and players, and raising the level of training for the USTA’s best 8 to14 year-old junior players.
Outstanding accomplishments of the Indianapolis Tennis Center’s junior players helped the center’s efforts to become a Regional Training Center. Under the guidance of coaches Bryan and Jeff Smith, six ITC Juniors have taken home National Championships or National Opens in the past two years.
“Our junior program’s success in the past two years certainly boosted this club’s bid to become an RTC, showing even a small tennis club in a cold weather city could develop top junior players,” ITC Director Kathy Risacher said. “I am especially pleased with the community-based focus of the USTA Player Development initiative. Supporting our young players in a familiar and supportive environment during the crucial ages of 8 to 14 can only further our common goal – to find and develop future American champions.”
The Indianapolis Tennis Center plans to make the official announcement of its designation as a Regional Training Center in a September 26 ceremony at the club. USTA Director of Coaching for Elite Player Development, Jose Higueras, and other USTA officials will be at the Center to make the announcement.