NEMA Invitational

All the information about the NEMA is on this site, so please read carefully - and enjoy. As we get very close to the start of the tournament, draws and results and daily announcements will be posted at:

• USTA

The New England/Mid-Atlantic Invitational
2010 Updates and Announcements
Before the Tournament Begins
Housing
Directions to McDonogh School
Parking on Campus
Directions to the Tournament Hotels
Directions to the Indoor Courts
Friday Night Coaches' Meeting
Important Information
Weather Information
Sportsmanship
Tentative Schedule
Pictures
For the 2009 NEMA Highlights, click here
For the 2008 NEMA Highlights, click here
For the 2007 NEMA Highlights, click here
For the 2006 NEMA Highlights, click here
For the 2005 NEMA Highlights, click here
For 2009 Results, click here
For 2008 Results, click here
For 2007 Results, click here
For 2006 Results, click here
For 2005 Results, click here
For 2004 Results, click here
For 2003 Results, click here
For 2002 Results, click here
For 2001 Results, click here
For 2000 Results, click here
For 1999 Results, click here
For 1998 Results, click here
For 1997 Results, click here

The New England/Mid-Atlantic Invitational

The New England/Mid-Atlantic (NEMA) Invitational was started in 1997 at Blair Academy in Blairstown, New Jersey, where it continued for nine years. For a number of reasons, Blair passed the torch to McDonogh School, in Owings Mills, Maryland, where it has been held ever since. The 14th annual NEMA event will be held April 24 and 25, 2010. (For more information about McDonogh School, click the link on the left.) The NEMA tournament is an invitational tournament of 16 teams primarily from the East Coast. Originally conceived as a device to pit teams from two areas of the country against one another, it has evolved into, simply, a team competition among good schools that usually hail from 7 to 10 states.

Note: We will continue to offer three flights of singles and TWO of doubles. Also, we will continue to allow teams to freely substitute players at the #2 Doubles position during the tournament to allow more members of the teams to participate.

2010 Updates and Announcements

As of January 14, the following teams have been accepted into the 2010 event. We had sixteen, but one has dropped out. So, we do have ONE opening. Let us know if you're intereseted:

• Beacon (NY)
• Blair (NJ)
• Brunswick (CT)
• Episcopal Academy (PA)
• Gunnery (CT)
• Haverford (PA)
• Hawken (OH)
• Hill (PA)
• Lawrenceville (NJ)
• McDonogh (MD)
• Mercersburg (PA)
• Peddie (NJ)
• Potomac VA)
• Sidwell Friends (DC)
• Wyoming Seminary (PA)

Before the Tournament Begins

The NEMAs is an invitational tournament. If your school would like to attend, click here for information about entering, and for an entry form, click here. Please submit your entry by email by January 7. Notification of acceptance will be emailed by January 15. Invitation into the event is determined by the tournament committee and is based on team strength and geographic diversity. The tournament will be limited to sixteen teams. Entry fee of $325 per team must be received by February 15 to secure the team's spot in the tournament. Checks should be made out to Laurance M. Levy and mailed to Laurance Levy, McDonogh School, PO Box 380, Owings Mills, MD 21117-0380. As mentioned below, hotel reservations should be made by April 4th to secure the tournament discount. Final rosters must be received by April 15th. Tournament will run April 25 & 26 in 2009.

Housing

The tournament hotels are Hyatt Place right next to campus (410-998-3630) and the Hilton Garden Inn Owings Mills (1-800-Hiltons, 1-410-654-0030, or www.hilton.com), which is just beyond it (detailed directions are right below). Mention you are with "The NEMA Invitational Tennis Tournament" and reserve your rooms by Friday, April 5th to receive the tournament discount and ensure your booking.

Directions to McDonogh School

To get to McDonogh School, take the Baltimore Beltway (I-695), which is accessible from the north or south by I-95 and from the west by I-70 or I-83, to Exit 20 (Garrison-Pikesville). Go north on Reisterstown Road (toward Garrison and Reisterstown - NOT Pikesville). At the sixth light, turn left on McDonogh Road. Continue about one mile; the School is on the right. For a map, click here.

Parking on Campus

Enter McDonogh via Shell Road, the main entrance (with the large McDonogh School sign and stone gate) even though the signs will direct you further on. At the top of the hill, bear right, into the parking lot of Keelty Hall. For the coaches’ meeting Friday night, park there, enter the building through the lower door, and proceed to room 215. Saturday and Sunday, proceed to the gate, punch in the gate code – available to coaches via e-mail – and proceed to the parking lot closest to the courts.

Directions to the Tournament Hotels

To get to the first two tournament hotels, continue on McDonogh Road past the school. At the light, turn right onto Painter's Mill Road. Hyatt Place is on the left just before the second light at Red Run Boulevard. To get to the Hilton Garden Inn, turn left onto Red Run Boulevard at the second light. The next light is Owings Mills Boulevard; the hotel is on the corner to the left. (To return to McDonogh from the Hilton Garden Inn, turn right on Owings Mills Blvd, left on Lyons Mills Road at the second light, left on McDonogh Road, and continue to the school.)

Directions to the Indoor Courts

If we have to go indoors, we will travel to the Green Spring Racquet Club. The club is only a short (9 mile) drive from McDonogh and can be reached via I 695 or by simply driving across the valley. Directions (and a map) will be distributed at the tournament, or you can simply click on the link to the club above on the left. The number at the club is 410 821-LOVE.

Friday Night Coaches' Meeting

On Friday afternoon, the courts will be open for practice from 4:00 p.m. to dark. At 8:00 p.m. all coaches will meet in Keelty 215 (directions under PARKING above). At that time we will manually do the seeding and then publish the draw. Note: Final rosters are due April 15th. Players’ names will then be entered into the computer-generated (TDM) draw. After the seeds have been determined, the draws will be computer-generated and coaches given printed draws, which will also be available, updated with results and scores, during and at the end of the tournament on site and on the tournament page at www.usta.com (click the link above or go to tournament # 302716109). Coaches may also review the scoring system at the meeting.

Important Information

• Sixteen teams will be invited to play. There will be 3 flights of singles and 2 flights of doubles with no repeats. NOTE: Teams may substitute freely during the tournament in the # 2 Doubles position to allow more players to participte.
• If we are able to stay outdoors and on schedule, all main draw matches will be best two of three advantage tiebreak sets with a ten-point match tiebreak in lieu of a third set. Play will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday, with main draw semi-finals scheduled for 9 a.m. and finals and third/fourth play-offs scheduled for 12 Noon Sunday. There will be feed-in-consolations through the quarterfinals in all flights, with consolation play scheduled for both Saturday and Sunday. Consolation matches will be 8-game pro-sets with a ten-point match tie-break at 8-all.
• If weather forces us indoors, both the schedule and format will, of course, be altered. As indicated above, if we are forced indoors, we will go to the Green Spring Racquet Club (with 14 courts, the largest indoor facility in the Mid-Atlantic).
• Scoring: A player will receive 2 points for their team for every main draw win and 1/2 point for every consolation win (unless an alternate scoring system is agreed upon at the Friday night coaches’ seeding meeting). The team with the most points after Sunday's finals will be crowned team champions.
• The USTA point penalty system will be in effect, and roving umpires will be used. You must be available when your match is called and also check in after each match - win or lose.
• For tournament information, go to: This site or www.usta.com (tournament #302716109 or click on the link above) or call 410 581-4760 (before the tournament begins). On-site phone: 410 935-8331.
• Matches will be played on McDonogh's twenty hard courts.
• Appropriate tennis attire is mandatory; players should be attired in team uniforms.
• A concession stand (operated by the Stowers family) is located next to the courts. Fruit, bagels, coffee, breakfast foods, sports drinks, sodas, sandwiches, hamburgers, hot dogs, fries, etc., are available for purchase.
• Restrooms are located by court 10.
• Water fountain is located inside the near entrance to the stadium, by the concession stand and court 7.
• Practice courts are available at McDonogh on Friday from 4:00 p.m. to dark and Saturday and Sunday from 6:00 - 8:45 a.m. and during the day if we have an entire empty tier with permission of the tournament desk.
• A certified athletic trainer should be available on site. If you are not playing, inquire at tournament desk. If you are playing, you need to contact a roving umpire to receive treatment.
• A stringer will be on site; inquire at the tournament desk.
• Spectators may only view matches from the west or south sides of courts. The bleachers facing court B may only be used if the match is chair umpired; otherwise, sit on the bleachers on Court A.

Weather Information

Please call 410 581-4760 during the tournament for any possible weather-related information, schedule changes, etc. On-site phone is 410 935-8331.

Sportsmanship

Sportsmanship is always the most important attribute we look for during tournaments at McDonogh. Coaches, umpires, and tournament staff will be asked to help select the team exhibiting the best sportsmanship. The name of the winning school will be engraved on the sportsmanship cup, a permanent trophy given to the tournament by McDonogh Alumnus Steve Thacker and his family in 2006, when it was presented to Blair Academy, and a companion trophy will be awarded as well.

Tentative Schedule

• Friday 4 p.m.: Courts available for practice
• Friday 8 p.m.: Coaches’ Meeting, Keelty Hall room 215
• Saturday 7 a.m.: Courts available for practice
• Saturday 8:45 a.m.: Player meeting
• Saturday 9 a.m.: 1st round singles begin
• Saturday 10:30 a.m.: 1st round doubles begin
• Saturday 12:30 p.m.: 1st round consolations begin
• Saturday 2:30 p.m.: All 2nd round main draw matches begin
• Saturday 4:00 p.m.: All 2nd round consolation matches begin
• Sunday 9 a.m.: Main and consolation semi-finals
• Sunday 12 noon: Main finals and 3/4 play-off and consolation finals
• Sunday 2 p.m.: Awards Ceremony

Pictures

Photos here are from various years and sources, but some were taken by Match Point Images and some published in our favorite tennis publication: Mid-Atlantic Match Point Magazine.