Maryland State Junior Outdoor Championships

All the important information about this tournament is on this site, so please read carefully - and enjoy. Click on the USTA site: 1. As we get closer to the tournament for updated information, 2. To register for the tournament, 3. To keep track of participants, seeding, and draws, and 4. For results both during and after the tournament:

• USTA.com

Dates
Events
Fees
Entries
Doubles
Directions to McDonogh School
Parking on Campus
Weather Information
Sportsmanship
IMPORTANT Tournament Details
Medical Release and Waiver
The Baltimore Tennis Patrons
Pictures

Dates

The 2008 Maryland State Junior Outdoor Championships will be held from Saturday, July 26 through Wednesday, July 30, 2008.

Events

• Singles: Boys/Girls 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 with full FIC and 3/4 play-off
• Doubles: Boys/Girls 10, 12, 14, 16, 18
• Mixed Doubles: 12, 14, 16, 18

Fees

Entry fees are as follows:
Singles: $45
Doubles: $40 per team
Mixed Doubles: free (but must be entered in another event)

Entries

Registration deadline is 11:59 p.m. July 21, 2008. Entry ONLY through TennisLink through USTA.com. To register, click on the USTA link above. (This is USTA tournament ID #302785208.) You will need a current USTA number (or sign up when registering on the USTA web-site) and a major credit card. Entry fees: $45.00 singles, $40.00 regular doubles (per team), mixed doubles free (to participants in singles and/or doubles). Note: While it is possible to sign up for doubles on line, we would prefer you to wait and sign up (and pay) on site so we know who your partner is and that you are definitely interested in playing. If you sign up on line and then decide not to play, we cannot refund your fee.

Doubles

Doubles sign up on site is preferred to signing up on line. In fact, if you sign up on line and then decide not to play, we will not refund entry fee (per USTA guidelines). So we recommend you sign up and pay on site. Doubles sign up closes noon Sunday. Doubles play will begin after 11 a.m. Monday. Fee ($40 per team) due before the first match. Mixed Doubles sign up is preferred on site also, by noon Monday. There is NO FEE for Mixed Doubles for players already entered in another event at the tournament (if new to the tournament, $20 per player).

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 - 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 the WOODS ROAD entrance. Park ONLY by the athletic center at the end of the road. And please do not enter any of the buildings on campus - we are guests of the school.

Weather Information

Weather updates will be available at 410 581-4760 during the tournament and, as possible, at the USTA.com web-site. NOTE: In the event of weather delays, updated schedule information will be recorded on the weather update phone, and players will be responsible for finding their new match times.

Sportsmanship

The Sportsmanship Award winner will have his or her name inscribed on the perpetual trophy, which will remain in his or her possession for one year.

IMPORTANT Tournament Details

• No notification of first round match time or draw by mail. Draw will be made July 24 and will be available by that evening at the latest at USTA.com only. It will be updated on line and on site regularly during the course of the tournament. Be sure to check the draw Friday night as we do get last minute withdrawals which can affect starting times.
• Singles are best of three tie-break sets with regular scoring with a 10-point match tie-break in lieu of a third set (unless inclement weather forces us to alter the format). Singles have a mandatory full Feed in Championship consolation with a play-off for third and fourth place. Singles trophies will be awarded through sixth place. Consolation matches DO count for rankings purposes. NOTE: Since this event is now a Level 3, we will no longer have a 7-8 play-off.
• Doubles and mixed doubles draws are single elimination and may be limited in size. All matches are 8-game pro-sets with a 10-point match tie-break at 8-games all.
• The USTA point penalty system will be in effect, and roving umpires will be used. You must check in 15 minutes before each match and also check in after each match - win or lose. Please note the new check-in rules highlighted below.
• Special requests: We do try to accommodate special requests (for scheduling and the like) if we can and if within reason. If for a first round match time, you must email your request BEFORE the draw is made. If we can accommodate, we will; if we cannot, we will remove you from the draw without penalty and will return your entry fee.
• Live far away? Email us with details BEFORE the draw is made and we will TRY to give you later start times, but no promises and start times can be affected by weather.
• NEW USTA CHECK-IN RULES: PLEASE be aware that the Friend At Court mandates that all matches scheduled for a particular time must be called at once as soon as that time has come and an open court exists. Even if only one court is open, ALL players are required to be ready for play, and those who are not will be put on the clock. This is a new policy for USTA which will change the manner in which we call matches in 2007 and beyond.
• For additional tournament information, go to the usta.com site linked above or call 410 296-2100. On-site phone: 410 935-8331.
• Appropriate tennis attire is mandatory; no running shorts, sleeveless shirts/tank tops (for boys), sports bra tops, etc.
• Your Rights: As a player, there are things you need to know about your rights during a USTA tournament. To learn your rights, click here.
• 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.
• A certified athletic trainer will be available on site. If you are not playing, inquire at the tournament desk. If you are playing, you need to contact a roving umpire.
• A stringer will be available on site during much of the tournament; inquire at the desk.
• Call 410 296-2100 to volunteer for the 2009 Baltimore Wheelchair Tennis Classic which will be held at McDonogh June 19-21, 2009. Ball boys and girls and other helpers are needed for half or full days.

Medical Release and Waiver

You must turn in a medical release and waiver form at the tournament, which must be signed. For your convenience, to download the form, click here then fill it out and bring it with you to the site.

The Baltimore Tennis Patrons

The Maryland State Junior Outdoor Championships at McDonogh School is operated by The Baltimore Tennis Patrons (BTP).

The Baltimore Tennis Patrons, a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt Maryland corporation, has served more than 100,000 people since its founding in 1975. BTP’s mission is to use the lifetime sport of tennis to improve the quality of life in the greater Baltimore community by providing pathways to athletic and educational activities and opportunities, strengthening communities and teaching life values of learning, health, self-esteem, self-discipline, integrity and respect for diversity.

BTP conducts a wide variety of instructional, team, competitive, fitness and other programs at more than 70 locations in Baltimore City and Baltimore, Howard, Carroll, Anne Arundel, Harford and Frederick Counties, annually serving more than 4,500 children, adults, seniors and disabled players. BTP’s growth and success are products of BTP’s history of translating modest resources into effective service through efficiency and successful partnerships and BTP’s emphasis on affordability and access to all, highlighted by BTP’s need-based scholarship program for youth and free tennis, academic support and nutrition education programs for low-income and other underserved youth.

In today’s economic environment, with increasing programming delivery costs and the reduction of sports-related services from schools, recreation departments and other agencies serving children, it is imperative for BTP to receive community support to insure that these programs continue. Please consider making a tax-deductible contribution by check or credit card. And check to see if your company will match your donation.

If your company or a company you know would be interested in supporting scholarships for children, sponsoring a program or tournament, or supporting programs in a particular community, please email us at tennis@tennispatrons.org or call us at 410-296-2100. BTP can offer companies significant recognition, marketing, and entertainment benefits as sponsors.

For more information about BTP, go to www.tennispatrons.org

Pictures

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