| CORTA Awards | |
Congratulations to the following for receiving our CORTA annual awards:
Lenora J. Garrard Cup John V. Illges, IV Family
Aaron Cohn Award Jazmine Moody
Female League Player of the Year Mary Nell Frick
Male League Player of the Year Kevin Gunnels
Volunteer of the Year Russ Hagberg
The Ron Summers Official of the Year Ken Smith
Female Captain of the Year Christy McAdams
Male Captain of the Year Chris Addison
Junior Female League Player of the Year Abigail Courville
Junior Male League Player of the Year Kristopher Hill
Junior Female Player of the Year Katherine White
Junior Male Player of the Year Preston Morpeth
Junior Team Tennis Captain of the Year Natasha Arora
Junior Female Service Award of the Year Mary Grier Illges
Junior Male Service Award of the Year John Illges
The Nelson O. Tyrone Memorial Junior Trophy Randee May
Thank you to Patrick Callaway (chair) and the Awards Committee for their efforts to recognize CORTA members that have excelled and made significant contributions within our organization!
View Pictures!
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| Adult Program News
by Cissy Sanders & Charlie Clippinger
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Summer League play has started! Over 1,300 adult & senior mixed and combo doubles matches have been scheduled for the summer season! Please look at your schedules carefully because additional times were needed for both Mixed Doubles and Combo Doubles matches. Matches are scheduled at 6:15 p.m. or 7:30 p.m. for weekday matches. Captains ... don't forget you may add players to your team throughout the season!
Registration is now open for Super Senior 60's and 70's!
Super Senior 60's and 70's team registration is now open ... deadline to form a team is Tuesday, July 12th! Super Senior play begins July 23rd and matches are played on Saturdays and/or Sundays. Click here for more details.
It came down to CORTA vs CORTA...
At the 2011 USTA Georgia Senior League State Championships, it was Levy vs Hudson for the 4.0 Senior Men's Championships and the Levy team came out on top. State Champions: Mark Levy, Henry Banaszak, Brian Christopher, Kim Glass, Ron Hale, Tom King, Danny Milam, Anderson Philips, Randy Scott, Mark Sexton, and Newton Sharp. Congratulations also to the Hurst/Hopper team who captured the 3.0 Senior Men's Championship. State Champions: Robert Hurst, Andy Kelley, David Hooten, Benjamin Taylor, Phil Smith, Jack Romeo, , Roger Hopper. Kudos to the Jay Pease team for being the 4.5 Senior Men's finalist and the George Panos team for being the 3.0 Senior Men's finalist. Both teams will be offered a wild card to sectionals. The 2011 USTA Senior League Southern Section Championships will be held in Mobile, Alabama!
 | | Hurst/Hopper 3.0 Senior Men's Team |
 | | Levy 4.0 Senior Men's Team |
Corporate Team Tennis
Congratulations to the 2011 Corporate Team Tennis League champions:
Flight A-1: Columbus Regional - Stewart
Flight A-2: Masterbuilt - McLemore
Flight B-1: HPRC - Beech
Flight B-2: Carmike Cinemas - Trawick
Flight B-3: Preston Farms - Preston
Thank you to our Corporate Team Tennis League sponsor B&B Beverage. Also, thank you Carmike Cinemas for the yummy popcorn that was enjoyed by the players each week! Michelob Ultra + Carmike + Tennis = FUN!!!
 | | Flight A2 Winners - Masterbuilt-McLemore |
Registration is open for summer Flex League - Singles & Doubles!
Click here for more information on Flex League Click here to register
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| Cardio Tennis | |
The July/August session of Cardio Tennis is "up and running".
Evening Sessions (6:00 p.m. to 7:15 p.m.) Tuesday Evenings: July 12, 19 & 26, August 2 & 9. Drop-in rates are $15 per session.For more information, email cindy@corta.org
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Junior Program News
by Deby Caldwell
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CORTA hosted the 4th annual Special Olympic Area Games on Friday, April 29th! This year 64 area athletes came out and participated in the Basic Skills or Unified Doubles in tennis. An important aspect of the area games is the opportunity it offers special athletes to build their self-confidence and life skills through social interaction with each other and with the many dedicated volunteers who run our programs. Of significance was the fact that we had over 100 volunteers for this special day! CORTA thanks and appreciates every single one of our volunteers no matter their task -- we couldn't run events without each of you. You have truly impacted each and every one of our special athletes. Surely the laughter, applause, smiles, hugs, awards, and best of all LUNCH made this day a special day for each and every athlete! Thanks to our sponsors: Chick-Fil-A, Callaway Blue, Columbus Fire & Safety, and River Road Pharmacy.
 | | l-r Carol Heywood, Beth Walton, Ansley Bankston, Mary Grier Illges, Nichole Condrey, John Illges |
CORTA took the Area Special Olympic Games to the next level by taking 11 of our athletes to compete in Unified Doubles in the State Special Olympic Games on May 21 in Atlanta. Our athletes proved that hard work and practice bring great rewards! We won 4 gold medals, 4 silver medals, 2 bronze medals and 1 fourth place medal. Thanks to all the unified doubles partners! (Anne Lyle Illges, Mary Grier Illges, John Illges V, John Illges IV, Ellis Bunn, Rob Monfort, Cindy Williams, Carol Heywood, Lynn Reis, and Annslee Reis)
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First time Olympians Callie Prickett (Gold) & Ansley Bankston (Silver)
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 | | Buddy Coulter (gold) and Donny Martin (silver) & Unified partners Lynn Reis and Annslee Reis |
The CORTA Spring Jr. Team Tennis season consisted of 24 teams and 244 players fiercely competing for the top spots in their division! Congratulations to all the winners and a special thanks to all the coaches and captains that made it possible! We have 11 teams that have advanced to the USTA Georgia Jr. Team Tennis State Championships in Macon in July. Good luck to all the CORTA teams!!! Winners: 12U 2.0: CCC-Ourso; 12U 2.5: CORTA-Swords; 14U 2.0: CCC-Schley, 14U 2.5: CORTA-Dowe, 14U 3.0: CORTA-Reis. 18U 3.0: CORTA-Trussell
 | | 12 and Under Intermediate - Swords |
The 8 & Under and 10 & Under Quickstart Junior players are on the rise!!! We had 67 players all under the age of 10 competing in the CORTA Spring Quickstart USTA Jr. Team Tennis league. It is amazing to watch the progression of skills when the court size and equipment is modified for the ages! Thanks to all the parents, volunteers, and captains that made it possible. Special thanks to our Quickstart Coordinator, Lynn Reis! Winners: 10U Winner: CCC-Ourso; 8U Winner: CCC-Fitzpatrick
 | | 8 & Under winners - Norman team |
The CORTA Jr. Summer Flex League has over 40 juniors playing matches this summer! This is a great way to boost your game and an even better way to meet new people! Best of luck to all the junior players!
UPCOMING SUMMER JUNIOR EVENTS:
· Beginner Tennis Camps: June 27-July 1; July 18-21 (9:30 am-11:00 am)
· Intermediate/Advanced Camps: July 25-29 (9:00 am-12:00 pm or 9:00 am-3:00 pm)
· Quickstart Jr. Team Tennis: Wednesdays, 9:30-10:30, June 22- July 22 (Lakebottom)
· Friday Night Jr. Mixer-Elementary/Middle School: July 1, 6:00 pm-8:00pm
· Friday Night Jr. Mixer-Middle School/High School: July 15, 6:00 pm-8:00pm
· Ad In Summer Clinic: Tuesdays, 9:30 am - 10:30 am
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| Tournament News
by Joe Adame
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BANANA OPEN - CORTA hosted the Adult Banana Open April 25 - May 1. There were 318 players competing this year and all had lots of fun and fellowship on the courts. We could not have pulled this tournament off without the wonderful support of our volunteers and sponsors. Check out this year's results! View pictures on the Banana Open facebook page!
Thank you to the Banana Open sponsors:
Columbus Sports Council
Columbus Parks and Recreation
Columbus Regional Healthcare System
Eagle & Phenix Historic Riverfront Living
The Ice Cream Girl & Company
The Jordon Company
The Yogurt Shoppe
Merrill Lynch
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney
Cargill Design/Remodel
Safelite Auto Glass
Synovus
Burger King
Little Jimmy's Columbus
Publix
Butterfingers Crazy Chicken
Country's Barbecue
IHOP
Daniel Appliance
Buffalo Wild Wings
JR BANANA OPEN - The JR Banana Open followed May 1-6 with 146 junior players competing for the Big Banana title! Thank you to the wonderful volunteers and sponsors who helped make the JR Banana fun for all! Click here to access the results.
Thank you to our Junior Banana Open sponsors:
Columbus Sports Council
Columbus Parks and Recreation
Columbus Regional Healthcare System
Synovus
The Yogurt Shoppe
The Ice Cream Girl & Company
Little Jimmy's Columbus
Publix
IHOP
Daniel Appliance
Merrill Lynch
USTA GEORGIA SENIOR LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIPS
CORTA was proud to once again host the USTA Georgia Senior League Championships June 3-6. Over 800 players representing 91 teams from all over Georgia competed for the state championship title. Record hot temperatures didn't dampen anyone's competitive spirit! Our volunteers and sponsors came through for us once again!
Thank you to our USTA Georgia Senior League Championships sponsors:
Doubletree Hotel
River City Grille
Peppers Bar B Q
Bob Dow's Tennis Shop
Cross Court Sports
Masterbuilt
Country Club of Columbus
Green Island Country Club
TSYS
Robinson Grimes
CRHS
CB&T
Columbus State University
The Cunningham Center
Wyndham Garden Hotel
Phenix City Parks and Recreation
Tournament Schedule for the Remainder of the Year:
Tournament Sponsorship OpportunitiesWe are currently securing sponsors for our CORTA tournaments. Please contact Fran Carpenter or Amy Jardina if you are interested in being a sponsor or making a donation to help with the 2011 tournaments. We are also looking for in-kind gifts and donations to be used in raffles. Each of our sponsorship packages are flexible and can be customized to suit individual needs and marketing requirements.
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TennisWorks! in the Parks
by Helen Martin | |
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Aaron Cohn Award winner - Jazmine Moody
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I truly believe that tennis is the sport of opportunity! That is exactly what TennisWorks! offers... the opportunity for kids in our community to experience the joy of tennis! The summer session kicked off on Monday, June 9 at Lakebottom Park. Over 60 kids showed up with a fervent desire to play tennis and most importantly to HAVE FUN! Through generous donations, TennisWorks! continues to be able to make a difference in the lives of all those who participate as a player or mentor/volunteer. Arnold Magnet Academy student, Jazmine Moody, recipient of the 2011 Aaron Cohn Award is the perfect example of a success story! As the recipient of this award, she is eligible for 100% scholarship funding for all CORTA programs for one full year! Jazmine started out with TennisWorks! as a true beginner three years ago and worked her way up to playing on her school's team. Her academic successes were also impressive this year. She earned the Principal's List for all A's and was awarded the top Math Student and Most Outstanding Musician (Clarinet). Her little sister, Jordine is on her heels with a passion for tennis and straight A's too! Congratulations to Kristopher Hill for being awarded the CORTA Junior Male League Player of the Year! Kristopher, a past recipient of the Aaron Cohn Award, has been an avid participant of TennisWorks! for over 5 years! I'm also very pleased that several TennisWorks! participants joined a team with the USTA 8 & Under and 10 & Under USTA League this summer! A very special thank you to the best volunteers in the world... Dwan Grooms, Bernard Francis, Max Patrick, and the entire Illges Family. If you are interested in getting involved as a volunteer, please let me know!
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| In Memory of TennisWorks! Founder Betty Waldrep |
 | | Waldrep 4.5W State Champions 2000 (Kneeling - Malinda Johnson, Jennifer Nylen & Rosanna Borders; Standing - Mary Ellen Thomson, Johnna Flowers, Ellen Martin, Peggy Jenkins, Betty Waldrep & Barbara Pope) |
The CORTA community is mourning the loss of long-time tennis player and volunteer, Betty Waldrep, who lost her courageous battle with cancer on June 19. Betty was not only an avid player in CORTA's USTA women's and mixed leagues, she launched a program called "Summer Swing" that introduced tennis to at-risk and disadvantaged kids. Today, the program has evolved into TennisWorks! in the Parks which offers free instruction to kids from all areas of the community and weaves in leadership and academic skills as well.
Betty also served on the CORTA Board from 1998 to 2004 and was a leader in the community. Her love for the game was always apparent, and she had many friends on the courts. For those who want to honor Betty's devotion to the sport and vision in the community, the family has suggested donations go to support the continuation of TennisWorks! and other youth programs.
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Gift Donations
| | CORTA is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization. We rely on donor support to sustain many valuable programs.
Thank you to our recent donors:
Gene Oswalt, CORTA Equipment Fund
Bob Newton, CORTA Equipment Fund
Marc Goldstein, CORTA Equipment Fund
Jim Ivins, CORTA Equipment Fund
Dan Newberry, CORTA Equipment Fund
Bob Marcus, CORTA Equipment Fund
Marlion Allen, CORTA Equipment Fund
Paul Grimes, CORTA Equipment Fund
Rem Houser, Cooper Creek Enhancement Fund in honor of Daniel Lardinois
Rem Houser, Cooper Creek Enhancement Fund in honor the John Illges Family
Katherine White & Family, TennisWorks! in honor of the 2011 Brookstone Graduates
Frank & Helen Martin, TennisWorks! in memory of Betty Waldrep
Dan & Stephanie Snavely, TennisWorks! in memory of Betty Waldrep
Roger & Judy Pearce, TennisWorks! in memory of Betty Waldrep
Rosanna Borders, TennisWorks! in memory of Betty Waldrep
Tommy & Nancy Prescott, TennisWorks! in memory of Betty Waldrep
Mr. & Mrs. Richard Bradley, TennisWorks! in memory of Betty Waldrep
Rem Houser, TennisWorks! in memory of Betty Waldrep
Mary Lu Lampton, TennisWorks! in memory of Betty Waldrep
Dr. & Mrs. Fred Meine, TennisWorks! in memory of Betty Waldrep
The House Family, TennisWorks! in memory of Betty Waldrep
Ad Wade, TennisWorks! in memory of Betty Waldrep
Mr. & Mrs. Gary Griffin, TennisWorks! in memory of Betty Waldrep
Charles & Valorie Harbour, TennisWorks! in memory of Betty Waldrep
Lanett, AL High School Panther Reunion, TennisWorks! in memory of Betty Waldrep
Paul & Hayley Todd, TennisWorks! in memory of Betty Waldrep
Jerry & Mary Gail Gristina, TennisWorks! in memory of Betty Waldrep
Debra Burton Estby, TennisWorks! in memory of Betty Waldrep
Patty Branch, TennisWorks! in memory of Betty Waldrep
Franny & Paul Kilpatrick, TennisWorks! in memory of Betty Waldrep
The TSYS Learning & Development Team, TennisWorks! in memory of Betty Waldrep
Are you looking for a great way to honor your captain for a job well done? Consider making a contribution to CORTA.
"In Honor of" Gifts - Such a contribution is a great way to observe someone's birthday or anniversary. The person honored by your contribution will receive a special card announcing your gift.
Memorial Gifts - Your gift will be acknowledged to family members or someone else you specify.
We have future plans to cover some other needs at Cooper Creek Tennis Center (such as shade cloth, chairs, etc.) so we have established the CORTA/Cooper Creek Tennis Center Enhancement Fund. If you have any interest in helping to fund future projects please send your tax deductible donation to CORTA and the CCTC Enhancement Fund at P.O. Box 8236, Columbus Georgia 31908.
Gifts may be earmarked for a particular use or to support a CORTA program that is of special interest. Contact CORTA for more details. |
| Hotels | |
CORTA partners with many local hotels in an effort to provide housing for our tournament guests. If you are expecting out of town guests, or would like to have your own stay-cation, please consider booking at one of the following local hotels. We're sure you will have a great experience and enjoy your stay.
Doubletree Hotel
Hilton Garden Inn
Hyatt Place
Courtyard Marriott
Country Inn & Suites
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| Thank you to our partner | Thank you to Columbus Regional Healthcare System for their continued support and partnership!
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| CORTA Membership Benefit.... Compliments of Buckhead Grill | Buckhead Grill is generously offering all CORTA members a
15% discount (excludes alcohol). Buckhead Grill is the ultimate Columbus dining experience, known for its unique ambiance and outdoor dining since 1995. Guests are offered delicious New American Cuisine, cooking up American and Southern staples seasoned with cultural flavors for dinner daily. Buckhead Grill is located at 5010 Armour Road. |
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