A 12-U player serves during the SATA Junior Grand Prix Tournament.

ELK GROVE, CA (MPG) - The Laguna Creek Sports Club hosted the Sacramento Area Tennis Association (SATA) Junior Grand Prix Tournament on July 25-27.

Instructor Dexter Fong designed and created the SATA Junior Grand Prix Tournament in the early 1980s to introduce new players to competitive play. These tournaments will help the new players learn the ins and outs of what is to be seen at higher level tournaments.       

“The Junior Grand Prix Tournament was designed for new and upcoming junior players 18 and under to help players in the local area to learn the mechanics of signing up and playing,” Fong stated.      

With it being a Grand Prix, a series of tournaments leads to one tournament that is held at the end of the year. Eight players who have top accumulated scores through the series of tournaments will qualify for the Top 8 Invitational Tournament.

Fong mentioned that “once they get enough experience they can play at the next level. It’s like a steppingstone to the USTA.”

The United States Tennis Association (USTA) is another governing body that promotes the development of tennis players just like the Sacramento Area Tennis Association. When players play in USTA tournaments, they gain experience playing higher level competition and will get looked at by colleges.

 

Instructor Dexter Fong designed and created the SATA Junior Grand Prix Tournament in the early 1980s to introduce new players to competitive play.

“UTSA tournament results are what college coaches look at. That’s what they look for to scout and then eventually provide scholarships,” stated Fong.               

New tennis players could be overlooked and overwhelmed if they were to start tournament play in the USTA. SATA tournaments are pathways for inexperienced players to get their feet wet and gain confidence in themselves playing equal competition.        

When new players do gain confidence in themselves to play at the higher level tournaments they know they can compete with the other players there.             

New tennis players can join one of 28 SATA member sports clubs in the greater Sacramento area. Laguna Creek Sports Club is the only SATA-member sport club in Elk Grove.

At these sports clubs, new tennis players can join lessons that will teach the fundamentals of the game or just have an opportunity to get on a court and practice.    

Some may overlook SATA tournaments because they are for new and inexperienced tennis players. However, everyone needs to start somewhere in the beginning of their athletic career, and these tournaments are a great way for new tennis players to gain both experience and confidence in their game.

 

Athletes check in for the Sacramento Area Tennis Association (SATA) Junior Grand Prix Tournament with Dexter Fong at Laguna Creek Sports Club.