The Plant City Tennis Center is hosting a junior round robin at 9 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 29. The Round Robin will consist of matches between young athletes who are participating in the junior league.
One of the main goals of the event is for the boys and girls to become familiar with each others before the upcoming junior league season, which will start Saturday, Sept. 5, and end Saturday, Oct. 24.
“It’s an amazing opportunity and we’re looking forward to seeing the outcome of the round robin and, more importantly, the upcoming season,” Shane Johnson, director of the junior tennis league, says.
The round robin is open to all beginners and intermediate junior league players between 8 and 14 years old who sign up for the upcoming junior league.
The fee to participate is $5, which includes court time, pizza and drinks.
“The round robin day is all about the kids having fun out on the court and getting to know each other,” Johnson says. “The participants can also get information about the season that is to come.”
This is a first for an event and league like this. Johnson and the City of Plant City Recreation & Parks Department came up with the idea and thought it offered a perfect opportunity for tennis players who wanted to compete without having to travel. It’s also extra practice for those who already travel to compete.
Players from surrounding areas are open to this opportunity also. The league matches would be local and the athletes would be able to compete every Sunday at the Plant City court.
“Depending on the success of the league and the number of the participants this year, will determine if it will happen next year,” Johnson says. “We’re looking forward for it to become an annual thing, and then later expand the organization in hopes to get kids from other cities to participate.”
The mission of the Plant City Tennis Center is to promote and develop the growth of tennis by focusing on the establishment of competitive and developmental programs for athletes of all ages and skill levels, according to the Plant City Tennis Center’s mission statement.
The Plant City Tennis Center is located at 120 N. Wilder Road. Both the round robin and the season matches will be hosted at the Plant City Tennis Center. Those who would like to participate in the round robin and receive information about the junior season can call or email C. Shane Johnson at sjohnson@plantcitygov.com.