RMHS tennis coach sets up summer team tennis
June 14, 2009 By Charles Alston of Rocky Mount High School
Rocky Mount head tennis coach Barry Nethercutt feels tennis needs a boost in the arm in the Nash County area. He believes that a player's first organized match shouldn't be during a school's tennis team tryout.
So he has started two tennis teams this summer - a 14-and-under team and an 18-and-under squad - all to strengthen youth tennis play in Rocky Mount and the Nash County area. It is open to boys and girls in those age groups.
The team season will run from June 15 until July 28 and teams will play on Tuesdays and Thursdays with home and away matches beginning at 10 a.m. This is a limited travel league with matches being played at Rocky Mount's Sunset Park or at nearby eastern North Carolina cities.
There will be an open practice every Wednesday at Sunset Park from 4:30-6 p.m. There is no cost to come to practices on Wednesdays, but to play on the teams and play matches, a player must obtain an $18 United States Tennis Association junior membership. This can be done online at USTA.com. A player must also pay a $15 league fee in advance of playing any matches.
"We want to build youth tennis everywhere in this area, but espeecially at Edwards Middle School and Rocky Mount High School," said Nethercutt. "It's a great opportunity to get involved in a no-pressure environment as this is not a school affliated competition with a conference title at stake."
The matches are set up into six singles and three doubles with each being playing in pro sets. A pro set is when the first to win eight games by a margin to two wins. Should there be a tiebreker at 8-all, a seven-point tiebreaker is used.
For more information, you may contact Nethercutt at 459-5959 or call 937-2439. |
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