The 5th Annual Rosie Casals Team Tennis Pro-Am, hosted by Hall of Fame tennis legend Rosie Casals, is set to take place on Sunday April 28, 2019 at Indian Ridge Country Club. Casals’ company, Sportswoman, Inc., in conjunction with the Love & Love Tennis Foundation founded by Casals and former tennis pro Tory Fretz, will once again produce this fundraiser benefitting junior tennis in the Coachella Valley.
The Tournament honors tennis player and Coach Jackie Cooper for his decades long commitment to tennis and coaching and established theJACKIE COOPER AWARD, which will be awarded to home-town Pro and Tennis Director at Monterey C.C. and ASTA Academy ANDY SCORETEANU. Cooper passed away from cancer in 2013.
The Pro-Am will feature local juniors and pros in an all doubles team play to compete in a round robin team format. The teams will consist of one pro, one junior and two amateurs. Players are invited to organize a complete team or enter as individuals to be placed on teams. All levels of players are welcome.
After the morning Pro-Am, there will be a featured “Pro & Junior Team Shoot-Out” with the pros and juniors on Stadium Court, with prizes awarded to the winners. Participants and their guests will enjoy a catered barbecue lunch and silent auction that will be displayed throughout the event. Lunch is
available for spectators for $25 per person. There will be a Silent Auction and raffle drawing prizes, sports memorabilia, restaurants and many other items given away.
Casals said, “We are bringing tennis to all kids throughout the Coachella Valley, and our goal is to eventually produce more players and tournaments – and ultimately champion players – from this area, to compete with other juniors all over the world. Tennis has given us many wonderful years and now Tory and I are giving back.”
Tournament sponsors include:Presenting Sponsor RumChata Foundation, Dr. Raj Sinha and StarOrtho, Billie Jean King’s Eye Coach, The Larsen Projekt wines, Indian Ridge Country Club, Desert Golf & Tennis magazine and Marker Broadcasting (Jammin’ 99.5 FM, Kool 95.9 FM, Q102.3 FM classic rock and Big 106 Country KPLM FM). Special thanks to Patrons: Barbara and Gary Tolman and Billie Jean King for their donation and support.
During the past four years, LLTF has raised over $100,000 to support local junior tennis programs and grant recipients. Sponsorships are available for this year’s event, ranging from $500 to $10,000.
LLTF founder and Palm Desert resident Rosie Casals' tennis career spans more than three decades, which started in the early 1960s. Together with Billie Jean King, Casals was one of the pioneers and moving forces behind women's tennis in the 1970s, fighting for equal prize money and acceptance in the sport of tennis. Together they captured five Wimbledon doubles titles that helped earn Casals 12 Grand Slam doubles titles and number 1 ranking in doubles for most of the mid 1960s and 1970s. Together, King, Casals and the “Original 9" challenged the old establishment and created the first professional women's tennis tour: the Virginia Slims Circuit.
ABOUT THE LOVE & LOVE TENNIS FOUNDATION (LLTF): The Love & Love Tennis Foundation was established in 2015 by Hall of Fame tennis legend Rosie Casals and WTA Tour Professional Tory Fretz to advance junior tennis participation in the Coachella Valley and to give financial aid to junior grass root programs. LLTF has worked with the National Junior Tennis & Learning (NJTL), Boys & Girls Clubs, Coachella Valley Housing Coalition (CVHC), A.S.E.S. (After School Education and Safety enrichment programs), Andy Scorteanu Tennis Academy (ASTA) and others in expanding youth tennis in the desert. LLTF helps kids get involved in tennis programs, regardless of their ethnic or economic backgrounds.
LLTF has launched the free Kids Love Tennis Clinics with Boys & Girls Clubs in the desert for kids 6-13 years old. The Clinics are sponsored by tennis icon Billie Jean King, Barbara and Gary Tolman, USTA/SCTA and LLTF. Casals, Fretz and their partners are passionate about bringing tennis to as many young persons as possible. As they say, “Tennis is for everyone!”
To register, contribute or for more information, contact Rosie Casals at (760) 772-9411 or sportswomn@aol.comor visit www.sportswomanevents.com or www.loveandlovetennisltfoundation.wordpress.com.
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