Staunton Waynesboro Augusta Tennis Association

Staunton Waynesboro Augusta Tennis Association

Striving to continue the rich tennis tradition in Staunton, Waynesboro, and Augusta County

About SWAT: | Membership | Board of Directors | Home

SWAT Instructional Opportunties: | School Programs | NJTL | Tuesday Tennis

SWAT Tournaments: | Century Tournament | Augusta Health/Newsleader Tournament | Rally in the Valley| Cancer Society Tournament | Hospice Tournament| Salvation Army Tournament

Other SWAT Activities: | College Scholarships | High School Award | Lifetime Tennis Award | Community Achievements | USTA Leagues

Let's Go Play Tennis! Waynesboro Now Has Five New Tennis Courts at Ridgeview Park - Thanks SWAT

On March 17, 2008, SWAT, City of Waynesboro officials, USTA/Virginia Tennis officials and friends of tennis regionally celebrated the growth of tennis in Waynesboro. SWAT presented a $41,000 symbolic check from USTA AND VIRGINIA TENNIS PUBLIC FACILITY GRANT to the City of Waynesboro for rebuilding the 5 public courts at Ridgeview Park. Official contractor groundbreaking began March 18, 2008 and the courts were completed in the summer of 2008.

SWAT, City of Waynesboro officials, USTA/Virginia Tennis officials and friends of tennis regionally celebrated the growth of tennis in Waynesboro. SWAT presented a $41,000 symbolic check from USTA AND VIRGINIA TENNIS PUBLIC FACILITY GRANT to the City of Waynesboro for rebuilding the 5 public courts at Ridgeview Park.

Present for the presentation were City Director of Parks and Rec Dave VanCovern, Councilwoman Lorie Smith, Vice Mayor Nancy Dowdy, City Manager Doug Walker, and Councilman Frank Lucente. Officials from USTA Viriginia Tennis attending were Pat Hansen, President of USTA/Virginia Tennis, Janine Underwood, Executive Director USTA/Viriginia Tennis, and Michelle Wood USTA/Viriginia Tennis Director of Community Tennis. SWAT Board of Directors Bill Rodgers, who is the Chairman of the Waynesboro Court Project, made the "check" presentation to Vice Mayor Nancy Dowdy. Friends of regional tennis and local Pro Instructor Al Hite enjoyed the celebration. SWAT officials included Hardy Dawkins,SWAT President, Danny Leech, Treasurer, Gloria Armentrout, Membership Director, and Pat Austin and Mark Moser, Board of Directors. For more information about the USTA/NRPA grant see the information below.

USTA/NRPA Grant

SWAT's project chairman Bill Rodgers announced that on November 13, 2007, the US Tennis Association/National Recreation and Parks Association (USTA/NRPA) Tennis in the Parks (TIP) Initiative has selected SWAT/ Waynesboro Ridgeview park tennis court project as the winner of a public facility funding grant in the amount of $36,000.

Only 21 national projects were selected to receive grants. There were 89 total applications for grants totaling $2.7 million dollars nationally. Only two Virginia organizations received grants: Staunton/Waynesboro/Augusta County Tennis Association (Ridgeview parks courts) and Suffolk Dept. Of Parks and Rec. In Suffolk, Virginia (Howard Mast Tennis Courts). As the tennis in the parks organization grant recipient, SWAT will donate the entire amount to the city of Waynesboro to defray the expense of construction of 5 USTA tennis courts.

Background information: In 2006, the SWAT. Board of Directors approved a project for supporting tennis growth directly in the City of Waynesboro. The Committee decided that the best way to benefit the City would be a USTA/NRPA Grant to offset the costs of reconstruction of 5 courts at Ridgeview Park. Grant requirements were stringent. The application deadline was Sept 12, 2007.

In early 2007, the City of Waynesboro's Director of Parks and Recreation, Dave VanCovern, and SWAT's Waynesboro Project Committee, chaired by Bill Rodgers, partnered to complete the Grant Application.

In February 2007, SWAT formally became a Tennis in the Parks (TIP) Community Organization. This opened the door to qualifying for a USTA/NRPA (National Parks and Rec Ass'n) Financial Grant. The USTA/NRPA Tennis in the Parks Initiative is chaired by tennis great and former professional Billie Jean King. The goal is to invest in rehabilitation and development of tennis facilities in the United States to grow the sport, provide venues for communities to gather, and to provide lifelong healthy activity through tennis.

In March 2007, Waynesboro City Council was approached to approve an expense of $12,000 for professional construction drawings for the new courts. Detailed drawings are a mandatory requirement of the Grant. Once approved, drawings were completed in August, and the Grant was completed by the September deadline.

SWAT agreed to provide tennis programs, tournaments and clinics on these courts for 5 years and beyond. The City agreed to finance the difference between the Grant amount and the total costs of construction estimated at $182,000, and to provide maintenance for 5 years and beyond.

Significance: this announcement represents the successful collaboration between SWAT the city of Waynesboro, and the USTA/NRPA Tennis in the Parks Initiative. The result will be a new facility benefiting youth, teens, and adults in the lifetime sport of tennis in our community.

Court construction is expected to be complete in the summer of 2008. SWAT plans to sponsor a tournament there immediately after completion.

Bill Rodgers comments: Without the support and diligence of Dave VanCovern and the City of Waynesboro's willingness to strengthen our recreational infrastructure, and of course, without this funding from the USTA/NRPA, this project would not have been possible. It is a true and growing partnership between SWAT, the City, and our national tennis organization, the USTA.

Grant Picture

This photo was taken November 28 at the Park. Local news coverage included TV NBC 29, and Channel 3 of Harrisonburg, plus the Staunton Daily News Leader and the Waynesboro News Virginian. (Left to right) Bill Rodgers, SWAT Project Chairman, Danny Leech, SWAT Committee Member, Lori Smith, City Council, Webber Payne, SWAT Committee Member, Nancy Dowdy, City council, Dave VanCovern, City Director, Parks and Recreation, Janine Underwood, USTA VA TENNIS Exec. Director, Jonathan Amos, USTA VA TENNIS Tennis Service Rep, Al Hite, City Tennis Instructor and Director, Hardy Dawkins, SWAT President

A BIG THANK YOU TO OUR FRIENDS AT WALMART FOR THEIR GENEROUS $1000 DONATION TO SWAT.

Mark Ferrer is the Human Resources Manager at Walmart Transportation and is responsible for selecting SWAT as this years
recipient for thier community donation. It is so nice to know that such a large company cares enough to give back to the local community. That's just another reason to shop at Walmart.

Staunton Waynesboro Augusta Tennis Association
Striving to continue the rich tennis tradition in Staunton, Waynesboro, and Augusta County
About SWAT: \| Membership \| Board of Directors \| Home
SWAT Instructional Opportunties: \| School Programs \| NJTL \| Tuesday Tennis
SWAT Tournaments: \| Century Tournament \| Augusta Health/Newsleader Tournament \| Rally in the Valley\| Cancer Society Tournament \| Hospice Tournament\| Salvation Army Tournament
Other SWAT Activities: \| College Scholarships \| High School Award \| Lifetime Tennis Award \| Community Achievements \| USTA Leagues

Let's Go Play Tennis! Waynesboro Now Has Five New Tennis Courts at Ridgeview Park - Thanks SWAT
On March 17, 2008, SWAT, City of Waynesboro officials, USTA/Virginia Tennis officials and friends of tennis regionally celebrated the growth of tennis in Waynesboro. SWAT presented a $41,000 symbolic check from USTA AND VIRGINIA TENNIS PUBLIC FACILITY GRANT to the City of Waynesboro for rebuilding the 5 public courts at Ridgeview Park. Official contractor groundbreaking began March 18, 2008 and the courts were completed in the summer of 2008. SWAT, City of Waynesboro officials, USTA/Virginia Tennis officials and friends of tennis regionally celebrated the growth of tennis in Waynesboro. SWAT presented a $41,000 symbolic check from USTA AND VIRGINIA TENNIS PUBLIC FACILITY GRANT to the City of Waynesboro for rebuilding the 5 public courts at Ridgeview Park. Present for the presentation were City Director of Parks and Rec Dave VanCovern, Councilwoman Lorie Smith, Vice Mayor Nancy Dowdy, City Manager Doug Walker, and Councilman Frank Lucente. Officials from USTA Viriginia Tennis attending were Pat Hansen, President of USTA/Virginia Tennis, Janine Underwood, Executive Director USTA/Viriginia Tennis, and Michelle Wood USTA/Viriginia Tennis Director of Community Tennis. SWAT Board of Directors Bill Rodgers, who is the Chairman of the Waynesboro Court Project, made the "check" presentation to Vice Mayor Nancy Dowdy. Friends of regional tennis and local Pro Instructor Al Hite enjoyed the celebration. SWAT officials included Hardy Dawkins,SWAT President, Danny Leech, Treasurer, Gloria Armentrout, Membership Director, and Pat Austin and Mark Moser, Board of Directors. For more information about the USTA/NRPA grant see the information below.
USTA/NRPA Grant
SWAT's project chairman Bill Rodgers announced that on November 13, 2007, the US Tennis Association/National Recreation and Parks Association (USTA/NRPA) Tennis in the Parks (TIP) Initiative has selected SWAT/ Waynesboro Ridgeview park tennis court project as the winner of a public facility funding grant in the amount of $36,000. Only 21 national projects were selected to receive grants. There were 89 total applications for grants totaling $2.7 million dollars nationally. Only two Virginia organizations received grants: Staunton/Waynesboro/Augusta County Tennis Association (Ridgeview parks courts) and Suffolk Dept. Of Parks and Rec. In Suffolk, Virginia (Howard Mast Tennis Courts). As the tennis in the parks organization grant recipient, SWAT will donate the entire amount to the city of Waynesboro to defray the expense of construction of 5 USTA tennis courts. Background information: In 2006, the SWAT. Board of Directors approved a project for supporting tennis growth directly in the City of Waynesboro. The Committee decided that the best way to benefit the City would be a USTA/NRPA Grant to offset the costs of reconstruction of 5 courts at Ridgeview Park. Grant requirements were stringent. The application deadline was Sept 12, 2007. In early 2007, the City of Waynesboro's Director of Parks and Recreation, Dave VanCovern, and SWAT's Waynesboro Project Committee, chaired by Bill Rodgers, partnered to complete the Grant Application. In February 2007, SWAT formally became a Tennis in the Parks (TIP) Community Organization. This opened the door to qualifying for a USTA/NRPA (National Parks and Rec Ass'n) Financial Grant. The USTA/NRPA Tennis in the Parks Initiative is chaired by tennis great and former professional Billie Jean King. The goal is to invest in rehabilitation and development of tennis facilities in the United States to grow the sport, provide venues for communities to gather, and to provide lifelong healthy activity through tennis. In March 2007, Waynesboro City Council was approached to approve an expense of $12,000 for professional construction drawings for the new courts. Detailed drawings are a mandatory requirement of the Grant. Once approved, drawings were completed in August, and the Grant was completed by the September deadline. SWAT agreed to provide tennis programs, tournaments and clinics on these courts for 5 years and beyond. The City agreed to finance the difference between the Grant amount and the total costs of construction estimated at $182,000, and to provide maintenance for 5 years and beyond. Significance: this announcement represents the successful collaboration between SWAT the city of Waynesboro, and the USTA/NRPA Tennis in the Parks Initiative. The result will be a new facility benefiting youth, teens, and adults in the lifetime sport of tennis in our community. Court construction is expected to be complete in the summer of 2008. SWAT plans to sponsor a tournament there immediately after completion. Bill Rodgers comments: Without the support and diligence of Dave VanCovern and the City of Waynesboro's willingness to strengthen our recreational infrastructure, and of course, without this funding from the USTA/NRPA, this project would not have been possible. It is a true and growing partnership between SWAT, the City, and our national tennis organization, the USTA. This photo was taken November 28 at the Park. Local news coverage included TV NBC 29, and Channel 3 of Harrisonburg, plus the Staunton Daily News Leader and the Waynesboro News Virginian. (Left to right) Bill Rodgers, SWAT Project Chairman, Danny Leech, SWAT Committee Member, Lori Smith, City Council, Webber Payne, SWAT Committee Member, Nancy Dowdy, City council, Dave VanCovern, City Director, Parks and Recreation, Janine Underwood, USTA VA TENNIS Exec. Director, Jonathan Amos, USTA VA TENNIS Tennis Service Rep, Al Hite, City Tennis Instructor and Director, Hardy Dawkins, SWAT President
A BIG THANK YOU TO OUR FRIENDS AT WALMART FOR THEIR GENEROUS $1000 DONATION TO SWAT.
Mark Ferrer is the Human Resources Manager at Walmart Transportation and is responsible for selecting SWAT as this years recipient for thier community donation. It is so nice to know that such a large company cares enough to give back to the local community. That's just another reason to shop at Walmart.