For the eleventh consecutive year, St. Johns Kiwanis Club members coordinating the annual Mint Festival Tennis Tournament anticipate an increase in contestant registrations at all levels of competition. “We thought the recent heat wave might have discouraged some players,” commented Chris Bouck, “but we’re most pleased with the number of registrations to date.” Bouck is coordinating the tournament for Kiwanis, which has become a memorial to Terry Cornwell, a long time Kiwanis member and high school counselor whose life was taken by diabetes.
This year’s tournament will follow closely the structure of previous years over the span of the festival Friday, Saturday and Sunday, August 13-15. Competition at all levels will take place at the high school tennis courts.
Bouck explained that both singles and doubles competition will be held in a number of divisions including boys 12-14, 15-18; girls 12-14, 15-18 and men and women 19-34 and over 35. In doubles competition, the divisions are boys 12-14, 15-18, girls 12-14, 15-18; men and women 19 and over. A mixed doubles category will be held if sufficient entries are received.
Competition is scheduled to begin Friday morning for all juniors followed in the afternoon for female doubles and male singles. On Saturday, male doubles, female singles and mixed doubles will be held. Doubles finish on Sunday will put a wrap on the tournament.
Entry fees for the tournament are $20.00 for singles plus one can of new tennis balls. Doubles entry fee is $30 per team plus two cans of new tennis balls per team.
Registration must be completed by Wednesday Aug. 4, 2010 either on line at www.MMRN.org/tennis or by securing forms in St. Johns at Briggs Public Library, Chamber of Commerce or at St. Johns Recreation Department. All forms, on line or pick up, should be returned to Bouck at 505 E. Higham St., St. Johns, MI 48879.
Trisha Bellgowan, left, and Sam Miller plan to get some net time in while preparing for the annual Mint Festival Tennis Tournament sponsored by the St. Johns Kiwanis Club. This will be Trisha’s fourth competition while Sam will be entering for her first effort.