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2011-2012 Season

Attention players and parents:  Creve Coeur RC kindly asks that no outside food be brought in to their facility.  They have a full-service restaurant operating during events, and all are welcome to order food from there.  Thank you for your cooperation.

About the Circuit

The Gateway Junior Grand Prix is a circuit of tennis tournaments geared towards the recreational player.  The circuit consists of a series of single-night round robin tournaments. The tournaments will be held at nine different indoor clubs throughout the St. Louis Area. Players accumulate points at each tournament, and the player’s standings are updated on the Internet during the season.  The circuit begins in October and culminates with the Masters Championships in the spring.

Player Eligibility

Players who have received a USTA District ranking in the top ten are disqualified from playing the circuit. However, these top ten players may play two age divisions higher if one exists. Boys who have received a USTA District ranking of #11 thru #20 can play, but must play one age division higher.  Girls ranked #11 thru #20 can play in their normal age division.

Tournament Format

In each round-robin tournament, the participants will play four different opponents. During these four rounds, a total of five games will be played, each time using no-ad scoring.  However, the Boys 16’s and Boys 18’s will play six game rounds.  After the four rounds have been played, the top four finishers will then go into the playoffs.  In the playoffs, a full set will be played.  However, a tiebreaker will be played in the set if the game score reaches 5 - 5, instead of the usual 6 - 6. The third place match will simply involve the playing of a tiebreaker.  In the 10 and under divisions, a shorter playoff format will be used.  Each age division will take about three hours to complete.  Players can be defaulted if they are twenty or more minutes late to a tournament. 

Age Group Eligibility & Point System

1.  Boys and Girls 10 and under : Must be born on or after May 1, 2001
2.  Boys and Girls 12 and under : Must be born on or after May 1, 1999
3.  Boys and Girls 14 and under: Must be born on or after May 1, 1997
4.  Girls 16 and under: Must be born on or after May 1, 1995
5.  Girls 18 and under : Must be born on or after May 1, 1993
6.  Boys 16 and under : Must be born on or after February 13, 1995
7.  Boys 18 and under : Must be born on or after February 13, 1993

Points will be awarded to the participants as follows:
      Each game won in four rounds – 5 points
      First place – 40 points
      Second place – 30 points
      Third place – 20 points
      Fourth place – 10 points

Only a player’s top five tournament results will count toward a player’s point total.   Points earned at a Doubles Night and at The Masters are added to a player’s point total.

The Masters Championships

After all of the tournaments have been completed, the top eight ranked players in each age division will be invited to play in The Masters Championship. The Masters Championship will be a conventional tournament played over a weekend. All participants will be guaranteed to play at least two rounds.  The Masters will cost $45 per player. The club that is hosting the Masters will contact all of the players who have qualified to participate.   Please be sure that you have qualified to play in the Masters before you send in your check and entry form.  Players are awarded 100 points per match won in the main draw, and 50 points per win in the consolation bracket. 

Fees

In order to participate in the Gateway Junior Grand Prix, a $35.00 Administrative Fee will need to be paid by each player.  The check should be made payable to:  Craigwell, Inc., and mailed along with the Player Registration Form to:  Craig Tidwell, 725 Jacobs Crossing, St. Charles, MO  63304.  Any questions may be answered by contacting Craig at (636) 448-2443, or through email at: craigwell64@yahoo.comt.  Players who paid their Administrative Fee to Terry Ward in the summer are already covered through the indoor season.  

All of the tournaments, except the Masters, will cost $30 per player.   Make the checks payable to the host club, and then mail them with the entry forms to the host clubs. Entry fees must accompany the entry forms, and they must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. on the Wednesday before the event. If you wish to enter more than one tournament at the same club, please submit a separate check and entry form for each event.  Please be aware that space is limited, and that tournaments can sell out.                   

Each player will receive a complimentary circuit t-shirt.  You may pick up the shirt at either Racketman pro shop location, Des Peres or Chesterfield, at your convenience after you have mailed in your Administrative Fee and Player Registration Form.  

Doubles Nights:

One Doubles Night will be offered for each age division this season. These will just be fun practice nights. No scores will be recorded, and no trophies will be awarded. Each participant will be awarded 50 points. These 50 points are added to a player’s overall point total. A player may play up in an older age division in the doubles if they wish, but once you have played in one Doubles Night, that player will not be awarded any additional points. If a player is ranked in more than one age group, fifty points will be added to all of the age groups that the player is ranked in. Each round will last for about twenty-five minutes, and the players will be assigned a different partner each round. Players are to sign-up individually for the Doubles Nights. If a player would like to play one round with a certain person, this may be requested on the entry form that is mailed in. The fee for these Doubles Nights will also be $30. Please be aware that participants may play rounds with players of different age groups and genders. All players need to report to the host club at 5:45 PM for these Doubles Nights. These events will end promptly at 8:30 pm.

Table Tennis Tournament:

This year’s Table Tennis Tournament will again be held at the Performance Arena at Lindenwood University. The event will be held on Sunday, January 15, 2012 from 3:00 to 6:00 pm. The entry fee is $30, and checks should be made payable to: Saint Peters Table Tennis Club. Please mail a completed entry form and payment to: Randy Kendle 154 Mill Run Lane St. Peters, MO 63376-7106. Please include what age you will be on the day of the event, as well as your full name, gender, birthdate, email address and home and cell. phone numbers. If you have questions about this event, please email Randy at: randy_kendle@yahoo.com.