Woodlands Junior Clay Court Championships this weekend

THE WOODLANDS, Texas - Local talent will highlight the 33rd annual Woodlands Junior Clay Court Tennis Championships (JCCC), which will be held Friday through Sunday at The Woodlands Country Club Tennis Center and nearby locations.

“The annual JCCC tournament is a community tradition in The Woodlands and is open to the public,” said David Peterson, president of the Woodlands Men's Tennis Association.

The tournament, sanctioned by the United States Tennis Association (USTA) and the Texas Tennis Association (TTA), will feature singles and doubles boys’ and girls’ matches in the 12 through 18 year age brackets. Levels of play will be ZATs, Champs, and Superchamps.

Among those to watch are 2011 Class 5A doubles state champions and recent College Park High School graduates Nate Lammons and Naveen Beasley. They go in as the No. 1 seed in boys' 18 doubles. Also entering the tournament as top-seeds are The Woodlands' Sandra Ibarra (girls' 18 singles champs) and girls' 18 doubles team of Alexandra Huie (The Woodlands) and Melissa Burckhartt (Klein Oak).

Over 350 juniors from around Texas and the United States participated in the 2010 JCCC. This year, the tournament expects to attract even more players to compete for 1st, 2nd, and Consolation-place medals.

“This tournament is quite competitive and we provide very active court monitors,” said Peterson. “There are few sanctioned junior tournaments in Texas on clay, so the talent we see every year is great - I just love to watch them play”

Proceeds from the event will benefit local charities including Interfaith of The Woodlands. The Woodlands Men’s Tennis Association is seeking donor support for the tournament and volunteers to help run it. To support or volunteer for the tournament, contact JCCC Chair Ron Atkinson at the e-mail button below.

For entry information go to TennisLink.USTA.com, Tournament ID 800038911.