2018 New Balance High School Tennis Championship

G18 Alternates - as of July 17 @ 5:12 pm
B18 Alternates - as of July 16 @ 4:36 pm

Due to the excessive heat today and the forecast for tomorrow, the Tournament Committee made the decision to have the tournament start earlier on Tuesday. ALL MATCH TIMES HAVE CHANGED. All players that won their match today play on Tuesday. The only exception is the Main Draw Semifinal losers that will play for 34d and 4th place.

Because we previously accepted all players entered by the original deadline, our room block at the primary hotel (Casa Ojai Inn) is full. You may be able to find availability online outside of our room block as this morning we saw that several rooms were available on Expedia.
Other Hotels in Ojai:
• Capri Hotel: www.hotelojai.com
• Hummingbird Inn: www.hummingbirdinnojai.com
• The Blue Iguana Inn: www.blueiguanainn.com
• Chantico Inn: www.chanticoinnsuites.com
• The Capri Hotel: www.hotelojai.com
• Su Nido: www.sunidoinn.com
• Ojai Valley Inn: www.ojaivalleyinn.com

»» New Balance Apparel: Players receive New Balance apparel and footwear - be sure to complete the survey described under "High School Tennis" below to provide us with your sizes.
»» Movie Night: Relax with us on your first night in Ojai, while watching a funny movie and having a free dinner!
»» Parents' Wine & Dine: While your children are off on night one, hop on over to Topa Topa Winery for a fun night of wine tasting and mingling
»» Players' Party: Join New Balance for a fun night of larger than life games and activities, photo contests, and a free players dinner.
»» Coaches Forum: DI and DIII coaches from California will be joining us for a Q & A session to discuss their experience with college recruiting and answer any questions that players and parents may have.
»» Exhibition Match with Nicole Gibbs: Come one, come all! New Balance welcomes players and parents for a fun night at Weil Academy to watch Nicole Gibbs speak to players about her experience in school and on tour, as well as watch her play up close.
»» On-Site Amenities:
• Stop by the New Balance pop-up store to get all of your new swag at a discounted rate!
• Morning OJ: We’ll be having free fresh OJ for players and parents each morning. Make sure to stop and load up on some vitamin C!
• Players Only Lounge - No parents allowed!!!
• The Ojai Valley Athletic Center: Parents can use the OVAC facilities (Gym & Pool) for $25 a day!

Thank you for your interest in the 5th annual New Balance High School Tennis Championship! The first of its kind, this tournament is the only nation-wide competition committed to celebrating high school tennis. For 2018, the New Balance High School Tennis Championship will be returning to Weil Tennis Academy in the heart of beautiful Southern California and adjacent to the Ojai Valley Athletic Club.

Click the link below to follow us on our Facebook Event Page.
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During the TennisLink registration process, please provide your telephone number (cell phone preferred) and email address. Failure to provide your contact information will limit the tournament’s ability to contact you.

Except as described under the Selection Process below, players must have been a member of a varsity high school tennis team for the 2017-18 academic year. No later than the entry deadline, entrants must provide information to the Tournament Committee on their high school tennis team. Click on the “more info” link that follows to submit the information. You will be asked to provide contact information for your high school tennis coach and a link to your high school’s sports website (if applicable) that lists you as a member of the team.
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Although this tournament is listed as sanctioned and on the National Junior Tournament Schedule, it does not count for National USTA ranking; however, results from this tournament will be considered for each player’s Universal Tennis Ranking.

The draw size is limited to 64 players. A compass draw will be played that guarantees all players 4 matches, provided that the draws are full.* All main draw matches (East Draw) will be the best of 3 Tiebreak sets; all consolation matches will be the best of 3 Tiebreak sets with a 10-Point Match Tiebreak played in lieu of the 3rd set.
* If the draw is not full, the Tournament Committee reserves the right to change the draw format from a compass draw to a different format that will guarantee players the greatest possible number of matches or to limit the draw to a fewer number of players.

The tournament will be held over a 4-day period, Saturday through Tuesday, July 21 to 24. Weather permitting, one round will be played on Day 1 beginning not before 11:00 am, two rounds on Day 2, two rounds on Day 3, and the final rounds of all draws will be played on day 4. All matches will be played at the Weil Tennis Academy and the adjacent Ojai Valley Athletic Club - no transportation is needed between these two sites.

• USTA Zone Team Championships: Unlike 2017, this tournament will be ending two days before the start of the USTA Zone Team Championships, giving players who compete on the final day of the New Balance High School Championships at least one full travel day to arrive at Zonals on Wednesday.

• Overlap with USTA National Clay Court Championships: The final weekend of the USTA National Clay Court Championships overlaps with the first two days of this tournament. The Tournament Committee has made special arrangements with the USTA to permit players to be concurrently entered in both tournaments without the need to have the prior written permission of both Tournament Committees. Any player who is entered in the New Balance High School Tennis Championships and is still in the draw of a USTA National Clay Court Championship as of the end of the day on Wednesday, July 18 may withdraw from this tournament without penalty and receive an entry fee refund. Any such player must contact Tournament Director Andrea Norman by email by the end of the day on July 18 (contact information is at the top of this page).

• Overlap with USTA SoCal Mary Brymer Memorial Junior Tennis Tournament: The second weekend of the Mary Brymer Memorial Junior Tennis Tournament overlaps with the first two days of this tournament. The Tournament Committee has made special arrangements with USTA SoCal to permit players to be concurrently entered in both tournaments without the need to have the prior written permission of both Tournament Committees. Any player who is entered in the New Balance High School Tennis Championships and is still in the draw of the Mary Brymer Memorial Junior Tennis Tournament as of the end of the day on Sunday, July 15 may withdraw from this tournament without penalty and receive an entry fee refund. Any such player must contact Tournament Director Andrea Norman by email by the end of the day on July 16 (contact information is at the top of this page).

• Other Tournaments: Entry into two tournaments that overlap (other than the USTA National Clay Court Championships and the Mary Brymer Memorial Junior Tennis Tournament - see above) is not permitted without the prior written consent of each Tournament Committee received no later than the time entries close for both tournaments. If one tournament’s entries close after the other, written permission must be granted by the time entries close for the tournament with the later entry deadline. To request this permission, send one email with both Tournament Directors listed as recipients (contact information for Andrea Norman is at the top of this page).

Because this tournament does not count for ranking, the Tournament Committee has adopted several policies that differ from how other tournaments on the National Junior Tournament Schedule are run, including the following:
• Age Eligibility: Any player who competed on a varsity high school tennis team can play, even those that may have turned 19 as of July 31, 2018.
• Alternates: To maximize the number of matches among the players, if a player withdraws from a consolation match, the Tournament Committee may replace the withdrawing player with an alternate.

• USTA Membership: To enter, a player must have a USTA Membership current through the last date of the tournament.
• Age Eligibility: Players must be 19 years of age or younger as of July 31, 2018. Note that players who are 19 as of July 31, 2018 must contact the tournament director to enter.
• Citizenship: There is no US citizenship or other US alien status requirement; international players may enter and be accepted into the tournament.
• High School Tennis Eligibility: To meet the high school eligibility requirement a player must have been a member of a varsity high school tennis team for the 2017-18 academic year. No later than Saturday, July 2nd, players must provide information to the Tournament Committee on their high school tennis team. Click on the “more info” link that follows to submit the information.
more info

A player’s Weekly Average Singles rating will be used for selection, ordering alternates, and seeding; except that if a player has a Projected Singles Rating, the Projected Singles Rating will be used. The most recently available ratings at the time of selection will be used to select players and order alternates; the most recently available ratings at the time of seeing will be used to seed. See more below under Selection Process and Seeding. Results from this tournament will be included among the matches that count for each player’s Universal Tennis Rating.

The entry deadline has been extended for an additional 12 days until Monday, July 9 at 11:59 pm Pacific Standard Time (one minute before midnight on the west coast). All eligible players who were entered by the original deadline (June 28 at 11:59 am EST) will be guaranteed acceptance into the tournament. The selection process described below will be followed, except that any player entered as of the original deadline that would not be selected under Steps #1 (top 8 players) and #2 (State Representation) will be selected first under Step #4. Please contact Tournament Director Andrea Norman (email above) if you have any questions.

Players will be selected into the tournament using the following process described below.
PLEASE NOTE: Do not let our detailed selection process below deter you from entering! In past years, 3/4 or more of each draw were selected as at large players under step #4 below. Our process is in place to insure transparency and a diverse geographic representation of players.

1. Top 8 Players: The top 8 Universal Tennis Rated players with timely entries that meet the eligibility requirements will be selected.

2. State Representation: From the remaining players not yet selected, the top rated player from each state (up to 50 players) who has submitted a timely entry and that meets the eligibility requirements, will be selected provided the player has a minimum Universal Tennis Rating as follows:
• Boys: Minimum UTR of 8.5
• Girls: Minimum UTR of 6.5
Note: If one or more players from a state are selected under step #1, an additional player will be selected under Step #2 if eligibility and minimum UTR requirements are met.

3. Wild Cards: Up to 6 wild cards may be selected. These players are not required to submit a timely entry and may be exempted, at the discretion of the Tournament Committee, from meeting the high school tennis eligibility requirement.

4. Remaining Vacancies: Universal Tennis Ratings will be used to fill vacancies in the draw with players not yet accepted who have submitted timely entries and meet the eligibility requirements. There is no minimum UTR requirement to be selected.

5. Alternate List and Replacement of Withdrawing Players: Withdrawing players will be replaced with the highest player on the Alternate List. This includes the withdrawal of a player from a consolation match after the player has played matches in the tournament. The Alternate List will be ordered as follows:
• Players who have submitted timely entries and who meet the eligibility requirements will be ordered on an Alternate List based upon their Universal Tennis Rating.
• Late entries from players that meet the eligibility requirements will be placed after timely entries on the Alternate List in the order received.

If there are no alternates available to replace a withdrawing player, or if the draw is not full at the time of selection, the Tournament Committee may, at its discretion, accept a player that does not meet the high school eligibility requirement.

Notwithstanding this selection process, the Tournament Committee retains the right to refuse entry to a player.

The list of players selected for the Championship will be published to the “Players” Tab on this website on or about Friday, July 6. All players not selected will be published to the “Alternates” Tab on this website at the same time. As soon as possible thereafter, an ordered list of alternate players will be published to the top of this “Important Info” Tab. The ordered Alternate List will be used to replace players that withdraw from tournament.

An Onsite Alternate is a player that is on site in Ojai on July 21 in hope of getting into the tournament. All such players who intend to be Onsite Alternates are highly encouraged to participate in the tournament registration process on July 21 so that we know you are on site; however, please understand that Onsite Alternates will only receive the tournament gifts (up to that permitted by the player’s high school tennis association) if accepted into the tournament. Replacement of withdrawing players continues as described above; however, identifying yourself as an Onsite Alternate will allow you to receive important tournament information and instruction on how to be available if an opening occurs in the draw.

Any player that misses the entry deadline must email Andrea Norman (contact information is at the top of this page) with the request and include:
• current USTA membership number;
• cell phone number; and
• proof of participation on a high school tennis team during the 2017-18 academic year. This can include a link to a web page that shows the player on a team.
Late entries are placed at the bottom of the Alternate List in the order received - late entries received at the same time are ordered by lot.

The Tournament Committee will use the Computerized List Method to seed this tournament, utilizing the most recently available Universal Tennis Ratings. If the draws are full, 16 players in each draw will be seeded. Weekly Average Singles UTRs will be used; except that if a player has a Projected Singles UTR, the Projected Singles UTR will be used.

Prior to entries closing, a player may withdraw by clicking on the "Withdrawal" link that is in the Edit Registration box at the top right of this page. Credit cards are not charged at the time of entry (only after players entries close and players are selected), therefore there is no fee to be refunded.

Immediately contact Andrea Norman (contact information is at the top of this page) if you need to withdraw from the tournament after entries close.
• If the withdrawal is due to a successful run at the USTA Clay Court Championships, contact Andrea Norman no later than the end of the day on Wednesday, July 18 - see “Overlap with USTA National Clay Court Championships” above.
• If the withdrawal is due to a successful run at the SoCal Mary Brymer Memorial Junior Tennis Tournament, contact Andrea Norman no later than the end of the day on Monday, July 16 - see “Overlap with USTA SoCal Mary Brymer Memorial Junior Tennis Tournament” above.
• If the withdrawal is due to a injury or illness, the USTA Regulations require the injured or ill player to submit written verification from a medical professional before the end of the day on July 24. Written verification can be emailed or faxed to Andrea Norman (see contact information above).
• If the withdrawal is due to a personal circumstance, the player must submit a written description of the situation no later than the end of the day on July 24 and the Referee shall determine whether the situation is a personal circumstance. Written verification can be emailed or faxed to Andrea Norman (see contact information above).

Players who withdraw from the tournament for a bona fide reason will be refunded. The Tournament Committee will determine whether the withdrawal is for a bona fide reason. CSM, an agency hired on behalf of New Balance to help run the tournament, will send players entitled to a refund a check within 90 days after the tournament.

It is anticipated that the draw will take place at the home of Tournament Director Andrea Norman on or about Thursday, July 19 and will be published Saturday morning, July 21, the first day of play. For further information, contact Andrea Norman.

Each match will be played with three Wilson Championship Extra Duty tennis balls. New balls will be provided at 2-sets all when a full 3rd set is to be played.

Although it is extremely unlikely that inclement weather will affect the tournament, any information related to weather will be posted to this website. There is no indoor backup court facility in Ojai.

Players must register for the tournament on Saturday July 21 between 8:00 am and 11:00 am. Players unable to come to Registration must contact Andrea Norman. If you do not register and we are unable to locate you using the contact information provided when entering, you will be replaced with an alternate.

Santa Barbara Airport (SBA)
Approximately 43 miles from Ojai
Additional Information: https://www.santabarbaraca.gov/gov/depts/flysba/airline/airlineinfo.asp

Bob Hope Airport - Burbank (BUR)
Approximately 70 miles from Ojai
Additional Information: http://hollywoodburbankairport.com/flight-information/airlines/

Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)

Approximately 83 miles from Ojai
Actual travel time estimates:
Saturday Morning Arrivals: 1.5 hours
Tuesday Afternoon or Wednesday Morning Departures: 2 hours
Additional Information: https://www.flylax.com/en/lax-airline-list

There will be no charge for practice courts.
Detailed information on practice courts will be posted as the tournament nears.

Practice Court Policies:
• Courts are available on a first come, first served basis.
• During high demand times, courts are to have four “Tournament Players” to a court. Coaches, parents, players not in the draw, and other tournament guests are NOT considered “Tournament Players.”
• Courts are available in half-hour blocks. Please surrender your court if you have had use of it for a full half hour and players are waiting to get on.
• Please be courteous to other players, parents, and coaches. Unsportsmanlike conduct should be reported to the Tournament Director.

Stringing service will be available on-site located outside of the players’ lounge. Additional information to be provided at the tournament on timing and payment.

If you have any questions, please email or call Andrea Norman (contact information is at the top of the page).