Youth Tennis Foundation of Florida - Youth Sports, Tennis, College Scholarships. Cedar Key, FL

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YTF Blue Angel Southern Invitational Tennis Tournament

On March 8 and 9, 2013 The 1st Annual Blue Angel Southern Invitational High School Team Tennis Tournament was held at Roger Scott Tennis Center in Pensacola, Florida. Geoff Watts (Catholic High coach) and Michael Edge (Washington High coach), both schools in Pensacola, were the organizers while Youth Tennis Foundation of Florida (YTF) board member, Scott Harrison, was the referee. The organizers had hoped for 8 girls and boys teams the first year but had only had 5 girls teams after Gainsville PK Younge dropped out with their top two girls sick.

The team format was a round robin (4 matches for each team).

The organizers also had team boys and girls sportsmanship plaques. The players received lunch on Friday, a cookout with burgers and dogs on Friday night and pizza for lunch on Saturday. All the players received dri-fit shirts with the cool Blue Angel Southern Team Tennis Championships logo on them. The coaches received a nice Prince backpack with the logo on it. Organizers provided each team with a team tent, water and gatorade.

YTF donated $500 for this tournament. The quality of tennis was very high especially at the #1 and #2 singles positions. The match format was 6 singles and three doubles. Singles matches were 2 out 3 sets, regular scoring with a 10 pt 3rd set Tiebreaker. Doubles were 8 game pro sets.

2016

Starr's Mill High School (GA) and Vestavia Hills high School (AL) Won the 2016 Tournament

The 4th Annual Blue Angel Southern Invitational High School Team tennis tournament was held March 4 and 5, 2016 in Pensacola at the Roger Scott Tennis Center, Bayview Park Tennis Courts and newly resurfaced Washington High School courts.

The Boy's event was won by Starr's Mill High School over Brookwood High (GA).

Boys Winner Starr's Mill

Boys Runner-Up Brookwood

The Girl's event was won by Vestavia over Blessed Trinity (GA).

Girls Winner Vestavia

Girls Runner-Up Blessed Trinity

Team Sportsmanship awards, which were decided by a vote of the coaches, were presented to Winter Park for the Girls and Blessed Trinity for the Boys.

Girls Sportsmanship Award Winter Park

Boys Sportsmanship Award Blessed Trinity

Players and coaches received commemorative long sleeve t-shirts and pizza both days for their teams at lunch. Again for the second consecutive year, the weather was absolutely beautiful.

This year's teams included hosts Pensacola Catholic and Pensacola Washington and eleven others as follows: 1) Baton Rouge Catholic (LA), 2) Blessed Trinity High School (Roswell, GA), 3) The Bolles School (Jacksonville, FL), 4) Brookwood High School (Snellville, GA), 5) Chiles High School (Tallahassee, FL), 6) Leon High School (Tallahassee, FL), 7) Oxford High School (MS), 8) St. Mary's Dominican School (New Orleans, LA), 9) Starr's Mill High School (Fayettevile, GA), 10) Vestavia Hills High School (Vestavia, AL) 11) Winter Park High School (FL).

2015

The 3rd Annual Blue Angel Southern Invitational High School Tennis Tournament

On March 6 and 7, 2015 the 3rd Annual Blue Angel Southern Invitational High School Team Tennis Tournament was held at Roger Scott Tennis Center in Pensacola, Florida. The third year of this event was another tremendous success. Geoff Watts (Catholic High coach) and Michael Edge (Washington High coach), both schools in Pensacola, were the organizers while Youth Tennis Foundation of Florida (YTF) board member, Scott Harrison, was the referee. In addition to Catholic and Washington, the teams included Ocean Springs, MS, Oxford, Ms, Vestavia Hills, Birmingham, AL, Brookwood Academy of Snellville, GA, Tallahassee Leon, Jacksonville Bolles, Spruce Creek, Port Orange, FL, St. Mary's Dominican, New Orleans, LA, Blessed Trinity, Roswell, GA, Winter Park, Winter Park, FL, Eastside, Gainsville, and Baton Rouge Catholic, Baton Rouge, LA.

YTF Board Member Scott Harrison presents check for
$500 to Tournament Founders Michael Edge (left) and Geoff Watts.

Boys Winner - Brookwood

Boys Runner-Up - Baton Rouge Catholic

Boys Sportsmanship - Bolles

Girls Winner - Cypress Creek

Girls Runner-Up - New Orleans Dominican

Girls Sportsmanship - Winter Park

Competing Teams

2014

The 2nd Annual Blue Angel Southern Invitational High School Tennis Tournament

On March 7 and 8, 2014, the 2nd Annual Blue Angel Southern Invitational High School Team Tennis Tournament was held at Roger Scott Tennis Center in Pensacola, Florida. The sophomore year of this event was another tremendous success. Geoff Watts (Catholic High coach) and Michael Edge (Washington High coach), both schools in Pensacola, were the organizers while Youth Tennis Foundation of Florida (YTF) board member, Scott Harrison, was the referee.

Michael Edge (Washington High Coach), Geoff Watts (Catholic High Coach) are presented a
$500 check from YTF Board Member Scott Harrison.

The organizers originally slated 10 girls and boys teams but had only 9 teams after Tuscaloosa Academy dropped out. In addition to Catholic and Washington, the teams included Ocean Springs, MS (boys and girls), Oxford, Ms (boys and girls), Vestavia Hills, Birmingham, AL (boys and girls), Brookwood Academy of Snellville, GA (boys and girls), Tallahassee Leon (boys and girls), Jacksonville Bolles (boys and girls) and Spruce Creek, FL (boys and girls).

The format was a round robin (4 matches for each team) for both boys and girls. The teams were split into two round robins, then the top 2, 2nd two, 3rd two and 4th two played off. The Brookwood Boys defeated Pensacola Catholic 5-4 for the title. The Spruce Creek Girls defeated Vestavia Hills 6-3 to win the Girls division.

First Place Brookwood Boys

Second Place Catholic Boys, Coach Watts far right

First Place Spruce Creek Girls

Second Place Vestavia Hills Girls

The organizers also had a team Sportsmanship Award that went to the Oxford Boys. The players received Subway for lunch on Friday, a cookout with burgers and dogs on Friday night and pizza for lunch on Saturday. All the players got dri-fit shirts with the cool Blue Angel Southern Team Tennis Championships logo on them. The coaches got a nice Prince bag with the logo on it. Organizers provided each team with a team tent, water and gatorade.

Sportsmanship Awarded to Oxford Boys

All the coaches were very pleased to play four quality matches in two days. The weather was perfect which really helped. YTF donated $500 for this tournament. The quality of tennis was very high for all the teams this year. The match format was 6 singles and three doubles. Singles matches were 2 out 3 sets, regular scoring with a 10 pt 3rd set Tiebreaker. Doubles were 8 game pro sets.

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Organizers thanked the Youth Tennis Foundation for their generous sponsorship of the tournament:

2013

The 1st Annual Blue Angel Southern Invitational High School Tennis Tournament

On March 8 and 9, 2013 the 1st Annual Blue Angel Southern Invitational High School Team Tennis Tournament was held at Roger Scott Tennis Center in Pensacola, Florida. The tournament was a huge success! Geoff Watts (Catholic High coach) and Michael Edge (Washington High coach), both schools in Pensacola, were the organizers while Youth Tennis Foundation of Florida (YTF) board member, Scott Harrison, was the referee. In addition to Catholic and Washington, the teams included Ocean Springs, MS (boys and girls, last years State Champ) coached by Kathy Gendron, Jacksonville, FL Bolles (boys) coached by David Baxendine, Trinity School in Montgomery, AL (boys) coached by Jack Schweers, Vestavia Hills, Birmingham, AL (boys) coached Adam Kolsa, Bainbridge, GA (boys and girls) coached by Amy Thomas and Mitch Rogers respectively and Barron Collier, Naples, FL (boys and girls, last years FL champs) coached by Eric Manring and Nancy Geiman respectively.


	Blue Angel High School Tournament Competing Teams		Blue Angel High School Tournament Sponsors

With 5 girl's teams, the format was a round robin (4 matches for each team). And with the boys, two 4 team round robins, then the top 2, 2nd two, 3rd two and 4th two played off. Barron Collier won both events. Their boys are awesome, won all four matches 9-0. Bolles was second. Barron Collier girls weren't as dominate (won a couple of matches 6-3) and Ocean Springs girls were second.


	Boys winners, Barron Collier		Boys runner up team, Jacksonville Bolles


	Girls winners, Barron Collier		Girls runner up team, Ocean Springs

In the Boy's #2 play-off Ocean Springs defeated Washington 6-3. Catholic downed Vestavia Hills 5-4 to win the Boy's #3 play-off and Trinity beat Bainbridge 7-2 to win the #4 play-off.

The organizers also had team boys (Trinity) and girls (Bainbridge) sportsmanship plaques. The kids got Subway for lunch on Friday, a cookout with burgers and dogs on Friday night and pizza for lunch on Saturday. All the players got dri-fit shirts with the cool Blue Angel Southern Team Tennis Championships logo on them. The coaches got a nice Prince backpack with the logo on it. Organizers provided each team with a team tent, water and gatorade.


	Boys Sportsmanship Team - Trinity, Montgomery, AL		Girls Sportsmanship Team - Bainbridge, GA


	Tournament Co-Organizer Geoff Watts, Trinity Coach Jack Schweers		Tournament Team Tent City

All the teams were happy with the event, even Barron Collier who had to drive so far and Bainbridge who didn't win a match. Plans for next year are already in the works for 8 even better boy's and girls' teams.

YTF donated $500 for this tournament. The quality of tennis was very high especially at the #1 and #2 singles positions. The match format was 6 singles and three doubles. Singles matches were 2 out 3 sets, regular scoring with a 10 pt 3rd set Tiebreaker. Doubles were 8 game pro sets.