NorCal RSPA/USPTA Jr Circuit

Jack Satterfield learned to play tennis on the courts at Sleepy Hollow Swim & Tennis Club under the direction of Jim Coyne. His tournament experience began with the NorCal USPTA Circuit.

He now holds the #1 Boy's 18 and under ranked player in the USTA and #27 in the ITF World Rankings. How did he get there?

Many of you enter your children into the USPTA Junior Circuit tournaments that are held in Contra Costa County each year. In many cases this is their first experience in a junior tournament competition. Nerve racking for the parents as well as the player as families learn the challenges of junior tournaments.

Over the past 40+ years, many of Northern California's top junior players began their tournament experience in the USPTA one weekend tournaments. Most recently, Jack Satterfield, from Lafayette, began his tournament experience on the USPTA circuit In 2016 - 2017, losing in the finals of 4 tournaments and the semi-finals of 1 more.

He loved every minute of playing tournaments and was thrilled to start playing USTA NorCal tournaments. With a supporting family, Jack improved his match play which resulted in moving up the rankings. Before long Jack ended up # 1 in the USTA NorCal rankings in the B12 & Under division. Then Covid hit and his family moved to Florida which proved to be a real blessing for Jack's tennis (the family has since returned to NorCal).

The story continues as Jack played National tournaments and International tournaments on the world ITF circuit eventually earning the #1 ranking in the USTA Boys' 18 and under along with an ITF World Ranking of 27th. Jack's world ranking now gets him direct entry to the highest level of junior tournaments at the Grand Slam events - French Open, Wimbledon, US Open in 2025.

He sharpened his game on the har tru courts of Florida under the guidance of coach Sukhwa Young from the Eric Dobsha Academy in Tampa, FL.

Some of Jack's accomplishments over his junior career;

18s Sportsmanship Award at Kalamazoo National Championships 2024

2024 Dr. Allen B. Stowe Sportsmanship Award

WinnerSingles titles in NorCal B12 & Under division.

National Clay Court Champion B 16's (earned a gold ball)

Bobby Curtiss tournament in Florida

Florida High School State Champion 2023 & 2024

ITF J100 in Plantation Florida

ITF J300 in San Diego

ITF J300 in Indian Wells

ITF J60 in Guatemala

Competed in ITF events in Brazil, Mexico, Costa Rica and Columbia

2024 Easter Bowl

A couple items to mention about Jack is his good sportsmanship. He is often awarded the Sportsmanship Award at tournaments - he prides himself on earning the Sportsmanship Awards as much as winning tournaments. Finally, Jack loves doubles. He would encourage you to play doubles and the consolation event whenever possible.

Good luck and remember you either win or you learn something.

JIM COYNE, TENNIS PROFESSIONAL EMERITUS

SLEEPY HOLLOW SWIM & TENNIS CLUB

RSPA/USPTA Success Story

A little over 11 years ago I had an endearing group of five year olds, who for sure were potential stars in tennis. Unfortunately, most of the group moved away but one determined player remained Madison Weekley. She enjoyed tennis so her parents decided to continue with private lessons. Luckily, the Weekleys’ have access to their private community courts and a NorCal legend was started. At age seven she told me she wanted to play tennis as her sport. She went further and stated she wanted to play tennis in college and play professional tennis. So I prepared a step by step ‘game plan’ for her to accomplish her goals. First was to establish a solid training schedule, so we started, maintained and presently continuing three ninety minute private lessons every week. Each planned step was accomplished and she improved at the fastest rate possible. At age seven she started playing the USPTA NorCal Junior tournaments G12s and was winning matches. By age 9 she won her first tourney and qualified for the USPTA NorCal Tournament of Champions on St.MaryCollege courts. Both parents are alumni of St. Marys which added even more to the pressure. She lost but promised to return the next year and win the championship. Sure enough at age ten Madison returned to St. Marys courts and became one of the youngest players to ever win the USPTA Tournament of Champions G12s. For last four years Madison has been inside Top Ten in NorCal. Achieving Top Ten National by age 14 and established herself as one of America’s top juniors. Some outstanding moments; achieving QuarterFinals of 2019 Easter Bowl and making one of the greatest comebacks in The International Orange Bowl’s history. Down 1-6, 1-5. love-40 and facing three match points against a top Canadian Junior Madison fought back to win 6-2 in the third. Being one of the top juniors in the USA attracts a lot of attention from Division One college tennis programs. Madison is currently only a junior and sixteen but receiving daily offers from outstanding college programs. She has accepted and committed to a full ride tennis scholarship to the very home of her first big tournament championship St. Mary’s College in Moraga, California. St. Mary’s is a NCAA D1 outstanding program with a strong schedule providing a wonderful college experience and perfect opportunity for her to qualify for the WTA Tour. I am sure my thirty year USPTA membership, education, and association had tremendous influence on Madison’s success. I am also sure Madison’s wonderful experience of winning her first big tourney the USPTA Tournament of Champions on now her home courts influenced her wise college choice of St. Marys.

Brett Stephenson

USPTA Elite Professional

The RSPA/USPTA Jr Circuit was founded in 1987 as a local one weekend junior novice tournament circuit for juniors new to tournaments. No junior ranked or who has been ranked in the top 60 of USTA NorCal is eligible for our circuit. Juniors can test out this tournament scene, and as they improve can move up to the higher level USTA NorCal competition. The circuit is the only one in NorCal that allows coaching during the match play.

Our goal is for juniors to learn how to play matches, learn the rules of tennis, and to exhibit good sportsmanship while doing so. We also encourage good parent behavior during and after match play. Please take time to read the circuit rules , circuit coaching protocols, and circuit parent behavior guidelines.

Thanks for participating

Please take time to review information below.

To view circuit rules click here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Awah-5o_3S2Z7xcRpqDcFn0nEapLK2W0/view?usp=sharing

To view coaching protocols click here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/16bcMPi34_iuj6Nm4NYa6YDWwpoojWaUa/view?usp=sharing

To view parental behavior guidelines click here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LYnJYI_4gPVqPCvYFEMup3qumsVc4TXk/view?usp=sharing

To view the point standings for 2023-2024 USPTA Jr Circuit click here https://norcaluspta.topdoglive.com/pages/tournaments/standings.asp?programid=57&groupid=70&tournamentid=1441

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zCWCD-OCrkPJhgubnXsRq_G3yJgM6CB1/view?usp=drive_link