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As we begin 2026, we’re reflecting on another strong and meaningful year for CORTA and our tennis community. Throughout 2025, we saw continued growth in leagues and tournaments, expanded outreach and junior programming, and countless moments of connection on and off the courts. None of this would be possible without the dedication of our members, volunteers, staff, and supporters.
We extend our sincere thanks to our outgoing Board members for their leadership, time, and commitment to CORTA’s mission. Their service has helped strengthen our organization and set the stage for continued success. We are also excited to welcome new Board members and volunteers who will bring fresh ideas and energy in the year ahead.
If you’re interested in getting more involved in 2026—whether by serving on a committee, helping with events, or supporting programs in another way—we invite you to complete the Willingness to Serve Form linked in this newsletter. Your time and talents help make CORTA stronger, and there’s a place for everyone who wants to contribute.
Thank you for being part of the CORTA community. We look forward to seeing you on the courts in 2026 as we continue to grow the game and celebrate tennis—the world’s healthiest sport!
With gratitude,
Leila Carr
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We are pleased to announce CORTA’s 2026 Board of Directors, officially elected and ready to lead us into an exciting new chapter. This group of dedicated volunteers brings strong leadership, fresh ideas, and a shared passion for growing tennis and strengthening our community.
Executive Committee
- President – Leila Carr
- Executive Vice President – Mike Williams
- Vice President – Bruce McKenzie
- Vice President – Clifford Simmons
- Secretary – Jenn Milton
- Treasurer – Mike Bruder
- Past President – Sue Goldman
- Executive Advisor – Will White
Board of Directors
- Adult Programs – Dayna Johnson
- Facility – Bill Hart
- Finance – Janet Hart
- Governance – Jennifer Williams
- Junior Programs – Jessica Slusser
- Outreach – Guirlene Mimy-Matthews
- Special Events – Candra McRae
- Tournaments & Officials – Linda Gordon
- Visibility & Engagement – Annie Kirkland
- Volunteers – Sheila Ezell
Advisory
- Legal Counsel – Brian Worstell
This Board will guide CORTA’s work as we continue to grow the game, expand access, and create meaningful tennis opportunities for all ages and abilities across our community.
We are grateful to each of these volunteers for their willingness to serve and lead. Their time, expertise, and passion play a vital role in shaping CORTA’s future.
Want to Get Involved? We’d Love to Hear From You!
CORTA thrives because of engaged volunteers, and there are many ways to get involved—on committees, at events, through outreach programs, or behind the scenes supporting our mission.
If you’re interested in serving, we invite you to complete our Willingness to Serve Form and share where your interests and skills align.
👉 Submit the Willingness to Serve Form
Thank you for being part of the CORTA community. We’re excited about the year ahead and grateful for everyone who helps make our mission possible! 💙
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TennisWorks Clinics
This no-cost program for youth ages 4–18 who qualify for free and reduced lunch combines tennis instruction with academic enrichment, life skills, and fun!
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Cooper Creek Tennis Center
5050 Cooper Creek Parkway
4:30 pm - 6:00 pm
Tuesdays, January 13 - May 12
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Frank Chester/Benning Park
1441 Benning Drive
4:30 pm - 6:00 pm
Wednesdays, January 14 - May 13
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Ad In Tennis
Looking for a fun, inclusive way to get on the court? Ad-In Tennis offers adaptive tennis instruction for youth and adults with special needs in a welcoming, encouraging environment. This program is offered at no cost. Know someone who would love it? Help us spread the word and invite them to join us! We’re also looking for volunteers to help make this program possible.
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Mark your calendars: CORTA Special Tennis Games 📆
March 24-26, 2006
The 2026 CORTA Special Tennis Games are set for March 24–26, and we’re excited to welcome athletes from across our community for three incredible days of tennis, celebration, and inclusion!
- Tuesday, March 24 – Elementary School
- Wednesday, March 25 – Middle School
- Thursday, March 26 – High School
In 2025, more than 350 athletes participated—and we expect another amazing turnout this year! To make it all happen, we need LOTS of volunteers, including athlete aides, school hosts, ball feeders, registration helpers, lunch monitors, and more.
T-shirts are provided to all athletes, and lunch is provided for athletes, teachers, teacher aides, bus drivers, and volunteers.
Interested in volunteering, sponsoring, or providing an in-kind donation? We’d love to have you be part of this unforgettable event that truly changes lives through tennis.
👉 Volunteer Registration
👉 Sponsorship - Donation
👉 Sponsorship - In Kind Donation
In kind needs - water, powerade, snacks, fruit, etc. If you're interested in making an in-kind donation, please submit your contribution information here.
| | | TOY TOURNAMENTS SPREAD HOLIDAY CHEER | | |
CORTA’s annual Toy Tournament was a wonderful success, both on and off the court! Thanks to the generosity of our players and supporters, we delivered three full loads of toys to Santa’s Castle at Ft. Benning, helping bring joy to children of our military families this holiday season.
The holiday spirit continued with a special visit from Santa and his elves, who stopped by to deliver gifts to our Ad-In Tennis players. The celebration included a pizza party and plenty of laughs during a festive game of Christmas Bingo—making it a memorable day for everyone involved.
The tournament itself featured great tennis, including inspiring Unified Doubles teams that showcased inclusion, teamwork, and sportsmanship. One of the highlights was seeing two Unified teams posing together at the net, capturing the true spirit of the event.
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who donated toys, participated, and helped make this event possible. Your generosity turned a fun tennis tournament into a meaningful holiday experience for so many.
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Congratulations to our division winners:
Adult Division Champions:
2.5WD - Jennifer Graham & Tammy Rebidue
3.0WD - Paola Franco & Ana Osborne
3.5WD - Rebecca Cole & Crysenthia Stewart
3.0MD - Forrest Champion & Jayson Leatherland
Junior Division Champions:
14U Girls - Zuhoor Kaur
12U Boys - Yul Daniel Ko
14U Boys - Mohammed Khan
18U Boys Group 1 - Chase Brogdon
18U Boys Group 2 - David Ray Jacobs
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If you need any help or have any questions about adult league programs,
please send all emails to llc@corta.org.
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🚨 Regulation Update 🚨
Enhanced Reschedule Regulation
To better support our players and teams, CORTA has implemented an enhanced reschedule regulation that provides additional flexibility when scheduling conflicts arise. This enhancement is also intended to support and expand player participation in other CORTA sponsored tournaments.
Reschedule requests will now be considered for CORTA-sponsored tournaments and CORTA league playoff matches, when necessary. This enhancement aligns with the existing process used when a team captain requests a reschedule due to eligible players advancing on a CORTA USTA League Team, or when a player serves as the registered captain of a CORTA Junior Team Tennis team competing in State, Sectional, or National championship play.
Request to Reschedule
Captains may request the rescheduling of a match when a conflict involves:
- A player representing a CORTA USTA League Team participating in championship play
- A player is the registered captain of a CORTA Junior Team Tennis participating in championship play
- A player participating in a CORTA sponsored tournament
- A player participating in a CORTA league playoff match
How to Request
- All reschedule requests must be submitted directly to the Local League Coordinator via JotForm.
- Captains must notify the Local League Coordinator no later than the established deadline outlined in league or tournament regulations.
This update is intended to provide consistency, fairness, and flexibility while maintaining the integrity of league and tournament play. Thank you for helping us ensure a positive experience for all participants.
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Serving Up Answers 🍽️🎾
Q: What happens if I appeal my rating "up"?
A: If you appeal your rating "up" and it is granted, the change is immediate and irreversible.
Once you click the appeal button and your appeal is successful, you are instantly disqualified from competing at your original rating level—under ALL circumstances. Appeals cannot be reversed.
🛑 Think Before You Click!
Appealing up means you are committing to play at the higher level for the remainder of the league year.
Example:
If you have a 3.0 self or computer rating and successfully appeal up to 3.5, you are immediately ineligible to play at the 3.0 level and must compete at 3.5 going forward.
⚠️ Important Reminder:
Before submitting an appeal, please be certain you are prepared to compete at the higher level for the entire season.
If you have questions or are unsure whether appealing up is the right decision, please contact your Local League Coordinator before submitting an appeal.
For more rules and regulations, check out The Friend at Court .
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Tennis 101: The Perfect Place to Start
Tennis 101 is designed for beginners - encourage your friends and spouses to give tennis a try! Registration fee includes a tennis racquet and 6 hours of instruction.
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Days: Mondays
Time: 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Dates: Jan 12, 26, Feb 2, 9, 23, Mar 2
(no class 1/19, 2/16)
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Days: Wednesdays
Time: 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Dates: Jan 14, 21, 28, Feb 4, 11, 18
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Tennis 102: Ready for the Next Step?
Keep the momentum going! Tennis 102 builds on the basics with more match play, strategy, and confidence on the court.
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Days: Mondays
Time: 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Dates: Jan 12, 26, Feb 2, 9, 23, Mar 2
(no class 1/19, 2/16)
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Days: Wednesdays
Time: 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Dates: Jan 14, 21, 28, Feb 4, 11, 18
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Cardio Tennis
Fun Way to Jump Start Your New Year
A high-energy workout that gets your heart pumping and your game moving. Get in shape, burn calories, and have fun on the court—no boring workouts required.
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Beginner
Days: Tuesday & Thursday
Time: 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Dates: Jan 13, 15, 20, 22, 27, 29
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Intermediate
Days: Monday & Wednesday
Time: 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Dates: Jan 12, 14, 21, 26, 28, Feb 2 (skip 1/19)
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Advanced
Days: Monday & Wednesday
Time: 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Dates: Jan 12, 14, 21, 26, 28, Feb 2 (skip 1/19)
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🍁 Fall MATCH League Winners 🏆
Congratulations to our Fall MATCH League winners! The six-week season featured great competition, strong sportsmanship, and impressive effort from all our junior players.
🏆 League Champions
10U - Graham Johnson
12U - Yul Ko
14U - Ryan Slusser
16U - Bitya/d/go Gedaliah
Thank you to everyone who participated in the Fall MATCH League and helped make the season a success. We’re proud of all our players and look forward to seeing them back on the courts in future MATCH League sessions!
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Junior Leagues – Coming Soon! 🎾
Get ready for an exciting lineup of Winter and Spring junior tennis opportunities at CORTA!
Dates and registration details will be announced soon for the following upcoming leagues:
- JV High School Tennis
- Winter MATCH League
- Spring Junior Team Tennis
Stay tuned for more information—we can’t wait to see our juniors back on the courts!
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| | TOURNAMENTS • 2026 CALENDAR | | |
Support the Game. Strengthen the Community.
As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, CORTA depends on generous donors like you to fuel our programs, outreach efforts, and tournaments that impact thousands each year—and generate over $2 million annually for our local economy.
Make your gift today and help make a difference!
| | THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS! | | |
If you're interested in becoming a sponsor
contact Jeremy Morris
706-317-4136
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