Leadership
MISSION STATEMENT
USTA/Virginia Tennis exists to further the game of tennis in the geographic region assigned to it by the USTA/Mid-Atlantic Section. In performing that mandate, USTA/Virginia Tennis strives to create, and then to maintain, an atmosphere in which the sport of tennis can thrive recreationally, competitively and economically, to the mutual benefit of the individual tennis player and the community at large.
USTA/Virginia Tennis accomplishes this goal:
- By making the game itself known to those who could benefit from playing it,
- By making the game and its rules and regulations better understood by those participating,
- By making the game more available to players through fostering the establishment and support of USTA member clubs and other court facilities and programs in which play may occur, and finally,
- By making the game both enjoyable and healthful through proper instruction and the creation of structured opportunities for both competitive and recreational play at every age level.
This Association, a district of the USTA/Mid-Atlantic Section, Incorporated (USTA/MAS), which functions in accordance with the USTA national and section Constitution, By-Laws, Standing Orders, and Tournament Regulations, shall be known as USTA/Virginia Tennis. Its purposes are to develop, promote and administer the game of tennis within the area assigned to it by the USTA in the interest of healthful recreation and physical fitness; to establish and maintain rules of play and standards of amateurism and good sportsmanship; to encourage and conduct tennis tournaments and competitions open to athletes without regard to race, creed, color or national origin and under the best conditions possible so as to effectively promote the game of tennis with the general public; to generally encourage through tennis the development of health, character, and responsible citizenship; and to carry on other similar activities permitted to be carried by a corporation exempt from Federal Income Tax under Section 501(C)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code.
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
Board of Directors
USTA/Virginia Tennis (USTA/VA) is a member organization, one of the four districts of the Mid-Atlantic Section. The members of the Virginia District elect six officers; President, First Vice-President, Second Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Delegate to MAS. The Immediate Past-President serves as a voting member on the board of directors. In addition, the Executive Director and Legal Counsel are non-voting members of the Board. The Executive Committee consists of the Board of Directors and Committee Chairpersons.
The Board of Directors has the final say on all organizational affairs. The Board, through its consideration and approval of the Annual Budget, exercises control over the financial well-being and direction of the organization. The Executive Director reports directly to the Board of Directors. The President is the direct supervisor of the Executive Director. The staff members function under the direct supervision of the Executive Director. Volunteer’s efforts are under the direction of the Board of Directors with guidance and assistance from the staff.
Committees & Programs/Services
The programs and services of the Virginia District are divided among 12 committees (see USTA/VA Committee Structure), each of which is represented by a Committee Chair appointed by the President with the approval of the Board of Directors. The Standing Committees are as follows: Budget & Finance, Community Tennis, Grievance, Bylaws & Rules, Wheelchair Tennis, Jr. Team Tennis, Nominating Committee, and Officials. The appointed Committees are as follows: USTA Leagues, Leagues Review, Adult Tournaments, Junior Tourmanents, and Long Range Planning. See the USTA/Virginia Tennis Standing Orders to better define the purpose of each committee.
The number of times a Committee or sub-committee meets per year is specific to the Committee’s responsibilities and whether those responsibilities require the group to assemble together on a regular basis, corresponds via e-mail or conference call or only at specific times throughout the year. The Board of Directors conduct meetings an average of 6-8 times per year with the Executive Committee meeting a minimum of twice a year, at the Annual and Semi-Annual Meeting. Also, a Committee may meet fewer times as a whole, but work on specific projects throughout the year in sub-committee groups meeting more often. No matter how often a Committee meets, it is imperative that the Chairperson, Board and Staff Liaison be informed of the latest information to maintain a clear pathway of communication from the top to the bottom and vice-versa.
Staff Structure
The Executive Director and Staff oversee the day-to-day administration of programs and services. The USTA/VA Staff currently consists of the Executive Director, League Administrator, Tournament Administrator, Director of Community Tennis, Community Tennis Representative, Director of Communications/Programs Assistant, Office Manager/Bookkeeper, and Data Entry/Leagues Assistant.
Executive Director coordinates all aspects of USTA/Virginia Tennis to include specific questions on Virginia Tennis policies and the coordination of all major events. The League Administrator handles all aspects of USTA League Tennis, Adult, Senior, Super Senior, Super Duper Senior, Senior Mixed, Adult Mixed, Combo, Combo Mixed, Singles and Tri-level. Tournament Administrator handles all aspects of Virginia Sanctioned Tournaments, including state rankings, sanctioning tournaments, Virginia Tennis Open Series, and published tournament information. Community Tennis Staff handle all aspects of tennis programming, to include School Tennis, Jr, Team Tennis, National Junior Tennis League (NJTL), Adaptive Tennis, Tennis in the Parks, Multicultural Programs, Grants and Community Tennis Associations. Director of Communications/Programs Assistant handles website and social media communications, USTA/VA Individual & Organizational membership & marketing, and assists in event planning/management. The Office Administrator/Bookkeeper handles all day-to-day office administration and bookkeeping at the Virginia Tennis office. Data Entry/Leagues Assistant assists League Administrator in all aspects of USTA/VA Leagues, as well as assists in all other administrative tasks in the Virginia Tennis District Office.
Team Effort
Of course it is the “Team Effort” between volunteers and staff that gets things done in the USTA system. But how does it all work?
The Chairperson, Staff and Board Liaison are partners in their assigned task. The general rule of thumb for responsibilities of each is that the Committee with the guidance of the Board Liaison is responsible for representing the membership. The program or service, policy or administration, can not be changed without the consent of the Board of Directors. The Board Liaison is charged with presenting the motion from the Committee to the Board of Directors for review to approve or deny. Volunteer Committee members are under the direction of the Chairperson. Roles within a committee vary from position to position. The relationship between the Chairperson and the Staff Liaison is one of a working partnership, and should be developed by the two individuals involved in a way which best suits their areas of expertise.
Volunteer Reimbursement
A predetermined expense reimbursement is set to assist volunteers with major expenses such as multi-day meetings in the District, Section, or National requiring a hotel stay and travel that may require air travel. The Board of Directors prior to the event determines the level of reimbursement. See Reimbursement Policy.
Resource Documents
USTA/Virginia Tennis Volunteer Ethical Responsibility Code
USTA/Virginia Tennis Bylaws - Approved October 24, 2009
USTA/Virginia Tennis Standing Orders - Approved February 18, 2011
