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Tennis makes MISO calendar
Saipan International School’s Tommy Choi serves to Moris Villanueva during their title game in the boys U18 singles division of the 2014 Tan Holdings Tennis Classic last month at the Fiesta Resort & Spa Saipan tennis courts. Next school year, the island’s junior players will be able to compete in a team tournament organized by Marianas Interscholastic Sports Organization. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)
The inclusion of tennis to a host of sports competitions MISO is conducting is made possible through a series of talks between Northern Mariana Islands Tennis Association official and CNMI coach Jeff Race and MISO executive director of operations Nick Gross and support of the Public School System.
However, unlike the regular tennis tournaments on the island, MISO’s version will be patterned after that of the collegiate ranks—the team competition.
Race said that under this set-up, each participating school will have a six-member squad composed of three boys and three girls. Gross, in a message sent to Saipan Tribune yesterday, said the tennis competition is open to junior high and high school students.
“The school’s No. 1 player will play against the opposing school’s No. 1 and the same goes with the No. 2 and 3 singles players. Then there will be boys and girls doubles and mixed doubles events,” Race said.
“Though we have done this similar competition more than 10 years ago, still this format is something new to our players. But they are very excited to compete in this kind of tournament,” Race added.
The event will be dubbed as MISO All Schools Tennis Championships and details of the competition will be discussed in the first organization meeting this Jan. 10 at 11:30am at the Pacific Islands Club tennis courts.
“Please make sure to send a prospective coach or school representative to the meeting as we will be discussing the tournament format and preparation for the introduction of a tennis season in SY 15-16,” Gross said.
Race added the MISO tournament will give the island’s young players another opportunity to compete and excel. The Commonwealth’s junior players usually join four regular tournaments sanctioned by NMITA. The list includes the Tan Holdings Tennis Classic every November, the Coconut Classic in February, the PIC Championships in March, and the CNMI Junior Championships in April. In the past, at least three more tournaments complement NMITA’s competitions.
