Dear USIC Members:
As my first year as President draws to a close, I wanted to look back at our accomplishments and highlight some of our upcoming plans for the next year.
The USIC has been extremely active both in the USA and internationally. I hope that you have been able to participate in one or more events and enjoy the camaraderie that exists within our own USIC and with the 42 ICs around the world.
In August 2022, the USIC hosted our 90th Anniversary in Washington, DC. We enjoyed a spectacular week of tennis featuring five trophy competitions at three clubs, celebratory dinners, and Washington, DC monument tours for 230 players and guests. Wow! It was a supreme effort by our USIC team, administrative staff and volunteers that kicked off the return to 'normal' for the IC world after a two-year covid hiatus.
In 2023, the USIC is proud to host the Rod Laver Junior Challenge Worldwide Finals from November 5 - 11 at La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club. We thank USIC Board member Bill Kellogg for stepping up to promote this prestigious event. And, most importantly, our Team USA is the defending champion!
At the 2023 IC Annual General Membership meeting, the IC Council set a priority on increasing our overall membership ranks by recruiting younger players, female players, and former professional players. We hope that everyone will help us in our efforts to increase membership in these three critical areas.
Philanthropy has also become a bigger focus for the IC Council and the USIC. To this end, we have directed successful fundraising efforts at several of our events. We hosted an IC Day in Washington in May to support the Washington Tennis & Education Foundation, and we are raising additional funds to bring tennis to Rwanda's under-resourced youth by funding teaching professionals as well as providing tennis equipment including rackets, shoes, balls, nets, stringing machines, etc. We encourage you to support our USIC Philanthropy initiative so that those who cannot play tennis without support can enjoy the benefits of the sport we all know and love.
The USIC is one of the largest IC's in the world with membership approaching 500. While our extensive membership provides certain benefits, it also creates other challenges with regard to member engagement. IC Days were launched more than five years ago to include local and regional events often in conjunction with ATP and WTA tournaments.
Many of our members have become 'USIC Ambassadors' supporting these events which include round robin play as well as food and drinks while attending professional tennis tournaments. Additionally, these events are an excellent way introduce prospective USIC members to other existing members. and we hope to see many of you at future events to help us increase our membership.
To date, we have held events in Miami, Atlanta, Indian Wells, Long Island, and Washington, DC. We have events planned for 2023-24 including West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills, NY during the US Open, La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club in San Diego during the Rod Laver Junior World Challenge Finals and a fun match at Columbia Country Club in Bethesda, MD featuring the USIC vs. Georgetown University tennis team. I urge you to engage as a USIC Ambassador by organizing a USIC Day in your city and introducing potential new members!
USIC members also benefit from our Reciprocity Agreements with the tennis clubs affiliated with other ICs around the world.
Check our website www.USICTennis.org which has pertinent information about reciprocity as well as how to propose an individual for membership into the USIC.
I must congratulate all the USIC teams competing overseas and at home. Two recent notable events - the Ted Avory Cup (USIC vs Great Britain IC) and Belgium's 75th Anniversary event (Columbus & La Caretta Cups) - resulted in victories in the highest competitions for the visiting USIC teams. Well done!
I hope I have conveyed my enthusiasm for the spirit of the USIC. The USIC is more vibrant than ever, and I hope everyone will continue to enjoy all that our club has to offer. I look forward to seeing you at an event very soon!
With great appreciation,
Robb Bunnen
President
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