2018
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release Info: cartennis@aol.com
September 25, 2018 www.mcbtennis.org
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RBC Wealth Management Announced as the “Presenting Sponsor”
of the 21st Annual “Little Mo” Nationals
Dallas, Texas – The Maureen Connolly Brinker Tennis Foundation is proud to announce RBC Wealth Management as the Presenting Sponsor of the 21st Annual “Little Mo” Nationals in Austin, Texas!
“At RBC, we believe the best investments we can make are investments in our communities, and in our future,” remarked Andy Teller Jr., Senior Managing Director – Private Wealth Group at RBC Wealth Management. “We are proud to support tennis throughout Texas through our partnerships with the RBC Tennis Championships of Dallas, the RBC Pro Challenge in Tyler, and now the ‘Little Mo’ Nationals presented by RBC. Additionally, we support tennis globally through our sponsorship of 2016 NCAA Singles and Doubles champion, ATP professional, Mackie McDonald, who is a former ‘Little Mo’ Champion. Character is a core tenet of the ‘Little Mo’ because character counts in tennis and it is the same in wealth management. RBC Wealth Management’s approach is based on integrity, and careful management of wealth entrusted to us. It also reflects our promise to help clients Strengthen their Financial Future. We are very proud to sponsor the ‘Little Mo’ Nationals.”
“MCB is thrilled, absolutely thrilled, with RBC’s partnership,” said Cindy Brinker Simmons, President of MCB and daughter of Maureen Connolly Brinker. “Aligning ourselves with a business known for its standard of excellence, integrity and stewardship, we enter our ‘Little Mo’ Nationals with great enthusiasm and vigor. Like MCB, RBC is very relationship-centric and provides the very best services for its clients. MCB does the same by developing our players into champions both on and off the court. Character matters. We look forward to hosting a successful tournament and working with RBC in the years ahead sharing our like-minded core values as we further the very best in junior tennis.”
Named in memory of tennis champion Maureen “Little Mo” Connolly, the “Little Mo” circuit of tournaments is the premier challenge for juniors ages 8-12 to compete against others who are the same age at the sectional, regional, national, and international level. The mission of the “Little Mo” tournaments is to further the development of junior tennis worldwide by providing players with an opportunity to: a) progress in tennis – a healthy sport for a lifetime; b) build strong values and character; c) learn good sportsmanship; and d) meet new friends from across the country and world. The youngest and brightest stars in junior tennis compete in the “Little Mo” tournaments.
This year, MCB is celebrating the 21st Anniversary of its “Road to the Little Mo Nationals”. It is a yearlong circuit which began in the spring with 18 “Little Mo” sectional tournaments held in different cities throughout the United States. The quarterfinalists (top 8) from the sectional tournaments advanced to the four “Little Mo” regionals held in the summer. The semifinalists (top 4) from the regional tournaments advanced to the prestigious “Little Mo” Nationals, which will feature the top 160 boys and girls from across the United States competing at the Austin Tennis Academy in Austin, Texas from September 28-October 1. RBC will be hosting a special “Parent Appreciation” party at the “Little Mo” Nationals during the Player Party on Saturday, September 29 from 6:30-7:15pm.
In 1953, Maureen “Little Mo” Connolly was the first woman to capture the elusive Grand Slam by winning the Australian Championships, the French Championships, Wimbledon, and the U.S. Championships in one calendar year. She is still the only American woman and the youngest person at age 18 to have accomplished this magnificent feat. Maureen was known as the incomparable “Little Mo.” Her powerful strokes were compared to the USS Missouri battleship nicknamed “Big Mo.” She won Wimbledon three years in a row (1952-54) and was voted “Woman Athlete of the Year” by the Associated Press for three consecutive years (1951-53). In July 1954, “Little Mo’s” brilliant tennis career abruptly ended with a leg injury suffered from a horseback riding accident. Her competitive days now behind her, Maureen focused on promoting her beloved sport and, in 1968, she joined her dear friend Nancy Jeffett to establish the Maureen Connolly Brinker Tennis Foundation. She was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1968. Her untimely death to cancer occurred on the eve of Wimbledon in 1969. She was 34 years of age.
Today, the Maureen Connolly Brinker Tennis Foundation continues to benefit talented boys and girls throughout the country and around the world. In its 50th year, the foundation is involved in a myriad of activities including the prestigious “Road to the Little Mo Nationals”, “Little Mo” Internationals, “Big Mo” (ages 13 and 14), National Junior Tennis League (inner-city youth program), wheelchair tennis, international team competitions, and distributing travel grants and sportsmanship awards to deserving players.
The MCB Tennis Foundation is led by its directors: Cindy Brinker Simmons (President), Brenda Brinker Bottum (Vice President) and Elizabeth Jeffett (Vice President). Carol Weyman (Executive Vice President) and Matthew Cody (Tournament Operations Manager) coordinate the “Little Mo” tournaments.
On behalf of MCB, we would like to thank our Presenting Sponsor: RBC Wealth Management. Thank you for your support of the “Little Mo” and MCB!
2018 “Little Mo” Tournament Schedule
(ALL YELLOW BALL RESULTS TO COUNT FOR UTR RATINGS!)
Sectionals:
Intermountain
Apr 7-8 Eagle Tennis Club – Eagle, ID 
Texas
Apr 14-15 Arlington Tennis Center – Arlington, TX
Apr 28-29 Fair Oaks Ranch Country Club – Fair Oaks Ranch, TX
Florida
Apr 21-22 Evert Tennis Academy – Boca Raton, FL
Jun 2-3 Sarasota Sports Club – Sarasota, FL
Missouri Valley
May 5-6 The Greens Country Club – Oklahoma City, OK
Northern
May 11-12 Life Time Fitness – Fridley, MN
Southern
May 11-13 Laurel Park Tennis Center – Marietta, GA
Jun 15-17 Temple Hills Country Club – Franklin, TN
Eastern
May 18-20 Armonk Tennis Club – Armonk, NY
Middle States
May 18-20 The Episcopal Academy – Newtown Square, PA
Southern California
May 19-20 La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club – La Jolla, CA
Midwest
May 26-27 H-F Racquet & Fitness Club – Homewood, IL
New England
May 26-27 Longfellow Tennis & Health Club – Wayland, MA
Jun 23-24 Chris Lewit Tennis Academy – Londonderry, VT
Mid-Atlantic
Jun 2-3 Chestnut Forks Tennis Club – Warrenton, VA
Northern California
Jun 2-3 University of The Pacific – Stockton, CA
Pacific Northwest
Jun 29 – Jul 1 Eastside Tennis Center – Kirkland, WA
Regionals:
South
(Intermountain, Missouri Valley, Texas)
May 26-28 T Bar M Racquet Club – Dallas, TX
East
(Florida, Mid-Atlantic, Southern)
Jul 20-22 PGA National Resort & Spa – Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Click here for the “Fact Sheet”, which includes the Schedule of Events and other important information about the tournament.
North
(Eastern, Middle States, Midwest, New England, Northern)
Aug 31 – Sep 2 Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning – Bronx, NY
Click here for the “Fact Sheet”, which includes the Schedule of Events and other important information about the tournament.
West
(Northern California, Pacific Northwest, and Southern California)
Sep 1-3 Berkeley Tennis Club – Berkeley, CA
Click here for the “Fact Sheet”, which includes the Schedule of Events and other important information about the tournament.
2018 “Little Mo” Nationals
Presented by RBC Wealth Management!
Sep 28 – Oct 1 Austin Tennis Academy – Austin, TX
Click here for the “Fact Sheet”, which includes the Schedule of Events and other important information about the tournament.
Greetings! We look forward to seeing you this year on the 21st “Road to the Little Mo Nationals”. The “Little Mo” Sectionals/Regionals/Nationals sites and dates are listed above. The “Little Mo” tennis tournaments are the premier challenge for youngsters across the nation to compete against others who are the same age at the sectional, regional, and national level.
All “Little Mo” tournaments are played with the yellow ball on a full 78’ tennis court, but there will also be a green dot option on full court for the 8’s, 9’s, and 10’s divisions at the sectional level. Please note: The top 8 players from the yellow ball and green dot divisions will advance to the “Little Mo” Regionals, but all green dot players will need to play with the yellow ball at the Regionals as there will be no green dot divisions. Only the yellow ball winners from the Sectionals will be given priority for seeding at the Regionals.
Players can play in any “Little Mo” Sectionals and more than one if they wish, but must follow the path to the appropriate “Little Mo” Regional (see list below). For example, a player who lives in Georgia may play in the “Little Mo” Texas but will need to follow the path of the Texas sectional and play in the South Regionals.
· Midwest, Middle States, New England, Northern, and Eastern Sectionals ——-> North Regionals
· Intermountain, Missouri Valley, and Texas Sectionals ——-> South Regionals
· Florida, Mid-Atlantic, and Southern Sectionals ——-> East Regionals
· Northern California, Southern California, Pacific Northwest, Hawaii Sectionals ——-> West Regionals
Anyone who lives in the United States can play “Little Mo” as well as U.S. Territories (i.e. Puerto Rico) can play “Little Mo”.
Players from British Columbia, Canada are able to play in the Pacific Northwest Sectionals but are unable to advance to the Regional level.
Players must play their own age: 8’s play 8’s, 9’s play 9’s, 10’s play 10’s, 11’s play 11’s, and 12’s play 12’s. Eligibility is as follows:
· 12’s – born in 2006
· 11’s – born in 2007
· 10’s – born in 2008
· 9’s – born in 2009
· 8’s – born in 2010 or 2011
The top 4 players from each Regional will advance to the “Little Mo” Nationals. Each age division will have a prestigious draw of 16 in Boys and Girls 8, 9, 10, and 11. The Nationals features the top 160 players in the USA.
The “Little Mo” Internationals are open to any player worldwide for ages 8-12. The Internationals in California and Florida will also have the Big Mo division for ages 13 & 14. Ages 8-12 will be able to play yellow ball and a green dot division for ages 8,9,10 in California and Florida. For New York, ages 8-12 yellow ball and green dot for 8’s only.
See you on the courts and Play “Mo” Tennis!
2018 “Little Mo” Internationals
TO COUNT FOR TENNISRECRUITING RATINGS!)
5th Annual “Little Mo” Internationals – California
(a Fourth of July weekend for the whole family)
Newport Beach Tennis Club
Newport Beach, California
July 4-8, 2018
Open to any player from the United States and worldwide.
Singles, Doubles & Mixed Doubles (hard court)
“Little Mo” Yellow Ball – ages 8,9,10, 11, and 12 – traditional yellow ball
“Little Mo” Green Dot Ball – ages 8, 9, and 10
“Big Mo” – ages 13, 14, and 15
California will be the 1st leg of the “Little Mo” Slam! Your chance to win the tallest trophy in junior tennis (6′ tall) starts here!
7th Annual “Little Mo” Internationals – New York
(previous home of the U.S. Open before being held at Flushing Meadow)
The West Side Tennis Club
Forest Hills, New York
August 20-25, 2018
Open to any player from the United States and worldwide.
Singles, Doubles, and Mixed Doubles (Har-Tru clay)
“Little Mo” Yellow Ball – ages 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 – traditional yellow ball
“Little Mo” Green Dot Ball – ages 8
Forest Hills will be the 2nd leg of The “Little Mo” Slam.
Singles, Doubles & Mixed Doubles (Har-Tru clay)
“Little Mo” Yellow Ball – ages 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 – traditional yellow ball
“Big Mo” – ages 13, 14, and 15
Florida will be the 3rd and final leg of The “Little Mo” Slam.