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- Written by: Vic Ramsey
The NCHSAA Board of Directors met last Wednesday and Thursday at the NCHSAA offices in Chapel Hill to conduct its Winter 2023 meeting.
At the meeting, the Board approved two items specific to tennis that had been recommended by the NCHSTCA Board of Directors.
The first item addressed two issues related to the distribution of berths among the conferences to the individual regional tournaments. Previously, the NCHSAA handbook only stated that the berths would be distributed "on a percentage basis". The exact procedure for determining these percentages, and the number of berths each conference would receive, was not described.
The NCHSTCA proposal placed language in the NCHSAA Handbook that describes in detail how this process works, so that players, parents, and coaches can know how the number of berths received by their conference was calculated.
The NCHSTCA proposal also tweaked the formula by which these berths are calculated, resulting in a more precise relationship between the "percentage basis" and the actual berths the conference receives.
Click here for the complete text of the regional berth distribution proposal.
The proposal was adopted unanimously by the Sports Committee, and by the Board of Directors as a whole. The change in the distribution formula will take effect in the fall 2024 women's tennis season.
The second item recommended by the NCHSTCA was to codify the practice of using alternate match formats during the regular season, should the coaches mutually agree.
It has been long-standing practice for coaches to agree to play a shortened match format, for instance, pro-sets in singles, when weather or scheduling issues made such desireable.
However, the NCHSAA handbook defined a regular season match format, and did not include language allowing for alternate formats.
The NCHSTCA proposal on this matter retained the current regular season dual-team format as the "default format" for regular season matches, but allows coaches, by mutual agreement, to play pro-sets in singles or to play using no-ad scoring.
Click here for the complete text of the alternate match format proposal.
This proposal was also adopted without dissent by the Sports Committee and the Board of Directors. This change in the handbook language, since it merely codifies long-standing practice, was adopted to take effect immediately.
The NCHSAA Board also adopted the 2024-25 Sports Calendar.
Women's tennis teams may begin practice on Wednesday, July 31st, and play their first matches on Monday, August 12th. Dual team playoffs begin on Wednesday, October 16th, and the individual regional tournaments take place on Friday-Saturday, October 18th-19th. The individual state tournaments take place on October 25th-26th, and the dual team finals are scheduled for Saturday, November 2nd.
In the spring of 2025, men's tennis teams may begin practice on Wednesday, February 12th, and play their first matches on Monday, February 24th. Dual team plaoffs begin on Wednesday, April 30th, and the invidiaul regional tournaments are set for Friday-Saturday, May 2nd-3rd. The individual state tournaments take place on May 9th-10th, and the dual team finals will occur on Saturday, May 17th.
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- Written by: Vic Ramsey
At the coaches clinic in July, the NCHSTCA revealed the results of its May survey on level-based play, and its study of playoff results between traditional and charter schools in the previous realignment cycle (2021-25).
Read more: Level-Based Play Survey and Playoff Study Paint Complicated Picture
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- Written by: Donald Clark
Green Hope High School, coached by Bob Jones, travels to Raleigh Broughton High School, coached by Helen Williams, in the NCHSTCA Women's Tennis Match of the Day on Tuesday, August 12th at 3:30 p.m.
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- Written by: Donald Clark
Elkin High School is returning all six of its starters for the 2025 women's tennis season. The Lady Bucking Elks are also adding a senior who did not play last year but started two years ago at number four singles. The squad is also adding the numbers one and number two players from last year's undefeated middle school team. The three seniors who graduated in 2024 were not starters.
Dr. Jim Harrell, Jr. is starting his third season as the head coach at Elkin High School. He has an overall record of 18-10, finishing third in the conference both seasons. The squad held its first practice on Thursday, July 31st on the school courts.
"I am excited about the season. We have eighteen or more that I have been coaching since they were eighth graders. These ladies have matured as players, improved greatly, and are ready to compete in a realigned conference," said Dr. Harrell.
Elkin's top returnee is senior Elissa Dickerson who went 6-6 at number one singles as a junior. Junior Jocelyn Johnson returns at number two singles after an 8-5 campaign in 2024.
Coach Harrell runs a no-cut program at Elkin High School and will be keeping all eighteen players.