The NCTA was established by a group of tennis players who has been working since July 2013 to promote tennis in the greater Watertown area. In August 2013, the group identified two goals: the long-term goal has been to build a two-court indoor facility in Watertown to be used primarily for youth instructional tennis, but additionally for community recreational tennis, and, the short-term goal was to operate a one-court recreational indoor tennis facility with the purpose of maintaining active tennis play and assessing community interest in tennis.
The NCTA was initially established with a board of directors as a 501c7 entity and successfully became a 501c3 in the fall of 2017. At present the board continues to explore building a two-court indoor tennis facility developing a successful capital campaign, pursuing possible local partnerships, especially with the Watertown YMCA; and adding tennis instruction at an indoor facility.
The board had actively operated a one-court indoor tennis facility which was closed as of November 28th 2017. another opportunity for the NCTA arose with a program called pop tennis. This innovative program was introduced by the partnership of the NCTA and the YMCA to keep existing tennis players active and to bring non tennis players from the community into the game of tennis. The program takes place in the gymnasium of the Watertown Fairgrounds YMCA.
The YMCA is planning to build an Aquatic Community Center in downtown Watertown that will have two pools, two indoor tennis courts and a track. This was one of NCTA's goals was to have two indoor tennis courts. Ground breaking will begin July 2021 and completion in 2023. NCTA plans to keep running programs through the summer months and maybe a few indoor as well to keep growing tennis in our community.
The NCTA runs the following programs:
1.Youth Tennis at the Park - A partnership with YMCA, NCTA and Watertown Parks and Recreation runs the program. It is a USTA Net Generation program for kids. Registration can be completed at the Watertown YMCA. For program dates, please look at the Events or program page of this site. No tennis experience necessary to participate. This is a yearly program usually held in July and August.
2. Summer Community Tennis - Started in 2016. There is a $10 registration fee with the USTA for the entire program. It is open to the public from the middle of May to the end of September. Anyone who can serve and volley can just show up with a tennis racquet and play. A NCTA representative and USPTA Certified Pro Instructor places players according to skill level in a friendly, social game of tennis. The program is Mondays and Wednesdays from 6 pm to 8 pm.
3. City of Watertown Doubles Tennis Tournament - 2nd Annual Doubles Tournament held in July at the Watertown High School tennis courts. There is just a $10 registration fee with USTA.
4. City of Watertown Tennis Tournament - Revived in 2013, this tournament is sponsored by the City of Watertown Parks and Recreation and the NCTA. The tournament is held at the Watertown High School tennis courts. It was originally held the last weekend in August, but will now be the second weekend in September. There is just a $10 registration fee with USTA
5. Pop Tennis - A game developed by the USTA and innovatively formatted for a gymnasium by the NCTA. It is partially funded by the NCTA through grant money from the USTA for developmental programs. Pop tennis is played on a 60 foot court with paddles and low compression green dot balls. The scoring is the same but with an underhand serve and no second serve. Easily played by seasoned players, but also easy for new players to learn. The program began December 2017, and continues to grow. It is held on Wednesdays from 3 pm to 9 pm.
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