The SCTA is proud to honor the following people and organization for Black History Month:

Marty Woods

Marty is the CEO of the Pete Brown Scholarship Fund and their program provides free lessons, hosts free community events, and he mentors children on and off the court. He is also an NJTL coach and a dedicated volunteer.

Jada Hart

Jada is from Colton, CA and had a successful journey through Jr. Tennis, winning national hardcourts and winning at the Jr. US Open doubles with partner Ena Shibahara. Jada is now continuing her tennis career at UCLA.

 

Hollis Smith

Hollis is a pioneer for tennis in Los Angeles. Here are a few facts about Hollis:

•Didn’t start playing tennis until he moved to LA in 1963. Was one of the first blacks to play at Rancho Cienega Tennis Club. Fell in love with the sport, became ranked in the top ten during most of his senior years, won national championships in Men’s 60 singles, 45 doubles, 70’s doubles, & two senior mixed doubles
•Elected President of the Los Angeles Municipal Tennis Association
•1971 fundraised and helped organized a chapter of the National Junior Tennis League ( now National Junior Tennis & Learning operated by the SCTA)
•1972 helped to form South West Tennis Patrons, a nonprofit that puts on a series of events for kids in the southwest area of LA
•1978 Became President of the National Public Parks Tennis Championships (NPPTC)
•2002 the Hollis Smith Sportsmanship Award was established by the USTA & National Public Parks Tennis Association, with Smith being the 1st recipient. It is now called the Jean (his late wife) and Hollis Smith Lifetime Achievement Award, which is given annually to recognize an individual who has been an outstanding advocate of the NPPTA & NPPTC

Pacific Coast Championships Tennis Association, Inc (PCCTA)

The American Tennis Association (ATA) was born when representatives from more than a dozen Black tennis clubs met in Washington, D.C. on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 30, 1916. Barred from competing in United States National Lawn Tennis Association (forerunner to the USTA) events, people of color yearned for opportunities to develop and compete at national and international levels.

In March 1917 The Western Federation of Tennis Clubs (WFTC, forerunner to the Pacific Coast Championships) was formed in Los Angeles, California. The initial PCC Member Clubs were Pasadena, Glendale, Santa Monica, Westside, Ceres and Alpha. Later that year, the ATA invited the WFTC to join them as their Western Section. They accepted, becoming part of what is now the oldest and largest minority tennis Association in the world.

In 1921 the 1st Annual Pacific Coast Championships Tournament was held during the Labor Day weekend. The ATA National Championship Tournaments were used as a “family vacation” with both juniors and adults competing. Drawing an average of 1000 participants, they were therefore rotated from city to city each year. Following that tradition the PCC Tournament, which was equally as large, has been held up and down the West Coast highlighting cities like Los Angeles, San Diego, Palm Springs, Oakland, Bakersfield and Portland, Oregon. In recent years, the tournament has been hosted by the city of Long Beach but there are plans on the drawing board to start rotating it again.

To find out more about their organization or events, visit: www.pcc-tennis.org