Oct. 25, 2008
Norfolk, Va. – Old Dominion University’s Folkes-Stevens Indoor Tennis Center was presented with the USTA/VA Tennis Facility of the Year Award today at the James River Country Club in Newport News, VA. The Virginia District encompasses the entire state and is the largest of the four districts which make up the USTA/Mid-Atlantic Section (MAS). The district supports over 20,000 individual members and over 200 organizational members, including more than 30 community tennis associations.
“We are very appreciative of the USTA/VA Tennis Association selecting the Folkes-Stevens Indoor Tennis Center at Old Dominion University as the Facility of the Year,” says ODU tennis director Dominic Manilla, Fernanda Luiz, and John Brinkman who have played a very significant role in the growth of tennis activity on the Old Dominion campus. In addition, athletic director Jim Jarrett and associate athletic director Mark Brown’s guidance has been significant in making the Folkes-Stevens Indoor Tennis Center a very successful tennis center.”
The $7 million 74,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility was constructed by Pepperdine Corporation. It has eight climate controlled indoor courts and 12 outdoor courts. In addition, the tennis center also features two elevated mezzanines for spectators, a conference room, offices for the ODU tennis staff, locker rooms and private lounge areas for the Monarchs men's and women's teams and a separate locker room area for member use. There is wireless computer connectivity and flat screen televisions throughout the facility displaying campus based programs, tennis center events and the Tennis Channel. The facility also has the large matrix Beskin-Carpenter Scoreboard displaying text, pictures, and videos along with court #1 having a radar gun display for serves. Built in large part thanks to a $1 million contribution from Grey Folkes and Ricky Stevens, the Folkes-Stevens Indoor Tennis Center is also available for use by the collegiate teams, ODU student body, faculty and staff, and the entire Hampton Roads community.
Events held at the facility during 2007-2008 season included:
• Intercollegiate Tennis Association Women’s East Region Championship featuring all the Division 1 teams from Virginia to Maine
• Professional Tennis Registry Tennis Teachers Workshops and Certification Exam
• United State Tennis Association Recreation Workshop for coaches
• United States Tennis Association Junior L1 One Day Doubles Tournament
• United States Tennis Association/Intercollegiate Tennis Association On Campus Program
• Anthem Live Pro-Am to Benefit the Fight Against Cancer
• Achievable Dream Pro-Am to Benefit the Achievable Dream Academy in Newport News
• Sergio Tacchini Collegiate Tennis Invitational
• Junior Program
• Various local Universal Tennis Tournaments
Also being recognized by the USTA/VA was Sugie Jarrett, the marketing director at the Virginia Beach Tennis and Country Club, and the chair of the ODU Scholarship Tennis Tournament the past 34 years. Sugie was awarded the Dick Green Service Award.