Ball Seniors Wanted For WTT

Tennis is a sport for a lifetime and now the New York Sportimes are honoring the senior set.

The New York Sportimes today announced that they have created and are accepting applications for the first-ever “Ball Senior” position for their select July home matches at the new Sportime at Randall’s Island facility.  The Ball Seniors program will be sponsored by investment and estate planning company Snearson-Houmis of New Jersey.

“Tennis is a game that can be enjoyed at any age, and there are thousands of people in the area above the age of sixty who have played and kept in shape with this great life sport,” said Sportimes General Manager John Dato. “This promotion will give us an opportunity to have that demo show everyone that they are active and can have some fun with us for some of our matches this July.”

Interested parties can send an email explaining their interest on being a Ball Senior to [email protected].They should include tennis experience and knowledge and whether they have any experience in being involved as a ball person previously. The Sportimes will then select one or two candidates to participate as Ball Seniors at  five home Sportimes home matches from July 11-19. Winners will be given a uniform, season tickets to the Sportimes, and a small stipend. The deadline for entry is Monday, July 5, the same night the Sportimes begin play with a home match against the Washington Kastles.

The team will also have a number of fan-friendly promotions in July. The first 2,000 children attending matches will be given free racquets, compliments of USTA Eastern Section and the Sportimes.

The team will provide free shuttle bus service from several stops on the East Side of Manhattan, (2nd Avenue and 52nd, 42nd, 3rd Avenue and 44th, 61st, 71st, 82nd, 105th, 124th ) starting two hours prior to each match and returning to the same locations following the conclusion of each night’s events.  For the matches on July 5th, 11th and 12th, the team will also reimburse Sportimes ticket holders who drive to Randall’s Island for  their RFK bridge toll.

They will also be staging Moms Night Out 1 and 2 on July 12 against the Springfield Lasers and on July 19 against the New York Buzz.  The July 12th match will feature a host of special giveaways and a meet and greet with new mom and Sportimes’ star Ashley Harkleroad, mother of Charles.  And on July 19 tennis loving moms will get a chance to participate in a special event with 2009 US Open champion and new mom Kim Clijsters, mother of Jada.

On July 14, captain John McEnroe and the Sportimes will host Andy Roddick and the Philadelphia Freedoms on Brooklyn-Queens Night, an evening inspired by Roddick’s better half, model Brooklyn Decker, as well as by the borough where captain McEnroe first hit a tennis ball in Douglaston.  Anyone named for any of NYC’ s five boroughs, first or last name, or anyone showing up in a swimsuit, will be admitted for 40 percent off.  Also anyone proving they are a resident of Brooklyn or Queens will get a 20 percent discount on team merchandise.  If the Sportimes win the match, all Queens residents will leave with a special giveaway item;  if the Freedoms win, all Brooklyn residents will get a special giveaway.  On July 12, Foley’s New York will present Irish Tennis Night, with a special on court ceremony honoring the McEnroe family as the first inductees into the Foley’s New York Tennis Wall of Fame.

Sportimes’ captain McEnroe is playing in his 10th WTT season.  The July 19 matchup will feature Kim Clijsters, playing for the Sportimes with captain McEnroe in her only New York pre-US Open appearance, and facing off against former No. 1 Martina Hingis and her New York Buzz team.

Other highlights of the Sportimes’ home schedule include New York native James Blake’s visit with his Boston Lobsters team on Wednesday, July 7, and a return match with the Kastles and their star, world No. 1 Serena Williams, on July 15.

Tickets are available by calling 888-WTT-NYC1 or by visiting www.nysportimes.com.

Monday, July 5 – Washington Kastles, 7 p.m. (Opening Night)
Wednesday, July 7 – Boston Lobsters, 7 p.m. (with James Blake)
Sunday, July 11 – Philadelphia Freedoms, 4 p.m. (Tennis Family Day, Junior TeamTennis Day)
Monday, July 12 – Springfield Lasers, 7 p.m. (Foley’s New York Irish Tennis Night, Mom’s Night Out 1 with Ashley Harkleroad)
Wednesday, July 14* – Philadelphia Freedoms, 7 p.m. (John McEnroe vs. Andy Roddick) “Brooklyn-Queens Night”
Thursday, July 15 – Washington Kastles, 7 p.m. (with Serena Williams) (Ladies Night)
Monday, July 19* – New York Buzz, 7 p.m. (with Martina Hingis) – (John McEnroe and Kim Clijsters will be playing for the Sportimes)
*To be televised on The Tennis Channel

Topics: 2nd Avenue, 3rd Avenue, Compliments, Demo Show, Email, Free Shuttle Bus, Home Match, Interested Parties, Lifetime, Manhattan, New York Sportimes, Planning Company, Promotions, Season Tickets, Seniors Program, Shuttle Bus Service, Sportime, Stipend, Tennis Experience, Today Announced That

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