A letter from USTA Iowa President Brenton Kuchera

On behalf of USTA Iowa and the executive board, I want to wish you all a joyful holiday season and a Happy New Year.

As I reflect on this past year, I am filled with gratitude for our wonderful tennis community here in Iowa. Whether it’s our schools, parks, clubs or CTAs offering quality programming; our tireless tournament directors who dedicate countless hours to creating memorable experiences; our officials who uphold the integrity of the game and educate players on rules and etiquette; or our dedicated coaches who support players of all levels—thank you.

Most of all, I’m grateful to you, the players, who pick up a racquet and bring friends to the court to share the game we all love. Thanks to your passion and commitment, the state of tennis in Iowa is healthy. And since tennis is the healthiest sport, we can proudly say that our state is becoming healthier, too.

As we embrace the holiday season, I am reminded of Charles Dickens’s “A Christmas Carol” and how the holidays are a good time to reflect on the past, appreciate the present and look forward to a bright future for Iowa tennis in 2025.

In 2024, we saw significant growth in our tennis community. Our district’s website experienced its highest traffic ever, as more people turned to it for tennis news and play opportunities. In June, Cedar Rapids hosted a fantastic Fred Johnson ALL Stars tournament, with 70 athletes competing in five categories of adaptive tennis. Bunny Bruning was named the 2024 Champion of Equality and was honored at the US Open, in addition to being inducted into the USTA Iowa Hall of Fame.

We also saw increased participation in Junior Team Tennis and about a 7% increase in participation in adult leagues. Furthermore, our CTA Strategic Plan wrapped up this year with 24 out of 27 CTAs participating and receiving support to enhance their programming.

Currently we are gearing up for 2025. This year is designated as the “Year of the CTA” within our strategic plan. This stage will celebrate Iowa’s 27 CTAs and provide a 3-2-1 grant pathway to further support the incredible programming happening across the state. We are also working with tournament directors to promote section sportsmanship initiatives while streamlining the process for recognizing positive sportsmanship at the district level.