The Wheeling Oglebay Tennis Club, the largest and most active tennis organization in the area, will kick off the 2017-2018 season with a youth play day, an adult round robin, and a membership picnic on Saturday at Oglebay Park.

The day’s events will begin with a youth play day on the Oglebay courts from noon-1:30 p.m. Any interested youth is invited to participate; beginners will be given an introduction to tennis while experienced players will be supervised during match play. A pizza party will be held for the youth participants at 1:30.

The adult round robin will be held from 2-4 p.m. Adults of all ability levels are welcome to join in the match play.

Youth and adults are not required to be members of the WOTC to participate in this day’s free on-court events, but information about the club will be shared, and they will be invited to join.

Following the round robin, members are invited to Haller Shelter for social time from 4 to 5 pm, a brief meeting (election of board members), and then dinner beginning at 5 pm.

Those planning to attend the dinner should RSVP by Monday by emailing the club at wheelingoglebaytennisclub@gmail.com or by texting Saun Capehart at (304) 280-0645. Please provide the number to attend and select a type of covered dish you will bring to share: salad, main dish, vegetable, or dessert. Chicken, beverages, and paper products will be provided.

Any tennis enthusiast, player or not, is welcome to join the Wheeling Oglebay Tennis Club. WOTC membership runs from May 1, 2017, through April 30, 2018. Membership forms can be obtained at the Wheeling Park or Oglebay tennis shops, at the picnic, or by email at wheelingoglebaytennisclub@gmail.com. Anyone having questions about membership should call membership chairperson, Brenda Matzke at (304) 639-8573.

Membership in the club helps the WOTC to promote youth and adult programs, such as the Elementary Play Day, Millie Mulhern Youth Tennis, and the OVAC High School Kick-off.

Elementary play days are free to children ages 6-11. For two hours the children are involved in tennis, agility, coordination, and speed drills.

Millie Mulhern Youth Tennis gives children from grades 4-10 the opportunity to learn tennis and to compete in interscholastic matches during a five to six week free program.

The club also sponsors a free high school kick-off, which gets OVAC players together for a two hour clinic to begin their season.

In addition, the club has provided tennis equipment and instructional material to physical education teachers for use in their classes.

Adult programs, such as the Grow the Game Clinic, have also been presented by the WOTC. Round robins, socials, and tournaments are offered throughout the year.

The two adult tournaments presented each summer are the Jack Dorsey Memorial Senior National (category II) and the Bordas and Bordas West Virginia Open, a Middle States sectional championship, which awards $5000 in total prize money.

This year’s senior tournament will be June 8-11, and the sectional championship will be July 27-30.

Membership in the club allows players to get discounts for tennis with the Wheeling Park Commission, to participate in free winter and summer round robins, to enjoy socials during the tournaments, to compete in ladder competition, etc.

The Wheeling Oglebay Tennis Club holds memberships in the United States Tennis Association, the Community Tennis Association, and the National Junior Tennis and Learning organizations.