What started off as a way to connect with his dad became a full-blown career. Jason Brown started playing tennis at the age of seven to play doubles with his dad, and it didn’t take long for him to fall in love with the sport.
Turning Tennis Into a Career
Brown played throughout high school and into college where he ended up being the No. 1 singles and doubles player at Emporia State University. One summer while he was still in college, Brown started coaching.
“It was just a summer job coaching kids,” Brown said. “Then after, I got into high school coaching and it snowballed. Now I’m here.”
Hosting UTR Sports Junior Team Tennis
Brown is the Director of Member Experience at The Birch Racquet and Lawn Club (home of the Dent Tennis Academy) in Keller, Texas, and oversees programming, including one of the first UTR Junior Team Tennis Texas Fall Playoffs.
“The playoffs were a great experience – it was awesome to see all these kids just competing and pulling together as a team,” Brown said. “The courts were packed with kids and the atmosphere was not like any other. There were always 3-4 players on the sideline boosting up the players on the court.”
Players from the Fort Worth/Dallas and Austin area met for the event in mid-November. The draw was made up of eight teams with a total of 50 players competing in a match format that consisted of four singles and two doubles matches. Team Central Texas Tennis Association, captained by Sarah Pernell and Erik Olson, took home gold.
Offering Junior Circuits and More Events
Brown said he’s looking forward to putting on more large UTR Sports events.
“It went really well in terms of timing — we were able to work the tournament around programming, and the kids love it,” Brown said. “Our cafe wasn’t open yet, but next one we’ll have a cafe and other activities for the kids. Hopefully, in the future, we can do more of those.”
The Birch is no stranger to UTR Sports events. In 2023, The Birch ran match play prize events for both juniors and adults, as well as pickleball and Junior Circuit tournaments. The UTR Sports Junior Circuit format guarantees players a minimum of two matches with the opportunity to qualify for season-ending District and State playoffs.
The club already has Junior Circuit events scheduled for 2024 with Brown saying Junior Circuits are essential for their players.
“A lot of times these players don’t get to play on their school teams. Even if they play tournaments, they might not be getting multiple matches per tournament,” Brown said. “Junior Circuits is a great opportunity for those players to get more match play.”
Are you a club organizer looking to add more programming to your schedule? Click here to learn more about Junior Circuits.
Want to bring team leagues to your club? Learn more about Tennis Adult Leagues or Junior Team Tennis.