Benefits Junior Tennis Through Variety Children’s Charity
By Alison Elsner
Indian Ridge Country Club will host the first Rosie Casals & Jackie Cooper Invitational, an event that will include local professionals and juniors who will play in a Team Tennis Pro-Am with paid amateurs. All proceeds will benefit the Tory Fretz &Jackie Cooper Junior Tennis Fund at Variety the Children’s Charity of the Desert. The event will take place on Sunday, April 26, 2015 at 8:30am.
Tickets are $200 per person, which includes a barbecue lunch, or $75 for lunch only. Attendees may RSVP by calling 760-772-9411 or emailing Sportswomn@aol.com. A registration form is also available to print out at www.sportswomanevents.com. Indian Ridge Country Club is located at 76375 Country Club Drive, Palm Desert, California, 92211.
Rosemary “Rosie” Casals, a Palm Desert resident and well known tennis legend, was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1996. She is organizing the fundraising event through her company, Sportswoman, Inc., to honor the legacy of her friend and tennis pro, Jackie Cooper, who was instrumental in promoting junior tennis in the Coachella Valley.
Esurance is this year’s title sponsor, and Mylan World Team Tennis (WTT) is the presenting sponsor. Sportswoman, Inc. serves as host sponsor with Indian Ridge County Club as venue sponsor. Star Ortho has also signed on to support the event. Media sponsors include KPLM Big 106 FM and KJJZ 102.3 FM (Marker Broadcasting) and Desert Golf & Tennis magazine. High visibility sponsorships are welcome and available by visiting www.sportswomanevents.com or by emailing Sportswomn@aol.com.
The Rosie Casals & Jackie Cooper Team Tennis Pro-Am will feature a Pro-Am with local juniors and professionals competing in a team tennis format that will consist of one pro, one junior and two amateurs. Billie Jean King and her World Team Tennis League, celebrating their 40th Anniversary this year, has come on
board as a sponsor and supporter of junior tennis in the Coachella Valley. There will also be a “Doubles Shootout” with the pros and juniors teaming up with one another for trophies and cash prizes for the pros.
Billie Jean King, doubles partner and close friend of Rosie’s, said, “I’m so glad Rosie is holding this tournament in her home club of Indian Ridge to raise funds for needy juniors in the desert. I know this is just the beginning of great things to come.”
Rosie Casals said, “I’ve personally helped a lot of the junior tennis players whenever possible here in the desert. I know from my own experience on public courts that supporting these boys and girls is essential to help them realize their dreams and reach their goals. Events like this Invitational are crucial to help give kids a start.”
