Registration Deadline Extended for the 11th Annual "Little Mo" Internationals in Colorado Springs, Colorado (June 28 - July 3, 2024)! | |
We hope you and your family will plan on joining us for our 11th Annual "Little Mo" Internationals tournament in Colorado Springs, Colorado - open to any player worldwide (ages 8-16)! This prestigious event will be the first leg of the 2024 "Little Mo" Slam and it will be held at the U.S. Air Force Academy (host site) from Friday, June 28 - Wednesday, July 3, 2024. To date, we have approximately 165 players registered from 24 different countries/territories worldwide and 18 states across the USA! It will be a fantastic week filled with new friendships, great sportsmanship, and competitive tennis so we hope you will encourage all of your tennis friends to register in the next few days!
| |
The registration deadline has been extended to Wednesday, June 12 at 11:30pm (Central Time). Be sure to register as soon as possible - June 12 will be the final deadline! To register, please click here or on the blue "Register Now" button. | |
|
All yellow ball results from the "Little Mo" tournaments (Regionals, Nationals, Internationals) will count towards your player's Universal Tennis Rating (UTR). All green dot results will count towards your player's Universal Tennis Color Ball Rating (CBR). All players will have an opportunity to participate in Singles, Doubles, and Mixed Doubles in addition to many exciting and memorable activities: | |
Register for the "Little Mo" Internationals in Colorado and Join the "Rocky Mountain Race" Scavenger Hunt for Prizes! | |
We are so excited to announce that we will be hosting the first-ever "Rocky Mountain Race" scavenger hunt during our upcoming "Little Mo" Internationals in Colorado! Special clues will be given out at the tournament each day and all registered players will have a chance to win one or more of the following prizes - more details to be announced at the tournament! | |
|
Friday, June 28:
$500 Cash Prize
| |
|
Saturday, June 29:
100 "Mo" Coins
| |
|
Sunday, June 30:
Autographed Wilson Racquet (choice of Ons Jabeur or Stefanos Tsitsipas)
| |
|
Monday, July 1:
Trip for 4 to Pikes Peak on the famous Cog Railway
| |
|
Tuesday, July 2:
Complimentary Entry to any 2024 "Little Mo" Tournament
| |
Come Join Us in Colorado Springs for a Fun Family Vacation, Outstanding Tennis, and the 1st Leg of the "Little Mo" Slam! | |
|
11th Annual "Little Mo" Internationals in Colorado
U.S. Air Force Academy
Colorado Springs, Colorado
June 28 - July 3, 2024
Extended Registration Deadline: Wednesday, June 12 at 11:30pm (Central Time)
| |
|
It will not only be a fun, competitive tournament but also a great destination for the entire family with many tourist attractions and sights to see: take the cog railway to the top of Pikes Peak, see the beautiful red rock formations at the Garden of the Gods and the waterfalls at Seven Falls, enjoy a spa day or a round of golf at the historic Broadmoor Hotel (a 5-star resort), tour the Air Force Academy and Cadet Chapel, check out the U.S. Olympic Training Center, visit the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, enjoy the Cave of the Winds, and more are all nearby! Also, Denver is a 1.5-hour drive north of Colorado Springs where you can see the Colorado State Capitol, tour the U.S. Mint, visit the museums and aquarium or experience some river rafting and hiking! | |
2024 "Little Mo" Slam
Win the Tallest Trophy in Junior Tennis (6 Feet Tall)!
| |
Have you ever dreamed of winning the tallest trophy in junior tennis? In 2013, MCB created the ultimate challenge for any player (ages 8-12) to win the "Little Mo" Slam. The Slam was created in honor of Maureen Connolly's Grand Slam win in 1953 - winning all four major championships (Australian, French, Wimbledon, and US Open) in the same calendar year. If a "Little Mo" player can win their yellow ball division at all three "Little Mo" Internationals (Colorado, New Jersey, Florida) in the same year, they will receive the tallest trophy in junior tennis (6 feet tall) and the title of "Little Mo" Slam Champion! The Slam continues this year with the 1st leg at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado (June 28 - July 3). The 2nd leg will take place at the West Orange Tennis Club in West Orange, New Jersey (August 17-21). The 3rd and final leg will be held at the Palm Beach Gardens Tennis Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida (December 6-11). There have been 11 players who have accomplished this magnificent feat in the past 11 years. | |
Who will win the "Little Mo" Slam this year? | |
Travel Grants will be awarded to players who win their age division (yellow ball only) at all "Little Mo" Internationals! | |
We hope you will join us for one or more of our international tournaments this year! Any "Little Mo" or "Big Mo" player who wins their yellow ball division (Singles only) at the "Little Mo" Internationals (Colorado, New Jersey, Florida) will receive a special travel grant during the tournament - more details to be announced at the tournament!
These travel grants are sponsored by the Tennis Competitors of Dallas (TCD) in Dallas, Texas and we are so thankful for their continued support of junior tennis!
| |
Player Referral Program
$20 for each player referred!
| |
Matias Moran helps promote the "Little Mo" by handing out flyers at tennis clubs! | |
We hope you will tell all of your friends about the "Little Mo" tournaments! As a special incentive for helping us spread the word, we would like to offer you an opportunity to receive $20 (per referral) from MCB if you are able to encourage a friend(s) to sign up. A custom question has been added to the tournament registration process whereby the referred player can type in your name on their entry form as having referred them.
For every player you refer, you will receive $20 at the tournament. Only the names entered during the online registration process will count towards earning this prize. Also, any player who withdraws from the tournament will not count towards this prize.
| |
In order to claim your referral prize, please stop by the "Little Mo/Big Mo" Booth during any "Little Mo" tournament this year. Referral prizes will only be awarded at the tournament and they may only be redeemed in the year they are earned. The more players you refer, the more you can earn! If you have any other questions about this special offer, or if you would like to help promote the "Little Mo" tournaments by distributing flyers to clubs in your area, please send an email to: carol@mcbtennis.org. | |
A Special Thank You To Our Sponsors: | |
The "Little Mo" tournaments are hosted by MCB in memory of its tennis champion namesake, Maureen "Little Mo" Connolly Brinker. Born in San Diego, Maureen became the first woman to achieve the Grand Slam of tennis in 1953 by winning all four major championships (Australian, French, Wimbledon, and US Open) in the same year. She was well-known for her powerful groundstrokes from the baseline, which earned her the famous nickname "Little Mo" - a comparison to the explosive firepower of the battleship USS Missouri, also known as "Big Mo". Only five players in the history of tennis have won the calendar Grand Slam, and Maureen is still the only American woman and the youngest at age 18 to have accomplished this magnificent feat. She won an amazing nine consecutive championship titles (three US, three Wimbledon, two French, one Australian - undefeated in 50 matches).
| |
Unfortunately, her spectacular career would be short-lived due to a horseback riding accident in 1954. While she could no longer compete at an elite level, Maureen's legacy as a legendary tennis star would continue through the Maureen Connolly Brinker Tennis Foundation (MCB). Founded in 1968 with her dear friend Nancy Jeffett, MCB's mission would be the promotion and support of junior tennis development worldwide. That same year, she was inducted into the prestigious International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, Rhode Island. Sadly, Maureen lost her valiant battle with cancer the following year and passed away at the young age of 34. Although her tennis career only spanned three years, many premier sportswriters consider Maureen Connolly to be the finest of all female players for her achievements on and off the court. In 2019, she was honored by the United States Postal Service with her very own "Little Mo" Commemorative Forever Stamp.
| |
Today, MCB continues to support the growth of junior tennis by organizing numerous "Little Mo" tournaments throughout the United States annually for talented girls and boys (ages 8-16). These events are designed to provide outstanding competition at the regional, national, and international level while also encouraging players to develop new friendships, learn good sportsmanship, and most of all, have fun. The "Little Mo" tournaments are also unique in that young players have the opportunity to gauge their ability against others born in the same year from around the world (i.e., 8's play 8's, 9's play 9's). MCB strives to empower young athletes by giving travel grants, "Mo" Coins for prizes, and also Sportsmanship and Kindness awards to deserving individuals in honor of Maureen's legacy. The Foundation also contributes financially to many notable programs including the National Junior Tennis League for inner-city youth and Invest In A Child for deaf and wheelchair tennis.
| |
Over the years, many well-known collegiate players and famous tennis professionals have participated in the "Little Mo" tournaments including Andy Roddick, Coco Gauff, Taylor Fritz, Tommy Paul, Belinda Bencic, Madison Keys, Leylah Fernandez, Dominic Thiem, Emma Raducanu, Sebastian Korda, Christopher Eubanks, Jenson Brooksby, Brandon Nakashima, Vasek Pospisil, Borna Coric, Mackie McDonald, Denis Kudla, Ryan Harrison, Taylor Townsend, Donald Young, Steve Johnson, Sofia Kenin, CiCi Bellis, and Ana Konjuh among many others. Roddick won the "Little Mo" in 1992 (age 10) and he said, "the 'Little Mo' was my first big win!" Gauff won the "Little Mo" in 2012 (age 8) and she said, "the 'Little Mo' is where the belief began." This is all wonderful news for junior tennis and we are so proud that the "Little Mo" continues to be one of the most popular events for young players around the world.
| |
MCB has promoted the development of junior tennis for over 55 years and continues to benefit countless numbers of young players worldwide. It is our mission to provide a special and meaningful experience at all of our events while also inspiring outstanding attributes at a young age such as fair play, good character, integrity, sportsmanship, kindness, giving back, and an "attitude of gratitude". Thank you so much for your support of the "Little Mo" tournaments and the legacy of Maureen Connolly Brinker. Thousands of players compete in the "Little Mo" tournaments annually and we hope to see even more youngsters play this wonderful "sport for a lifetime" this year. We would also very much appreciate your help in spreading the word about the "Little Mo" so we can continue to impact future generations of young players. The MCB Tennis Foundation is led by its directors: Cindy Brinker Simmons (President), Brenda Brinker Bottum (Vice President), and Elizabeth Jeffett (Vice President). Carol Weyman (Executive Vice President), Matthew Cody (Tournament Operations Manager), and Tiffany Hollebeck (Tournament Operations Coordinator) organize the "Little Mo" tournaments. For more information about the "Little Mo", please visit our MCB website at: www.mcbtennis.org and click on "Tournaments". Play "Mo" Tennis! | |
|
We hope you will find some time to enjoy the 1978 "Little Mo" movie (made for TV) about Maureen Connolly. The movie is about 2.5 hours long and features some major movie stars like Mark Harmon, Leslie Nielsen, and Glynnis O'Connor. It is a wonderful movie for the entire family and is very inspirational for young players who love the game of tennis. Thank you so much for sharing the "Little Mo" story with your child as it will help make their "Little Mo" experience more meaningful.
To watch the "Little Mo" movie, please click on the popcorn icon!
| | | | |