Early Beginnings

The University Interscholastic League (UIL) was formed in 1913, hosting its first state boys’ doubles championship in 1914, followed by boys’ singles in 1919. Girls’ singles and doubles events were added the next year, in 1920.

Dr. D. A. Penick, the University of Texas Men’s Tennis Coach, played a pivotal role in these early years. Serving as UIL Director of Tennis for over 30 years, Penick helped establish a foundation for competitive school tennis in Texas. As coaching knowledge spread, the sport flourished statewide.

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From Informal Meetings to Formal Organization

Originally called the Texas High School Tennis Coaches Association, the TTCA began as informal gatherings of coaches whose players competed in the UIL State Tournament each spring in Austin.

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Prominent coaches, including Wright Chrane (Pyote), Bill Estes (Crane), and Chuck Avera (Wichita Falls), are believed to have served as informal presidents during the 1950s and early 1960s.

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The first formally elected president, Hall of Fame Coach Robert Gardner of Rosenberg Lamar Consolidated High School, took office in 1963, marking the official beginning of the TTCA as an organized association.

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Recognition by the UIL

In 1963, UIL Athletic Director Dr. Bailey Marshall formally recognized the TTCA as the official voice of school tennis in Texas.

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The association’s purpose evolved from casual discussions to active advocacy — working to improve UIL tennis rules, policies, and programs. Annual Austin meetings became open forums for coaches statewide to share feedback and influence the direction of high school tennis.

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Expanding the Mission

As the TTCA’s credibility grew, its mission expanded to include education and professional development.

In 1973, the association launched four regional coaching clinics, laying the groundwork for the first statewide Tennis Coaching Workshop in 1978 at Newcombe’s Tennis Ranch in New Braunfels.

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By 2015, the annual convention found its new home at Horseshoe Bay Resort in the Texas Hill Country. It is now held each December and attended by up to 600 coaches each year.

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Birth of Team Tennis

One of TTCA’s greatest achievements emerged in the 1960s and 1970s, when experimental high school team tennis leagues appeared in Corpus Christi, West Texas, San Antonio, and Houston.

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Led by Terry Oxford of Alamo Heights, the TTCA launched a statewide Fall Team Tennis competition in 1974 for Class 3A and 4A schools.

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The format’s success led to UIL-sanctioned Team Tennis beginning in 1982 for Class 5A schools, and expanding to 4A the following year. The TTCA continued hosting a 3A-and-under Spring Team Tennis Championship, a tradition that continues to this day and has inspired similar programs nationwide.

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A Year-Round Legacy

Today, Texas boasts one of the most competitive and comprehensive high school tennis programs in the country.

For Classes 4A–6A, the UIL calendar features Team Tennis Championships each November and individual championships every May.

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Each match includes:

• 6 boys’ singles

• 3 boys’ doubles

• 6 girls’ singles

• 3 girls’ doubles

• 1 mixed doubles

 

This structure requires at least seven boys and seven girls per team, reinforcing tennis as both an individual and team sport.

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Across every school classification, district and regional competitions serve as gateways to the UIL State Championships, continuing the proud tradition that the TTCA began more than half a century ago.

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Learn more about the formation and evolution of the TTCA below:

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