Snohomish Summer Smash returns for ninth edition

Published 7:10 am Tuesday, June 11, 2024

SNOHOMISH — The tennis ball cans are being packed and rackets regripped and restrung for the ninth annual Snohomish Summer Smash tournament on July 18-21 at the Snohomish High School tennis courts.

The tournament is for high schoolers aged 14-18. The registration costs are $40 for singles and $60 for doubles and mixed doubles, with players guaranteed at least two matches. The registration deadline is July 9. Proceeds support the Panthers’ boys and girls tennis programs.

Main-draw matches are best of three sets, and the consolation matches are a one eight-game pro set.

The tournament also includes three levels of competition: bronze, silver and gold. Bronze is for players who have completed a season or two of JV or exhibition varsity matches, silver for those who ranked in the middle rungs of their varsity ladder, and gold for top varsity players and state qualifiers.

After a record-high 185 players from as far as Bellingham and Seattle competed at last year’s Snohomish Summer Smash, tournament director Kraig Norris is pleased to see the growth of one of the state’s largest tennis events.

“The real explosion in participation began after the pandemic,” Norris said in a press release. “Many area clubs have simply stopped offering Junior USTA tournaments, and players are desperate for opportunities to compete. Area high school coaches realized that we were providing a chance for their players to compete and get better, and many have actively promoted our tournament.”

For more information, visit the Snohomish Summer Smash website.