Eastern Colorado Tennis Association
Mission Statement
The Eastern Colorado Tennis Association inspires academic excellence and leadership using tennis as a tool to teach important life skills such as leadership, discipline, teamwork, and responsibility through the sport of tennis.
The ECTA proudly partners as a not-for-profit NJTL (National Junior Tennis and Learning) organization, serving under the umbrella of USTA (United States Tennis Association), the governing body of tennis throughout the country.
We are dedicated to offering the sport of tennis to children and adults of all levels of play through proper instruction and training that will make the sport of tennis accessible and more fun for those interested in making tennis a part of their life.
Start journeyKids who play tennis:
- Are less likely to binge drink and smoke.
- Are less likely to use drugs and get into trouble.
- Are less likely to be overweight and at-risk for life-long health issues.
- Learn about themselves and the etiquette of competition.
- Can pick up competitive skills that will last them a lifetime.
About The ECTA Team:
Diane Brooks
That’s probably the best description of Diane. She’s the daughter of a man who loved the game so much that he supported his family by selling Wilson tennis equipment on the West coast. After starting Diane in the game at age 9 he would then take her on sales trips to U.S.TA. tennis events throughout California, Oregon, and Washington states.
She played her first tournament at age 10, where she got a black eye her first time (going to the net). Not to be discouraged, she kept herself together and finished the match. From there, Diane went on to win state titles in the U.S.T.A. sixteens and under in both Oregon and Washington. After that as a member of the Northern California Section Team she competed in the U.S.T.A. national team event. Her team won out over 17 other sections from around the country winning Northern California their first and only national title.
As an adult, Diane has taught and given private lessons at facilities such as the John Gardner Tennis Ranch and the Beverly Hills Country Club. She was also director of tennis at the Las Vegas Country Club where she oversaw daily activities at Las Vegas’ only private tennis facility.
She has also worked for the U.S.T.A. in both Northern and Southern California.
Diane has never earned a paycheck from anything but tennis! Now that she is here in Colorado the need to have tennis as part of her life gives local youth an opportunity, and an example for others to follow.
Paul Luna
Pauls tennis story doesn’t start with tennis. It starts with team sports. After playing on team after team, in league after league, in various sports he started to feel that perhaps team sports were no longer for him.
At the end of his sophomore year in high school baseball, he decided that the following year he would pursue an individual sport. At that time there were three choices: track, wrestling, and tennis. The choice was tennis. After making the decision, he soon realized he might not be good enough to make the team. He spent that entire summer teaching himself how to play, primarily playing “against the wall”.
His hard work paid off and he made the team. Playing number four singles, Paul’s team made the Southern Section CIF semifinals both years he played. After that, Paul’s tennis did not stop. He spent the next few decades playing tournaments, leagues, and competing against anybody that would would “Bring It”.
With tennis now fully in his blood and a big part of his life, he once again started to feel there was something missing. Though Paul had always prided himself in being a “self taught” player he realized he wasn’t quite the player he should be. It was then that he decided to do something he thought he would never do, which was, take a tennis lesson. After playing for decades and now “pushing 60” he took his first ever tennis lesson from a pro named Larry Lewis. “It was a revelation!” said Paul. “Within minutes of being on the court with Larry, I was a better player. He connected the dots and gave me a higher scientific understanding of technique”. He decided that right then and there he would help others not make the same mistake he made and would pursue teaching. From there, Paul went to work for Larry, helping him run the City of Fort Collins tennis program. With encouragement from Larry, Paul decided he would start his own program in his home town of Fort Morgan.