ITA Coaches Convention 
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About the ITA Coaches Convention
An annual event since 1985, the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Coaches Convention is one of the best professional development opportunities for collegiate tennis coaches today.
Nearly 300 men's and women's college tennis coaches at all levels gather each year for the convention. The four-day convention is highlighted by some of the most influential people in the sport of tennis. In addition to offering clinics, panel discussions, awards banquet, a trade show and a chance to exchange ideas, the ITA Coaches Convention serves as the venue for the association’s annual meetings, which includes its Board of Director and Operating Committee sessions.
“The convention is always a very exciting time of the year for our Coaches Association,” says ITA Executive Director David A Benjamin. “Besides being able to take in great clinics and workshops at a beautiful resort in a great city, the coaches also have a forum to meet and discuss the important issues within college tennistoday."
The 2011 ITA Coaches Convention will take place at the Naples Grande Beach Resort in Naples, Florida, December 13-16, 2011. Special guest speaker, MaliVai Washington, USTA/ITA Campus & Community Outreach and the USTA/ITA Campus QuickStart Provider of the Year Awards.
MaliVai Washington began playing tennis at the age of 5 after being introduced to the sport by his father. He won his first title at 8.
MaliVai attended the University of Michigan where he became a two time all American and finished his sophomore year ranked as the NCAA #1 tennis player in the nation.
In 1989 at the age of 20, MaliVai decided to forego his final two years at Michigan to become a professional. He was named the ATP rookie of the year in 1990. Over a career that spanned 10 years, he won 4 career titles while reaching a total of 13 finals. He reached a career high #11 in the world in singles in 1992, 1993 and 1996. MaliVai had career singles wins over Andre Agassi (2), John McEnroe (1), Boris Becker (1), Stefan Edberg (1), Jimmy Connors (4) and Michael Chang (1), Gustavo Kuertan (1) and Ivan Lendl (1) to name a few.
In 1996 he reached the Wimbledon Championships final, becoming the first African American man to reach a grand slam singles final since tennis great Arthur Ashe won Wimbledon in 1975. The two remain the only African American men to achieve this feat.
MaliVai was a member of the 1996 United States Olympic Team and United States Davis Cup Teams in 1993, 1996 and 1997. He suffered a knee injury during his final Davis Cup appearance against Gustavo Kuertan in Brazil in February 1997. Following two knee surgeries, MaliVai retired in November 1999.
In 1994 he created the MaliVai Washington Kids Foundation (www.malwashington.com) to introduce tennis to at risk youth. In 1997 the foundation expanded to include after school programs that use tennis as a platform to get youth to focus more on education, positive behavior, life skills and success.
On May 16, 2008 the foundation achieved its most ambitious goal and opened the MaliVai Washington Youth Center which includes a 9200 sq ft academic building, 11 tennis courts and basketball court to serve the youth and surrounding community. 2011 marks the 15th year of programming in Jacksonville, Florida.
MaliVai is the owner/broker for Washington Properties LLC, a real estate brokerage and investment company based in Ponte Vedra, Florida where he has resided for 21 years.
MaliVai has been the recipient of numerous awards including:
2009 Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Citizen of the Year
2009 ATP World Tour Arthur Ashe Humanitarian of the Year Award
In December 2010 MaliVai received the degree Bachelor of Business Administration, Finance, from the Coggin College of Business at the University of North Florida.
MaliVai and his wife Jennifer have two children and all are lifelong fans of the Jacksonville Jaguars.
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