MID-TAC tradition continues at Carmel Racquet Club

By RICHIE HALL
sports@readthereporter.com

CARMEL – A nearly 40-year tradition continued this past weekend at the Carmel Racquet Club.

The annual MID-TAC tennis tournament took place from July 2 to July 5. Close to 200 players competed in the tournament, with CRC hosting the senior division, for those players 55 and over.

The MID-TAC tournament celebrated its 103^rd year in 2026 and has been hosted by the Capitol City Tennis Club in Indianapolis since 1979. MID-TAC is the Midwestern section of the American Tennis Association, a historically African American tennis organization.

Many of MID-TAC’s senior players have been participating in the tournament for decades. Rita Patterson, who serves as the MID-TAC treasurer, said she’s been coming to the event since 1984.

“And I’ve always been playing,” she said. “This is my first year not playing.”

While the seniors played at Carmel, the junior and adult players were competing at Riverside Park’s Marion I. Rice Tennis Courts. Juniors play up to age 18, while the senior categories begin at age 50.

The matches are competitive – Patterson said players don’t come to the tournament unless they are competitive – there is a social aspect to the tournament that Patterson said is “very important. That’s how you meet people.”

Players come from across the Midwest, such as Chicago, Louisville, Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio. Many of those players have been attending the tournament for decades.

Laurice Smith of Memphis, Tenn., took a minute to speak to The Reporter in between matches on Friday, July 3. Smith said she has been playing in the tournament “for at least 20 years” and enjoys the camaraderie and friendships that develop over the years, as well as the chance to “come to a different part of the country, other than where you live.”

“You meet a lot of nice people that I’ve known for 10, 15, 20 years,” said Smith. “And I love tennis, so it’s just good to come and play different people from other states.”

In addition to tennis and friendships, MID-TAC helps provide for its junior players with scholarships. Patterson said the scholarships are in a “donation type of setup.”

“A lot of times people will send in donations from member clubs,” said Patterson. “We have 19 member clubs, and those member clubs play dues. The amount of dues is $100, and that dues money is split up between the administration of the junior scholarships. We have a form we send out so that they can choose how they want their donations used. And we stay close to that, and I create reports that show exactly what we use, what amounts we use for what portion.”

There’s only one simple requirement for receiving the money.

“If you’re one of the scholarship winners, the only requirement is you come back the following year to get your money,” said Patterson.

“I belong to Newburgh Tennis Association in Louisville,” said Patterson. “We have a clinic for adults and children and we push them to learn the game, and we also let them know there’s scholarship money out there.

The advice to young players is also simple. “Stay focused and we will help you.”

“We give them the racquets, we train them and just push them out there and push them to be the best they can be, and it gives them a lot of confidence,” said Patterson. “A lot of them have really succeeded.”