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When the Easter Bowl 18s went from a USTA tournament to an International Tennis Federation Grade 1 back in 2005, a new event was necessary to provide a fourth gold ball opportunity for that age group.

The Mobile Tennis Center filled that gap, and has been hosting the 128-draw National Spring Championships for boys and girls ever since, with the ninth edition scheduled to begin Sunday and run through Saturday March 16th.

Scott Novak and his wife Lorraine are no strangers to directing tournaments, with 28 of them held at the 60-court Copeland-Cox municipal facility last year. But expectations are high for USTA gold-ball events, so each year the Novaks and their staff have worked to improve the experience for the players, coaches and families who make the trip to Mobile.

With the NCAA Division I spring signing period just weeks away, Novak has made sure the many college coaches who attend have access to the information they need.

"We found out this was a big recruiting tool bed, so we really tried to tailor it towards that," Novak says. "We've made scoreboards with the kids' information and pictures on it on every court, so when college coaches walk by, they can see if they've signed with a school, and what year they are in school. It's fun for the spectators to have it all right there too."