Weiser tennis tournament raises money for scholarships

Bernie and Jennifer Weldon and family hosted the 9th Annual Sloane Weldon Memorial Tennis Tournament on June 19-20. The event was played in great weather and the Weldons hosted a large turnout.  
 The Sloane Weldon Memorial Tennis Tournament began nine years ago in honor of Sloane Weldon who passed away in a car accident in 2011. Sloane ran cross country, was a cheerleader, and played tennis in high school. Each year the funds from the tournament in her honor go directly into the Sloane Weldon Memorial Scholarship.
 The Sloane Weldon Memorial Scholarship has awarded $500 scholarships to 43 students over the last nine years. Bernie Weldon shared that the scholarship criteria is very simple, but that they believe it is very pertinent and actionable.  
 The student submits a 1-page reflection on what they have done during high school to be “involved” and “inclusive.”  This ensures the scholarship highlights different skills from the grades and test scores on which many other scholarships focus.
 Instead, Weldon shared that the scholarship focuses on character traits a student can choose.  
 “We believe these are two traits we can choose to do/be and which will benefit not only ourselves, but also others,” Weldon said.
 This year the tournament had 92 participants, and Weldon shared that it could not have been the success it was without the help of volunteers Angie Soulen and Emily DeYoung helping with the management of the tournament and Ruszoni’s Pizza and Weiser’s Rolling Hills Golf Course for sponsoring the prizes.
 The tournament followed a  round-robin format, guaranteeing each doubles team three matches and was broken down into four divisions.
 In the high school division first place was taken by Bryce Bake and Isaac To’omolatai with second place going to Huntyr McClellan and Emma Tolman.  Pedro Ixta and Justin Estes took third place.
 In the middle school division,  Dauge McClellan and Josh Mizar brought home the top spot, followed by  Halle Drollinger and Miles Davis in second place and  Bailey Coleman and Mason Brush taking third place.
 In the competitive open mixed/womens division, father daughter team,  Emma Tolman and Judd Tolman finished in first place, with Jami Hernandez and Lane Nielsen taking second place and Ashlyn Brush-Lima and Karson Brush taking third place.
 In the competitive open men’s division, first place went to Matt Bake and Bryce Bake followed by second place Randy James and Mason Harris and Layten Tolman and Pedro Ixta taking third place.
 In the Just for Fun women’s division Nicole Bouvia and Andrea Bouvia took first place; Karli Nielsen and Lauren Farmer finished in second place and Melanie Price and Jennifer Weldon took third place.
 In the Just for Fun mixed division Jami Hernandez and Rick Farmer took first place. Natalie Bake  and Jared Bake finished in second place and  Sienna McClellan and Dustin McClellan took third place.
 In the Just for Fun men’s division McKay Olsen and Alex Farmer finished in first with Lebraun Albert and Luke Albert finished in second and Braden Bumgarner and Bridger Bumgarner finished in third place.
 Traditionally, the Sloane Weldon Memorial Tennis Tournament takes place on Memorial Day weekend,  but with the COVID-19 restrictions the tournament had to be delayed this year. The Weldons hope to return the tournament to Memorial Day weekend in 2021.