When the students came back to school this fall at Windsor Knolls Middle School in Ijamsville, Md., they were greeted with refurbished tennis courts. Windsor Knolls Middle School was one of the 2018 USTA Mid-Atlantic Safe Place to Play Grant recipients. This grant program, from USTA Mid-Atlantic Section, is designed to provide funding to projects that build or revitalize tennis courts in local Mid-Atlantic communities as a way to support increasing access to tennis. The grant program requires that each project implement inclusive tennis programs and demonstrate how they’ll use the courts to introduce tennis to more people, especially among youth and the underserved.  USTA Mid-Atlantic allocates funds to support the Safe Places to Play grant program, but also relies on the support of donations to help advance efforts to grow tennis and expand programs such as this one.

Before the Safe Place to Play grant the courts at Windsor Knolls were overdue for refurbishment.

The Windsor Knolls Middle School courts were long overdue for a face-lift. The school system did not have extra funds for this project so without support of grant funding from USTA Mid-Atlantic, the project would not have been possible. Advanced Academics Specialist at Windsor Knolls, Lori Saylor applied for the grant. Lori is an avid tennis player and coaches the local high school team. She has also started a Net Generation After School tennis group to get more kids from the community into the sport early. 

Refurbished tennis courts at Windsor Knolls Middle School now are inviting spaces to play.

The project at Windsor Knolls Middle School refurbished existing courts which included patching, painting, lining, painting of the net posts, new nets, and net straps. In addition, the school was able to purchase junior sized racquets, balls and hoppers for the use by the PE classes and the Net Generation After School program. With limited public tennis facilities available in the Frederick County area, the refurbished courts will also serve the community providing a free, public place to play tennis. USTA teams will also have the opportunity to use the courts for local tennis play. 

Lori reports that the newly refreshed courts have been very well-received and that the

Students enjoy playing tennis on the new  refurbished courts through the Safe Place to Play Grant.

Net Generation After School tennis group is growing in popularity. She expects that the new courts and equipment available will will bring fresh energy to toward the group and for tennis in the community. Her hope is that by introducing middle school students to tennis early there will be more enthusiasm to play throughout high school as well. 

USTA Mid-Atlantic Section is proud to provide the Safe Place to Play grant program in support of tennis infrastructure projects. These projects support the mission to promote and develop the growth of tennis locally in our Mid-Atlantic neighborhoods. You can help support projects like this and help us make more courts inviting, safe places to play. Make a tax-deductible donation to USTA Mid-Atlantic today. 

Apply for a Safe Place to Play Grant 

As a non-profit organization dedicated to both the sport and its players, USTA Mid-Atlantic aims to make tennis the most accessible sport in the region.  We are taking action by supporting the creation of safe, accessible places to play and grow the game. Through the Safe Place to Play Grant, we support projects that refurbish and revitalize local tennis courts in the Mid-Atlantic to create inviting places to play and contribute to creating healthy, active communities. You can learn more about our 2019 Safe Place to Play Grant Guidelines and apply here.

USTA Mid-Atlantic Section, Inc. is an exempt organization as described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code; EIN 54-1472806. All donations made to USTA Mid-Atlantic Section Inc. are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.