Father’s Day Experiences the Whole Family Can Enjoy

New and exciting ways to celebrate Dad with a tennis twist.

This Sunday is Father’s Day and if you feel you have exhausted all possible ways to celebrate Dad we are here to help!

Is Dad the one that is never late for a tennis match with his buddies? Or maybe he’s the one jumping at any chance to play tennis tournaments? Or was Dad “the man” for being at every one of your matches or tournaments, motivating you and fueling you up to do your best?

USTA Mid-Atlantic has compiled different, fun and exciting experiences to celebrate Dad – and it is all through your shared love of TENNIS. And the best part, you can continue them as a tradition for years to come.

So instead of gifting the yearly bow tie, a “#1 Dad” coffee mug, or socks this Father’s Day look to these ideas for inspiration on how you can salute Dad.

  • Find a court in a local park that you have never played at before and hit around with Dad. Enjoy taking in the experience of playing somewhere new, pack a picnic basket and take time for good conversation after the match;
  • Cardio tennis is becoming a huge deal, in about an hour you get a great workout in and enjoy tennis – take the whole family to your favorite court and set up cardio tennis drills or find a class near you;
  • Wimbledon is fast approaching – cook a traditional English style breakfast to share with Dad and the whole family. Bonus points for everyone that comes in white!
  • Have used tennis balls, and don’t know what to do with them? You and Dad can take them to a local animal shelter or SPCA and share the gift of tennis with all of the playful dogs;
  • Honor Dad and set up a Facebook fundraiser raising money in his name for USTA Mid-Atlantic, or donate to USTA Mid-Atlantic in your Dad’s honor;
  • Is Dad a champion for local tennis or doing something innovative for the sport in the USTA Mid-Atlantic Section? Recognize and celebrate your Dad by nominating him for a USTA Mid-Atlantic Award;
  • Challenge your Dad to an on-court steps challenge – use your smartwatch or step tracker and see who can get more steps in a game of tennis;
  • Honor Dad  and purchase a brick at the US Open with his name on it;
  • Volunteer with Dad for the day at a local Community Tennis Association or see if there is a local tennis court that needs some sprucing up that you can do together as a way to give back to the local community;
  • Do you and Dad share a love for woodworking? Make a vintage tennis racquet basket to use in any room in the house;
  • And last, bake and decorate cupcakes, cookies or a cake like a tennis ball and share the tennis treat with family and friends!

Don’t just settle for a boring Father’s Day gift this year. Try something new and create a lasting tradition with Dad and the family.

Fun DIY Halloween Decorations – Tennis Themed

One thing tennis lovers know is that there is always a creative way to reuse dead tennis balls. With Halloween season upon us, we’ve put together three spooktacular DIY Halloween decorations you can do with those scary dead tennis balls lurking in your basement, garage, trunk or bag.

We found these DIY craft projects are great activities to do with kids or grand kids or even during a Halloween party as an activity station.

Tennis coaches and tennis clubs, you can incorporate these craft projects into a Halloween-themed tennis lesson or tennis tournament for kids too.

So let’s raise the dead (ahem tennis balls that is) and have some Halloween fun making these awesome tennis inspired DIY Halloween tennis ball decorations.

DIY Halloween Tennis Ball Craft 

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What you need: 1

1 can of tennis balls
Glue
Scissors
4 googly eyes
Orange, green and black markers
3-4 pipe cleaners
1 piece of colored paper
Bottle tops (Gatorade or milk container tops recommended)

Start by making the base for the three Tennis Ball Halloween figures by gluing a bottle top to the bottom of each tennis ball.

Grab your markers and color 1 ball green, 1 ball orange and 1 ball black.

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Let’s make a Tennis Ball Witch!

Step 1: Grab the green tennis ball on base; the top to the tennis ball can, glue, paper, scissors, 2 eyes, green marker and a pipe cleaner.

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Step 2: Take your paper and cut out a half moon shape. 6

Step 3: Roll the half-moon shape to form a cone.

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Tip – Stapling the corners together will secure it quickly

Step 4: Glue the cone to the top of the tennis ball can – you made a witch’s hat!

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Step 5: Glue the witch’s hat to the tennis ball.

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Tip – Tilt the hat a little off to the side so that your eyes fit later

Step 6: Take a pipe cleaner and cut it in half. Take half of the pipe cleaner and fold it over two times, twist together to keep secure – you made a witch’s nose! Glue the nose to the tennis ball.


Step 7: Glue 2 googly eyes to the tennis ball – good job! You’re tennis ball witch is complete!

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Let’s make a Tennis Ball Pumpkin!

Step 1: Grab the orange tennis ball on base; the other half of the pipe cleaner you just cut for the witch’s nose, glue, and the black marker.

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Step 2: Take the pipe cleaner and fold it in half two times, twist together to keep secure and glue onto the top of your tennis ball.

Step 3: Take the black marker and draw on your pumpkin face. Whew! That was a quick one – you made a tennis ball pumpkin!

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Let’s make a Tennis Ball Bat!

Step 1: Grab the black tennis ball, 2 pipe cleaners, glue, and 2 googly eyes.

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Step 2: Glue on your two googly eyes to the front of the tennis ball.

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Step 3: Take a pipe cleaner and twist it closed at the end to make a loop. Do this to both pipe cleaners.

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Step 4: Create indentations in the bottom of the pipe cleaner to form the bat wings. Do this to both pipe cleaners. You made bat wings!

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Step 5: Glue the bat wings to the left and right side of your tennis ball. YAY! A tennis ball bat!

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Step 6: Bonus step if you have any extra pieces of pipe cleaners. Cut two 1” pieces of pip cleaner and bend to form a triangle. Add these two “bat ears” to the top of your tennis ball.

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Enjoy your tennis ball witch, pumpkin and bat to decorate your house for this haunting holiday – Happy Halloween!

Are the winter holidays quickly approaching? Learn how to make a DIY Tennis Ball Wreath.


Shell Wood is the Director of Adult Programs and Events for USTA Mid-Atlantic. She enjoys crafting and repurposing items to bring a little pizzazz to our events.