donate to tennis – Tennis on Point

I love tennis because it changed my life; I coach tennis because it has the power to change the lives of others! My name is Noe, and I moved from El Salvador to the United States and started my career as a tennis teaching professional. It is especially moving to see what the sport of tennis can do for a child and I want to continue to bring the benefits of this sport to as many children as possible. I’m sharing my experiences and telling you how you can help more children learn tennis by supporting USTA Mid-Atlantic.

“Always have fun!” I constantly stress this to my students that I coach in the USTA Mid-Atlantic’s youth tennis after school and summer camp programs.

Each week, I see children of all different backgrounds put a racquet in their hand and have fun together.

Growing up, I came from a poor community and didn’t have a way to play tennis. I am so impressed that this program helps make sure all children can learn the sport, no matter the circumstances.

In addition to working progressively each week on different tennis fundamentals, each session also engages participants in activities focusing on leadership skills and character development. These are the lessons that will shape children for life.

Let me share an example:

Earlier this spring, I was doing a fun challenge game with a group of my students. I was so inspired by one student in particular and how his practice outside of the program helped him focus on his game and control over the ball. When kids start the program they want to hit the ball as hard and as far as they can. In this game, the student-focused hard on controlling the ball and keeping it in play. He was able to rally and get the game moving with his peers. And the best part of the story is that it had only been a few weeks since the students picked up a racquet for the first time.

This is the magic of the USTA Mid-Atlantic tennis programs for kids. Given the success of each program, the USTA Mid-Atlantic is committed to expanding the program reach – especially to schools and communities that are economically disadvantaged and need tennis programs the most.

They cannot do this alone, they need your support to introduce tennis to more kids in the Mid-Atlantic region. A tax deductible gift of $100.74 covers the cost of equipment, a high-quality curriculum, and instruction for one child in the program.

This year, an anonymous donor will match all donations up to $10,000 for 2019. Join me and double your gift and impact by giving today because every child deserves this experience.

Thank you for taking the time to read my story about the power of tennis and the power of USTA Mid-Atlantic.

Sincerely,

Noe

Proud Coach, USTA Mid-Atlantic After School Youth Tennis Program

P.S. USTA Mid-Atlantic has reached more than 1,300 kids so far in 2019 and more than 10,000 overall since the program’s inception in 2016. Your tax deductible gift of $100.74 will help another child experience the love of tennis.

It started by hitting balls against a wall. For then four-year-old Amir C., he had no choice to be at the tennis courts with his grandparents and brother who was training and competing in tennis at a higher level. To pass the time, he would hit balls against a wall, but everything changed when someone saw a talent in him that couldn’t be ignored. Red ball, orange ball, green ball, he improved through the USTA Mid-Atlantic’s youth tennis progression and now at 11 years old, is expertly competing in junior tournaments throughout the Mid-Atlantic and nationally.

But for Amir’s family, he and his brother Mikeal’s competitive tennis mean a lot of sacrifices especially financially. The boys are being raised by their grandparents and since they are retired the family has limited income. But they’ve had support from USTA Mid-Atlantic’s scholarship program for both boys over the years to help cover some costs such as travel to major tournaments. tennis-hitting-wall-tennis-ball-hoffmann

“I fully support the Mid-Atlantic scholarship program,” says Mikeal and Amir’s grandmother, a tennis player herself and along with the boys’ grandfather, their primary caregiver. “It is extremely hard financially, and the scholarships that we have been fortunate enough to get have been a life saver. It has assisted us in paying tournament fees and travel costs.”

When Mikeal and Amir were younger, their grandparents began totting the boys along to the courts. It was only natural that both boys got into the sport. Older brother Mikeal fell in love with tennis and began competing in tournaments when he was seven. Now, he is 17 and is looking into playing Division I collegiate tennis.

And there are many families just like this one, whose children are dreaming big and performing on the tennis court that need help to keep those dreams going. You can be the one that supports the dream and makes a difference.

As can be the case in competitive junior tennis, costs to train and travel tend to increase as young athletes progress. For highly competitive junior tournament players, their tennis experience and development includes traveling to local and regional tournaments, extra hours on the tennis court training and frequent purchases of new equipment.

These costs can be a significant barrier for many families in the Mid-Atlantic region, especially those of low-income. This can mean some families are faced with really tough financial decisions, especially when every dollar counts.

At USTA Mid-Atlantic Section, our ultimate vision is that every child in the Mid-Atlantic plays tennis. We don’t want any child precluded from playing tennis because of financial challenges. We know how important and powerful it is to provide youth a healthy, empowering and enriching activity that can launch the next generation into a successful future.

That’s why we have a scholarship program that supports high performance junior players in need and you can help more kids grow through tennis when you support our programs too.

“Whatever the amount of the scholarship, we have put it to great use on the kids. It has allowed them to be able to play the bigger tournaments that we would otherwise not be able to afford to participate in. They both have really improved their tennis by being able to compete at some of these national tournaments,” says Mikeal and Amir’s grandmother.

She also says that tennis has truly shaped the boys lives for the better, giving the boys friends for life and the know-how to treat and respect their friends. She says they have learned good sportsmanship and integrity, and how to be organized thanks to tennis. And that the sport has made them want to have healthier habits and keeps them grounded.

She adds, “We really appreciate the funds we receive for their tennis. The expenses add up really fast, especially if you have more than one player to support. So much is needed and the scholarship program is a great help to families.”

Last year, USTA Mid-Atlantic was able to provide six players scholarships that totaled $2,500.

We want and need to do more for our youth and families in the Mid-Atlantic that may be struggling financially but that are striving for excellence on the tennis court. Are you able to make a gift and support our scholarship and other programs that help keep kids in the sport?

Make a donation today to USTA Mid-Atlantic and support the future of our sport.

USTA Mid-Atlantic is a tax exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Service and has the Guide Star Silver Seal of Transparency.