Tag: tennis scholarships

Summer Tennis Camp

Summer Full of Tennis Thanks to Scholarships

In partnership with adidas tennis camps

Andrea Vargas playing tennis at adidas summer camp

“What did you do over the summer?” 

As classrooms and school hallways fill with students excited to be returning to school, many children will ask this question. Some will describe memorable trips or time spent with family and friends. Some will share about summer camps and new experiences or adventures. 

For Andrea Vargas, a youth tennis player from Washington, D.C. she’ll be answering the question with, “I went to tennis summer camp!” Andrea received the USTA Mid-Atlantic Summer Camp Scholarship to attend a week of the adidas tennis camp at the Madeira School in McLean, Va.  

The Mid-Atlantic Summer Camp Scholarship program gives young athletes the opportunity to attend a summer tennis camp free of charge.

This scholarship program is made possible by the USTA Mid-Atlantic and organizations that donate camp sessions, such as the adidas tennis camp.

“Having the experience to come and enjoy my time at this summer camp was… FANTASTIC,” Andrea said. “I had the luxury to meet friends that I wouldn’t have met [before], and played amazing tennis with my friends, all thanks to this awesome camp!”

The adidas summer tennis camp is designed to give players the chance to uplevel their tennis. With the help of instruction from top coaches, players have the chance to play in exhibition matches with other athletes and access skillful drills. This camp enables athletes to become better tennis players in a fun, positive, and inclusive atmosphere. 

At USTA Mid-Atlantic, we are proud to give players the opportunity to continue to work on their tennis skills, build their community of tennis friends and grow through the character-building elements of the sport through scholarships that make experiences such as summer camp accessible.  

“This scholarship has impacted my tennis in so many ways. I learned things I wouldn’t have learned in another academy,” Andrea said when reflecting on how the USTA Mid-Atlantic Summer Camp Scholarship helped her tennis improve. 

Andrea Vargas playing tennis at the adidas summer camp

“Additionally, I had the opportunity to get some quality match play against a very good player and, of course, had fun while enjoying the sport I love the most!”

USTA Mid-Atlantic creates character. It is part of our mission to create opportunities for character building through the sport of tennis for all people. With the help of programs like the adidas summer camp, it increases access to character building benefits so ALL players have the chance to achieve the lifelong enjoyment of the sport.

To stay up to date on additional scholarship opportunities from USTA Mid-Atlantic, click here. And to learn more about the impact tennis is making in the Mid-Atlantic, explore additional resources here. 

USTA Mid-Atlantic is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to promoting tennis and its physical, social, and emotional health benefits. Learn how you can support our vital work and programs such as our summer camp scholarships and more.

Mikeal Carpenter Scholarship Recipient

Junior Scholarship Helps Players Reach Goals

A Testimonial to the Mid-Atlantic Junior Player Scholarship Program, from Mikeal C.

As a youth tennis player, Mikeal Carpenter had a vision for where he wanted to be and where he wanted his tennis game to go. He knew he wanted to eventually take his tennis talents into the collegiate level and hopefully progress from there. That is when he knew his route to get there involved tennis tournaments.

Mikeal Carpenter, Junior Player Scholarship recipient, Playing Tennis

Carpenter was successful in what he set out to do. His journey as a junior in the Mid-Atlantic Section was notable. Carpenter ranked within the top 5 in the Section and the top 100 Nationally. In 2019, he won the B18s June Sectional and was a finalist in B18s at the 2019 Zimmerman/Johnson USTA National Tournament. Currently, his tennis journey continues as a freshman on the men’s tennis team at Morgan State University. 

For Mikeal, being able to play in a variety of youth tennis tournaments was important for his path to success. So was being a 2018 USTA Mid-Atlantic Junior Player Scholarship recipient.

Read How Below:

First, when asked how receiving a scholarship helped further his tennis game, Carpenter responded, “receiving a scholarship from USTA Mid-Atlantic helped me a lot because I was able to play more tournaments and improve my game to go to the next level.”

Since 2013, the USTA Mid-Atlantic Junior Player Scholarship has helped young tennis players and families cover expenses related to tennis. It helps take away some of the financial worries that some families have when it comes to buying tennis equipment and shoes or adding in a few more lessons to the schedule.

Above all, it is because of generous donations from you that the scholarship program can help more children continue to play or start playing. 

“My two main goals for the future of my tennis game is to graduate from college while playing tennis, and I also want to play on the professional level at Wimbledon someday,” Carpenter said.

Read below to learn why he believes it important for you to support the Scholarship program.

Show Your Support:

Mikeal Carpenter, Junior Player Scholarship recipient, Playing Tennis at Orange Bowl

By supporting the Mid-Atlantic Junior Player Scholarship you can help more juniors in the Section achieve big goals like Mikeal. Expenses and access to tennis should not hinder any junior from being able to play the game they love. 

“People should support the scholarship program because it helps players who didn’t have the opportunity to play [in] certain tournaments the ability to play,” Carpenter said. “It really helps someone in need.”

Overall, at USTA Mid-Atlantic, we believe that neither background, location, resources, nor ability should limit any child from learning the lifetime sport of tennis. That is why the USTA Mid-Atlantic Junior Player Scholarship was developed. It provides solutions that help all children get physically active through tennis. 

How to Donate:

Help bring the love of tennis to more juniors in the Mid-Atlantic and help them reach big tennis goals. Support the Junior Player Scholarship by making a generous donation today. You can help the next junior player achieve big, just like Mikeal Carpenter. 

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.

Support the USTA Mid-Atlantic Junior Scholarship

Give the Gift of Opportunity to Youth Players

A Testimonial to the Mid-Atlantic Junior Scholarship Program, from Grace T.

When you make a gift to the USTA Mid-Atlantic Section, a charitable non-profit organization, you are helping to give the gift of opportunity to children and youth players in the region. You give the opportunity to not only learn and love tennis but to help children explore opportunities for future success that come by playing the sport. 

Grace T. scholarship recipient and shares why you should support the Mid-Atlantic Scholarship Program.

Specifically, when you give a gift, it can support the USTA Mid-Atlantic Junior Player Scholarship Program which helps cover tennis-related expenses for young players in need. Your gift helps real young people like Grace T., who received a scholarship from USTA Mid-Atlantic and had this to say about her award.

Read her responses below: 

USTA Mid-Atlantic: What do you love about playing tennis? 

Grace: I love tennis because I get to compete against various leveled players and also meet new people. Tennis has helped shape my character and helped me overcome physical, mental, social, and emotional challenges. I think tennis differs from other sports because it’s something that you could play forever. It’s a well-rounded sport and a high-impact activity; it requires endurance, quick movements, coordination, etc.

USTA Mid-Atlantic: After receiving a scholarship from USTA Mid-Atlantic, how has that enabled you to further your game or made an impact for you?

Grace: As a high-level player, receiving this scholarship helped defray the costs of travel expenses, tournament fees, and training. 

USTA Mid-Atlantic: Why do you think people should support the Mid-Atlantic junior scholarship program?

Grace: People should support this program because it gives youth the chance to participate and learn the sport. As players improve and advance, they may face financial burdens with training, competing, or traveling.

USTA Mid-Atlantic: What is the biggest lesson you have learned from tennis that you take with you off the court?

Grace: Every tournament I’ve played is a learning experience and tennis has taught me many lessons along my journey. It teaches you about resilience, responsibility, and commitment. 

Tennis has helped shape my character on and off the court and taught me to be ambitious. Tennis has allowed me to push through physical, mental, and emotional challenges I face during matches. 

Above all, tennis is a way for me to stay engaged with the community and stay active. 

Grace T. scholarship recipient and shares why you should support the Mid-Atlantic Scholarship Program.

There are many players in the Mid-Atlantic region just like Grace T., that need support to keep playing the game that they love. Right now, your gift can be the help that someone needs. Learn how below.

Make a tax-deductible donation and help young tennis players take their first tennis lesson or try their skills in a tournament. You can be the one that makes a difference and helps more kids gain access to tennis in a time when they need it most. Donate today! 

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.

Scholarship Program Helps Brothers Excel in Tennis and Life

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 found his way 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, Mikeal is attending Morgan State University and will play tennis for the Bears.

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 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 ANY level youth tennis player – beginners, intermediate and advance – and helps with expenses associated with the sport. 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.”

In the last seven years, USTA Mid-Atlantic has been able to provide approximately $33,000 in scholarships to youth players. We are proud of this but we know it is not enough.

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

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

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.