Community Tennis Associations MAKING TENNIS AVAILABLE TO ALL

Several organizations in the Chicago area that work hard every day to give people from all backgrounds the opportunity to play. USTA Community Tennis Associations (CTAs) are not-for-profit, volunteer-based organizations that support programs that grow tennis. Some CTAs offer only one program, tournament or special event; some run a tennis program at a specific facility, and some simply fundraise to support the game. In the Chicago area, CTAs play an important role as entry points if you’re looking to get started in the game, find more play opportunities or to give back to this lifetime sport.

In 1969, the National Junior Tennis League (NJTL) was created by the USTA as a way to gain and hold the attention of young people, with the hope of teaching them the importance of character, getting an education and becoming productive adults. Today, the NJTL network is comprised of youth development organizations that offer free or low-cost tennis and education programming to under-resourced youth.

Our Chicago District CTAs and NJTLs described below play an important role in developing tennis in neighborhoods, gyms, parks and schools. Some offer afterschool tutoring that also focuses on academic enrichment and life-skills curriculum along with tennis.

• The ACE Project nurtures children living in underserved communities by building character, confidence, and competency through the sport of tennis.

• Barrington Area Tennis Association runs instructional programs for youth in Barrington including Buddy Up Tennis, a high energy adaptive tennis and fitness program for children and young adults with Down syndrome.

• Chicago Park District Tennis Association has been running an adult team-based summer league in the parks for more than 75 years.

• Chicago Prairie Tennis Club focuses on the development of junior tennis players, believing that youth involvement in the game of tennis assists in the development of character, social skills, sportsmanship and discipline. Summer programming takes place at Lake Meadows Tennis Center on Chicago’s south side.

• Evanston Community Tennis Association coordinates leagues, tournaments, and recreational events throughout the year for tennis enthusiasts in Evanston.

• Great Lakes Adaptive Sports Association (GLASA) strives to ‘Let No One Sit on the Sidelines,’ operating under a mission to promote and support the optimal development and well-being of youth, adults and military veterans who have a physical or visual disability through the provision of inclusive recreation, fitness and competitive sports.

• Love to Serve, Inc. provides quality tennis and education programs that contribute to positive youth development, improve student academic outcomes, and build knowledge and skills for future success in college and careers.

• Maywood Tennis Association works with area youth teaching them the game of tennis and helping them to pursue success both on and off the courts.

• Midwestern Tennis Association (MID-TAC) is the Midwest Section of the American Tennis Association (America’s oldest African American Tennis Association), an organization that uses tennis as a vehicle to cultivate strong family values.

• Multicultural Tennis Association, Inc. seeks to raise the profile of tennis in local Spanish-speaking communities.

• Second City Tennis is focused on creating and supporting social and competitive tennis programming for Chicago LGBTQIA+ and allied communities. SCT hosts the Second City Tennis Classic, the largest tournament in the region sanctioned by the Gay and Lesbian Tennis Association.

Guide To Chicagoland Tennis

• Serving Up Hope (SUH) provides tennis and STEM programming for underprivileged children with programs located in Uganda, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Ft. Lauderdale, and Chicago. SUH is led by professional tennis players including Vania King, the organization’s founder.

• Sports for Life is a provider of sports management to grow and develop the game of tennis to people of all ages and abilities by offering tennis, fitness and sports camps in the Chicagoland area.

• Tennis Opportunity Program, Inc. (TOP) provides academic and athletic training so its kids can achieve excellence beyond the tennis court.

• Topspin and Violins (T&S) removes barriers by making tennis and music education available to all children in the western suburbs of Chicago. T&S instructional programs for youth take place in local parks and schools on a year-round basis.

• XS Tennis and Education Foundation strives to introduce as many underserved Chicago youth as possible to tennis with the intention of guiding them down a pathway to college through attainment of a tennis scholarship and sustained excellence thereafter. XS Tennis is open to everyone; full scholarships are available for Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) residents and income-based scholarships are available to others.

• Youth Education Sports (YES) works to improve the lives of Evanston youth through tennis and academic assistance, creating opportunities for children, especially those with limited resources and those needing extra help in school.

Forming a new CTA is a huge, but rewarding, undertaking. It involves ongoing coordinated efforts by a group of dedicated tennis players who want to serve their community. If you are interested in forming a CTA, find out more by emailing info@chicagodistricttennis.com.

If starting a new organization isn’t in the cards for you, the organizations above may be able to use your passion for tennis in a volunteer role. Check out our business listings on page 8 to find contact information.