The Big Serve
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WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., November 17, 2009 - The USTA and TIA announced today that tennis participation in the United States topped 30 million players for the first time in more than two decades. The annual survey of 6,000 Americans showed that tennis participation grew in all age groups under the age of 50 and within all ethnicities. With 30.1 million people hitting the courts, tennis participation has grown 12% over 2008 and climbed 25% since 2003. The survey is conducted...

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., October 20, 2009 - The USTA announced today that it is awarding over $400,000 in Recreational Tennis Grants to 45 non-profit organizations across the country.  The Recreational Tennis Division has pooled together financial resources to create a new series of grants to be distributed on a bi-annual basis to non-profits that are committed to increasing tennis participation, well-established in their communities, support tennis programming and...

The 10th annual nationwide celebration of afterschool programs was held on October 22, 2009 in more than 7,500 communities throughout the country.

Newark, NJ -- Sept. 2009 --  The USTA and Newark Mayor Corey Booker recently announced the reopening of a renovated Jesse Allen Park. The renovated park features tennis courts of three sizes, including full-size courts (78'), and permanent 36' and 60' QuickStart courts. Jesse Allen Park becomes the first public park in the country to house permanent tennis courts of all three sizes and the first park in New Jersey to...

Springfield, MO -- Sept. 2009 --  Jodie Adams, director of the Springfield-Greene County Park Board, was presented with the 2009 USTA President's Award in New York earlier this month during the U.S. Open.  The annual award recognizes individuals who have given unusual and extraordinary service to the sport of tennis in the pubic interest.  Click here to read the S...

The USTA as an organization is committed to growing the sport of tennis, and as such, encourages Americans to pursue a healthy lifestyle of physical activity.  According to the National Coalition for Promoting Physical Activity (NCPPA), senior authorities on public health ranging from the U.S. Surgeon General and the World Health Organization to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have called upon the U.S. to adopt a national physical activity plan. ...

July 9, 2009 - Washington, D.C. Mayor Adrian M. Fenty is expected to announce today a citywide initiative to bring about a tenfold increase in the number of children enrolled in tennis programs.  Through a partnership of the District's Department of Parks and Recreation and a number of nonprofit groups, including the United States Tennis Association, the city is kicking off the QuickStart Tennis program, which was developed to help children learn the game.  ...

July 1, 2009 - Chicago (Reuters) - Obesity rates continued to climb in the past year with 23 U.S. states reporting adults in their states are fatter now than they were a year ago, two advocacy groups said on Wednesday.  Obesity rates did not decrease in a single state last year, and the groups warned that the U.S. obesity epidemic must be addressed as lawmakers reform the nation's health system.  ...

May 30, 2009 - The budding tennis players at an after-school program in Southeast Washington used to be picky eaters, discarding their fruit or complaining if their sandwiches had strawberry jelly instead of grape ...  Click here for the Washington Post article. 

While contacting your local representatives is the first step in determining ARRA funding opportunities for your area, the following websites are also good sources:

• American Recovery & Reinvestment Act, http://www.recovery.gov/
• Afterschool...

Share your passion for this lifelong sport by helping to grow the game in your own community.  Click here to find a volunteer opportunity in your community or to start your own project.  Some of these projects will introduce kids to the benefits of tennis ... others involve assisting Special Olympians or cleaning up facilities so that everyone can enjoy this lifetime sport.  The possibilities are endless.  One day of service can have a huge impact on someone's life, including your own, so volunteer today!  

May 15, 2009 -  A $25,000 grant from the United States Tennis Association will help the community and school district to prepare for the 2010 South Dakota State High School tennis tournament.  Click here to read the Rapid City Journal article.

The Columbus Board of Parks Commissioners prioritized a $30,000 request from the Columbus Tennis Association over the request by the Columbus Youth Baseball League for $20,000 to be used for improvements to the Centennial Park batting cage.  Click here for the Columbus Telegram article.

LA MIRADA, CA - You can be in a wheel chair and play tennis. That was the lesson for 16 patients of Children's Hospital of Orange County in a tennis clinic held Sunday at Biola University ...  Click here for the article.

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, Chicago's First Lady Maggie Daley and Judge Glenda Hatchett joined parents, children, educators and policy makers from around the country on April 27 and 28 to discuss ways to ensure that all children and families have access to quality after-school programs.  Organized by the Afterschool Alliance, the 2009 Afterschool for All Challenge gave people the chance to tell law makers about their support for the...

ABC's Eyewitness News (KSTP-TV) recently aired a segment on how young students from Minneapolis are being taught tennis for free at the Fred Wells Tennis & Education Center, giving them a life lesson both on and off the court.  Click here to see the video and to learn more about the Center's educational programs.

The University of Hawaii at Hilo is ...

According to data released by the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association (SGMA), tennis is the fastest growing sport in America among traditional sports with an increase in participation of 43% from 2000 to 2008. According to the SGMA, tennis was one of only four sports to experience any increase during the study period and outpaced its nearest rival by 32%. Tennis is well ahead of other traditional sports like baseball, golf, gymnastics and football, all of which suffered a...

Please read A Guide to Public Facility Assistance Program before completing the Facility Assistance Inquiry Form.  It provides helpful hints, important dates and available resources.