The USTA announced that it is awarding more than $150,000 in USTA Wheelchair Tennis Grassroots Grants to deserving wheelchair tennis programs nationwide. Grants were awarded to local organizations that promote and develop the growth of wheelchair tennis and use the sport of tennis to build stronger, healthier communities. The first USTA Wheelchair Tennis Grassroots Grants were awarded in 2008 and since that time, the USTA has given more than $600,000 to wheelchair tennis programs across the country.
Fifty thousand dollars in grants are a result of the USTA Wheelchair Grassroots Grants which are utilized to enhance and improve each organizations offerings in a variety of areas, including coaching, court time, equipment, recruitment and events. The remaining $100,000 in grants come from the Wheelchair Tennis Pathway Grant which was funded by the USTA Foundation. The funds were made possible through monies provided by the Neilsen Foundation. Each selected organization will receive $5,000 along with a new wheelchair for their programming. Part of this grant also goes to funding the USTA All Comers Camps.
These annual camps, hosted in Salt Lake City, Indianapolis and Lakeland, Florida, take place three times a year and are designed for skill levels from beginners, intermediate to advanced.
“Wheelchair tennis continues to grow in stature and popularity in the United States and the USTA is proud to award these grants to deserving wheelchair tennis organizations for their commitment in promoting and growing the sport,” said Kurt Kamperman, Chief Executive, Community Tennis and USTA National Campus. “These organizations positively impact wheelchair tennis and we know that these grants will be a part of a continued effort in expanding programs that support the wheelchair community through tennis and foster growth and success in players.”
The grants are being awarded to the following organizations:
· 2 Bounce Tennis, La Quinta, Calif.*
· Adaptive Athletics at the University of Houston, Houston, Texas**
· Asociación de tenis de Puerto Rico, San Juan, PR*
· Brandt Sports Management, Orlando, Fla.
· CHI Health, Omaha, Neb.
· Columbus Corporation, Oklahoma City, Okla.
· Lakeshore Foundation, Birmingham, Ala.
· Lee County Community Tennis Association, Fort Myers, Fla.*
· Michigan State University Adaptive Sports, East Lansing, Mich.
· Mid Carolina Tennis Association, Rock Hill, S.C.
· Orthotic and Prosthetic Activities Foundation, Charlotte, N.C.*
· Paula G Manship YMCA, Baton Rouge, La.
· Plantation Community Tennis, Plantation, Fla.
· Ray and Joan Kroc Center, Greenville, S.C.
· Richmond Tennis Association, Richmond, Va.
· South Coast Wheelchair, Attleboro, Mass.*
· University of Alabama Adaptive Athletics, Tuscaloosa, Ala.**
· USTA Montana, Missoula, Mont.
· Utah Tennis Foundation, Salt Lake City, Utah**
· Walton Foundation for Independence, Augusta, Ga.
· West Coast Wheelchair Tennis Association, North Hollywood, Calif.*
· Wheel it Forward, Gladston, Mo.
· Wheelchair Sports Inc., Wichita, Kansas**
· Wheelchair Tennis San Diego, San Diego, Calif.
Key – (No stars – Grassroots Grant, * - Wheelchair Tennis Pathway Grant and ** - Both)
Organizations that are interested in starting a wheelchair tennis program or would like more information about wheelchair tennis can email wheelchairinfo@usta.com.
The USTA is the national governing body for the sport of tennis in the U.S. and the leader in promoting and developing the growth of tennis at every level -- from local communities to the highest level of the professional game. A not-for-profit organization with more than 715,000 members, it invests 100% of its proceeds in growing the game. It owns and operates the US Open, the highest-attended annual sporting event in the world, and launched the US Open Series, linking seven summer tournaments to the US Open. In addition, it owns approximately 90 Pro Circuit events throughout the U.S. and selects the teams for the Davis Cup, Fed Cup, Olympic and Paralympic Games. The USTA’s philanthropic entity, the USTA Foundation, provides grants and scholarships and helps under-resourced youth and individuals with disabilities, and supports wounded, ill and injured service members, veterans and their families. For more information on the USTA, log on to usta.com, “like” the official Facebook page, facebook.com/usta, or follow @usta on Twitter.
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