Charity of the Month

USTA Northern is committed to giving back to the community and supporting important causes. One way the section will accomplish these goals in 2023 is by partnering with a tennis community or tennis nonprofit organization for a monthly charity fundraising initiative.

For this initiative, the chosen organization will be able to fundraise on the USTA Northern website for a month, during which time USTA Northern will match dollar-for-dollar up to $5,000. The organization will have the opportunity to promote the fundraiser both on the USTA Northern website and through their own channels and the section will provide support in the form of social media promotion and email outreach to USTA members.

ROOSEVELT HIGH SCHOOL - DONATE HERE

By Teddies Girls Tennis Boosters

There was a time when tennis in Southeast Minneapolis was good. But no one can remember those days. Call it a product of the times. Years of wear and tear, shifting athletic priorities, and changing demographics all led to tennis being largely forgotten in a quaint southeastern section of our city.

Driving around these neighborhoods you'd have a hard time finding any kind of sign that folks, young and old, still think about tennis. That is unless you were to drive by the Lake Hiawatha Park courts, two blocks south of Roosevelt High School. Most days you'll see the courts packed with all sorts of skill levels. It's getting to the point where you need to plan when you want to play. Gone are the days when you were guaranteed an open court anytime you wanted one.

And here's the brutal truth. These courts are the only good courts around in this neighborhood. Period. While that's not great to be able to recruit a new generation of tennis enthusiasts, it is working remarkably well for the high school students that have been flooding to them in their maroon colored school team uniforms.

Here's another reality. The Roosevelt tennis team has long been on the losing end. Always last in their conference. Always behind in funding. In fact, behind in ALL categories - recruiting, equipment, assistant coaches, returning players, players who play and train in the off-season...resources and perks that so many other programs simply take for granted each and every year.

That all changed two years ago. Things turned around substantially when a truly dedicated coach reluctantly agreed to assume a whole bunch of heartache. With his patience, guidance and forsesight, he has unified and energized tennis in the southeast. Knocking on doors, asking for help, including anyone that is interested in playing tennis. And he has been recognized for it (Section 6AA Coach of the Year). The signs of the program's remarkable transformation are infectious...From his first year with just four returning players to over a dozen this past season, from a box of donated racquets for each player to players and parents that have committed to investing in the sport.

Much more. The interest, the passion, the steady improvement is all there. But there is much more that's needed. A thriving program doesn't just put talented players on the court, it produces young athletes of character, people who value teamwork, girls that embody the phrase "tennis is life". This program knows that it is setting up young athletes for success through the sport of tennis.

Today, we set our ambitions high. We'll take our inner city upstart program to a new level by travelling to San Diego on a once-in-a-lifetime team event to train and play in a world-class tennis environment. It's exactly the kind of ambition that this program needs right now. And with your help you can be our proud sponsor knowing that you helped galvanize tennis in Southeast Minneapolis - pushing our efforts further than they ever have been at Roosevelt High School.

The goal of this fundraiser is to raise $10,000. USTA Northern will match funds raised through this link, up to $5,000. This amount would cover lodging, two vans for transport, discounted court time and help lower airline costs per player.

About USTA Northern's Charity of the Month Initiative

Goals

• Provide visibility to leverage financial support
• Tell stories of impact from around the section
• Share innovative programs
• Raise awareness outside of local community

Additional details on eligibility, participation criteria and more are available below.