USTA Florida Making Massive Impact on Lives of Wounded Warriors & Veterans

USTA Florida promotes tennis for all and one of the organizations latest partnerships has been with the Veteran communities. “Here to Serve” is a powerful message that the organization lives out every day. Whether serving updates on the podcast or being out in the community, USTA Florida is lending a helping hand. 

Tennis is a lifelong sport and USTA Florida is committed to giving back to the community. What better way than to help those who have served this country enjoy the game of tennis. So far, the organization has collaborated with local veterans’ programs, rehabilitation centers, and community groups to organize tennis clinics. These events not only teach veterans the fundamentals of tennis but also encourage them to stay active and engage in a positive and social activity. 

USTA Florida and the Wounded Warriors Project teamed up for a fun tennis clinic.

On September 13, USTA Florid partnered with Sanlando Park in Seminole County to run a Wounded Warriors event. This saw five veterans in attendance for an hour and a half of tennis fun. 

To start off, USTA Florida community tennis representative, Deborah Ballerino, led a 45-minute Love to Learn session. For those that may not know, Love to Learn is a beginner tennis class that utilizes the red ball and teaches the basics of tennis, from the types of strokes to volleying back and forth. 

Once the veterans were ready to go, there were 45 more minutes of red ball play, where they participated in red ball match play. With the assistance of USTA Florida staff, these Wounded Warriors were playing real tennis and the smile on their faces was priceless. 

“Excitement poured over Sanlando Park as the veterans were grasping the fundamentals of tennis” Ballerino said. “The Warriors got hooked on tennis and are interested in continuing in a 6-week program.” 

USTA Florida hosted another event in Tampa with Veteran Affairs.

USTA Florida also hosted an event in Tampa, in partnership with Veteran Affairs and James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital. Six veterans were out on the tennis court for a fun-filled day. From Red ball instruction to match play against one another, only joy and laughter filled the air. 

“The goal was to teach them, firsthand, how easy and fun tennis can be, and we definitely accomplished that,” Bill Hannigan said, who is disabled Veteran and now Tennis Service Representative for USTA Florida. “Looking at the bigger picture, these veterans are away from their families and communities for a long time. What better way to integrate them back into their community than through tennis. This gives them a chance to play with one another but more importantly to play with their loved ones.”

This is just the beginning of USTA Florida’s involvement with veterans. The plan is to grow this program across the state and implement classes are various locations. Making this accessible for all veterans in Florida is a top priority and the organization is excited to expand these opportunities for veterans. 

On Tuesday, September 26, USTA Florida is hosting another event in St. Petersburg For more information on how to register for that or on the organization’s efforts with the veteran community, please contact Bill Hannigan (Hannigan@ustaflorida.com)