Ask 31 kids whether they enjoyed a six-week program and you will not usually get 31 yeses.
STAR Youth Tennis did. Every child surveyed at the end of the spring season said they enjoyed taking part, and 85 percent of parents said their child came away more confident than they started.
Thirty-one children came through the STAR Youth Tennis Program this spring, split between the Tiny Tots group, which introduces the youngest children to fundamentals, and the Big Kids group, where returning participants build skills and match experience. The program is run by Dennis Tennis Serving Love Inc., a National Junior Tennis and Learning chapter based in Lauderdale Lakes. A $7,260 Program Support Grant from the USTA Florida Section Foundation helped keep the six-week program free.
What the families reported
Alongside the confidence numbers, 75 percent of parents reported their child’s social skills had improved over the season. Parents described children who looked forward to STAR each week, grew more engaged as the weeks went on, and picked up lessons in teamwork, perseverance and sportsmanship that followed them off the court.
One mother’s account captures what the percentages cannot. “At just 4 years old, she was fully engaged, excited to participate, and looked forward to every session,” she wrote. “The activities were fun, age-appropriate, and helped build her confidence, coordination, and love for tennis. It was amazing to see her growth and enthusiasm each week.”
Removing the thing that keeps kids out
The program is free, and that is the design, not a detail.
“Support from the USTA Florida Foundation allows us to do much more than put racquets in children’s hands,” said Brittany Odom, Assistant Director and Community Coach at Dennis Tennis Serving Love. “It helps us create an environment where young people can learn, grow, build confidence, and feel that they belong in the sport of tennis. By helping us remove financial barriers to participation, this grant gives families in our community access to quality instruction, equipment, and positive mentorship.”
The program also runs on local partnership. “We also thank the City of Lauderdale Lakes for its partnership through court access,” Odom said.
STAR returns this fall with 30 or more participants expected, some returning and most of them new.
Why the Foundation funds this
Program Support Grants are the USTA Florida Section Foundation’s primary tool for getting tennis into communities that want it and need help paying for it. The funding covers on-court instruction, equipment, coach training and general program support, with priority given to youth tennis, adaptive tennis for players of all ages and abilities, and programs serving under-resourced communities.
Free programming is the clearest version of that mission. A family that has never considered tennis because of what it costs does not need to be persuaded the sport is worthwhile. They need one season where cost is not the question.
Since 2005, the Foundation has delivered more than $2.5 million in community impact, supporting programs at more than 120 organizations across Florida.
That funding comes from individual and corporate donors, the Foundation’s recurring donor program, and Florida’s “Play Tennis!” specialty license plate.
Applications for Program Support Grants open in two cycles each year. Learn more at ustafloridafoundation.com/apply-for-grants, or support programs like STAR at ustafloridafoundation.com.
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