Connecticut Alliance for Tennis + Education Announces Inaugural Junior Tennis Board for Fairfield County

Connecticut Alliance for Tennis + Education Announces
Inaugural Junior Tennis Board for Fairfield County

This April, the Connecticut Alliance for Tennis + Education (CATE) held a kick-off meeting for the inau- gural Connecticut Alliance Junior Board, which includes 12 exceptional teen varsity tennis players from Fairfield County. The students were select- ed in a competitive vetting process by both CATE board members and rec- ommendations from local high school varsity tennis coaches.

The Connecticut Alliance was formed by a group of enthusiastic tennis players who wished to support the incredible efforts of the Community Tennis Associations in under-served Connecticut neighborhoods. Connecti- cut’s Community Tennis Associations are currently serving over 1,000 chil- dren each year through their programs in Bridgeport, Danbury, New Haven, Norwalk and Stamford. Aside from on-court instruction and com- petitive play, programs provide academic support, life skills coaching, nu- trition education, educational field trips and college and career counseling.

According to Connecticut Alliance Co-Director, Mary Stichter, “Tennis is a wonderful sport to bring to at-risk kids. Aside from the obvious benefits of exercise, teamwork and goal setting, these tennis programs provide the children with a safe place where they are exposed to positive adult role models. These community tennis programs work in our most economically challenged Connecticut communities and provide a path to success for the children living there.”

CATE Junior Board members have been asked to raise awareness of the Connecticut Community Tennis Programs among their peers by:

• Organizing a School/Team CATE Awareness Campaign

• Writing an article for their school newspaper, or contact the local paper

  Editor to suggest a story.

• Planning a healthy snack drive for program participants.

• Planning an equipment drive within their school or club.

• Organizing a group of teammates to work on the court with the children

  of any of the five tennis programs.

• Hosting a tennis carnival for the kids at their home courts or a local

  club.

• According to Co-Director Amy Sheffield, “It’s wonderful that kids at this young age can support grassroots tennis programs that positively influence a child’s life. It can make the difference between a child dropping out of high school or going on to earn a college degree.”

• Junior board members are an important extension of the Alliance organiza- tion. Each junior member will be actively involved in a project that pro- motes awareness and raises vital resources to support Grassroots tennis programs. In addition, the junior board will assist with organizing and co- ordinating this year’s Pro-am Tournament and Junior Showcase and Clinic.

  “As the Pro-Am event has grown in popularity, we have more people at-

  tending each year over the next. Support from the Junior Board members

will only improve on the event’s success and outcome that continues to flourish with each year.” added Amy Sheffield.

Connecticut Alliance for Tennis + Education (CATE) brings together tennis enthusiasts in Fairfield County to support and promote the five communi- ty tennis programs that break the cycle of poverty by way of tennis in- struction and education. The five programs CATE serves are: Danbury Grassroots Academy, First Serve Bridgeport, New Haven Youth Tennis & Enrichment, Norwalk Grassroots Tennis & Education and Stamford Youth Tennis Academy.