Folks,
2023 was an amazing year for our organization. We quite frankly took it to another level taking tennis to more children and adults than ever before. We started the year being approved as a National Junior Tennis & Learning organization by the USTA which opens up many opportunities for all of us.
Our programming this year was expanded and began with two Saturday nights of lessons at St. Clair Tennis Club (thank you to those who came to support us). We then had an opportunity to teach over 400 students PE for three weeks at Lincoln Middle School. As usual, we hosted our free summer programming every Saturday and Sunday from May to October on the Lincoln Park Courts and had an exciting Summer Tennis Party sponsored by Sterling Bank who was on site to provide kid friendly financial education for the kids (which they loved).
Tournaments were a new addition to the lineup and we held a Mixed Doubles event at St. Clair, a Junior Tournament at Lincoln Park and a Mixed Doubles Fundraiser at Dwight Davis Tennis Center in October. Congratulations to all of our 2023 champions!
In November we started our first year round indoor programming on Saturday mornings at The Cave in Belleville for less experienced juniors and on Sunday evenings at St. Clair Tennis Club for more experienced juniors.
Facilitating all these programs is a beefed up coaching staff consisting of over 15 coaches available to assist or lead programs.
We also helped facilitate the High School Girls Tennis Team by providing equipment and support and additionally provided tennis equipment to two other groups who operate with a similar mission. Our Tiny Tennis Library was kept fully stocked so that anybody who needed a tennis racket received one on the spot so they could play tennis and have a racket of their own.
Facilities – we received commitments from the USTA and East St. Louis Park District board for funding to resurface the Lincoln Park Courts in Spring 2024 to keep them looking and playing fantastic. In addition we received huge news this fall that the East St. Louis School District will be building new tennis courts and have met with the district and USTA to have input into the final design. Â
Our board members were very active this year and attended the USTA Impact Conference, US Open and The Missouri Valley USTA annual conference. We also took about 30 parents, students and board members to the USTA St. Louis annual awards dinner where we got to celebrate local players from across the St. Louis area.
All of the above took significant financial resources and our budget was the largest in our history with an expenditure of approximately $45,000 at the end of November. We were able to fund this with some surplus we accumulated during covid and grants and private donations. The breakdown of donations is approximately 60% grants and 40% private donations.
Two of our board members received honors this year. Ms. Kim Hughes was named a Champion of Equality in a Ceremony with Billie Jean King at the US Open and Mr. Joe Lewis was named by the 45th Imperial Potentate of the Shriners and Masons to the commission for Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
We could not do this without kids willing to learn, many donors and volunteers who helped make 2023 a success! We appreciate your support and look forward to continuing the mission in 2024.
— Scott Stinson, December 14, 2023.
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