Athletic Opportunity And Excellence
Sportsmen’s exposes young people to opportunities, helps them develop growth mindsets for social, emotional, and physical well-being, and champions and nurtures athletic excellence. With expanded court space, tournament training, and high-quality instruction from our dedicated coaches, Sportsmen’s will continue to expose more Boston youth to its four cornerstone principles – Sportsmanship, Trust, Effort and Coachability/Community. We want to not only introduce players to tennis, and teach them the fundamentals of a sport they can play to stay healthy throughout their lives, but also support them in achieving their goals of competing at all levels, from high school through NCAA Division I, regardless of financial resources.
Supporters of our Athletic Opportunity and Excellelnce Initiative will provide much-needed capital to fund the construction of two outdoor stadium courts, the expansion of free and discounted access to tennis and athletic training, and the hiring of additional certified coaches to help our players meet their athletic goals.
Young people who gain confidence on the court and learn to persevere through challenges are best prepared to make their dreams a reality, avoiding violence, completing secondary and post-secondary education, entering the workforce, and living more productive and fulfilling lives.
Investing in the Athletic Opportunity pillar of our capital campaign will allow Sportsmen’s to fund critical initiatives, such as our new Stadium Courts, and free and discounted instruction and coaching for promising young players.
Stadium Courts & Scholarships: $2M
The centerpiece of Sportsmen’s outdoor construction are two new Stadium Courts, which will allow us to host more United States Tennis Association of New England (USTANE) sanctioned tournaments. This is critical to driving participation among players who can’t afford to travel to tournaments far from Boston. The new courts will also serve as home courts for two of Boston’s three public high school tennis programs: Boston Latin Academy and John D. O’Bryant School of Mathematics and Science.
Funds raised will also be used to create more opportunities for players to reach their tennis goals through coaching, mentoring, and financial support. This includes free and discounted tennis instruction – from beginner to Academy tournament training level – for players from Boston’s under-resourced neighborhoods, as well as financial and logistical support and coaches who can travel with them so they can participate in local, regional, and national tournaments. We will also be able to host more college showcase events, opening further athletic and academic opportunities.
Athletic Opportunity and Excellence is one of six pillars of Phase II of our Capital Campaign. Learn more about the others here.