FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 13, 2026
BOSTON, MA — Sportsmen’s Tennis & Enrichment Center held a ceremonial groundbreaking as construction began on the final phase of its multi-year campus expansion, marking a major milestone as the organization celebrates its 65th anniversary year.
This project will complete significant upgrades across the Center, expanding Sportsmen’s capacity to deliver tennis, education, health, and community programming for youth, families, and adults along the Blue Hill Corridor and throughout the Greater Boston area.
“For six and a half decades, Sportsmen’s has been a place where opportunity begins,” said Toni Wiley, CEO of Sportsmen’s Tennis & Enrichment Center. “This groundbreaking represents our commitment to honoring that legacy while building a campus that meets the needs of today’s community and future generations.”
With support from a wide community of donors and partners, Sportsmen’s has secured $17.7 million of the $20 million required to complete the expansion. New Balance Foundation is among the major supporters helping to make this next phase possible. “We believe deeply in the future of Sportsmen’s and in the long-term impact it has on children and families in Boston. This investment reflects our confidence in their leadership, perseverance, and mission,” said Molly Santry, Co-Director of Global Philanthropy, New Balance Foundation.
Planned improvements include a fitness center twice the size of the previous facility that will remain free and open to the community; restored men’s and women’s locker rooms; a teaching kitchen to support nutrition and wellness education; new enrichment and social spaces; an administrative wing; and a ground-level Welcome Center designed to improve accessibility and create a more welcoming point of entry.
Outdoor enhancements will add two new tennis courts to support increased youth, adult, and tournament play; a dedicated playspace for summer camp and youth recreation; and improved circulation throughout the Center to enhance safety during peak program hours.
“We’re incredibly proud to be part of this project,” said Jane Kaplan Peck, COO and owner of Kaplan Construction. “Seeing this vision come to life and knowing how much it will mean to the community makes this work especially meaningful.”
“Milestones like this take extraordinary effort and collaboration. Sportsmen’s plays a vital role across New England, and this expansion strengthens its impact from grassroots youth to players across the region,” said Lindsey Keeler, Chief Executive Officer, U.S. Tennis Association of New England.
The expansion will also include Breaking the Barriers, a permanent exhibit celebrating the history of Black tennis in America and the athletes who challenged exclusion and expanded opportunity. The exhibit reinforces Sportsmen’s long-standing role as a community anchor and a steward of tennis history.
Founded in 1961, Sportsmen’s Tennis & Enrichment Center is the first nonprofit tennis organization in the United States founded by African Americans. Today, the Center serves thousands of youth annually through free and subsidized tennis instruction, academic support, summer camps, and health and wellness initiatives, while also offering adult recreation, leagues, and tournaments.
Earlier phases of the campus expansion delivered a four-court indoor building and new academic spaces, increasing program capacity by nearly 60 percent and enabling year-round programming for a growing and diverse community.
“As we look toward our 65th anniversary, this project is about creating spaces that welcome everyone, support learning and wellness, and ensure Sportsmen’s remains a cornerstone of this community for decades to come,” Wiley said.
Construction is now underway and will continue throughout 2026.
About Sportsmen’s Tennis & Enrichment Center
For 65 years, Sportsmen’s Tennis & Enrichment Center has used tennis to create opportunities for youth in Boston’s underserved neighborhoods. As one of the largest USTA National Junior Tennis and Learning (NJTL) programs in the country, Sportsmen’s serves over 5,000 young people each year with tennis, academics, life skills, and health and wellness programs. The center is also home to 300 adult members who engage in lessons, league play, and volunteerism. Learn more at www.sportsmenstennis.org.
Additional quotes from groundbreaking speakers:
“Every successful project begins with a vision. Sportsmen’s exists because people believed tennis could be a gateway to opportunity for this community, and this next chapter continues that legacy.” – Marilyn Chase, Co-Chair of Board of Directors, Sportsmen’s Tennis and Enrichment Center
“What’s so powerful about this club is that the work done decades ago is still alive today, still serving the community, and still growing.” – Laury Hammel, President and CEO of The Longfellow Clubs of Massachusetts and longtime supporter of Sportsmen’s
Media Contact:
Katherine Cruise
Director of Communications and Marketing
Sportsmen’s Tennis & Enrichment Center
kcruise@sportsmenstennis.org
617.288.9092 (office)
781.424.8535 (mobile)