USTA Conducts Clinic at White House in Support of Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move!” Initiative

August 4, 2010 | By Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff
USTA_White_House
Credit: Max Cook

The USTA has conducted a tennis clinic featuring the QuickStart play format on the White House South Lawn alongside USTA Chairman of the Board and President Lucy S. Garvin, World Team Tennis Washington Kastles Owner Mark Ein, world number 20th-ranked player Sam Querrey, and the doubles team of Bob & Mike Bryan on Tuesday, Aug. 3. The event was part of the South Lawn Series, a summer-long series of events that brings local children, sports leagues and community programs together to the South Lawn in support of First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! initiative to combat childhood obesity.

“This was a wonderful opportunity to showcase all the benefits of the sport of tennis,” said Garvin. “Tennis is a lifetime sport and can help keep people of all ages active and healthy. The USTA is proud to join the First Lady and her Let’s Move! initiative, and we are thrilled that she recognizes the positive impact that tennis can have on children.”

The clinic ran on two 78-ft. courts constructed on the South Lawn that housed eight 36-ft. courts specifically designed for children ages 10-and-under. USTA instructors partnered up with tennis players Sam Querrey and Bob & Mike Bryan to lead 100 local Washington youth from USTA National Junior Tennis & Learning chapters including the Washington Tennis & Education Foundation, CREATE Tennis, the Southeast Tennis & Learning Center and the Junior Tennis Champions Center in a QuickStart clinic that demonstrated ways for kids to get 60 minutes of active play per day. Developed to keep kids active and expose them to tennis at an early age, the QuickStart play format provides kids with an exciting introduction to tennis by scaling down the game to better fit the needs of young children by utilizing smaller balls, racquets and courts.

“The QuickStart play format is the ideal way to get kids involved in the sport of tennis and start them on the path of using sports to remain active,” said Kurt Kamperman, chief executive, community tennis, USTA. “By utilizing age appropriate equipment and shorter courts, the QuickStart play format makes tennis more fun for kids which can lead to a lifetime of activity.”

Tuesday’s event marked the second time tennis clinics featuring the QuickStart play format appeared at the White House. The USTA, along with Gigi Fernandez and Billie Jean King, previously took part in a tennis demonstration during the White House’s annual Easter Egg Roll, which included the participation of more than 36,000 children.

Querrey is coming off his sixth career title after winning the Farmers Classic, an Olympus U.S. Open Series event, in Los Angeles this past weekend, and Bob & Mike Bryan won their 62nd doubles title at the Farmers Classic to break the record for the most team doubles titles.

Other organizations who have joined with the Let’s Move! initiative include the National Football League, Major League Baseball, the U.S. Olympic Committee and the U.S. Soccer Foundation.

For more information, visit www.usta.com.

 


Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff
Century
Oneononedoubles banner art resize

March/April 2024 Digital Edition