Monday, 7/21/97 Tourney offers children more than just
tennis
By Steve Kim Daily Bruin Contributor Tennis is the focus of
attention this week at the Los Angeles Tennis Center, and numerous
promotional events gather around the hard-hitting matches of the
Infiniti Open. Racquet Days and free tennis clinics for children
are side events designed to increase awareness and interest in the
sport of tennis among the younger generation. Racquet Days, a
program conducted by the Southern California Tennis Association
(SCTA), allow attendees to exchange old tennis racquets for free
tickets to first round games Monday and Tuesday at 11 a.m. Last
year, 125 used racquets were collected on Racquet Days. These
racquets are used in the Amateur Athletic Foundation’s National
Junior Tennis League where children receive instruction and the
opportunity to play at little or no cost. A similar pair of racquet
donation days, Racquets for Kids, is conducted by Infiniti on
Wednesday and Thursday and is supported by the SCTA to benefit the
Safe Passage Tennis Program. Participants can get tickets for
second round and quarterfinal play Thursday and Friday at noon with
a tennis racquet donation. Kid’s Day on Tuesday is a tennis clinic
conducted by the SCTA. The first 3,000 children under 16 to meet at
the stadium at 10 a.m. can attend a free clinic and activities
session with prizes and ice cream. In the stadium, there will be an
exhibition by professional players, a question and answer session,
and a chance for the children to receive autographs. The children
will then be shuttled to UCLA’s Sunset Courts for a team-building
skills clinic conducted by professional players. Parents can join
by purchasing tickets for $5. Tournament director Bob Kramer
believes that the SCTA-conducted Infiniti Open, with the various
side events, is a great way to increase public awareness of tennis,
especially for the children. "What the SCTA wants to do with these
events is to promote and encourage growth of tennis in Southern
California," he said. Much of the proceeds will go to programs that
focus on the seeds of tennis’ future – the children. "The
beneficiaries, really, are the kids and community," Kramer
suggested. Programs such as the United States Tennis Association’s
Schools Program are supported by fund-raisers. The program trains
kindergarten through high school teachers to teach students how to
play tennis. Each school in the program is granted 15 new tennis
racquets and a free motivational seminar conducted by professional
players. The Schools Program is also active in maintaining the
granted tennis equipment and assisting with questions and problems.
Becky Edles Rye, conductor of the Schools Program in Southern
California and co-coordinator of this week’s clinics, has been
involved with many tennis outreach programs. She says it makes a
quite an impact on children when they watch and interact with
professional players. "It’s kind of wild. The kids have a blast!"
she said. Rye realizes the importance of junior outreach programs.
"Most people think tennis is an expensive club sport. We’re trying
to expose tennis to children in schools and make it easily
accessible by providing free equipment and instructions to
teachers." Kramer is enthusiastic about the Infiniti Open. "It’s a
win-win situation because top players get to play in a tournament
in Southern California while local fans can experience top quality
tennis live and up close. At the same time, kids benefit from the
SCTA programs supported by proceeds." Related Daily Bruin Story:
Infinity Open Preview, 7/21/97