DC DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION NAMED USTA ORGANIZATION MEMBER OF THE YEAR

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., April 13, 2015 – The United States Tennis Association (USTA) today announced it presented the DC Department of Parks and Recreation with the USTA Organization Member of the Year Award. The award is given annually to an organization that provides outstanding service to its members and to the local community. The DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) was honored at the USTA Annual Meeting and Conference, April 10-13, at the Boca Raton Resort & Club in Boca Raton, Fla.

DPR’s tennis department offers programmatic and competitive opportunities for youth and adults regardless of their age, skill level or economic status through instructional programs, play days, tournaments, competitive leagues and social tennis events. DPR’s tennis division is responsible for the oversight of more than 140 tennis courts throughout the District of Columbia as well as a multitude of citywide tennis programs, tennis trainings and tennis events annually on local, regional and national levels.

DPR’s tennis program offers classes for adults (19 & over), juniors (7-18) and Tiny Tots (3-6) at the beginner, intermediate and advanced levels. It also offers a summer tennis camp and tennis enhancements within the various summer camps at 40 additional locations.

Programming is available in all eight wards of the city for juniors and adults. Ninety percent of the programs are free to individuals. In addition, DPR hosts 14 after-school tennis programs annually, 10 after-summer camp programs seasonally, all-day tennis summer camps, 40 tennis enhancement summer programs, special needs tennis programs and senior tennis programs. In 2014, more than 1,000 kids were exposed to tennis through DPR summer camps and programming. Kids in the summer programming regularly receive free breakfast and lunch.

In 2014, DPR started the “Tennis Under the Lights” program to bring the community together through tennis. The free tennis socials were held every Tuesday and Thursday during the summer for adults and juniors. “Tennis Under the Lights” featured match play, drills run by DPR staff, music and a pot luck. Around 70 people attend each social, and the program was so successful it will be continued through the fall.

Moreover, DPR houses, owns and operates the Southeast Tennis and Learning Center (SETLC), which is one of the few indoor tennis facilities in Washington, D.C., as well as a premier tennis facility. SETLC is currently under renovation, which will be completed by spring 2015 and will include six indoor tennis courts, six outdoor tennis courts, one clay court, a state-of-the-art fitness center, education classrooms and the ability to host a number of tournaments, college events, tennis events, parks and recreation programming, schools programming and trainings.

“The DC Department of Parks and Recreation epitomizes ‘tennis for everyone’ as it offers ample play opportunities for players of all ages and abilities,” said Kurt Kamperman, Chief Executive, Community Tennis, USTA. “It’s a model organization that showcases community engagement through grass-roots programming.”

The USTA Annual Meeting and Conference brings together USTA leadership, national staff, national committee members and section volunteers and staff in pursuit of the USTA mission: to promote and develop the growth of tennis. Along with leadership and committee meetings, the AMC provides educational opportunities for all attendees to develop and enhance their personal and professional skills and learn new ways to promote the game.

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The USTA is the national governing body for the sport of tennis in the U.S. and the leader in promoting and developing the growth of tennis at every level -- from local communities to the highest level of the professional game. A not-for-profit organization with more than 715,000 members, it invests 100% of its proceeds in growing the game. It owns and operates the US Open, the highest-attended annual sporting event in the world, and launched the Emirates Airline US Open Series, linking eight summer tournaments to the US Open. In addition, it owns approximately 90 Pro Circuit events throughout the U.S. and selects the teams for the Davis Cup, Fed Cup, Olympic and Paralympic Games. The USTA’s philanthropic entity, the USTA Foundation, provides grants and scholarships and helps under-resourced youth and individuals with disabilities, and supports wounded, ill and injured service members, veterans and their families. For more information on the USTA, log on to usta.com, “like” the official Facebook page, facebook.com/usta, or follow @usta on Twitter.

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