Oak Lawn Park District Racquet, Fitness & Gymnastics Award Winner

The USTA today announced that the Oak Lawn Racquet, Fitness & Gymnastics Center in Oak Lawn, Ill., is one of 24 winners in the 37th annual USTA Facility Awards program, which recognizes excellence in the construction and/or renovation of tennis facilities throughout the country. The Oak Lawn Racquet, Fitness & Gymnastics will be honored at the USTA Semi-annual Meeting at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in New York City on Aug. 30.

The Oak Lawn Racquet, Fitness and Gymnastics Center, 10444 S. Central Ave., in Oak Lawn, Ill., built in 1972, consists of five indoor lighted courts and 16 Outdoor tennis courts, two of which are lighted. Nine professional tennis players teach and play at Oak Lawn, and some players started their tennis career here. Lessons and leagues are available here for players of beginner to advanced levels. The facility made $100,000 worth of improvements as recently as 2018. The facility hosted one tennis tournament in 2017 with 18 participants.

“Great tennis facilities like the Oak Lawn Racquet, Fitness & Gymnastics help us to grow the game at the grass-roots level, and we are proud to recognize them for their ongoing impact on the sport of tennis,” said Kurt Kamperman, Chief Executive, USTA National Campus. “The Oak Lawn Racquet, Fitness & Gymnastics has embraced many of our tennis initiatives and kept the sport at the forefront of its community each year.”
To be considered for an award, facilities must be under the jurisdiction of a park and recreation department, an educational institution, a nonprofit corporation or be a private or commercially owned and operated facility that offers both USTA and public programming designed to help grow tennis.

Facilities were judged on the following criteria: overall layout and adaptation to site; excellence of court surface and lights; ease of maintenance; accommodations for players, spectators and press/officials; aesthetics; graphics (including the use of signs and landscaping); amenities such as casual seating for spectators, food services and social areas; and the facilities’ participation in USTA programs.
Nominated facilities were voted on in the following categories: Public Courts that are either small tennis centers with 2-10 courts or large tennis centers with 11 or more courts; and Private Facilities that support the USTA and other “growth of the game” programs open to the public.

All 2018 award winners will receive a wall plaque and an all-weather sign, which can be mounted at the facility. In addition, each awardee will receive a one night stay at the Grand Hyatt New York and two US Open Grounds passes.