December 2023 - Parks & Recreation - 39

KATRINA ADAMS
outdoors and playing. So, that was
a misconception in our sport. And
being able to introduce our sport to
youth in the inner city [with] programs,
like my program, the Harlem
Junior Tennis and Education
Program, has allowed these kids to
be introduced to a sport and develop
the life skills that I mentioned
before, and [break] down those
barriers to say, " Hey, maybe they
won't be professional tennis players,
but they can at least develop
the life skills that are needed to be
successful in life. " We have tennis
in thousands of schools around
the country. And I think those are
the things that people don't understand,
and [they don't] understand
that hurdles have been jumped over
and broken to deliver our sport to
youth in multiple ways.
P&R: According to NRPA's own
research: " Some of the hurdles
in youth sports delivery by park
and recreation agencies result
from resource capacity and
budgetary constraints; others
result from persistent barriers,
such as participation fees that
limit lower income families from
being able to reap the benefits
of youth sports. " How can park
and recreation agencies work
in concert with nonprofits and
corporate partners to make
youth tennis more equitable for
under-resourced communities?
Adams: Part of it, as I mentioned,
is USTA really going into the
schools. We are probably in [more
than] 20,000 schools across the
country. And it's [about] partnering
with those schools and making
sure that they're near parks so that
programming can build...from the
schools to the park and the park
to the schools, [as well as] making
sure that there are coaches and volunteers
within those parks [and]
there's a place for these kids to go
to outside of the schools. So that's
a good start and a good connection
there. But I know [at] the USTA
within the grants that they have
provided...to build and help maintain
the courts within the parks, I
think they've given [more than] $17
million in grants to make sure that
they are maintaining these courts
throughout
these
communities.
Within the country...they are impacting
[more than] $600 million in
infrastructure, plus the thousands
of free technical support that they
are providing to make sure that
these businesses are being maintained
within the community. So,
I think that's a great partnership
that the USTA has helped maintain
within the park and recreation
community.
P&R: How are organizations like
the USTA making tennis more
inclusive to players of different
abilities?
Adams: One of the most important
things that the USTA has always
been focused on during my
[pre- and] post-presidency is trying
to make tennis look like America
and inclusive of all abilities, race,
gender,
ethnicities.... And so...
from able bodies to non-able bodies,
from wheelchair to adaptive
tennis, there are programs that are
out there for everybody. The [tennis]
clubs, I think, are also trying to
make sure that they have programs
and clinics for all levels, [ensuring]
there's something for everyone and
making sure that the sport is actually
and factually accessible for all.
P&R: What impact is pickleball
having on the sport of tennis?
Do you think it poses a threat
to tennis with regard to park
and recreation resources (i.e.,
court space)?
Adams: I think it's good for the
Adams shares that the United States
Tennis Association strives to make
tennis inclusive of people of all abilities,
races, genders and ethnicities.
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December 2023 - Parks & Recreation

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