By Nicholas Walz, USTA.comFLUSHING MEADOWS - Smiling broadly, Daniel Tratt wheels his way around the perimeter of Arthur Ashe Stadium. The history teacher points past the south gate of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center grounds towards the Unisphere, reminding a few of his charges that Corona Park was the setting for the hit action movie, Men in Black.
Instead of reacting to the pop culture reference, the kids hurry by as if they half-heard their teacher, eager to step foot upon American tennis’s grandest playing surface. Tratt doesn’t mind the snub in the least— for on this day, thirty students had their first taste of tennis - and loved every second of action.
“To do this, and to see what we’ve seen so far…its wonderful and extremely unique,” said Tratt.
November 20 saw the arrival of the field trip from Christopher Columbus High School in the Bronx to the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, amidst a warm welcome from USTA staffers. An event organized and spearheaded by USTA Volunteer Development Manager Andrew Feldman, the three hours blended classroom education with on-court instruction to deliver a well-rounded introduction to the game.
“This was a multi-department endeavor. I’m proud that we were able to bring Diversity, NJTL, CTAs and other Community Tennis department members together to introduce our guests from CCHS to tennis and show what the National Tennis Center has to offer,” said Feldman.
“Today was a truly collaborative effort between several USTA departments and initiatives.”
Despite the relatively brief stay, the kids were consistently long on enthusiasm and questions for the instructors.
“It was an exciting bus ride over here,” said 15-year-old Tamara Francis. “I was wondering: ‘Are we going to actually play today?’ So, it was pretty awesome when we were on the court playing where so many famous tennis players have been.”
The purpose of the visit was twofold: To teach the kids about the legacy of Arthur Ashe, and also, to take part in an on-court workshop led by NTC Director of Tennis, Whitney Kraft. After conventional drills, an expanded demonstration of wheelchair tennis commenced, where a few students strapped themselves into the specialized five-wheeled chairs and took their swings around the net.
Tratt, who competes as a triathlete when not in the classroom, cheered on from his own chair. He lost the use of his legs after an accident in 1999 in which he fell 23 feet over a banister, leading to extensive spinal cord and brain injuries.
“I was a bit hesitant when the wheelchair demo was suggested, because this day was more about the kids and their education than for me,” said Tratt. “But its amazing, the amount of skill these athletes have. I’m thankful that we all got to experience it.”
One of the student volunteers, 14-year-old Marty Grant, tried valiantly to navigate both chair and court with limited success and gained a newfound respect for the game.
“That was a learning experience,” said Grant. “Its really difficult to swing and move the wheelchair at the same time, watching the ball.”
After the lesson, the group and its teacher were treated to the ultimate surprise: they would have Arthur Ashe Stadium to themselves, walking onto the court out of the same tunnel as Serena and Venus Williams, Roger Federer, and Andy Roddick. Crowded between the baselines and sneaking glimpses around the empty 22,000-seat arena, the kids were then told the story of Ashe, his 1968 US Open triumph, and the impact he had on both tennis and the Civil Rights Movement.
“Today, I’m appreciating the history of what he’s about,” said Grant. “Learning about him and playing inside today…I’ve never played before. I got to do both. That was great.”
Predominantly composed of freshmen and sophomores (12 of them being Tratt’s own pupils), many of the African-American and Latino inner-city youths had never held a racquet before, nor were they aware of the story of the trailblazing Ashe.
“Maybe a handful (of the kids) had ever heard of Arthur, and then, only one or two may have had in-depth knowledge of his impact on tennis and the world,” said Tratt. “I’m just glad they’ve found some exposure today. These kids have never seen wheelchair sports either, and to be engaged in the manner that they were today was impressive - a very fine-tuned program.”