News

Pleasanton, Calif. -- On Saturday, May 5th the USTA SmashZone Mobile Tour made a stop at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton, Calif. to help celebrate the Girl Scouts 100th Anniversary. Cymphonique Miller and Max Schneider, stars of Nickelodeon’s "How to Rock," participated in the event, playing 10 and Under Tennis with young fans and signing autographs.

 

"Today, I got to play tennis in the SmashZone with all of the awesome Girl Scouts," Miller said. "I was having the time of my life out there, because I have always been about girl empowerment. That’s what today it is all about."

 

In addition to Cymphonique Miller and Max Schneider, Pleasanton Mayor Jennifer Hosterman and Miller’s celebrity father Master P also made an appearance at SmashZone. Mayor Hosterman, who is the first female mayor of Pleasanton, Calif., spoke to the crowd about the importance of keeping young girls active.

 

"As Michelle Obama says, ‘Let’s Move!,’" Mayor Hosterman said, referring to the First Lady’s campaign to get more young people active and moving for better health. "We know that when young women participate in sports every day, their bones are stronger for the rest of their lives. It’s so important that we instill in our youth that they need to take the opportunity to stay in the best shape they can. This will serve them well for the rest of their lives."

 

The SmashZone Mobile tour has been a big part of that effort, promoting the sport of 10 and Under Tennis all throughout the country. At Saturday’s event, the SmashZone Mobile setup included a 53-foot trailer, which anchored four kid-sized tennis courts for youth play. The girl scouts at the event played fun tennis games such as Rally Courts and a Target Challenge and were able to take fun photos at the Tennis Magazine Green Screen Cover Shoot.

 

"Tennis is a sport you can play your entire life and it’s so much fun to play," Schneider said at the event. "It’s such a great workout and increases your endorphins."

 

10 and Under Tennis is part of an effort to encourage young people across the country to get moving and start playing tennis. The 10 and Under Tennis initiative is geared towards getting more kids to participate in tennis using modified equipment and courts tailored to a child’s size. By featuring shorter and lighter racquets, slower-bouncing balls, smaller courts and simplified scoring, children learn to play more quickly and easily while having more fun in the process.

 

For more information about the SmashZone Mobile Tour and to see if it is coming to a city near you, check out www.10andundertennis.com.