As classrooms around the country are finishing up their last lesson plans and getting ready for a well-earned holiday break, so are USTA Mid-Atlantic’s after school TGA programs after another successful semester. This fall, hundreds of kids across Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia picked up a racquet – many for the first time – and made memories with classmates through TGA, which is designed to teach kids tennis in a fun and engaging way.

 

USTA Mid-Atlantic expanded TGA’s reach into two new areas this fall: Prince William County in Virginia and Howard County in Maryland, bringing the total to six chapters across the Section. Combined, there were 89 programs in 73 different schools this semester, and 975 students played tennis with TGA. In West Virginia alone, 22 schools offered TGA after school tennis, a great sign for growing the sport across the state.

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“With 287 participants this fall, that brought our impact for all of 2017 to 600 students participating in TGA in West Virginia,” said Kyle Hoffman, chapter director for TGA In West Virginia. “ When you think about 600 kids ages 5-14 playing tennis in West Virginia, most for the first time, I’m amazed.  How could you not get excited about the future of tennis here?”

 

The new chapters in Prince William and Howard counties are celebrating successful semesters as well, with schools and parents supportive of the idea that tennis should be fun and educational. TGA, which stands for “Teach. Grow. Achieve.” goes beyond the basics of hitting a tennis ball and teaches students about sportsmanship, respect and even the science of tennis in some programs. This mindset attracted 12 schools and 172 new players to programs in the two new chapter areas.

 

“My son advanced so much after only a month of tennis with TGA. He started to appreciate the game, learned a lot of terminology and is very excited about playing more,” said the parent of one Prince William Academy student.

 

The fall also saw some students making great strides in their game after several semesters with TGA. Similar to karate’s color belt system, TGA coaches award students a wristband of a new color when they’ve advanced to a new skill level. In West Virginia, the first group of players in the state reached the blue level and will be trying to reach black, the highest level, later this winter. One student in Loudoun County achieved the black level this fall, a first in the area.

 

Fall programs may be coming to an end, but tennis-hungry kids won’t have to wait long before hitting some more balls. Several chapters are holding winter break camps to help kids stay active active when they’re out of school. These camps are open to the public, and no previous experience with TGA is necessary. Find more information about winter camps in Loudoun County (Virginia), Prince William County (Virginia) and Richmond.

 

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