Anyone Can Pick Up a Racquet: How Howard University’s Club Tennis Team is Building a Community Where Everyone Belongs
It’s a beautiful sun-soaked day in Washington, D.C. as a group of students standing by a tennis court, laugh, cheer, and figure it out together. Some holding a racquet for the very first time.
No pressure to be perfect. No need to be a star athlete. Just show up, try something new, and find your people.
This is the story of Howard University’s club tennis team, a growing community built on one simple, powerful idea: tennis is for everyone.
Gjianni White didn’t expect tennis to change her life.
“I ran track for most of my life,” she recalls. “I enjoyed it, but it wasn’t my passion. I wanted to try something different.”
So, one day in high school, she picked up a racquet. She didn’t know the rules. She wasn’t chasing trophies. She just wanted to play. And what she found was more than a sport. She found joy.
Fast forward to her first year at Howard University, White wanted to keep that feeling alive, but something was missing. There wasn’t a space for students who simply wanted to gather, hit a few balls, and connect. So, with the support of Howard’s head tennis coach, she and a few others built what they couldn’t find: a club, a community, and a home for tennis lovers and curious beginners alike.
“We just wanted to create an intentional space for Howard students to come together and play tennis,” White says.
But what started as a casual gathering soon became something much more.
If you walk onto Howard’s courts on a Friday night, you’ll see it: the magic of what they’ve created.
“We call it Tennis Under the Stars,” White says with a smile. “We play games like Tug-of-War and King of the Court. We meet, we laugh, we let go of the week.”
It’s not just about forehands and footwork. It’s about showing up after classes, after stress, after long days, and finding a place where you belong.
Some days, they drill serves and work on their volleys. Other times, they gather off the court to volunteer in the community or simply hang out. The goal is always the same: connection.
But something else began to stir among those Friday night rallies and sunlit matches. A dream.
What if this club could be a team? What if they could represent Howard on the court, competing against other schools in the Mid-Atlantic region? What if the community they built could grow into something even bigger?
In the 2024-25 school year, that dream became a reality. They held tryouts and traveled to the Fall Invitational at the University of Maryland, Howard’s first competitive club tennis tournament.
Now, the team is reaching its next milestone: competing in the 2025 Tennis On Campus Sectional Championships, which will be hosted by the USTA Mid-Atlantic Foundation on Oct. 10-11 at the Montgomery TennisPlex in Boyds, Md.
But dreams, like tennis, require more than just heart. They need support.
“We’re working on securing funding to sign up for tournaments and qualify for the championships,” White explains. “We’ve applied for support through the school, but we’re also looking to build partnerships in the local D.C. area.”
Howard’s club tennis team is growing. But their story is still being written. Right now, they need help with travel expenses, tournament fees, and everything that goes into competing at this level.
It’s not just about funding a tennis team. It’s about investing in a space where students can show up as they are, pick up a racquet—maybe for the first time—and know they belong.
Because this is what sport can be, what community can feel like. This is tennis, open to all.
Follow Howard’s club tennis journey on Instagram: @bisonclubtennis
Interested in joining? Visit here for more information.
Subscribe to USTA Mid-Atlantic Foundation’s YouTube Channel and follow @ustamidatlantic on Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, and LinkedIn.
USTA Mid-Atlantic Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to promoting tennis and its physical, social, and emotional health benefits. Learn about our impact in the region and how USTA Mid-Atlantic creates community, character, and well-being.
Related Articles
-
![Visit the Gala of Big Impact page]( "The Tennis Creates Award Winners alongside Sam Querrey, John Isner, Stacey Allaster and Ray Benton on stage at the 2025 Tennis Creates Gala")
Gala of Big ImpactDecember 08, 2025The Tennis Creates Gala brought the Mid-Atlantic community together for a night of purpose, energy, and unforgettable impact. Discover how this celebration rallied support to strengthen access to tennis and fuel programs across the region. Read More -
![Visit the Community in Motion page]( "Andrew Acquadro Community Champion 2025 Tennis Creates Awards")
Community in MotionNovember 20, 2025The 2025 Tennis Creates Award winners are here! Meet Andrew, our 2025 Community Champion Honoree. Read More -
![Visit the Essam's Journey page]( "Essam Laskar Provider Champion Honoree at the 2025 Tennis Creates Gala")
Essam's JourneyNovember 17, 2025The 2025 Tennis Creates Award winners are here! Meet Essam, our 2025 Provider Champion Honoree. Read More
Sign up for our Newsletter
Download the USTA App
