Mid-Atlantic

USTA Mid-Atlantic Partners with FURI Sport

December 02, 2022


USTA MID-ATLANTIC AND FURI SPORT PARTNER TO GROW GIRLS RULE THE COURT™

FURI Sport’s contribution recognizes Section’s vital work to improve equity in youth sports and access to tennis

 

Herndon, Va., Dec. 2, 2022 — USTA Mid-Atlantic Section, Inc. (USTA MAS) and FURI Sport today announce a new collaboration that will help reduce barriers to equity and increase access to tennis for young girls in under-resourced communities. FURI Sport has made a significant contribution of 125 Junior tennis racquets, valued at more than $12,000, to support USTA Mid-Atlantic’s Girls Rule the Court™ program and because of this is named a Founding Community Partner. 

 

Tennis creates community, character, and well-being benefits that can unlock new potential and a future path of success for those that play the game, especially among youth. This is why USTA Mid-Atlantic is committed to finding ways to increase access and make it easy to get into the sport with free-to-low-cost programs such as Girls Rule the Court. Now, FURI Sport is joining the effort to make sure that girls in the program have the equipment they need to learn and stay in the game. The racquets will be distributed to participants when they complete the program and are theirs to keep so that they can progress to their next step in the sport.


“Partnering with FURI Sport solidifies that the work we are doing is not only needed but it is vital,” said USTA Mid-Atlantic Section Director of Development Jeri Ingram. “The mission to create tennis access for all has a larger purpose and we are excited that FURI Sport is now a part of bringing that vision to life.”

Girls Rule the Court™ promotes health, wellness, and teamwork while building self-esteem through tennis. Girls gain access to the lifelong sport of tennis, make meaningful connections, and engage in social-emotional dialogue. The program is open to all girls and focuses on serving girls of color and those from underrepresented communities. Female coaches and mentors lead the program.

 

FURI Sport has committed to partnering with organizations with urban sports programs in under-privileged neighborhoods, so that the next generation can have access to a more equitable future. 

 

“FURI Sport's mission is to reimagine sports for a new generation as the first truly inclusive sports lifestyle brand rooted in tennis. We're making history by being the first black-and-woman owned brand to manufacture high-performance tennis equipment," said Erick Mathelier, a former Division 1 tennis player and co-founder of FURI Sport. “USTA MAS’ Girls Rule the Court™ program provides so many positive benefits to the communities they are in, so for us, it was a no brainer, and we had to make this partnership happen. Tennis has given me so much, and we want to help the next generation of girls achieve their dreams." 

 

FURI Sport and USTA Mid-Atlantic will embark on this new partnership by moving one step in the right direction to eliminate any obstacles that may hold back the next generation of tennis greats. This collaboration will also allow the Section to now offer to the Mid-Atlantic tennis community a 10 percent discount on purchases on the FURI Sport website. The Girls Rule the Court Program™ continues to be on the rise with pilot programs currently taking place in Baltimore, Md., Loudoun County, Va., Charlottesville, Va., and Louisa, Va. For more information regarding the program, please visit www.usta.com/girlsrulethecourt

 

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About the USTA Mid-Atlantic Section

 

The USTA Mid-Atlantic Section, one of 17 sections of the United States Tennis Association, is a 501(c)3  not-for-profit organization committed to promote and develop the growth of tennis. The organization aims to grow tennis in the Mid-Atlantic by creating accessible and inclusive opportunities that enrich ALL lives physically, mentally, and socially by connecting all generations with the lifetime sport of tennis.  Our vision is tennis for EVERY community. USTA Mid-Atlantic has been part of the official governing body for tennis in America since 1923 and serves more than 30,000 members in the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia and eastern and southern West Virginia. Tennis players of all ages and skill levels are involved in leagues, tournaments and programs sanctioned by the section. Follow USTA Mid-Atlantic on Facebook (@ustamas), Twitter (@USTAMidAtlantic) and Instagram (@ustamas) for all the latest tennis information in the Mid-Atlantic or visit www.usta.com/midatlantic.

 

About FURI Sport

 

Founded by Erick Mathelier and Michelle Spiro, they started to envision a place where sport and city life meet. Beginning with a technologically advanced, but inclusively priced tennis racket, they reimagined a world where there are no barriers to play. They designed bags that are both functional and fashionable, synonymous with city style. And they pictured a new generation of young people with access to a more equitable future, just as Erick had, through partnerships with urban sports programs in under-privileged neighborhoods. That’s when FURI Sport was born. 

 

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For more information, contact: Lauren Hoffmann, Director of Marketing and Communications, USTA Mid-Atlantic, 703.556.6120x7007, lhoffmann@mas.usta.com

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