Middle States

GCC Juneteenth Event

Germantown Cricket Club (GCC), a historic and private club, opened its grounds for the second straight year to celebrate and recognize the history of Black tennis with a public event in honor of Juneteenth. On June 20, the club welcomed people of all ages to participate in organized tennis events – juniors participated in a free tennis clinic, while adults took part in a doubles round-robin. The festivities also featured vendor tables from local Black businesses, artists, athletes, and supporters, along with food trucks, live music, and more.

 

Former USTA President and international tennis leader Katrina Adams was on site for the event. Adams recently published a book, Own The Arena, which has been popular in tennis and non-tennis realms since its release. Katrina was the honored guest at the event and received a lifetime membership to GCC. She was overheard mentioning that the membership is one of the best gifts she had ever received.

 

The event was organized by Friends of GCC, a 501(c)(3) organization with a mission of providing opportunities for youth, educational institutions, and community organizations to participate in ongoing events at GCC. As a supporting organization to GCC, Friends of GCC also engages in fundraising activities that support and benefit the club.

 

Juneteenth recognizes the first day of freedom for enslaved Africans in Texas and commemorates the end of slavery in the United States as a whole. In 2021, Juneteenth became a federal holiday.

 

Take a look at some more action from the event on our social media.

Skip Advertisement

Advertisement

Related Articles

  • Stephanie Howard Headshot
    Dedicated to the Game
    June 30, 2023
    For more than 30 years, Stephanie Howard has made her life about growing tennis. The 2022 Middle States Teaching Professional of the Year is dedicated, hardworking and loves what she does. Howard is the Director of Community Outreach at Princeton Tennis Program (PTP). PTP runs programming at Community Park and at the Eve Kraft Tennis Center in Princeton, N.J. Read More
  • Posed group photo at Juneteenth event.
    Juneteenth Celebration
    June 26, 2023
    Germantown Cricket Club continued its annual celebration of Juneteenth by opening its doors to the public to celebrate the history of Black tennis. This was the third straight year that the historic, Philadelphia-based club hosted the community to honor the holiday. Read More
  • Derek Yao holding a trophy.
    In His Own Words
    May 26, 2023
    A 13-year-old from Allentown, Pa., Derek Yao was recently recognized with a Middle States Junior Sportsmanship Award. In recognition of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage (AAPI) Month, we asked Derek about his background and what AAPI Month means to him. Read More