McNealys lead Park and Recreation Month campaign, inspire more play at local parks

The McNealys represent the power of local tennis courts as places where families can play and connect. "When my daughters were four and six, we had a neighborhood friend and she started her daughter in a tennis camp," said Jairus.

"My wife wanted both girls to try something together."

So they tried tennis. "I took them to a local court just to get a feel for the ball," said Jairus. "We started with used racquets and a bucket from Home Depot to keep the balls in."

The girls thrived.

Jaira went on to become the 2024 scholarship recipient of the Kevin Minor Legacy Fund, awarded to one extraordinary female tennis player annually. Her younger sister, Joyous has been selected two years in a row to be a ball girl at the Cincinnati Open.

The McNealys embody the heart of this campaign: Parks are the ultimate community hubs for health, play and lifelong connections. Campaign imagery uses the phrases, "Tennis takes you places," and "Try something together," to demonstrate the opportunities that can come from the simple act of discovering shared interests with your loved ones. The mall kiosks lean into the outdoor-theme as images of the McNealys fill polaroid pictures. "Dreams taking root. Grow. Play. Thrive." And bringing this campaign full circle, photos of the youngest McNealy. "Triumph on the court. Dream. Believe. Shine."

What started out as a simple story pitch from a proud dad has grown into a celebration of everything local courts can provide.

Parks are where relationships grow; they're the home courts for youth sports and rec. leagues; they're where you can feel the sunshine on your face. Jaira and Joyous learned how to play tennis on local courts—and with their parents and brother—became the faces of a community campaign. Every great tennis story starts somewhere.

With this campaign, our hope is for more families to see themselves in the McNealys and to step outside, visit their local parks and see where tennis takes them.