Stonewall Sports, KC LGBT Alliance bring tennis programming to Plaza Tennis Center

With the Plaza Tennis Center under new management by USTA Missouri Valley, the facility is seeing an exciting and long-overdue resurgence. With new leadership, newly resurfaced courts, expanded pro shop offerings and diverse programming aimed to bring tennis to all, the iconic facility is a draw for Kansas Citians in need of a great place to play.

Plaza Tennis Center has long been the home facility for area high schools like St. Teresa’s Academy and Rockhurst High School. Rockhurst University and the University of Missouri-Kansas City women’s tennis team call it home, and Plaza Tennis Center hosts several annual USTA leagues and tournaments. We’re excited to announce that it’s also the new home to the tennis programs of Stonewall Sports and the KC LGBT Alliance.

Since 2010, nonprofit Stonewall Sports has championed inclusive, low-cost sports leagues across the country. The Kansas City chapter, which was founded in 2019, first brought its kickball leagues to the metro and has since expanded to offer racquet sports such as tennis and pickleball.

“We finally were able to bring tennis to the scene in 2022 for its debut league in the summer,” said Alex Rogers, Stonewall Sports KC tennis assistant manager. “Stonewall’s mission is to foster an inclusive community for LGBTQ+ individuals and allies to be competitive and engage with one another through sports. Adding the sport of tennis furthers that goal because it broadens the community at large.”

This year, Stonewall Sports is hosting its tennis programming on Thursdays from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. at Plaza Tennis Center.

“These sessions will consist mostly of drills with the directors feeding balls and playing in occasionally,” Rogers said. “There’ll be an option for open play starting at 8:30 for anyone wanting to get in some extra hitting or point play.”

And if you fear you can’t play because you don’t have equipment, fear not.

“USTA has been generous to offer racquets for players to borrow should they not already have one of their own, and they have the option to purchase the racquet at the end of the season to keep it permanently,” Rogers said. “We are super excited to be back for a second season this year starting on Aug. 15 and hope to make it more a consistently offered sport from here on out.”

Plaza Tennis Center Facility Manager Jacob Beck has been integral in helping Stonewall Sports find a home at the facility, in addition to establishing several other new tennis offerings during the summer. Rogers shared Beck was the first director of Stonewall Tennis in KC and has been an excellent liaison for bringing programs to fruition at Plaza Tennis Center.

In July, Beck helped run a Pride tennis event, which drew tremendous interest from the community. He’s also been largely involved in bringing the KC LGBT Alliance into the mix.

“The alliance is loosely connected for the LGBT+ community and allies to come together for open play and hit,” Beck said. “We do drills or play sets depending on who and how many show up. We’re reviving that group to make sure everyone feels welcome. It’s an open-play time for anyone and everyone to show up. It’s a great way to meet new people and get to know each other in a less competitive way.”

USTA Heart of America thanks Beck, Rogers and both the Stonewall Sports and KC LGBT Alliance organizations for helping bring tennis to everyone who wants to play. The district also credits Plaza Tennis Center and its staff for providing an inclusive space to keep tennis programming alive and well in Kansas City.

For the full schedule of programming at Plaza Tennis Center, click here.