Ely makes the most of one community tennis court
For the second year in a row, the community of Ely is making the most of a USTA Serving Up Tennis Grant. Last year the youth program filled up in a matter of days with two volunteer coaches to teach kids introductory tennis. This year, the program has expanded with two sessions.
“We then received additional funding in 2023 to pay our tennis coaches for the upcoming program,” said Callie Stulz O’Brien, Ely Parks & Recreation Director. “Both residents who coached in 2022 were more than happy to join us again in 2023 for two sessions; one in the spring and the next one coming up in September.”
The community is able to make all of this happen with only one tennis court. The population of Ely is around 2,300 residents. The Serving Up Tennis Grant was $1,000 and covered the cost of equipment including; tennis racquets, balls, tape and more.
Related Articles
-
Game, Set, GrassJuly 28, 2026A unique tennis-playing experience has arrived in Moline as Quad City Tennis Club opens rare grass courts and prepares to host the L5 Open Lawn Tennis Championships. Read More -
Courage Under FireJuly 21, 2026Dowling Catholic High School tennis player Marek Dessimoz became a real-life hero when he helped save a woman from a house fire. Read More -
A Story of GrowthJuly 09, 2026Story City's tennis community continues to grow as Jenny Nelson expands youth programming and pursues court upgrades that will benefit players for years to come. Read More