Heritage Month Tennis Series to Take Place at Cooper

The Heritage Month Tennis Series schedule is as follows, with dates subject to change:

• Black History Month / Monday, February 19 / Noon-1:30 p.m.

• Women’s History Month (International Women’s Day) / Friday, March 8

• Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month / Saturday, May 4

• Pride Month / Saturday, June 15

• Disability Pride Month / Saturday, July 13

• National Hispanic Heritage Month / Saturday, September 21

• Native American Heritage Month / Monday, November 17

Children 8 to 15 years old are invited to attend, and no tennis experience is necessary. Equipment will be provided and each event is free to attend. Parents and guardians are welcome to listen to the classroom session and view the tennis clinic. Registration is required, and individuals can sign up for the Black History Month event by clicking here.

“Tennis is such a diverse sport not only internationally, but you just see so many different people which is really cool,” Weber said. “The kids who participate in this may get to see something they never knew existed or learn about a new culture. It’s just a great opportunity to broaden those kids’ horizons through tennis.”

The 30-minute educational component will cover the backstory of that particular heritage month and the history of that group of people’s participation in tennis. Weber and USTA Missouri Executive Director Leslie Echols are working together to find community members who are part of each culture — or experts in that field — and either play tennis or possess an interest in the sport. Speakers will have an opportunity to share their personal experience in tennis as well.

For the event on February 19 celebrating Black History Month, Larry Holmes — Cooper Complex head tennis professional — will share his tennis story. Holmes met Arthur Ashe at a young age and worked his way up the college coaching ranks to become an NCAA Division-I head coach before taking the role at Cooper.

“Larry brings a different perspective we’ve all learned so much from,” Weber said. “You don’t realize what other people go through when you don’t live that every day. His background — he came up through an NJTL — and the things he dealt with were very different than the things a lot of people in our community dealt with.

“Him being able to share his story and have that connection through tennis is going to be really neat for those kids to see how everybody is different, but we all love the same sport.”

Each of the Heritage Month Tennis Series events will have a unique registration link. Questions about the series or the Black History Month celebration can be directed to the Cooper Complex front desk at 417-837-5800.