Dwight Davis Tennis Center Earns National Recognition
July has been designated as Park and Recreation Month in the U.S. by the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA). The USTA and NRPA announced a partnership to support healthier communities, which is in line with the USTA’s recently adopted mission statement. To celebrate this collaboration and Park and Recreation Month, USTA St. Louis is featuring Dwight Davis Tennis Center within historic Forest Park.
The historic Dwight Davis Tennis Center in Forest Park was named Public Tennis Facility of the Year by Racquet Sports Industry magazine. The national honor came as part of RSI magazine’s 23rd annual Champions of Tennis edition that was published in December, which recognizes industry leaders making an impact in the sport.
USTA St. Louis became operating manager of the nonprofit Dwight Davis Tennis Center in 2021. Dwight Davis was the first public tennis facility in the country when it opened and has been a key cog in the St. Louis community ever since. Carobeth Kelly serves as the facility’s general manager.
“Our team has worked hard the past few years to expand all aspects of Dwight’s tennis and pickleball activities,” Kelly said. “There are challenges and bumps along the way, but we try to keep moving in the direction of making Dwight the best it can be. This award validates our efforts and gives us energy to continue our mission.”
In addition to the Public Tennis Facility of the Year award, USTA Missouri Valley was selected as RSI magazine’s USTA Section of the Year. The section and district teamed up with USTA National and volunteers to host the 100th anniversary of the National Public Parks Tennis Championships in September at Dwight Davis.
“St. Louis is very fortunate to have a facility like Dwight, and especially one located in the amazing Forest Park,” Kelly said. “Dwight makes it possible to host large tournaments and championships for juniors, college players and adults, as well as a wide variety of leagues and team matches.”
According to its website, RSI magazine’s Champions of Tennis awards were created “to recognize the many — often unsung — heroes of this sport and business. These individuals and organizations continue to go above and beyond in helping to make a difference in this industry, and collectively are positively impacting millions of lives throughout the U.S.”
To view the online edition of RSI’s Champions of Tennis issue, click here. Below is the article that was published about Dwight Davis in RSI:
As St. Louis’s largest outdoor tennis venue, the historic 18-court Dwight Davis Tennis Center plays host to some of the city’s marquee events. That included the 100th anniversary of the National Public Parks Tennis Championships in September.
Dwight Davis Tennis Center—named after the St. Louis-born Davis Cup founder who worked to make public tennis courts available to all—is a nonprofit managed by USTA St. Louis. The facility annually welcomes a range of significant activities, including USTA junior tournaments and team events, high school and collegiate matches, as well as adult section-level league championships and NTRP tournaments.
DDTC additionally collaborates with nonprofit organizations, providing court time to underserved populations free of charge. The venue’s accessibility efforts include hosting wheelchair tourneys, exhibitions for individuals with Down syndrome and Family Fun nights. In October, Dwight Davis held a free clinic for inner-city kids and FestAbility—an event celebrating individuals with disabilities—all on the same day.
“Our goal is to provide tennis to a lot of different groups,” said Carobeth Kelly, the facility’s GM. “We’re constantly looking for ways to bring different people into Dwight and offering them tennis opportunities or whatever makes sense to them. That’s part of our outreach.”
Tip for Success: Seek out creative ways to impact your community beyond tennis, such as hosting adaptive sports and other events.
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