USTA St. Louis Grant Aids Parkway South Tennis Programs

“Tennis is not the most expensive sport, but it’s not totally cheap either,” Scales said. “We had this need of wanting to make sure no student was turned away from this great opportunity to play tennis just because the family might not be able to afford some of the fees, or they don’t have their own racquet and can’t afford that. The USTA grant really helped out — both on the supply side and on the side of enabling some of our students to get full participation as a team member.”

Scales said like other Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) tennis programs, Parkway South spends significant money annually to pay for essentials such as balls, nets and Rol-Dri squeegees. While part of the grant money assisted with those expenses, the remaining funds ensured any player who wanted to join the team could do so without finances getting in the way.

“Some of our kids can’t afford what it would cost to put up a banner on our fence with the other seniors that honor them and celebrate them or paying for the food at our season-ending banquet, which is a highlight of the season,” Scales said. “We don’t want them to be on the team and not able to experience those things. This is part of what USTA made possible, and we’re just really grateful for it.”

Scales said beyond the benefit of the additional funds, the USTA St. Louis grant validates the significance of high school tennis and the work he, Tanurchis and their players put in.

“We get a lot of support from our Parkway community and the South community. We couldn’t do the program if we didn’t,” Scales said. “To have this extra, it’s a recognition, an acknowledgement by USTA that what we are doing is good for kids and good for families. That’s worth as much as the money honestly. It enhances the value of our program and communicates to the community this is a good thing, and keep investing in it emotionally and financially.”

Scales noted the Parkway South boys’ and girls’ teams compete against about 14 other strong schools every season, and each is as worthy as the Patriots’ program for grant recognition. He encouraged the coaches of those squads to likewise apply for a USTA St. Louis grant, which can be completed by clicking here.

“We know we’re not the only deserving program out there,” Scales said. “Some years we might get it. We might not get it another year because another worthy school gets it. We’re honored to get this kind of recognition. We know it’s not just us. So, we feel especially glad we got selected for this support. It’s just so great.”

To better and more equitably serve the local tennis community, USTA St. Louis installed three grant deadline dates for 2024: April 15, June 15 and October 15. The revamped system replaced the March-to-September rolling deadline of preceding years.

The first granting window is now open, with individuals and organizations able to apply for one of four USTA St. Louis grant categories. USTA Missouri Valley and USTA National grants are also open, with the National Tennis Month grant deadline approaching on March 30.

Scales — who has telecommuted as a research psychologist for Minneapolis-based Search Institute the past 29 years — also pens a column for Racquet Sports Industry magazine. He has written a pair of books available on Amazon: “Mental and Emotional Training for Tennis: Compete-Learn-Honor” (2019) and “The Compete-Learn-Honor Playbook” (2022).

Scales called a career in psychology and coaching high school tennis “a great combination,” as he instills life lessons through sports. The USTA St. Louis grant provided Scales and Tanurchis that opportunity as well. The coaches relayed to their players — in confidence with no one knowing who the beneficiary was — the grant funds enabled everyone on the team a chance to fully participate.

“We don’t want this to be one of those sports where you can play it if you’ve got tons of money, because that’s not what it’s about,” Scales said. “It’s an unbelievable sport, and it teaches about life. We want every student to have that experience. This grant, and this kind of support, sends this message to everybody that tennis includes everybody. Come play, and we will figure out how to make it possible for you to play.”