New England

The Backpack Program: Bringing Tennis Home One Backpack at a Time

March 02, 2021

DAMARISCOTTA, ME - Imagine being a young child during a raging pandemic and you unexpectedly receive a backpack. Reaching inside, you find two new tennis racquets, tennis balls, net tape, a jump rope, art supplies – essentially it is filled with hope, fun, and endless possibilities. There is also a folder with tennis games, directions on how to play tennis at home as well as some creative art project ideas. This was the vision that became reality for 60 families in midcoast Maine. 

 

Tennis Without Borders wanted to find creative and innovative ways to engage with families during COVID-19, while ensuring their health and safety. The National Junior Tennis & Learning Chapter, Stay and Play, stemming from the Central Lincoln County YMCA (CLC YMCA), is an extremely successful program designed to engage youth in tennis. Building upon that work, the Backpack Program was created to present the equipment to children so they can learn to play tennis and get involved in other creative activities in a safe way as they navigate remote schooling and limited physical activity. Tennis Without Borders knows that through tennis, children acquire and strengthen skills such as cooperation, fair play, and having fun while engaging in healthy, physical activity. 

The Thrive after school program at the CLC YMCA was the first to receive their backpacks. Georgia Ahlers, Youth Tennis and Schools Coordinator, presented one to each child and the joy on all of their smiling faces meant instant success. Soon enough, racquets were pulled out of the bags as the children began to play tennis. All of this happened one backpack at a time. 

 

Tennis without Borders is a 501©3 non-profit whose mission is to help children develop life skills through the sport of tennis. The Backpack Program was created and implemented in collaboration with the Maine Tennis Association and the CLCYMCA in Damariscotta, Maine. We are grateful to all of the donors and volunteers who made this remarkable program a reality. Please contact Seth Meyer (sethwmeyer14@gmail.com)  for more information. 

Skip Advertisement

Advertisement

Related Articles

  • Visit the Sharon Murphy Spotlight page
    Sharon Murphy Spotlight
    August 18, 2026
    "This is stupid." That was the verdict from a group of kids at a summer club in Glastonbury, CT, the first time Sharon Murphy laid caution tape across the length of the court, creating six 36-foot courts on one full-size tennis court. The kids wanted to know why. Why couldn't they just play with the yellow ball? Read More
  • Visit the Gravity is Undefeated page
    Gravity is Undefeated
    August 18, 2026
    When I was 34, I heard Stan Smith give a lecture on the role of the head in posture and balance. Being a young, all-knowing coach at the time, I thought it was obvious. Of course posture and balance matter. Seven years later, I had an epiphany. I finally saw what true posture and balance actually look like. It is not obvious. Not even close. I had to pay attention. Close attention. And in my experience, it is the root cause of most technical errors coaches are trying to solve. But once you see it, posture and balance become an essential part of your technical lens. Read More
  • Visit the Bronze at Maccabiah Games page
    Bronze at Maccabiah Games
    August 06, 2026
    Trailing by a set and down 1-5 in the second of a brutal, three-and-a-half-hour bronze medal match at July’s Maccabiah Games, Wellesley, MA’s Janet Pearl was just one game away from losing the medal of her dreams. But Pearl was no stranger to uphill battles. Fighting through a painful elbow injury on top of a multi-year recovery from a knee injury, the 61-year-old refused to give up. Relying on the grit honed over years of rehabilitation, she battled back point after point to win the match and secure the bronze for Maccabi USA, a non-profit sponsoring the American delegation at the Games. For Pearl, the bronze was more than a win; it was the ultimate symbol of perseverance and the official end of her journey to recovery. Read More