Roots to Racquets thrives after receiving an Innovation Grant

Jordan and Ethan Leon were just starting to tap into their potential in tennis when their dad was laid off from his job. It meant the brothers would have to stop attending lessons at Harp Performance Tennis (HPT) in Cumming, Ga.

After hearing about their plight, HPT owner Jim Harp informed the Leon family about a nonprofit he was starting called Roots to Racquets, which aims to provide an affordable, healthy living initiative for all families through tennis, nutrition, education and lifestyle.

Roots to Racquets was founded in 2024 with the help of a USTA Southern Innovation Grant. In 2024, the grant amount was $7,000, and in 2025, it was $7,500. These grants supported creative, novel and reimagined efforts designed to grow tennis through promotion, outreach, participation, retention and/or instruction. 

Jordan, 15, and Ethan, 13, were able to receive financial assistance as part of the nonprofit’s inaugural class, helping them stay on the court and continue developing as players.

“They are not just providing the kids with coaching, but they are also engaging with them in a way that makes them feel like this is a person to trust and gain trust,” said Jordan and Ethan’s father, Cesar. “They really care for the kids and set up goals for their future to maintain a path. That is essential to give to the children with less opportunities here in north Georgia.”

Through Roots to Racquets, Harp aimed to reach families north of Atlanta who were unable to access the sport due to certain barriers. The Roots to Racquets staff and advisors provide tennis instruction, health and nutrition education and family wellness activities.

Goal: healthy living space

“The intention was to create a healthy living space in tennis and to get families interested in living better, living healthy, eating correctly, and playing tennis,” Harp said. “We wanted to bring more options to the at-risk community. The research has shown it's more expensive to eat well, eat healthy and live that way than it is not to.”

Roots to Racquets holds after-school tennis programs and summer camps. Each junior receives a free racquet, coaching, and life skills and mentorship.

Earlier this year, the nonprofit collaborated with the Boys & Girls Club in Forsyth County to host a tennis and pizza party fun fest, which attracted 41 kids. Nearly 30 children have participated in programming at Castlebrooke Tennis Club in Cumming, which offers six weeks of lessons for $25.

“USTA Southern has been amazing. They got racquets and balls for us, so we have a racquet and ball for every kid who wants to play,” Harp said. “We've got a regular newsletter, we've got a website, and the long-term goal here is to build an eight-court indoor court, an eight-classroom enrichment center with outdoor courts as well.”

Cesar has coached soccer for 35 years, so he appreciates the dedication it takes to help young kids develop. Given tennis is a more expensive sport, Leon is grateful that Roots to Racquets is investing in kids who may otherwise never get the chance to participate. One young player in particular stood out at summer camp when Leon was watching his own boys play.

“He was there all the time, and you can see his eyes just lighting up to tennis. I saw the difference from when he came in and months after,” Cesar said. “This kid is extremely passionate about tennis at this young age. That is what you want to see from somebody who is really interested in a sport.”

Big ambitions

Harp has big ambitions for Roots to Racquets. Seeing the difference it’s already making for families in north Georgia has inspired him to keep expanding. He wants to give more kids a chance to discover the benefits of tennis and see how it can serve as a platform for a brighter future.

“One of the visions is that when a kid comes all the way through the program, ideally they would receive a tennis scholarship somewhere,” Harp said. “But more importantly, if they were to get an academic scholarship in the field of nutrition or sports science as a result of our efforts that would be the real win.”