The Colorado Youth Tennis Foundation’s Racquets for All (RFA) program turned 10 years-old in 2018. For all those years, gently used and new racquets have been collected, re-conditioned and re-strung, then given to those who need equipment in order to play tennis. Nearly 700 racquets have been donated to the program so far this year and more than 7,750 in all since the program’s inception in 2008. This year alone, 723 racquets were distributed to 32 organizations across Colorado. More than 6,000 have been re-purposed in RFA’s 10-year existence.
“If you put this in terms of impact, we’re not simply talking about tennis racquets here. It’s so much bigger than that,” said Kristy Harris, Community Development Director for USTA Colorado who is staff lesion to the volunteer Racquets for All committee that oversees the program. “It’s all about access and opportunity because each racquet equates to a person gaining access to tennis in order to learn or develop their game,” Harris went on to say.
Racquets for All is always on the lookout for new community-based groups and schools in need of equipment. An equipment request form is available here.
Each year, Subaru contributes dollars earmarked for the CYTF’s Racquets for All program as part of their official vehicle partnership of USTA Colorado so that new racquets can be purchased and added to the Racquets for All inventoryThank you Alden, Jaime, Adam, Billy Bob and the generous Meadow Creek Tennis & Fitness Club members who have been incredible Racquets for All collectors since we started 10 years ago! Your donations of racquets and balls have made our sport accessible to hundreds of new players who got involved once they discovered the free racquets and balls we have to offer. We couldn’t do it without our fabulous facility partners!
The Racquets for All High School Challenge is an easy way for teams to support the program via racquet drives at their schools. Many of the racquets collected this way have benefited other high school teams where students need equipment in order to compete. Approximately 125 racquets in 2018, and 568 since 2010 have been collected through the High School Challenge.
Arapahoe High School girls’ tennis team (pictured above) won the 2018 Girls’ RFA High School Challenge. Kids win when high school teams collect gently used racquets that are given to those in need.Coach Travis Crouch from Horizon High School(Thornton) and the girls on the tennis team say thank you for the racquet donation. The support the last two years means a lot!
Update from Coach Guerrero, Pueblo Central HS Head Coach, Racquets for All recipient: “I wanted to update you on my girls’ team that I sent you a picture of last year. They all graduated and will attend college next year. I had six qualify for state under the new 3A classification. What I want the CYTF and those that donate racquets to know is that these girls might not have tried tennis or enjoyed the success they achieved without these racquets helping them get involved in the sport!”
