Badger Racquet Tennis Club

Badger Legacy: Another reminder from a previous post - Tennis Success in the Milwaukee Metropolitan area requires a love of the game and quality program components. These components provide an opportunity to be creative with some INSIGHT about how to KNOW, LEAD, and GROW tennis in underserved communities. With the help of volunteers, parents, and grant funding, we have the tenacity to give back to the community and can write our own success stories.

This group is committed and it would not surprise me if we see great things coming from this group. Some of these juniors play on their high school tennis teams!

This group is steadily growing. We are excited!!

Another amazing fall & winter season! Badger under 10 group. Players that we missed, we will snap you next time!

BADGER PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
Tennis success in the Milwaukee Metropolitan area requires a love of the game and quality program components. These components provide an opportunity to be creative with some INSIGHT about how to KNOW, LEAD, and GROW tennis for underserved youths with an educational component. With the help of volunteers, parents, and grant funding, we have the tenacity to give back to the community and can write our own success stories.
Based on experiences, we know that there are many different paths to improvement in tennis, but we want to through tennis…change the lives of youths and reclaim their spirits as Arthur Ashe proclaimed.

Program Component 1: Youth Summer Tennis (6-18 –targeted group)
The program design is to develop an interest in tennis by offering tennis training as a summer fitness and wellness alternative for underserved youth in Milwaukee Central City and instill a mindset in the community that tennis is more than just fun and game. To many youths, many of those who may not be exposed to the sport of tennis; it is an opportunity for learning a sport, but also a means to learn how to be a team player, follow directions, build confidence in oneself, and ultimately derive a lifetime of enjoyment from the sport.
The Summer Program includes eight Saturday sessions from 9 am until 11 am.

Location: Rufus King High School Tennis Courts
Time Frame: 2-hours
Start Date: The program is currently on hold.
End Date:

Program Component 2: Fall/Winter Tennis Training (6-18 - targeted group)
Tennis in the central city cannot survive without the continuity of a year-round program. This component will provide indoor tennis training to those who do not have widespread exposure to the game of tennis.

This component also offers opportunities for the developing junior players to increase their skill level and be able to compete at a high level on their school tennis teams. Our job is to do what we can to help young players develop to their best potential in the following categories:
-Physical fitness
-Cross-court consistency
-Targeted serving with consistency & variation
-Handling the overhead and the short-ball
-Managing the volley
-All-court game

Location: River Glen Elite Sports Club
Time Frame: 1.5 hours on Sunday
Start Date: October
End Date: March

10 & Under Court
This program component provides an opportunity to get more kids in the game, for youngsters to fully develop an interest in tennis, and get them to compete in a non-threatening way. The targeted group will include reaching out to those who may not otherwise have the opportunity to play the sport and help grow the game of tennis in the community.

This program will offer slower balls, smaller courts, and shorter racquets, enabling young players to rally and play much sooner. Kids will start to play individual and team games and activities, develop good techniques, and use simple tactics following United States Tennis Association (USTA) guidelines.

Program Component 3: Adult Start/Re-Start
This program component will engage adult players who are new and/or returning to the game of tennis using low-pressure balls to help increase their confidence level and then skill level—sessions to be offered throughout the year pending the availability of instructors.

The outcome of the program will result in players learning the game, growing confidence in the game, developing their game, and having more control of their game and by the end of each eight weeks able to play the game with the use of regular balls versus low-pressure balls.

Foundational exercises and activities via player handouts will help to reinforce weekly lessons to help achieve these results.

Location: Pending
Time Frame: 2- Six weeks (summer & winter)
Start Date: Program on hold
End Date: Program on hold

Program Component 4: Tournament Play (New pending project: incubation mode)
This is a one-day format tennis tournament utilizing the non-elimination compass draw. It is a great way to get juniors to compete and great for the population of players who cannot commit to an entire competitive weekend or league season. Multiple matches are done in a 3–4-hour span.

Program Evaluation Process
Programs will be evaluated on an annual basis via surveys from parents/participants and volunteers of the programs.
Factors critical to the evaluation process are retention (how many kids want to come back?) and reasonable progress toward skills acquisition and mastery of players.

This is a partnership with parents and the goal of this partnership and outcomes of collaboration is to help grow tennis in the Milwaukee Inner City Communities and ensure that the opportunity to experience the educational, health, and other lifetime benefits of tennis is available to a diverse population of players, volunteers, and professionals.

Badger Racquet Tennis Club Results!
Not many people know that historically Badger Tennis Club's home courts were Sherman Park, and even though the program is open to all kids, the club has been able to provide stability and opportunity for minority youths in the game of tennis for approximately 35 years.

Tennis is an amazing sport that is educational, healthy, adds value to the community, and provides various lifetime benefits of tennis and this belief is what keeps Badger motivated to stay on course in helping youth improve their playing skills and increase fondness for the game of tennis. Badger’s motto to the kids: “Love of the game is the most important thing. You cannot get to the top on talent alone.”

Notable achievements since 1993:
▪ Badger has served approximately 1500 plus youths, since starting with 23 youths in 1993. The program has sustained an average of 36 participants per year.
▪ Badger has been able to maintain stability in volunteer instructors and in-kind assistance, which is foundational and critical to the program's success.
▪ During the first eight years of the program, Badger was able to provide over $4000 in college scholarships to 13 graduating participants of the program via various fund-raising events. However, the scholarship portion has been discontinued due to a lack of fund-raising opportunities.
▪ Badger acted as a sponsor to support Regional Rallies in 2001, 2002 & 2003.
▪ In 1994, two participants from the program (Demetrious Johnson & Larry Desmond Aaron) received full four-year college scholarships.
Past recognition to six (6) juniors for playing high-level tennis in the initial program, 1994 -1996:
▪ Fatima Laster-10 years old- played tournament play in Wisconsin and Illinois.
▪ Anthony Jackson-12 years old-played in Challenge Cup, Boca Raton, Florida, attended section training camp in Madison, WI, and chose to attend the USTA National Camp in 1994. Anthony ranked #1 in the state and #1 in the Western section in the Boys’ 14s in 1995.
▪ Eric Robertson-13 years old-played #1 Singles for Nicolet High. His state record was 22-7 and won the WIAA Boys’ State Tournament as a freshman. Eric ranked #2 in the Boys’ 14s on the Western level and #9 on the National level.
▪ Lia Jackson-14 years old: played #1 Singles for Nicolet High and had an incredible record of 34-1. Lia was the first black female to win the WIAA Girls ‘State Tournament.
▪ Brandon Currie-14 years old-played #1 Singles for Brown Deer High for 1995 & 1996. He qualified for State competition and won Division II State Championships, being the first black to win this title.
▪ Fatima Martin-14 years old-played #1 Singles for Brown Deer High School in 1995 &
1996 season. She played well enough to compete at State level for Division II and won the 1995 MVP award.
▪ The Badger program continues to act as a gateway in preparing minority youth with skills to compete on their high school tennis teams. 2013 highlights Kayla Howze, Jakeria Isaac, Lia Hutchins, and Justin Johnson who made their high school tennis teams.
▪ Badger is proud to provide character letters of recommendation for participating youth and has been successful in helping them obtain acceptance to their academic school of choice.
▪ From 2017 present, Badger is still a thriving program at Elite River Glen with approximately 20 to 35 youths participating in the program each year. Most of the kids mentioned in the achievements section participated in the program from about age 6 to age 18. In essence as an instructor, we see them grow up and hope in some way we impact their lives positively.

As these players go through the process of becoming players, they will develop character by playing by the rules, making line calls, respecting officials & opponents, and learning to win humbly and lose graciously.

These exercises will serve as life lessons and create teachable moments. Badger’s ultimate goal is to instill a mindset in the community that tennis is more than just fun and games. It is an opportunity for learning a sport, but also a means to network, learn how to be a team player, follow instructions, and build confidence in oneself.

The Badger legacy is to continue to act as a catalyst to attract and recruit youth players to the game, but also provide consistent exposure to the sport of tennis and the opportunity to further develop their interest and fondness for the game while continuously improving skills and ability
to play the game of tennis.

Thanks to the parents, a host of Badger volunteers, and the Wisconsin Tennis Association which supports the program, Badger continues to run a successful program.

We look forward to the collaboration with MTEF, 7th District County Supervisor (Felesha Martin), and Sherman Park Association (Mabel Lamb) to bring about transformation to Sherman Park to make it not only a viable park for tennis but an environment conducive to success for all sports and activities for the community.

Recognition to all the volunteers who make this program successful, especially the following coaches:
Coach Maurice Russell
Coach Amy Richmond
Coach Robert Haywood
Coach Joan Donner
Coach Carol Boulier
Coach Richard Vincent

Contact: Essie Herron
Phone 414.228.0527
Email [email protected]

Contact: Joan Donner
Phone 414.871.2875; 414-736-8253
[email protected]

Badger Racquet Tennis Club
Section 501 (C ) (7) Organization
USTA # 919368142
Web site Under-construction
Facebook: Badger Racquet Tennis Club
Program Cost for fall and winter: $40 per family, per session

Finishing up the Fall tennis session and getting ready for the winter session.

The program is designed to have two instructors for each court, with the first court providing awareness and drills for 10 and under who have not played before. Court two & three are for players who have mastered court one and can rally the ball somewhat consistently. Court four is for advanced players and those playing on their high school teams.

Location: Elite-2001 Good Hope Road

The Badger schedule for fall and winter:
Oct 22, 29 |Nov 5, 12, 19, 26 |Dec 3, 10, 17
Jan 7, 14, 21, 28 |Feb 4, 11, 18, 25 |Mar 3, 10, 17

Visited friends in Chicago today and watched some fantastic tennis matches at the ATP Challenges at XS Tennis.

Hello Parents, I hope to see all of you again this winter.

We are in the planning stage for another year of winter tennis for juniors at River Glen Elite from 4:30 to 6 PM. We are projecting to hold 20 sessions each Sunday for 1.5 hours between October 16th and March 26. These sessions will include USTA-approved drills for your child. The opportunity to play indoors over the winter will be an advantage to players to improve skills and consistency. As we always say, we cannot have a successful program without your help as parents in getting your child here. We recognize and appreciate you for supporting this program.

Schedule
The winter session will start most likely on October 16th and run each Sunday through the end of March at River Glen. Some dates may be tentative due to the availability of the club and some sessions may be held at North Shore Elite, but I will communicate those dates as soon as I get them from the club. Once I get the final dates, I will send out a schedule. For now, please let me know if you plan to participate and what court your child may fit in. Progression to the next court is possible based on improvement.:

Court #1: This is the red ball court designed for ages 5-8 or beginners as an introduction to tennis. Players will work on foundation & rally skills.

Court # 2: Players on this court can rally the ball in a team concept and will work on fundamental skills and various tennis strokes such as the serve, and volley and participates in team challenges.

Court # 3: This court is designed for more advanced players that can rally, place the ball, serve, and execute most shots in tennis. These are usually high school players or advanced players regardless of age.

Expectations
The expectation is that your child will attend each Sunday to get the full benefits of the program. However, flexibility is built in for life circumstances and we understand that things happen. The time will be the same from 4:30 pm to 6 pm. Please come about 10 to 15 early so that we can organize appropriately and get to the courts timely.

Dress Code & Equipment
Boys and girls should dress in appropriate clothing so that they can move freely and be able to hold two balls when serving. Please bring a racquet, but if you do not have one, we will have one available for you. The rest we will supply.