August 15th, 2016

Tallahassee Tennis Blog: Grant Sparks 1st Inner City and Southside JTT Leagues

The City of Tallahassee’s “Friends of Our Parks” generously donated $400 in funding to sponsor two Junior Team Tennis programs — one located in historic Frenchtown at Fourth Avenue in the Goodbread Hills neighborhood, and one located at Jake McLean Recreation Center on the Southside of Tallahassee.

Both programs have been held on Saturdays throughout the summer and will resume again in the early fall following a season-ending party. Children ages 6-18 are eligible to play and are provided team t-shirts and equipment.

Clinics are provided free to all kids at these locations on Tuesdays and Thursdays to help them with their skill progression, along with a quarterly Play Day. Program coaches include Nikki Clifton and Glen Howe.

This is the only inner-city type program of its kind in the country according to the Glen Howe, the city’s tennis superintendent, as the kids actually live in the neighborhoods where they compete.

The goal of the JTT program is to eventually integrate the kids from the Southside with existing programs on the Northside of Tallahassee.

For more info on Junior Team Tennis opportunities in Florida click here.

Posted by Kelly Tucker

I am an avid tennis player and volunteer coach for the underserved population and Special Olympians. I have been the volunteer Community Events Coordinator for the Tallahassee Tennis Challenger for more than 10 years and am a volunteer for special events with the Tallahassee Parks, Recreation, and Neighborhood Affairs. I am also a former Board member with the Tallahassee Tennis Association. I am currently the Director of Marketing for Evergreen Solutions, a national public sector consulting firm. I am a graduate of Florida State University, where I earned my Bachelor’s of Science degree in Criminology and a Master’s degree in Public Administration.