MaliVai Washington Youth Foundation Recognized as National Junior Tennis & Learning Chapter of the Year

USTA Foundation NJTL chapter receives national award for its work in preparing youth from underserved communities for whatever life serves them

ORLANDO, Fla., March 31, 2025 – The USTA today announced that the MaliVai Washington Youth Foundation (MWYF) of Jacksonville, Fla., has been named the National Junior Tennis & Learning (NJTL) Chapter of the Year.  MWYF was honored during the 2025 USTA Annual Meeting & Conference, held in Carlsbad, Calif.

MWYF is part of a nationwide group of more than 250 sports-based community organizations that use tennis as a tool to prepare young people from under-resourced communities for the challenges and opportunities of life. The mission of MWYF is to use academic assistance, a life skills curriculum and tennis to engage youth from kindergarten to grade 12 in various active and fun programs to provide students with the resources they need to reach their full potential and become contributing members of society.

Terri Florio accepts the award. Credit: Fred Mullane/USTA

Since its inception in 1997 by former Olympian and Wimbledon finalist MaliVai Washington, MWYF has reached more than 20,000 young people in the Jacksonville area, providing them and their families with access to programs designed to support them holistically, including college preparation, mental health counseling, scholarships, leadership training, workforce development and tennis instruction.

“We are proud to honor the important work being done at MaliVai Washington Youth Foundation,” said Ginny Ehrlich, USTA Foundation CEO. “We are grateful to MaliVai and his extraordinary leadership team for their commitment to delivering programs and resources that empower young people to live their best life stories on and off the tennis court.”

The USTA bestows the NJTL of the Year Award to chapters that positively impact youth through the powerful combination of tennis and education. Co-founded in 1969 by cultural icon Arthur Ashe, along with Charlie Pasarell and Sheridan Snyder, today the USTA Foundation’s NJTL network provides over 168,000 young people nationwide access to opportunities that reach far beyond the game of tennis, including social and emotional learning programs, academic support, scholarships, and career and college readiness services.

This Press Release was written by USTA. For more information contact: Tom LaDue, Director, USTA Corporate Communications, (914) 697-2352, ladue@usta.com