Launching Kids Dreams

The SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TENNIS ASSOCIATION FOUNDATION’s mission is to Change Lives and Build Communities through Tennis, making tennis accessible for everyone regardless of age, ethnicity, ability, gender or economic background. People who play tennis know it’s an amazing sport. It requires timing, coordination, fitness, strategic thinking, and mental toughness. But the benefits of the sport extend far beyond the court. It teaches teamwork, resiliency, and problem solving. It’s builds self-confidence and self-esteem. It fuels creativity, potential, and dreams. It forms groups that create a sense belonging, lasting friendships, and fond memories. It can even inspire a teen to go to college. And it’s fun! We’re driven to break down barriers in an effort to bring tennis to places and people it’s never (or rarely) been before. Diversity, availability, accessibility are our mantras. We want kids to seniors, veterans to the disabled, to know that there are places to play nearby their homes. We want to get more youth playing because we know the benefits of tennis can have a lifelong positive impact on their education, careers, and lives. And we want promising young juniors to have the support they need to fulfill their tennis dreams and aspirations.

“Changing Lives and Building Communities Through Tennis” Since 1986, Southern California Tennis Association Foundation (SCTAF) has funded programs, innovative projects, leagues, and events that increase access, availability, and participation of tennis for people of all ages, race, abilities, gender, ethnicity, and economic backgrounds. The Foundation believes that “Changing Lives and Building Communities Through Tennis,” can be accomplished by focusing on underserved communities, people with disabilities, and veterans to be included in local tennis programs while also offering competitive and recreational tournaments, special events, and scholarships for promising junior players. Tennis teaches all players life skills such as perseverance, discipline, ethical behavior, patience, and resilience on the court that help them build self-confidence, self-esteem, and independence off the court. SCTAF is a leader in and is fully committed to sports-based youth development (SBYD) in Southern California. SCTAF funds programs in low-income communities that provide the opportunity for players of all ages to learn and play tennis, and to develop skills that will have a long-term effect on their education, careers, and lives. We provide the equipment and instruction to those that need it most. The impact of these programs can be seen in the practice of and improvement in the life skills including the development of emotional competence, communication skills, and mental toughness.