Wilson Racquet Sports has renewed and expanded its support of the United States Tennis Association (USTA) Schools Program in a multi-year agreement naming Wilson the official racquet supplier. Wilson, who has worked with the USTA Schools Program since its inception, expands its reach by providing custom-designed, entry level rackets to all USTA sections throughout the United States which are utilized by more than 1.9 million students each year.
The USTA Schools Program teaches K-12 students the skills of tennis during physical education class and fosters additional opportunities for children to explore the game in after school and summer programs. Schools that commit to the program receive complementary and discounted tennis equipment along with teacher friendly lesson plans. The program, which was founded in 1985 with Arthur Ashe leading the way, was developed to ensure that every young person be exposed to tennis and have the opportunity to play throughout his or her lifetime.
Wilson supplies developmental equipment and new products to introduce the game of tennis to children in more than 6,500 schools nationwide. In addition to racquets, Wilson also supplies transitional balls for teaching, mini-nets, targets and other teaching aids. The tennis equipment is available to the USTA schools across the nation through a special purchase program.
“Wilson's support of the USA School Tennis Program gives teachers the necessary tools to teach tennis to children using a fun, active curriculum that we are implementing in the schools,” said Jason Jamison, USTA product manager for recreational coaching, who oversees the Schools Program. “The student friendly equipment being provided helps ensure that children's first introduction to tennis is a good experience, which helps grow the sport and plays a part in encouraging schoolchildren across the country to be more physically active.”
