TennisWorks Programs
Why TennisWorks? Participation in sports by children and adolescents is associated with a range of documented physical, emotional, social and educational benefits that filter into adulthood; however, income is the number one indicator of early participation in sports. Youth who live in households with the lowest incomes are half as likely to participate in sports compared to youth from wealthier homes ($100,000+)*.
In-SCHOOL & AFTER-SCHOOL
On the court, our programs provide physical activity through tennis, a chance to be exposed to a sport that may be new to them and learn new skills, an opportunity to practice life skills in action, such as perseverance, self-regulation, and dealing with winning and losing, as well as a focus on their athletic development. Off the court, there is a continued focus on life skills development, youth engagement in decision making, experiential learning, and connecting all youth to a supportive community.
“When TennisWorks students step onto the court, they’re practicing more than just tennis. ”
As youth get older and their interest in tennis is sparked, the TennisWorks program grows with them to provide a range of relevant athletic, academic, leadership, and service opportunities. Scholarships are provided into additional junior tennis programs for youth who are interested in taking their tennis games to the next level. Off the court, the link between tennis and education is further fortified for Middle School youth through partnerships with Gustavus Adolphus College and Macalester College. Providing real-life experiences on college campuses, youth participate in field trips, tennis themed science projects, and overnight retreat camps. TennisWorks is also expanding to focus on maximizing our supportive community to offer career exploration events, on-the-job learning experiences, and leadership projects that benefit the Fort community.
By centering youth voices and bridging tennis with off-court experiences, we aim to inspire youth to define success and strive to achieve it.
FEARLESSLY GiRL
Fearlessly GiRL is an internationally-recognized organization whose mission is to “help girls boost confidence, be kinder to themselves and others, and fearlessly take the lead in their lives, schools, and communities.” Professional tennis player, Madison Keys, is a Fearlessly GiRL ambassador. She sparked The Fort’s interest in starting a Fearlessly GiRL club here and meeting the need for an all-female space. In this space, we work through intentional curriculum about topics like self-esteem, self-advocacy, leadership, and mental and physical health. We also do team building activities, and of course, play tennis!
Several of our FG members credit this group as one of the main reasons they felt confident and skilled enough to join their high school tennis team. One of our members even reached out to her school administrators and is now in the process of starting the first ever tennis team at her high school!
Boys Leadership Team
The Boys Leadership Team (BLT) provides tennis playtime, leadership and team-building activities, and educational field trips. A BLT session is comprised of five programs every Friday for two hours. The boys play an hour of tennis games during the program, where they refine their skills and challenge each other. The second part of the program is dedicated to the educational activity. The topics covered include self-identity, leadership, influence, gratitude, and positivity.
All the program participants are recruits from TennisWorks programs. The boys are middle-schoolers from different schools.
The boys relish the space created by the program. They look forward to being at The Fort, where they do not just enjoy the tennis, but its space to connect, have fun, and use the skills they learn to support them in their personal growth and Life.
The BLT shows gratitude to The Fort and the volunteers who believe in and support youth.
TennisWorks Academy
TennisWorks Academy is a series of week-long summer camps that engage youth in hands-on tennis and academic enrichment activities designed to build confidence and self-awareness, spark curiosity, open doors to new experiences, and deepen a sense of belonging within our supportive community. TennisWorks Academy is open to current students in grades 3 - 8 with priority registration for youth currently in a TennisWorks program and those who are eligible for the federal free or reduced lunch program.
Transportation to and from camp is available to students within our transportation radius. Contact us for more details if transportation assistance is required. There is no cost to participate.
YOUTH ADVISORY BOARD
The Youth Advisory Board (YAB) is a group of young people ages 14 - 18 who are passionate about tennis, leadership, service, and co-creating opportunities for themselves, their peers, and The Fort. YAB focuses on coming up with and executing a group project as well as building a supportive community and with other young people at The Fort.
We are currently in the process of restructuring YAB and will keep the community posted with updates. If you are interested in joining YAB in the future, please contact Leslie Oskey: leslie@fwtec.org
FRIDAYS AT THE FORT
Fort First Fridays connect high school students from around the Twin Cities to tennis and to each other with an intentional focus on recruiting youth who have less access to indoor tennis opportunities. As the name implies, Fort First Fridays occur at The Fort every first Friday from 6:30 - 8:00pm.
Due to the popularity of Fort First Fridays, we given middle school players their own night: Fort Third Fridays. Following the same format, middle school players gather on the third Friday of the month from 6:30 - 8:00pm for a youth-centered space and lots of tennis!
We encourage pre-registering for these events to ensure we can properly plan and make these nights as fun as possible. To learn more and to find the link to pre-register, click here.