VCU news

By Mike Porter

More than 200 fourth- and fifth-graders from Richmond will showcase their QuickStart Tennis skills on April 15 at the sixth annual Young Aces Open at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Mary and Frances Youth Center.

The Young Aces Open will run from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. and is organized by VCU’s Lobs & Lessons program, which will be celebrating its 11th year. Entrance to the event is at 120 S. Linden St., between the Cary Street Gym and Cary Street Field. The rain location will be at the Richmond Volleyball Club. Media are invited to cover the tournament.

One day leads to a year, which creates a lifetime memory. This is what we hope to inspire through Young Aces Open and the Lobs & Lessons program...Tennis can help create opportunities for youth throughout their lives, whether they play for fun, to stay healthy, or it becomes part of their educational path.

“One day leads to a year, which creates a lifetime memory. This is what we hope to inspire through Young Aces Open and the Lobs & Lessons program,” said Tina Carter, director, VCU Mary and Frances Youth Center. “Tennis can help create opportunities for youth throughout their lives, whether they play for fun, to stay healthy, or it becomes part of their educational path.”

The tournament is a partnership between the Mary and Frances Youth Center and Richmond Public Schools to introduce students to QuickStart Tennis, which is team-centered and uses foam balls, smaller racquets and modified courts to boost a player’s confidence and create a positive experience.

For the sixth year of the largest QuickStart Tennis tournament in the world, new additions to the event will include partners from: VCU Athletic Training, Project Yoga Richmond, Volley Futbol Soccer Tennis Station, AmeriCorps Educational Activity, USTA/MAS Serve Cage and Tennis Skills Station, and Amazing Athletes Obstacle Course Station.

Each of the 26 participating schools will send four boys and four girls to play mixed doubles. Each child will play an equal number of games, with no elimination. After the matches, youth will go through various tennis challenge and educational stations. The tournament will conclude with an awards ceremony, with medals and trophies given to the top three schools.

The tournament is sponsored by Martin’s; AlphaGraphics-West End; Richmond Volleyball Club; USTA/MAS; Children's Hospital of Richmond at VCU; Allen, Allen, Allen & Allen; Sheetz; Lobs & Lessons; Richmond Public Schools; and the Richmond Raiders. 

Lobs & Lessons is a youth enrichment program that strengthens life skills, promotes academics and creates a path to higher education through the sport of tennis.

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