Largest Minority-Owned Tennis Organization Breaks Ground on New State-of-Art-Facility in Washington Park
The largest minority-owned tennis organization in the nation, serving more than 2,000 Chicago Public School (CPS) students through its free in-school Tennis XSpress program and more than 2,300 Chicago youth and residents annually, broke ground Monday on a new state-of-the-art, $9.8 million, 112,000-square-foot, tennis facility in Chicago’s Washington Park neighborhood.
“As a graduate of the Chicago Public Schools, I know personally that the athletics programs I participated in were crucial to my development during a critical stage in my life,” said Kamau Murray, President and Founder of XS Tennis and the XS Tennis and Education Foundation. “With rackets, tennis balls, and nets in tow, Tennis XSpress transforms CPS gymnasiums into a world of opportunity and introduces students to the idea that they can and should pursue bold ambitions.”
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel took part in the ground-breaking ceremony.
“XS Tennis has been a tremendous success and serves as an example of how athletics and education can come together within our communities to support Chicago’s youth,” said Mayor Emanuel. “It’s important that our kids have access to safe activities and strong role models, because whether they win a championship, earn a scholarship, or just have a valuable mentorship, this facility will help more children discover a new sense of their own potential.”
Tennis XSpress, a mobile tennis program created by XS Tennis and Education Foundation, provides after-school and in-school activities while teaching the values of team work, self-confidence and sportsmanship, all while growing the game of tennis. The opening of the XS Tennis Village in the Washington Park neighborhood will double XS Tennis Foundation’s investment in their CPS programming, increasing the number of participating schools from 10 to 20 and exposing more than 4,000 CPS students to the sport of tennis and the habits of an active and healthy lifestyle.
In addition to doubling the Tennis XSpress program, XS Tennis will also expand its community outreach by committing $300,000 in tennis scholarships to Chicago residents and CPS youth.
“While in addition to bringing new opportunities for residents and youth, I anticipate that the opening of this world class tennis and education facility will have a sizable ripple effect throughout the Third Ward as it grows and fosters new business in the nearby community,” said Chicago Ald. Pat Dowell (3rd Ward).
The XS Tennis Foundation also works to provide academic and financial support to promising junior tennis players in local communities and looks to close the divide between sports and education, with twenty-one players from XS Tennis receiving scholarships to play college tennis since the club was founded in 2008.
The Foundation has partnered with the University of Chicago to provide student athletes with free tutoring and homework assistance.
Since XS Tennis opened in 2008, 21 players from XS have received college tennis scholarships with XS Tennis graduates. Graduates of the program have won four of the last five Illinois high school girls’ tennis championships.
TIF support in the amount of $2.9 million will go toward building the facility.
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