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Tennis: A Social and Cultural Bridge Builder

The Borough of Yeadon Delaware County, PA is a small ever evolving diverse community suburb of the city of Philadelphia, Pa. It wasn’t always that way. In the late
1950’s and early 1960’s the community was partially segregated. Black people who applied for membership to the All White Yeadon Swim Club were denied membership. The constant denials lead to a group of local business people and residents to come together and form the Nile Swim club.

The venture became the first owned and operated Black swim club in the United States at the time, gaining much notoriety and news headlines around the country. It was a thriving entity for many, many years. It survives barely in today’s struggling economy. On the other hand the former All White Yeadon Swim Club is now defunct having fallen on hard times and a depressed economy.

This six acre property was purchased by the Borough a few years ago for back taxes. In its day it had an Olympic sized swimming pool, club house picnic grounds and two tennis courts. Enter Jeffrey Harmon a Yeadon resident from Liberia Africa and a Tennis instructor who is also the founder for the Community Integration Program in Yeadon.

The Borough has a sizable African and African American population. Over the year’s friction because of cultural differences built up. Mr. Harmon thought that tennis might be a way to ease tensions and begin a dialog of understanding. He hoped to use the Community Integration Program as a vehicle to bring the two groups together.

He contacted Mr. Roy Hunter the Recreation Manager for the Borough and requested to use the two decaying and unused tennis courts at the Yeadon Swim Club property to bring the sport of tennis to the youth in the community. Mr. Hunter indicated that the sport of tennis had not been visible in this suburban community for a number of years. Hunter remembered a discussion he had with me after my book signing of “The Games of Tennis” An African American Journey at the Yeadon Library in March, 2010, where I indicated that I had some tennis resources to help with the project through the Black Tennis Foundation of Philadelphia, Inc.

I contacted Kitty Perrin a Tennis Services Representative for the USTA/Middle States Tennis Association. Together we planned a USTA Tennis “Block Party” for May 22,
2010. The Black Tennis Foundation furnished free tennis racquets. T-Shirts and Tennis Caps USTA offered “Quick Start” tennis short courts and wrist bands. The Yeadon Recreation Department contributed bottled water, the facility at the Yeadon Swim Club property and the circulation of flyers at key locations in the community of the upcoming event.

The event was a smashing success. Those attending included a mixture up African and African American parents and youth. The two groups mingled freely, communicated and started an informal dialog that is the start of bridging and understanding of the different cultures and backgrounds. The Mayor of Yeadon Borough, Dolores Jones Butler a forward thinking individual learned of Arthur Ashe Kids Day at the US Open Tennis Championships in New York and initiated a bus trip for the youth that participated in the Tennis “Block Party.”

The youth and the Mayor along with some of the parents and tennis instructor Jeffery Harmon made the trip and had the wonderful experience of seeing this event. Louis Bolling, a Yeadon resident who resided in South Africa for a number of years, held tennis clinics for youth on the Nile Swim Clubs two tennis courts during the summer in conjunction with the programs that were held at the old Yeadon Swim Club property.

Mayor Butler, with the unanimous approval of the Borough Council is now planning to use part of the old Yeadon Swim Club tract to reconstruct the tennis courts and refurbish the club house with the help of the USTA, who has a program to assist communities who are promoting the sport of tennis. The benefits of playing the sport of tennis often reach beyond the physical aspects of the sport.

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McEnroe"s Bold move the save American Tennis

Kudos to John McEnroe for taking a very bold step to revive American tennis. He recently opened an $18 million dollar 20 court tennis facility on Randall’s island in New York. The most successful player in US Davis Cup history was always ready and willing to represent his country in Davis Cup play. The passion he displayed on the tennis courts is matched by his commitment to bring the US back to its rightful place of prominence in this sport for a life time. His passion for this country and tennis is unquestionable. Unlike many who talk a good game and do nothing McEnroe has put his money where his mouth is.

I share his long standing frustration to get the USTA, (the governing body of tennis in the US by an act of congress) to construct and put into effect a well thought out and systematic agenda to bring the United States back into the forefront and develop the next generation of players to carry on the great tradition of American tennis. With the exception of Venus and Serena Williams and perhaps Andy Roddick and James Blake the US program has fallen on hard times. Where are the current likes of the caliber of past top players such as Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, Jim Courier, Jimmy Connors and Arthur Ashe. There is no question that the USTA has the resources and money for this. When I last checked Donald Young a 21 year old African American who had a sensational junior tennis record has been relegated to playing on the pro satellite tour. What ever happened to Lavar Harper Griffith who would now be about another African American player of a few years ago who showed promise? When I checked a few years ago he was relegated to being a practice player of the US Davis Cup team.

It will be interesting to see if the USTA will find a way to partner with John McEnroe on this project. His younger brother Patrick is the USTA’s General Manager of Player Development. A very interesting situation, John the outspoken innovator and Patrick the company man. In a resent article in Sports Illustrated (May 31, 2010), when asked if he hoped to work with Patrick he said, “He hasn’t called to congratulate me. I don’t know what that means.” With an annual operating budget exceeding $200 million and top notch training facilities it should be a no brainer. Enter internal politics and unwise financial deals and you may have hit on the problem. An article in the New York Times newspaper (Nov. 24, 2009) revealed that the USTA paid former Chief Executive of Professional Tennis, Arlen Kantarian more that $9 million in 2008.

The USTA Player Development Program has undergone many transformations over the years while having very little to show for players developed and money spent. A few years ago as National President of the American Tennis Association I had the opportunity of being a member the USTA Plan for Growth Steering Committee. The organization had committed to spending $35 million to grow the game. I was the only African American on the committee of about 18 that included tennis legend Billie Jean King. I offered that the growth of the game lies in the urban inner city areas of the country. This is where the majority of the population lives. My comments were ignored. This remains true today. This is not rocket science.
Maybe that is the problem with the USTA hierarchy is makes to much sense. Let’s hope that the current situation and John McEnroe’s bold initiative move wakes up the establishment.

Let’s not forget the issue of racial diversity an open sore in the organization that continues to be an issue. Racial exclusion is a well documented fact in the USTA’s past. History was made with the election of the first African American President, but many areas of society still lag behind in leveling the playing field. Shortly after being appointed to his position as General Manager of Men’s Tennis for the USTA, Patrick McEnroe fired Rodney Harmon an African American long time employee who held past positions as Director of Men’s Tennis, Olympic Men’s Tennis Coach, And Director of Minority Participation. For an organization that is trying live down a past history of racial discrimination the record is not promising. Zina Garrison was fired as Fed Cup Captain and filed a racial discrimination suit against the USTA and settled out of court. Cecil Holland and Sande French two high quality tennis officials filled a racial discrimination suite and settled out of court. Leslie Allen a former tour pro player and Magna Cum Laude graduate of USC was let go as Fed Cup Chair. USTA’s first Chief Diversity Officer, Karlyn Lothery left after two years on the job. Not only does the organization have a major problem with player development but racial diversity continues to be a major issue.


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