TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Neighbors are serving their community in more ways than one. The Tucson Community Tennis Program (TCTP) partners with local schools where students may not have P.E. classes, or even access to after-school sports.
Recently, though, every year, hundreds of fifth-grade students have gotten the chance to learn the sport's strokes from University of Arizona Div. I athletes. Good Morning Tucson got to see the on-the-court action and meet the players and stakeholders inspiring students to succeed in the game of life.
What could sound like a racket on the campus courts, is actually a welcome change of pace for UA Men's Tennis senior and star Colton Smith. Smith, an All-American, is glad to just be Coach Colton for the day, teaching dozens of kids who piled onto school buses to join a field trip on Nov.13, organized by TCTP.
"I can join them and give back, because for so much of the time, I'm so busy," Smith said. "It's so cool when you can share your passion with somebody, and you can see that spark light in them."
TCTP board member Nancy Ferguson said the hard work's coordinating trips and camps is worth it, if the students feel they can be their family's first-ever college graduate.
"Some of the children, when we do this field trip, they've never been on campus before," Ferguson said. "They're suddenly seeing this and saying, 'You know what? Maybe I could do this someday.'"
Univ. of Arizona tennis coaches like Clancy Shields and Ryan Stotland want to keep helping the small nonprofit, too. Shields, the head men's tennis coach and a former P.E. teacher, knows the power a great teacher can wield in a child's life.
"Any time I had someone who taught the subject with passion and joy, and they taught it really well, I was always interested in it," Shields said. "I think that's the same thing with tennis. You're going to see our players teach these kids with passion and joy."
Stotland, the head women's team coach, said the current roster of players already are mentors. "I think we have 150 kids today," Stotland said, "so they get to learn how to deal with that from so many different perspectives, and it's really cool to see them take that leadership."
As the U of A coaches and players continue to give their time, Ferguson and TCTP also showed their gratitude for a program riding out the cuts in an athletic budget shortfall. Shields said he was thoroughly surprised to see the small nonprofit gift the program brand new tennis nets. "Just a really nice gesture and something we can really use," he said.
TCTP stays busy beyond the one-day special camp on campus. Leaders and volunteers host weekend clinics and summer programs. Ferguson said right now, they are trying to find more fundraising sponsors so they can teach 4th-grade students in their partner schools.
Being a small foundation, Ferguson said, they are also looking for volunteers who can give a little time to make a big difference.
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José Zozaya is an anchor and reporter for KGUN 9. Before arriving in southern Arizona, José worked in Omaha, Nebraska where he covered issues ranging from local, state and federal elections, to toxic chemical spills, and community programs impacting immigrant families. Share your story ideas and important issues with José by emailing jose.zozaya@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
