Tag: community impact

Diego Tran Rosado_1

Serving off the Court: Diego Tran Rosado

As social distancing continues, teenagers find themselves dealing with issues such as completing school online, lack of extracurricular activities, and of course missing spending time with their friends. Additionally, with the suspension of activities such as tennis, many find that they may have extra time on their hands. One USTA Mid-Atlantic member and junior tennis player decided to put his spare time to good use. Deigo Tran Rosado and his dad, USTA member Dao Tran regularly volunteer their time delivering meals and groceries for Corona Aid 757, and Southeastern Food Bank.

We caught up with Diego to find out more about him and how he and his dad are serving off the court. 

USTA Mid-Atlantic: Where do you live now?

Diego: We currently live in Virginia Beach, VA

Tell me about your family?

My dad is American and my mom is Spanish. My sister and I were both born in Spain. 

I grew up in Malaga, Spain. I have Spanish and US citizenship.

We moved to the United States because my sister wanted to finish high school here and then head to college. We moved here last July 2019 and we attend Princess Anne High School.

Diego Rosado

How did you get your start in tennis?

After I quit soccer and didn’t want to do a summer camp, my dad told me I had to find another sport. So he took me out to the tennis court since he loves tennis. I was 7 years old that summer. I’ve stayed with it since. 

Currently, I train at a club and with a private coach and with my dad. I started playing tournaments on weekends when I was 9 years old.

How long have you been playing?

9 years

Where do you usually play?

Cape Henry Racquet Club

Diego Tran Rosado

Do you play on teams or in tournaments?

Yes, JTT at Old Dominion University with Jennifer Toomey’s team. I play individually at different USTA tournaments in Virginia and North Carolina.

Tell me about how you are serving off court?

My dad and I are helping CoronaAid757 and Southeastern Food Bank by making deliveries to seniors, those in financial need and in quarantine.

We deliver meals 2-3 times a week depending on days we are not busy with school work and have been delivering since mid-March.

Why did you decide to volunteer your time?

My dad has volunteered before and told me how rewarding it was many times. He did it when he was at the university with Rotaract and other local organizations back in Los Angeles. So whenever he has time he would look to volunteer. 

Then when we started seeing people (and cars in long lines) on TV standing in line for food kitchens we wondered what about people who cannot leave their homes like seniors and those who are in quarantine or those who didn’t even have a car and take buses that may need food or help. We wanted to help these people who are isolated and cannot even go out.

How did you get started?

We wanted to help in some way locally but weren’t sure what we could do. So we did research and found CoronaAid757 on Facebook and later found the Southeastern Food Bank on Google. Both needed drivers to make deliveries. Since we can volunteer the days and hours we are free, we decided to sign up and help.

What’s your favorite part of making deliveries?

It’s rewarding to see the look on the recipient’s faces when they receive their packages and meals, knowing that we’re helping in some way. We’re all in this together and no one should be forgotten. It helps you stay grounded and humble and grateful.

What advice do you have for someone who wants to volunteer during this time?

Organizations always need volunteers. It doesn’t take much but it means a lot for those in need. If you have time and transportation, just reach out and ask how you can help, no matter your experience, skills or background, it’s easy as that. 

USTA Mid-Atlantic is proud of all of our members who are serving the community during this time of crisis. Let us know how you or your tennis friends are going above and beyond for others and making a difference during the coronavirus pandemic by emailing hughes@mas.usta.com. 

Click here to find out how you can support USTA Mid-Atlantic, a non-profit organization to make an impact on our region through the power of tennis.

Serving Off The Court: Teams Sponsor Meals for Health Care Providers

For USTA Mid-Atlantic players, an adult leagues team means competition, friendship, camaraderie, and fun. But more than that, team members support each other off the court as much as they do on it – especially during a time of crisis like we are in now. For the Northern Virginia adult league team “Smack that Ace,” pulling together as a team to help others not only benefited local health care providers on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic but a small business owner as well. What’s more, it inspired an abundance of generosity from other tennis league teams to contribute and help too. 

“Smack that Ace” is a 20-person strong, ladies 4.0 team with players hailing from all over the D.C.-metro area. Led by captain Ami Chastain, the team boasts many accomplishments, including placing 2nd at the USTA League Nationals in 2016.

League Outreach during COVID-19

Accomplished at leading her team on the court, Ami is also leading her team off the court by keeping players connected and in touch during this time of suspended play. During one such outreach, the team realized they had two members in incredibly critical roles that could use some help. The team devised a way to support fellow team member and ICU nurse, Brita Johnson, and her George Washington University Hospital colleagues as well as team member Angela Goodman, owner of Famous Toastery in Ashburn, Va. The plan was for the team to raise $320 to purchase meals from Famous Toastery and Famous Toastery would supply meals to the ICU Nurses at GW Hospital. A gesture to show appreciation to the hard-working nurses on the front lines and a way to support a local business. 

The response was so overwhelming that the team met their goal in just one hour. 

And then the generosity spread. 

As can be the case in metro areas, Brita Johnson also plays tennis on a Washington, D.C. league team with captain Yvonne Mayo-Anderson. Mayo-Anderson heard of the effort and went into action reaching out to her Anderson & Anderson team and they contributed as well. Within roughly 24-hours, the two teams raised more than $2,000 – enough to purchase two nights worth of meals from Famous Toastery for the ICU nurses.

Says “Smack that Ace” team member Rachel Fritz, “given the current social environment, health care providers, first responders, grocery workers, etc are the heroes in our country. We have to thank them and support them in every way we can.”

League Players Serving off court

The generosity did not stop there. Enough money was raised that the teams could afford to reach out and help more people. 

“Three of us are also on a team in Montgomery County, Md., with another nurse and an ER doctor. So we decided to contact that captain and share the wealth,” said Fritz.

And that’s when Rachel contacted team captain Laura Sommers. Sommers and fellow teammate Dawn Johnson are health care providers in  Montgomery County. They were able to arrange for Famous Toastery meal deliveries to Laura and Dawn’s respective health care teams and bring them meals to show their support. 

It is incredible to see how generosity can blossom and spread all throughout our communities. Even the smallest gift can go far beyond what we can imagine and be inspiring.

“This was just a really small way for us to contribute. Tennis friends are amazing and very generous,” Rachel concludes. 

Healthcare workers receiving food donations

USTA Mid-Atlantic is proud of our members who are serving the community during this time of crisis. Let us know how you or your tennis friends are going above and beyond for others and making a difference during the coronavirus pandemic by emailing hughes@mas.usta.com. 

Click here to find out how you can support USTA Mid-Atlantic, a non-profit organization to make an impact on our region through the power of tennis. 

Serving off the Court: Trinh Banks

For tennis players in the Mid-Atlantic region, making a difference starts on the tennis courts where players find themselves building character and a strong sense of community through the sport. But often among our tennis community, there are many players making a difference that reaches far beyond. 

During this unusual time and new normal of social distancing due to the coronavirus pandemic, USTA Mid-Atlantic Section is seeing how our tennis community is going above and beyond for others. We are excited to hear about the many ways our tennis family is stepping off the court and impacting our larger communities in the region during this time and want to share these uplifting stories. 

One such player giving back is Trinh Banks.

Trinh is an Annandale, Va., mother of four and USTA Mid-Atlantic member. As a 4.0/4.5 player, Trinh enjoys playing in USTA Leagues because of the community it provides her. League play is her opportunity to not only compete but to hang out with friends. That friendship and camaraderie helped elevate her and her teammates’ games, taking them all the way to USTA 4.5 League Nationals two times. 

Trinh Banks_Mask production
Mask Production

However, with league play on hold and social distancing in place, Trinh decided to focus her energy on giving back to the Mid-Atlantic community – and even beyond –  by sewing cloth masks and donating them.

Trinh started making masks by taking personal requests. With materials that she had on hand, she began sewing the masks and sending them to her friends and family who work in the healthcare industry. Then, using Facebook, she started donating them wherever there was a need, including sending her masks to Mississippi, Chicago, and New York City – a coronavirus hot spot.

When Mary Washington Hospital launched the 5,000-mask challenge, Trinh did not hesitate to participate. Her tennis friends jumped in as well by donating some of the materials for the masks. Trinh, with the support of her tennis friends, has contributed to the 1,600 masks that Mary Washington has received so far.

Trinh has made more than 100 masks. Now, she has added sewing surgeons caps as well. She recently shipped 30 caps to a nurse from Orlando, Fl., who is currently serving on the frontlines in New Orleans, La.

Trinh Banks_Masks to hospital workers

“I saw a need about the PPE. I have a skill and I wanted to help in any way that I can,” said Banks.

For Trinh, sewing is a family affair and she learned the skill from her parents. Her mom was a seamstress and her dad was a tailor. Trinh continues the family tradition by using this time to teach her four children, whose ages range between 8 and 12, how to sew. They’ve had an active role in helping her make the masks and are contributing in the act of kindness. In addition to having extra little hands to help, Trinh says she also uses this time to teach her kids skills that include math, planning, and preparation through sewing.

When asked for her advice on getting involved and giving back during the pandemic, particularly if you lack sewing skills, she says,  “There are different ways to contribute. One way is to donate materials such as pipe cleaners, cloth, and elastics. Another way is to pre-cut the materials and send them to someone sewing masks. Any little bit helps.”

USTA Mid-Atlantic is proud of the impact that our members are having on our community. Let us know how you or your tennis friends are going above and beyond for others and making a difference during the coronavirus pandemic by dropping us a message on social media.

For more uplifting stories to come, make sure you are following our blog via email. Scroll down and add your email address in the bottom right to get a notification when we post something new! You can also get all the latest on the USTA Mid-Atlantic’s COVID-19 response here. 

How Your Donation Supports Tennis

How Your Donation Supports Tennis

As a non-profit charitable organization, USTA Mid-Atlantic helps people and communities grow stronger, healthier, and more connected through tennis. We aim to make tennis the most accessible sport in the region and want everyone to have the opportunity to experience the lifelong benefits of tennis.

One of the ways we do this is by introducing youth to tennis through after school and summer camp programs.

When you make a tax-deductible donation, you help with program expenses such as these:

Donate today, and make an impact beyond the net.

USTA Mid-Atlantic Section, Inc. is an exempt organization as described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code; EIN 54-1472806. All donations made to USTA Mid-Atlantic Section Inc. are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.

After School Program Sparks Love for Tennis

USTA Mid-Atlantic Section partnered  with Belvedere Elementary School in Fairfax County, Va., to introduce tennis as a brand new after school program during the 2018-2019 school year. The program was met with incredible enthusiasm and both the fall and spring sessions were completely full. Many children picked up a tennis racquet and began learning the sport for the first time. 

While tennis brought the student population together and helped create camaraderie through learning a new sport together, one student in particular had an experience that’s proving to be even more meaningful than expected.Maryn-belvedere-3

Maryn P., joined the USTA Mid-Atlantic Section’s after school tennis program at Belvedere Elementary last school year and according to her mom Jaana, it has opened up a whole new love of sport – especially tennis – for the young girl. 

“I am so glad that tennis is offered as an after school activity at Belvedere Elementary here in Fairfax, Va! My husband and I very much enjoy playing tennis and really wanted our daughter Maryn to learn the sport too but didn’t know how to get her started,” explained Jaana. 

“We were very thankful for tennis to be offered after school so she can learn the basics and that she could do it with other kids from school.  We thought it would be a great start, and more fun than just us [teaching her],” she added. 

As a non-profit organization, USTA Mid-Atlantic aims to make tennis the most accessible sport in the region and one way we do that is by providing high-quality after school tennis programs with the support of donations. We want all people, especially children to experience the benefits of tennis, a lifelong sport, so they can develop skills and healthy habits that will pay dividends for years to come.  

For Jaana, the USTA Mid-Atlantic after school tennis program has sparked an excitement in Maryn for the sport that has been enjoyable to see blossom, and doors to new opportunities are opening.  

“I think the after school tennis program has really sparked an interest with Maryn.  She was interested in watching Wimbledon this year, and we even went to the kids day at the Citi Open tournament, which we wouldn’t have known about if it wasn’t for the USTA Mid-Atlantic after school tennis program. Maryn really enjoyed participating in a tennis summer camp program as well. She is looking forward to playing tennis again as school starts. I’m so glad to have had the program offered so she can at least start learning the basics, and who knows where it will go from there,” Jaana said.

As for Maryn, learning a new sport has been pure fun.Maryn-belvedere-1

“I love learning and getting to the next level.  I was very excited to get to the red level to get a new racquet! I told my friend on the bus and now she is going to play this fall too because she also wants a racquet. I really enjoy hitting the ball back and forth- it’s fun,” she says.

USTA Mid-Atlantic is looking forward to kicking off the 2019-2020 school year of after school tennis at Belvedere Elementary and many other schools across the Mid-Atlantic region. We aim to introduce more children to tennis and spark their love of a new sport they may not have ever known. But we need to help to ensure we can succeed.

Your tax-deductible gift of $100.74 covers the cost to provide equipment, a high-quality curriculum, and instruction for one child in the program. USTA Mid-Atlantic provides all of this so participants just need to come ready to play and have fun.

As the school year is just getting underway, your gift can make an immediate difference. Importantly, you can double your gift when you give thanks to an anonymous donor matching all donations up to $10,000 in 2019.

You can help change lives through the power of the USTA Mid-Atlantic after school tennis program. Give today. 

USTA Mid-Atlantic Section, Inc. is an exempt organization as described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code; EIN 54-1472806. All donations made to USTA Mid-Atlantic Section Inc. are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.