This Year's Project: First Serve Courts 4 thru 6
About Our Organization
The Siouxland Tennis Association is seeking to broaden exposure to tennis in Siouxland. Our primary focus currently is on adding another 3 courts to the 3 court First Serve public indoor tennis facility at the south end of Scenic Park in South Sioux City. We hope to construct the addition to the facility in 2023 and are in the midst of a fundraising campaign to for that construction cost.
We are a community tennis association member of the United States Tennis Association and offer group lessons and clinics for kids and adults that are geared towards enjoyment and skill development in this life-long sport. In 2021, First Serve won outstanding facility awards from the US Professional Tennis Association's Missouri Valley Division and the USTA Nebraska state association due to the quality of our instruction.
Reasons Why You Should Give
Health Benefits
Did you know, playing tennis just 3 hours per week can reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease by 56%? Or, as one long term study shows, tennis players add 9.7 years to their life over sedentary individuals?
Playing tennis has a wide range of health benefits that make it an ideal physical activity for anyone, at any age.
BENEFITS FOR YOUTH PLAYERS
Tennis is a sport for life, with many benefits beyond health and physical activity.
· Promotes teamwork
· Social skills and sportsmanship
· Coordination, agility and balance
· Strategic thinking and problem solving
· Self-confidence
BENEFITS FOR ADULTS & SENIORS
Anyone at any age can learn tennis and enjoy incredible benefits.
· Stronger bones
· Reduces stress
· Cardiovascular fitness
· Weight loss
· New relationships within communities
Diversity & Inclusion
Open to All Siouxlanders
· Truly public facility, no membership required to participate in leagues, clinics, lessons, random play or events
· Significantly lower participant costs than those at private tennis clubs in the tri-state area
Scholarship Programs
· Lower clinic costs for kids who qualify for free or reduced lunch programs at their school, 2021 totaled $3,525
· Free one hour lessons to kids from families that would otherwise struggle to provide these opportunities, 2021 totaled $3,735
High School and College Usage
· 5 Siouxland high schools held tennis team practice and meets during the 2022 spring sports season at First Serve
· Morningside University’s official winter practice facility and host of 5 spring 2022 meets with other college teams
· 2 additional colleges held spring 2022 indoor meets at First Serve not involving Morningside
Many ethnic groups are represented in current makeup of kids and adults playing tennis and benefiting from instruction at First Serve Tennis Center. Of particular note is the diversity of players on the Morningside University men’s and women’s teams that use First Serve as their practice facility. Over 50% of the men’s team and 40% of the women’s team were from other countries and several different ethnic groups.
Need for More Courts
· From November through March, there are virtually no open courts at First Serve Tennis Center between 3 and 9 PM weeknights and between 10 AM and 4 PM on weekends
· Demand for kid’s group clinics is constrained due to lack of court availability
· Individual lessons often can only be given during less desirable times, also shutting out kids who desire that one-on-one teaching
Viability of Indoor Tennis
· According to U.S. Tennis Association research, metro areas in northern climates should be able to support 1 indoor court for every 10,000 residents, which would mean that Siouxland should be able to support 15 indoor courts.
· In addition to First Serve’s 3 courts, there are only 2 located in an aging private membership facility that does not emphasize tennis, so 1 for every 30,000 residents
· Sioux Falls has 3 facilities totaling 11 indoor courts, or 1 for every 20,000 residents
Tennis Growth in USA
· According to the Physical Activity Council, 22.6 million Americans picked up a tennis racquet in 2021, a 4.5% increase from 2020.
Current Project: First Serve Courts 4 thru 6
This project is raise the funds to construct 3 more indoor courts to our existing 3 court public indoor tennis facility at the south end of Scenic Park in South Sioux City.
Need for More Courts
· From November through March, there are virtually no open courts at First Serve Tennis Center between 3 and 9 PM weeknights and between 10 AM and 4 PM on weekends
· Demand for kid’s group clinics is constrained due to lack of court availability
· Individual lessons often can only be given during less desirable times, also shutting out kids who desire that one-on-one teaching
Viability of Indoor Tennis
· According to U.S. Tennis Association research, metro areas in northern climates should be able to support 1 indoor court for every 10,000 residents, which would mean that Siouxland should be able to support 15 indoor courts.
· In addition to First Serve’s 3 courts, there are only 2 located in an aging private membership facility that does not emphasize tennis, so 1 for every 30,000 residents
· Sioux Falls has 3 facilities totaling 11 indoor courts, or 1 for every 20,000 residents
Tennis Growth in USA
· According to the Physical Activity Council, 22.6 million Americans picked up a tennis racquet in 2021, a 4.5% increase from 2020.
First Serve indoor tennis facility furniture & equipment
Project Details
The Siouxland Tennis Association has successfully completed a capital campaign to fund 100% of the construction cost of the indoor tennis facility itself. Now, we need to raise the funds for the furniture and equipment required to operate this public facility. Those needs range from office furniture to a ball machine to court cleaning equipment and our project budget is $30,000.