The 100 Black Men of DeKalb and United States Tennis Association (USTA) have formed a partnership to introduce a tennis component emphasizing sportsmanship, teamwork and discipline to students enrolled in the Leadership Academy program. This partnership is the first of its kind with the 100 Black Men of America.

Twenty middle school students and 20 high school students will have the opportunity to learn the basic skills of the game of tennis. Students will meet weekly for a three-hour period for six weeks. In addition to the physical training, students will be taught the history of African Americans and the game. “We are excited about the opportunity to partner with USTA to enhance our enrichment activities with the game of tennis. Our parents and the students will enjoy having this activity as an option” said Pat Moore, Leadership Academy Coordinator.

USTA Atlanta is the largest community tennis association in the United States that offers a variety of tennis programs for all ages and ability levels. USTA League Tennis, competitive team play for adults 19 and up, is the largest program with over 42,000 participants in 2008. USTA Atlanta was awarded the USTA Member of the Year in 2007 and the USTA Community Tennis Association of the Year Award in 2005. The United States Tennis Association is the national governing body for the sport of tennis in the United States. USTA Atlanta is located in the USTA Georgia district of USTA Southern.