Saturday, November 29, 2008

Tennis & Charity

Tennis has become such a big and powerful sport. Some see it as a way to make money and escape the poverty of their country, as it is increasingly high paying. Some see it as a road to a free college degree. Some see it as a way to become famous as it is highly publicized and offers lucrative campaigns for the select few. Some see it as a way to stay healthy and get fit. Some see it as a stimulus to be the best, or win an Olympic medal, or fall into the record books. All see it for the great sport with many opportunities that it is. Taking all of these factors in, tennis is one of the most powerful and influential sports in the world. Tennis produces role models, who produce champions, who have the opportunity to give back by becoming role models themselves, and perhaps inspiring new generations of champions. It is a worldwide sport, most players become ambassadors for their countries, like Sharapova and Federer. Their high earnings give them a chance to donate money and build schools and inspire because they stand for something positive and great. They become lucky in many ways.

Ana Ivanovic used to receive Unicef greeting cards in the mail when she was a kid, now she is the one sending them. That is such a great turn around of events and this shows not only the potential of the sport, but justifies the rewards of these athletes turned media super stars.


Serena Williams also just opened a school in Kenya in her off season. She was there for the opening, and got to reveal the metal plaque on its walls with her name on it, cut the bow to the entrance and pose for pictures with her biggest fans. The kids in Kenya that want to grow up and become just like her no doubt.

Charity is not a pity party and it is not a tax write off. It is the desire to make things better, because things not always are. Where a chain is weak, it rips, and the strongest links will always hold the most power to fix the weaker links of this universal chain. That is the power of athletes and celebrities, and it warms the heart to see them following through on these missions.If you have any questions regarding the charity, or how to donate tennis racquets, visit TennisRacquetsforKids.org



1 comment:

bahamaderek said...

I would like to help you with an appeal to my readers for racquets. Will the US Post Office accept racquets with just an address label attached? How much is the postage for a single racquet? Do you have any affiliation with similar organisations in other countries? I have about 5-7000 readers a month from all over the world. All I ask in return is a photo of a huge pile of racquets and some of the recipients.
check me out http://bahamaderek.wordpress.com

email is bahamaderek@yahoo.com