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USTA, Greenbergs to get kids active

August 7, 2014

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. — The United States Tennis Association (USTA) today announced it is teaming with Mike Greenberg, host of ESPN’s Mike & Mike, and his wife, Stacy, in an effort to get kids active through tennis during National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month in September. The couple is featured in a pair of public service announcement (PSA) that encourages facilities to host, and families to attend USTA Free Tennis Play Events or USTA Play Days.

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These events are part of the USTA’s ongoing efforts to bring new young players into the game, and September is a key period to register for fall programming at tennis facilities across the country. More than a 1,000 free events are held during the month as an inviting way to bring awareness of the sport to local communities while continuing the USTA’s commitment to ensuring a healthier future generation.

“Stacy and I are strong advocates for a healthy lifestyle and are happy to help the USTA with its efforts to get kids active,” said Mike Greenberg, a longtime tennis player who competed with Hall of Famer Chris Evert for a mixed doubles wild card into the US Open as part of the US Open National Playoffs in 2011. “Tennis is something we all enjoy together as a family.”

The PSA for coaches and providers will be shared with the tennis industry through the USTA’s multiple digital platforms starting today and can be viewed here. The second PSA, targeting families, will be released later this month and will run through September. Both promos were produced in-house by the USTA.

“Mike and Stacy delivered a great message to tennis coaches and parents about how easy it is to introduce kids to the sport,” said Scott Schultz, USTA Managing Director of Junior Tennis. “If we reach children when they are young enough, they can learn to love physical activity and sports for life.”

The USTA is making it easier and more fun for families to get into the game—and stay in the game. Youth Tennis is geared towards getting more kids to play tennis using kid-friendly equipment – shorter courts, lower-bouncing balls, and lighter racquets, tailored for all ages and levels.

To find or host a Tennis Play Event, visit youthtennis.com.

The USTA is the national governing body for the sport of tennis in the United States and the leader in promoting and developing the growth of tennis at every level, from local communities to the highest level of the professional game. A not-for-profit organization with more than 750,000 members, it invests 100 percent of its proceeds in growing the game. It owns and operates the US Open, the highest-attended annual sporting event in the world, and launched the Emirates Airline US Open Series, linking eight summer tournaments to the US Open. In addition, it owns approximately 90 Pro Circuit events throughout the U.S. and selects the teams for the Davis Cup, Fed Cup, Olympic and Paralympic Games. The USTA’s national charitable foundation, USTA Serves, provides grants and scholarships and helps underserved youth and people with disabilities. For more information on the USTA, log on to usta.com, “like” the official Facebook page, facebook.com/usta, or follow @usta on Twitter.