Inaugural ‘Hit To Be Fit Day’ for NTM Brings Thousands to the Courts
May 21, 2024
The inaugural “Hit to be Fit Day,” held on May 19 as part of National Tennis Month, brought more than 3,000 players and tennis beginners to courts around the country. The flagship event was hosted at the USTA National Campus in Orlando, Fla., with 105 participants and 14 tennis coaches on 16 courts. About 200 other sites around the country also held Hit to be Fit events that day, too.
At the National Campus, and suggested for the satellite sites, the session started with an Adult Red Ball event, using shorter racquets, lower compression balls and shorter courts and nets, designed to be a fast, fun social experience for players. That was followed by a Cardio Tennis Triples event, with high-energy music creating a “party on the court” vibe.
“It was a fantastic day, which included those who had never played tennis, very skilled tennis players, and everything in-between—all playing with and against each other. Everyone helped each other get better,” says Michele Krause, the USTA’s Cardio Tennis Consultant who organized Hit to be Fit and directed activities at the National Campus. “By the end of the event, everyone had made new friends, improved, got a really good workout and realized tennis play can come in different forms.”