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Together, We Are Serving the Future
Updated: 6 hours ago
Youth Tennis San Diego and Barnes Tennis Center celebrated another wonderful year of community, connection, and opportunity at our annual Gala on Saturday, September 19th. For one special evening, Barnes Tennis Center was transformed back to the 1970s, complete with disco balls, a vintage VW bus, and legendary tennis champion Stan Smith joining us on the courts. While the evening was filled with great music, laughter, and plenty of fun, the true purpose of the night was to celebrate something much bigger — the positive impact our programs make in the lives of youth throughout our community every single day.
At Youth Tennis San Diego, we believe every child deserves the opportunity to experience tennis, regardless of their family's background, income, experience, or level of play. We work to create a pathway onto the court for every child who has a desire to play, and from there, we hope to help them discover everything the game can offer. Whether a child is picking up a racquet for the very first time, participating in an after-school program, receiving a scholarship, discovering adaptive or wheelchair tennis, or working toward a competitive pathway, our programs are designed to create opportunities for youth to learn, grow, and find a place where they belong.
One of the highlights of this year's Gala was the introduction of YTSD's newest initiative, the Serving the Future Scholars Cohort. This new initiative was created to deepen the support we provide to selected youth by offering additional opportunities, resources, mentorship, and encouragement as they continue to grow as students, athletes, and individuals. We know that helping young people succeed is about much more than what happens during a tennis lesson. It is about supporting the whole person and helping them develop the confidence, discipline, perseverance, and belief in themselves that can carry them well beyond the tennis court.
Throughout the evening, that bigger purpose continued to come through. With legendary Stan Smith sharing his message about supporting and investing in the next generation, we were reminded of the incredible potential that exists in every young person when they have people around them who believe in them.
So many of the speeches throughout the night also recognized our community coaches and the important role they play in the lives of our youth. That recognition was especially meaningful because our coaches are often the people quietly making a difference every day. They are out in the community teaching tennis, encouraging kids, building relationships, and creating spaces where young people feel welcomed and supported. Sometimes we are so busy doing the work we love that we don't stop to recognize the full scale of the impact happening around us.
AST Coach Jane Ross from Perkins School captured that feeling beautifully after the Gala. She sent a message sharing that she had an absolute blast and felt so lucky to be part of our team. She said that every time our programs were mentioned throughout the evening, she was “beaming with pride” and felt “completely inspired.” She even shared that the experience would make her an even better coach.
Her words were such a wonderful reminder that the impact goes both ways. We are here to support our youth, but the relationships we build and the work we do together also inspire and strengthen the adults who show up for them every day.
That is what made the Gala so special. It gave all of us an opportunity to step away from the day-to-day work and see the bigger picture. We don't always recognize the full impact of what happens when a child walks onto one of our courts. Sometimes it is simply a tennis lesson, a game with friends, or an hour of movement and fun. Other times, it can be a moment that builds confidence, creates a new friendship, gives a child something to look forward to, or reminds them that there are people in their corner who believe in them.
We are especially grateful to Kathy Willette and her family for their incredibly generous gift of a Gala table specifically for our community program coaches and families. Because of their generosity, members of our YTSD community were able to experience this special evening together. For our coaches and families, it was more than simply attending a Gala; it was an opportunity to celebrate the work they are part of and to feel recognized as an important piece of the larger YTSD community. We are incredibly grateful for the thoughtfulness behind this gift and for the opportunity it provided.
Another very special thank you goes to Molly's Angels Foundation and Sheila Belinsky, our Golden Grand Slam Sponsor for the evening. The Monarch AST program is proudly supported by the Molly's Angels Foundation, and Sheila's message, “Love it Forward,” is one that so beautifully reflects the spirit of what we are trying to create through our programs.
It is a simple reminder to spread kindness, support others, and look for opportunities to make a difference without expecting anything in return.
At Monarch School, that spirit comes to life every week through our After School Tennis Program.
Students experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity are given an opportunity to participate in tennis, movement, games, and friendship in a welcoming environment. While the program may look like a weekly tennis lesson, it becomes so much more. The courts provide a place where students can laugh, connect, build confidence, and simply be kids. In a world where so much can feel uncertain, those moments of stability, joy, friendship, and hope can mean so much.
Every Gala donation helps make moments like these possible. All proceeds from the evening support our community mission and programs at schools, parks, recreation centers, and Barnes Tennis Center. They help us continue offering introductory and after-school programs, scholarships, adaptive and wheelchair tennis, competitive opportunities, and so many other pathways for young people to discover the game and continue growing through it.
Our mission has always been about more than developing tennis players. Through tennis, we have the opportunity to support the physical, mental, emotional, educational, and social development of youth while helping them build confidence, discipline, perseverance, leadership, and a sense of community. We get to watch a child who may be nervous on their first day slowly become more comfortable on the court. We get to celebrate the student who keeps working after a difficult day, the player who learns to encourage a teammate, and the young person who begins to believe that they are capable of more than they once thought.
Those are the moments that make this work so meaningful.
Thank you to everyone who joined us for this special evening and to everyone who continues to give their time, energy, resources, and heart to our mission. We are grateful to our Gala Chairs, Michael & Liz Copley, our entire Gala team, our staff, coaches, families, sponsors, donors, and community partners who help make this work possible.
Together, we are serving the future.
💛 We Can’t Do This Without You
Every day, YTSD brings tennis, mentorship, and educational support to children who need it most, at no cost to their families. These programs aren’t just about sport. They’re about building confidence, character, and opportunity. But none of it is possible without the generosity of supporters like you.
🌟 Ways to Give and Make an Immediate Impact
Site Sponsor – $10,000
Fully fund a YTSD program site for an entire year, impacting dozens of youth with consistent instruction, equipment, and academic support.
Session Sponsor – $5,000
Sponsor a 10–12 week season of tennis and life skills training for 20 children in an under-resourced community.
Scholarship Sponsor – $1,000
Give one child a full year of tennis coaching, tutoring, and equipment, opening doors to lasting transformation.
General Sponsor – $1–$999
Every gift counts. Your donation helps provide the gear, books, and resources that make our mission real for every student.
🎾 Your Support Changes Lives
When you give, you’re not just donating, you’re investing in healthier kids, stronger communities, and brighter futures.
👉 Donate Now and help us continue serving the youth who need us most. Your support will be proudly recognized at our facility and on our website!
