Arthur Ashe Youth Tennis and Education Center...

If you are ever in the Philadelphia, PA area, and are a fan of tennis, do yourself a favor and pay the Arthur Ashe Youth Tennis and Education Center a visit. You will immediately recognize that Ashe Center is a very special place which annually provides qualified instructors, tennis equipment, and positive opportunities to more than 8,500 children, most of whom participate at little or no cost. Using tennis as the vehicle, the programs teach positive, rewarding lessons, building confidence and providing a framework of personal discipline. In addition, Ashe offers a safe haven for children during after-school hours and summer breaks, when they are most vulnerable to drugs, crime and violence.

The center, which opened its doors in 1983, was known as Philadelphia Youth Tennis, but later changed its name to Arthur Ashe Youth Tennis and Education (AAYTE), in February 2003, to emphasize its commitment to these youngsters as players and students, and is dedicated to achieving success both on the court and in life.

The mission of AAYTE is to create powerful opportunities for young people, especially those from under-resourced families and communities, to achieve success as individuals and as active, responsible citizens. "We achieve this mission through innovative tennis, education, life skills, and leadership development programming in neighborhoods throughout Philadelphia and at our state-of-the-art Arthur Ashe Youth Tennis and Education Center."

Of course, there of many places to play tennis, however, what distinguishes AAYTE from the norm is its focus on academic and enrichment activities. In addition to the state-of-the-art tennis facilities, Ashe boasts reading rooms, a computer lab, video analysis stations, and classrooms to serve its mission.

The Ashe name is certainly appropriate. Arthur Ashe, synonymous for courage, is well known for his tennis accolades. He was a three-time Grand Slam champion, United States Davis Cup captain, NCAA team and singles champion and was inducted into the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Hall of Fame in 1983. However, he is also prominently remembered for his work off the court with respect to civil rights and for his battle with AIDS and subsequent HIV awareness crusade. He was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1993 and his name has been given to the center court stadium at the USTA National Tennis Center in New York. Perhaps, Ashe himself however, would be most proud to see his name associated with the annual Arthur Ashe Kid’s Day at the US Open.

Certainly the youths involved with AAYTE have a solid role model and the proper facilities in place to succeed. So the next time your journey takes you to the Philadelphia, PA area, stop in and take a tour. Ask for Charles "Cha" Goods, tell him Coach Dano sent you.