Seventy-two first grade students at Crozet Elementary School all received tennis racquets and balls—to keep—donated by BB&T bank’s Crozet branch April 16 as part of QuickStart Tennis’s deepening connection with the school. New kid-sized tennis courts were built there last year with a QuickStart grant.
The racquets were passed out by local pro tennis players Alina Ackenbom and Tamar Kvaratskhelia, who told the kids how they started with tennis as first graders, too.
“We really want them out there on those courts playing spontaneously,” said Lynda Harrill of Ivy, vice president for QuickStart Virginia. Last year the program gave racquets to all first, second and third graders. “This is all about skill development. We have lots of anecdotal evidence that kids are getting out there and playing tennis.” Tennis is taught as part of the school’s PE classes.
The kids gave a deafening roar of “Thank you!” to BB&T’s Joanna More, who was on hand for the presentation.
