photograph courtesy tennis memphis
Scott Mitchell, CEO of Tennis Memphis.
Editor’s Note: There are always plenty of new and exciting ventures to be found in Memphis. The Bluff City has become something of a hub for innovation, daring creators and dreamers to discover new breakthroughs that move our community forward. In 2023, for our eleventh annual Innovation Awards, Memphis Magazine features five progress-focused individuals and organizations who are showcasing Memphis’ continued evolution through innovation. This year, we recognize UTHSC’s state-of-the-art center for healthcare improvement and patient simulation, Dr. Stephen Haynes and Rhodes College’s curated curriculum that bring the liberal arts to incarcerated students, Dr. Ernö Lindner’s fast-acting drug detection technology which improves medical response time for overdose patients, Tennis Memphis and its commitment to making the sport accessible to all, and the Overton Park Shell’s mobile “Shell on Wheels” that brings live music to every corner of Memphis. They’re all worthy winners in their own right, and are doing their utmost to move Memphis forward. We will celebrate our winners at the 2023 Innovation Awards breakfast on Tuesday, October 10th, sponsored by Protech Services Group and eBiz Solutions. — Samuel X. Cicci
Imagine a young tennis player hitting their first successful return over the net. Beaming with pride, they turn to see the members of the University of Memphis tennis teams sharpening their skills on a nearby court. There aren’t many places in the United States where aspiring young athletes can play on the same courts as Division 1 college athletes. But through the revamped Leftwich Tennis Center, at Southern and Goodlett, creating that inclusive space is simply the next step of Tennis Memphis’ goal of building a better community through racquets and nets.
“You aren’t going to find many facilities like this,” says Tennis Memphis CEO Scott Mitchell, who has a background managing tennis facilities nationally and joined the organization in August. The scale alone makes it one of the largest tennis facilities in the country, with 12 indoor and 24 outdoor courts. “And it’s laid out differently from other large facilities. Those are set up for playing and spectating. Here, we can do that but also perform all of Tennis Memphis’ programming alongside that, like lessons, summer camps, community events.”
The Leftwich Tennis Center, currently slated to hold its grand opening on November 11th, is the product of a large public-private partnership, which includes Tennis Memphis, the University of Memphis, the City of Memphis, and private donors. The U of M team will play their regular-season matches at Leftwich, and have locker rooms, training rooms, lounge spaces, and dedicated offices. “It’s huge that we can get kids out there to see high-level university games,” says Mitchell. “Either just to watch a game, or if they’ve just finished up a lesson nearby.” Longtime U of M tennis coach Paul Goebbel recently joined the organization as director of tennis, and will act as the liaison between the nonprofit and the university.
The new center will be the crown jewel for Tennis Memphis, but it’s just one of their many locations in Memphis; they were already serving in Raleigh, Frayser, East Memphis, and Parkway Village. Each complex is next to a neighborhood community center, making access easy for kids who are looking to get involved in the sport.
photograph courtesy tennis memphis
Melinda Hoehn, director of business operations for Tennis Memphis.
The main program we offer is called Tennis & Tutoring,” says Melinda Hoehn, director of business operations for Tennis Memphis. “We offer kids an hour of tutoring in whatever subject they might need help with, along with a snack and a drink, and then an hour of tennis. The tennis portion focuses on imparting life skills and physical fitness, or health and well-being, over just being able to hit a good forehand. Overall, it’s about teaching good life skills and building their ability to provide peer tutoring for others who might need help.”
“We see from research that the structure of tennis itself builds more self-confidence. It’s on-the-fly problem solving, and kids in our programs do it as part of a team. Kids who play tennis have better grades, and people who play tennis a couple times a week live up to ten years longer.” — Scott Mitchell
Tennis Memphis also offers summer camps in every neighborhood where they’re present. That, according to Hoehn, is how most participants develop their love for tennis. “Eighty percent of the kids join our camps at a greatly reduced rate, or for free. A lot of people look at tennis as a country club sport that might not even be on their radar. This is how we foster a love for the sport in communities that might not have access to it.”
Plenty of studies have shown that students who participate in athletics enjoy improved physical and mental health, as well as improved grades. But tennis players stand to gain even more benefits than those from other sports.
“We see from research that the structure of tennis itself builds more self-confidence,” says Mitchell. “It’s on-the-fly problem solving, and kids in our programs do it as part of a team. Kids who play tennis have better grades, and people who play tennis a couple times a week live up to ten years longer. This sport impacts them from so many different directions, and we want to help as many kids reap those benefits as possible.”
Beyond a community-building standpoint, the revamped Leftwich is poised to provide an economic stimulus for Memphis. Hoehn says they’ve consistently been fielding requests to host large tennis tournaments and other events. “We spoke with one group that had an event which would bring in 600 people for a weekend,” she says. “And we look forward to bringing in groups like that, which will have a big boost to hotels and restaurants.”
“We’re getting calls from people outside the tennis sphere too,” adds Mitchell. “They see the community work we do, and they want to be a part of it any way they can. And that’s only a good thing for Memphis.”
