USTA Foundation Empowering Youth through Tennis and Education

Dyan Gershman obtained a Bachelor of Arts in comparative literature at Colorado College before earning her juris doctorate from Boston College Law School. She is the founder and partner at Gershman Law, PLLC, a boutique corporate law firm based in New York City. When she is not working, Dyan Gershman enjoys the outdoors and sports, especially tennis, which she has played for many years, and she is longtime member of the United States Tennis Association (USTA).

Under the auspices of the national USTA, the USTA Foundation aims to provide tennis skills and education to under-served and vulnerable youth in 250 communities through the National Junior Tennis League (NJTL).

Established in 1969, the NJTL nurtures youth by instilling character and leadership skills through mentorship with the goal of helping youth become productive members of society. The NJTL later changed its name to the National Junior Tennis and Learning Network to better reflect its mission and objectives.

Over the years, the network has grown to serve 160,000 youth yearly through free or discounted tennis and academic programs. The USTA Foundation funds the various programs and works with the member charters and schools for after-school tutoring.

USTA Grants Awarded to Wheelchair Tennis Programs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New York City-based attorney Dyan Gershman is the founder of Gershman Law, PLLC, where she provides legal counsel to corporations on matters such as mergers and acquisitions, intellectual property licensing, and joint ventures. In her free time, Dyan Gershman enjoys playing tennis and is a former member of the United States Tennis Association (USTA).

As the national governing body for tennis in the United States, the USTA works to support the sport’s growth via a variety of measures, including the promotion of diversity and inclusion. As part of those efforts, the organization oversees numerous grants programs, including the USTA Wheelchair Tennis Grassroots Grants program.

In January 2020, this program awarded 33 grants totaling more than $50,000 to programs in 19 states. Since the establishment of these grants in 2008, the USTA has donated in excess of $650,000 to domestic wheelchair tennis programs.

Among the organizations that received funding for their wheelchair tennis programs were HSC Community Services, Inc. (Connecticut), Desert Ability Center (California), Bowling Green Parks and Recreation (Kentucky), and the Dwight Davis Tennis Center (Missouri), the latter of which hosted the USTA US Open Wheelchair Championships. Grant amounts were based on respective programs existing budget and their future programming requirements. Money is generally used to pay for tournaments and camps or to provide equipment and coaching.