Kids on the Ball is our award-winning tennis program for Burlington youth. The program began in the summer of 2000, when local tennis pro Jake Agna invited twenty children from King Street to join his Junior Development program at Sports & Fitness Edge in South Burlington.
Jake quickly learned that many more children could benefit from organized tennis. Not only were children learning a life-long sport, but many were also developing important social skills through the program.
Today, Kids on the Ball is a city-wide program that serves hundreds of children each year. It includes:
- An afterschool program, based at Sports & Fitness Edge, that is integrated into the Edge’s Junior Development program
- An in-school program, held during school hours at the city’s elementary and middle schools
- A busy summer program, with daily morning and afternoon sessions at Roosevelt Park, Appletree Point Park, and Sports & Fitness Edge
Kids on the Ball has received numerous local, state, and national awards and is widely recognized as a leader in innovative tennis programming for at-risk youth. We are a proud member of the National Junior Tennis and Learning (NJTL) program of the United States Tennis Association and USTA – New England.
Rich or poor, black or white...whatever. On the tennis court none of that matters. It's all about working together, working hard, and having fun. Tennis can help kids develop the drive, discipline and direction needed for success--in sports and in life.
