The Third Annual Statewide Matchplay tournament was an enormous success! Advantage Kids from the Mount Washington Valley, Seacoast, Southern and the Lakes Region competed for the championship in their division on August, 19th in Meredith.
Advantage Kids Match Play offers
From left to right: Alden Macomber, Tess Eckhardt, Holden Mousseau, Leila Napoles, Hudson Owens, Lily Waldvogel
Winners from each division taking home the trophy were:
Wimbledon - Tess Eckhardt, Lakes Region (Champion) and Holden Mousseau, Lakes Region (Runner-up).
US Open - Hudson Owens, Lakes Region (champion) and Alden Macomber, Mount Washington Valley (Runner-up).
French Open - Leila Napoles, Moultonborough (Champion) and Lily Waldvogel, Lakes Region (Runner-up).
All the kids played amazing and had a great time. We LOVE what we do!!!
Tennis for All. Connections for Life.
Advantage Kids provided free tennis and yoga sessions for over 1,000 kids in the communities of Nashua, Manchester, Concord, Jackson, N Conway, Freedom, Madison, Tamworth, Moultonborough, Meredith, Laconia, Tilton, Gilford, Dover and Fryeburg, Maine. Expansion to Northern Massachusetts in the near future. Coaches and assistants are all USTA Safe Certified instructors and many are registered USTA tennis professionals.
The Gilford home office is staffed by Executive Director Dawn Dragon. Dawn was “ecstatic to see Advantage Kids from all around the state come together in USTA non-sanctioned competitive play. The path from Free! Beginner tennis to competitive play is the right direction for the organization and its kids. Tennis is a sport that brings quality of life...for a lifetime. We are happy to be able to promote the game of tennis and make it accessible to all. In addition to becoming awesome tennis players, our kids have a pathway of opportunity to become Mindful Mentors, AK USTA certified coaches, or benefit from CASA-our College Advisory Services program. So proud of these kids!”
Advantage Kids has received funding from the USTA Foundation, USTA New England, USTA NH as well as local individuals and businesses. We thank the Matarese Family, Ryan Adamonis from Cedardale and Abenaki, Winchester Tennis Club, Rally for Tennis, Greater Lakes Region Children's Auction, Irwin Marine, Scott Everett, John J Donovan Jr Trust, NH Charitable Foundation, 21st Century Grants for afterschool programs, Tamworth Outing Club, Tamworth Foundation, Jackson Tennis Club, Freedom Elementary School for their support. The organization has grown substantially statewide from its start as the Lake Region Tennis Association based in Laconia.
The sport of tennis has been rated highest for youth to do better academically, be less likely to utilize substances and more likely to attend college. Science has proven the profound effect that mindfulness practices have on children’s abilities to connect with self and others, focus on tasks and to self-regulate emotions.
Oziera Ahmad—AK ambassador—is the first Player of the Week at her D1 School, College of Charleston
In the heart of every competition, it's the spirit, dedication, and journey of the participants that truly define success. This was vividly showcased at the recent Gilford Hill's MB Tractor/PSG Singles and Doubles Open, where Advantage Kids' very own Simon Kuczkowski and Logan Mack took to the courts not just to play, but to embody the values and resilience fostered by AK. Let's celebrate the enduring spirit and positive change Simon, Logan, and AK embody!
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Advantage Kids (dba Lakes Region Tennis Association) is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization with EIN 46-2774258. Your donation is tax-deductible within the guidelines of U.S. law. Be sure to ask your employer about corporate matching programs!
