ITHF launching Be Legendary Program for young players
Balbir Singh, USA
Newport (Rhode Island), November 17, 2024:
With a transformative year planned in 2025 - inclusive of museum renovations, a combined ATP and WTA tournament and a reimagined Induction Celebration - the International Tennis Hall of Fame (ITHF) announced the launch of a new youth program: Be Legendary
It is designed to immerse young players ages 10 – 18 in the rich history of tennis, emphasizing the importance of perseverance and sharing the inspiring stories of legendary players who triumphed over adversity to achieve greatness. Through these unforgettable Hall of Fame encounters, participants will experience the incredible possibilities that can arise from hard work, dedication, and a passion for tennis and sport.
At each Be Legendary site visit, student-athletes from local youth tennis programs will:
- Engage with lessons centred around a Hall of Famer to learn what makes them legendary and how they exemplify tennis values on and off the court.
- Meet the selected Hall of Famer and participate in a variety of tennis activities, including a circuit of tailored on-court drills and challenges.
- Visit their local professional tennis tournament to engage with current stars of the sport.
To start the year, Be Legendary will launch in Melbourne, Indian Wells and Miami. Hall of Famers scheduled to participate include Kim Clijsters, Arantxa Sánchez-Vicario and 2025 Inductees Mike and Bob Bryan, and Rosie Casals, among others.
Be Legendary was piloted in 2024 with participation from Clijsters, Sánchez-Vicario, Andre Agassi, Chris Evert, Leander Paes, Martina Navratilova, Vijay Amritraj, Rick Draney, Tracy Austin, Gigi Fernandez, and Stan Smith. Students in the pilot program had the opportunity to study the inspiring stories of each of these Hall of Famers and then spend time with them in person, via Q & A sessions, one-on-one conversations and tennis programming.
balbirsingh227@gmail.com