Local organization working to make tennis more accessible to young female athletes

WOMEN TO TAKE UP TENNIS. THE CINCINNATI TENNIS FOUNDATION HAS LAUNCHED A NEW SCHOLAR TIP WE WANT TO TELL YOU ABOUT TODAY. IT’S A MEMORY OF KEVIN MINER, WHO SPENT HIS ENTIRE LIFE ADVOCATING FOR CHILDREN IN TENNIS. HIS DAUGHTER, BRIANNE, WAS THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN TO WIN THE SINGLES TITLE IN THE NCAA DIVISION ONE WOMEN’S TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIP. THAT WAS BACK IN 2017. SADLY, KEVIN PASSED AWAY LAST YEAR, BUT HIS MEMORY LIVES ON IN THIS SCHOLAR COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP. NOW IT’S GOING TO BE AWARDED TO A FEMALE PLAYER 14 OR YOUNGER HERE IN THE MIDWEST WHO EXHIBITS JUST EXCEPTIONAL SPORTSMANSHIP. AND OF COURSE, ALSO GETS GOOD GRADES AND IS GREAT IN THE CLASSROOM AS WELL. SO WE’RE GOING TO TALK MUCH MORE ABOUT THE SCHOLARSHIP AND HOW YOU CAN APPLY IN JUST A MINUTE HERE. BUT FIRST, I WANT TO INTRODUCE YOU TO OUR TWO GUESTS. THAT’S RIGHT. TODAY, WE ARE JOINED BY KEVIN’S DAUGHTER, JASMINE MINER, AND ALSO THE CINCINNATI WHIPPETS CINCINNATI TEAM’S FOUNDATION COACH, BRIAN SCHUBERT. THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING US HERE TODAY, GUYS. NOW, JASMINE, LET’S START WITH YOU. YEAH. TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR DAD. I KNOW YOU GUYS PERSONALLY. I KNOW THAT YOU’RE A DADDY’S GIRL. AND YES, YOU’RE A TENNIS PLAYER. BUT THE IMPACT THAT HE HAD ON THE TENNIS COMMUNITY. YES. SO MY DAD WAS BOTH ON THE USTA BOARD FOR THE MIDWEST AND FOR CHICAGO. AND HE WAS HASH TAG GIRL TAG. HE LOVED ALL THREE OF US. WE PLAYED D-1 TENNIS AND HE WAS JUST ALL ABOUT MAKING TENNIS MORE ACCESSIBLE, MAKING IT MORE AFFORDABLE, ALL BECAUSE IT’S A VERY EXPENSIVE SPORT. AND THIS WAS HIS PASSION. HE WANTED OTHER PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO CROSS THAT BARRIER REGARDLESS OF YOUR FINANCIAL SITUATION, TO BE ABLE TO TO PLAY BECAUSE YOU LOVE IT, BECAUSE OF THE TALENT THAT YOU HAVE. AND SO THAT’S WHAT THE KEVIN MINER LEGACY FUND IS ALL ABOUT. IT’S AN ANNUAL $5,000 SCHOLARSHIP. THAT’S GOING TO GO TOWARDS ONE FEMALE TENNIS PLAYER UNDER 14 ACROSS THE MIDWEST. AND WE’RE JUST SO EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO BE A HELP. $5,000. THAT’S A LOT OF MONEY THAT. YES. YES, IT IS. ONE LOCAL STUDENT. CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT? I MEAN, YOU TOUCHED ON IT THERE, JASMYNE, BUT BRYAN, TALK TO US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE, THEY KNOW THIS. I MEAN, TENNIS CAN BE A IT’S VERY COMPETITIVE, BUT IT CAN BE VERY EXPENSIVE AS WELL. TALK TO US AND GIVE US AN IDEA OF THE FINANCIAL COMMITMENT THAT SOME OF THESE FAMILIES ARE FACED WITH JUST TO TRY AND GO OUT THERE AND REALLY LEARN AND BE COMPETITIVE. YEAH. SO I MEAN, WITH TENNIS, IT’S IT’S ARGUABLY, I WOULD SAY, PROBABLY THE MOST EXPENSIVE SPORT TO GO THROUGH THE ENTIRE PROCESS. SO I THINK THE LATEST STAT THAT CAME OUT IS SOMETHING RIDICULOUS, LIKE $300,000. IF YOU WANTED TO GO FROM 5 TO 18 PLAYING AT, YOU KNOW, PURSUING KIND OF A COLLEGE SCHOLAR SHIP AND ALL THE TRAINING, THE COACHING, THE TOURNAMENTS AND THE TRAVEL. SO OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, EVEN IF, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE A DUAL INCOME FAMILY THAT’S STILL GOING TO TAKE A NICE DENT OUT OF THE THINGS. SO ANYHOW, HELP AND SCHOLARSHIPS LIKE THIS ARE HUGE TO HELP EVERYONE IN THAT JOURNEY. AND THAT’S PER CHILD. SO THAT’S THAT’S FOR ONE KID, WHICH A PARENT CAN SPEND ANYWHERE BETWEEN FIVE AND 25,000 A YEAR ON A KID ALONE. SO THIS IS GOING TO BE THE LARGEST SCHOLARSHIP GIVEN TO ANY ONE PLAYER IN THE USTA MIDWEST. AND LET’S TALK ABOUT THE SCHOLARSHIP AND HOW IT’LL MAKE A DIFFERENCE. OBVIOUSLY. WE CAN SEE IT’LL HELP TAKE A CHUNK OUT OF JUST THAT EXPENSE THAT YOU WOULD HAVE AS A PARENT AND WHAT PEOPLE NEED TO KNOW TO APPLY AND ELIGIBILITY AND THINGS LIKE THAT. YES. SO YOU CAN GO RIGHT ONLINE. AND WE ACTUALLY CREATED WEBSITES CALLED THE MINOR LEGACY DOT COM GO ONLINE. IT’S GOT ALL THE DETAILS ON HOW TO APPLY FOR THE FUND. THERE ARE A COUPLE OF QUALIFICATIONS WE ARE LOOKING FOR A GPA, A THREE POINT OR HIGHER. YOU NEED TO PLAN TO ENROLL TO ACTUALLY GO TO COLLEGE. BUT WE WANT TO TAKE AWAY ANY KIND OF NCAA BARRIER, WHICH IS WHY WE PUT A LIMIT ON THE AGE SO THAT PEOPLE DON’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT ANY KIND OF VIOLATION GOING TO COLLEGE. SO THIS IS REALLY SUPPOSED TO BE GIVEN TO KIDS THAT HAVE A DREAM OF PLAYING COLLEGE TENNIS THE WAY MY TWO SISTERS AND I DID. WELL, IT’S A GREAT THING THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING. AND I CLEARLY IT’S A PASSION PROJECT FOR YOU AND I’M SURE, BRIAN, FOR YOU, TOO, TO SEE KIDS WHO JUST CAN’T WHO WHO WANT TO PLAY. I MEAN, I SEE IT A LOT OF TIMES WITH MY KIDS, WHETHER IT’S GOLF, SOME OF THESE OTHER THESE ELITE SPORTS, THEY’RE JUST EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE. AND UNFORTUNATELY, THAT THEN ELIMINATES A CERTAIN, YOU KNOW, CHILD WHO OTHERWISE WOULD BE FANTASTIC AT THAT SPORT. YEAH. YOU I THINK LIKE THE THE MINOR FAMILY IS A GREAT EXAMPLE WITH TENNIS AND ANY SPORT CAN GIVE YOU OPPORTUNITIES TO TRAVEL TO MEET PEOPLE. AND EVEN IF YOU’RE NOT GOING TO BE A PROFESSIONAL, MAYBE YOU GET TO COLLEGE, MAYBE YOU HAVE A CONNECTION OR LIFE EXPERIENCE THAT HELPS SET YOU UP FOR YOUR CAREER AFTER. AND THAT’S ANY SPORT. BUT I THINK, YOU KNOW, THERE’S SCHOLARSHIPS LIKE THIS ARE GOING TO GIVE THE NEXT GENERATION OF KIDS A CHANCE TO DO SOMETHING SPECIAL LIKE THAT. BRIAN AND JASMINE, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE WITH US TODAY. AND FOR ALL THAT YOU GUYS ARE DOING TO CARRY ON YOUR FATHER’S LEGACY AS WELL. SO MUCH. AND WE’LL HAVE MORE ABOUT THIS

Local organization working to make tennis more accessible to young female athletes

Updated: 6:59 PM EDT Apr 14, 2023

Tennis is a beloved sport in Cincinnati and one organization is working to make it more accessible to young female athletes in the community. The Kevin Minor Legacy Fund, in memory of Kevin Minor, a respected member of the tennis community, has launched its first-ever scholarship award. The scholarship provides financial support to female junior tennis players under 14 years of age who reside in the USTA/Midwest Section. An eligible candidate who exhibits exceptional sportsmanship, achieves a GPA of 3.0 or higher and plans to enroll in an accredited college or university will be selected to receive the inaugural scholarship grant of $5,000.The average cost of playing competitive junior tennis is $300,000 per player from 8-18 years old. This scholarship aims to provide opportunities for young female tennis players who would otherwise be unable to afford the costs of competing at higher levels.Here are some important points to consider:The Kevin Minor Legacy Fund is the largest scholarship amount granted to a single USTA/Midwest athleteThe cost of playing competitive junior tennis can range from $5,000 to $25,000 per year, per player, making it challenging for many families.

CINCINNATI —

Tennis is a beloved sport in Cincinnati and one organization is working to make it more accessible to young female athletes in the community.

The Kevin Minor Legacy Fund, in memory of Kevin Minor, a respected member of the tennis community, has launched its first-ever scholarship award. The scholarship provides financial support to female junior tennis players under 14 years of age who reside in the USTA/Midwest Section.

An eligible candidate who exhibits exceptional sportsmanship, achieves a GPA of 3.0 or higher and plans to enroll in an accredited college or university will be selected to receive the inaugural scholarship grant of $5,000.

The average cost of playing competitive junior tennis is $300,000 per player from 8-18 years old. This scholarship aims to provide opportunities for young female tennis players who would otherwise be unable to afford the costs of competing at higher levels.

Here are some important points to consider:

• The Kevin Minor Legacy Fund is the largest scholarship amount granted to a single USTA/Midwest athlete
• The cost of playing competitive junior tennis can range from $5,000 to $25,000 per year, per player, making it challenging for many families.