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Serena
Williams Hosts Clinic CHARLESTON
SC (April 14, 2002) Grand Slam champion Serena Williams will start her
week in Charleston by hosting a clinic for local Charleston youth on Sunday,
April 14 at the Jack Adams Tennis Center.
Williams will join a few other local pros in offering tennis tips to
approximately 100 kids from local city tennis programs in the community.
As a special treat some of the children will be able to ask her questions
as well. The clinic scheduled
for 4:30 - 6:00 p.m. will give these kids the opportunity to see up close and
personal one of the most influential women in professional tennis today. "As
professional tennis players our schedules are extremely hectic but I try and
make it a priority to be a part of events where I get the opportunity to meet
and speak with children," stated Williams. "One of the reasons I
wanted to come to Charleston was to try and make an impact on the children in
this community. If my presence here
inspires kids to stay in school, study hard and set positive goals in their
lives then I will be happy." Former
Top 20 player Leslie Allen will be bringing eighteen children from her WIN4LIFE
Program in Charleston. She
created the WIN4LIFE program to expose inner city children to new environments
and helps prepare them for their future, on and off the court.
The goal of the WIN4LIFE Program is to help youth through tennis develop
the life skills needed to become successful in their personal and professional
lives. To help her in this cause
this year, Family Circle magazine became the first title sponsor of a Sanex WTA
Tour event to fully fund this pilot program in Charleston.
Additional
children from two more local tennis programs will also be participating in the
clinic. Delores Jackson, will be
bringing a group of kids from the Courting Kids Inner City Youth Tennis Program.
Jackson, Founder and Director of Courting Kids, has been instrumental in
developing this program that services over 800 children every year.
Jackson has received numerous awards for her work with children and in
2001 she received the Eve Kraft award for community service because of her
commitment and dedication to grass roots tennis.
St. Andrews Park and Playground Tennis Director Brian Burke will also be
bringing a select group of kids from his tennis program to participate in the
clinic. The
tournament, owned and operated by Family Circle magazine, will be held April
13-21 at the Family Circle Tennis Center in Charleston, South Carolina.
The Family Circle Cup, one of the longest running women's professional
tennis events in the United States, is celebrating 30 years in women's
professional tennis. Ticket
packages are now on sale and a variety of packages are available.
For more information on the Family Circle Cup and the Family Circle
Tennis Center, please call (800) 677.2293 or (843) 856.7900.
To check out the latest news on the Family Circle Cup contact our
tournament's official website at www.familycirclecup.com. [Source:
Robin Reynolds, rreynolds@gjusa.com;
Jeff Cataffa, jcataffa@gjusa.com]
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