TAMPA, Fla. – A weekend gathering of sports leaders, city officials, and facility operators in the Greater Tampa area aimed to tackle a stark gap between local tennis popularity and court accessibility.
On June 20, 2026, USTA Florida held its second “Be a Champion for Tennis” Advocacy Workshop at Hillsborough Community College. The event focused on developing strategies to grow the sport and strengthen public tennis infrastructure across both Hillsborough and Polk Counties. This workshop follows an inaugural event held in Palm Beach Gardens in August 2025.
Regional data presented at the workshop highlighted a significant imbalance between player demand and public access. Brad West, USTA Florida’s Business Intelligence Manager, shared insights showing that Hillsborough County alone has more than 129,000 adults who played tennis in the past year.
While this 8.5% adult participation rate sits above both the Florida state and national averages, only 23% of the county’s 797 tennis courts are actually accessible to the public.
To address these infrastructure challenges, the workshop focused on community action and leadership training. Dana Andrews, USTA Florida Board Past President and Advocacy Advisory & Public Parks Committee Chairperson, opened the sessions alongside Christine Ducey, USTA Florida Director of Advocacy, to share their experiences in sports advocacy. Jane Wahl, the USTA Florida Board Secretary, also led an exercise designed to help attendees identify connection opportunities within their neighborhoods.
A major focus of the day was navigating relationships with local governments and stakeholders. A panel moderated by USTA Florida Executive Director Laura Bowen featured input from Andrews, Chris Nyholm (Director of Tennis at Hillsborough College), Chris Hagman (President of Atlantic Recreation), John Williams Jr. (Recreation Supervisor for the City of Lakeland), and Andrew Sheets (Parks & Recreation Site Supervisor for the City of Tampa). The panelists discussed the specific obstacles facing public parks and how operators can work more effectively with municipal decision-makers.
The afternoon sessions moved into media and financial strategy. Nish Prathab, Director of Marketing & Communications, and Jaret Kappelman, Manager of Public Relations & Communications, provided templates and frameworks to help attendees pitch tennis stories to local news outlets.
The day concluded with a panel on community funding opportunities, moderated by Sponsor and Donor Development Manager Kelly Scalise. The discussion featured Elizabeth DeConti, USTA Florida Foundation President; David Corredor, a City of Tampa engineer and adaptive sport athlete; and Todd Vande Berg and Nick Walton of The Sara Vande Berg Tennis Foundation. The group detailed how local organizers can secure grants and build partnerships to fund equipment, programs, and facility renovations.
Organizers noted that the workshop aligns with USTA Florida’s “3 Big Bold Moves” strategic framework, which prioritizes top-tier facilities, data analytics, and volunteer structures. USTA Florida has stated it plans to continue expanding this advocacy workshop series to other regions across the state.
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