A simple after-school tennis clinic this week could mark the beginning of something much bigger for local students.
On Wednesday, June 10, the Peekskill Racket Association (PRA) will host a free tennis clinic for middle school students from 3:15 to 4:30 p.m. in the Peekskill Middle School gymnasium. The event, organized in partnership with the Peekskill City School District, is designed to introduce students to the sport regardless of their experience level. All equipment will be provided, and participants can enjoy pizza and prizes while learning the fundamentals of the game.
The clinic is the latest public step in the PRA’s broader effort to rebuild tennis opportunities in Peekskill, a city that has gone several years without a high school boys or girls tennis teams.
“This outreach effort is a way for us to introduce tennis to more students in preparation for the Peekskill Tennis Club that we’ll be offering for seventh to ninth graders in the fall,” PRA President Alex Smith told the Peekskill Herald.
The initiative is supported by a $4,000 grant awarded to the PRA earlier this year by the United States Tennis Association (USTA). The funding will enable the organization to launch a comprehensive after-school tennis program during the 2026-27 school year at no cost to participating families.
A New Tennis Club for Peekskill Students
The upcoming Peekskill Tennis Club will be open to students in grades 7-9 enrolled at Peekskill Middle School and Peekskill High School. The co-ed program is expected to serve 30 students and will meet after school at the Depew Park tennis courts, moving indoors to school gymnasiums during inclement weather.
Participants will receive eight weeks of free instruction led by trained coaches and tennis instructors. The program will culminate with a field trip to the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, home of the U.S. Open.
According to Smith, students will learn about trailblazing athletes during the trip, such as Arthur Ashe and Althea Gibson, pioneers who broke racial barriers in professional tennis. Participants will also take part in a clinic led by USTA professionals at one of the world’s most recognizable tennis facilities.
At the conclusion of the program, every student will receive a new tennis racquet and a set of tennis balls to keep, ensuring they have the equipment needed to continue playing long after the club ends.
For organizers, the program is about more than teaching forehands and serves. It is also an investment in the future of tennis in Peekskill.
“We hope that this will serve as a first step toward bringing a tennis team back to Peekskill High School again,” Smith said.
Bringing Tennis Back to Peekskill
The Peekskill Racket Association was founded in June 2024 in response to concerns that local tennis opportunities had largely disappeared, even as the sport experienced growing popularity nationwide.
Today, only two playable public tennis courts remain in Peekskill at Depew Park, and many local students have grown up without access to school-based tennis programs.
Recognizing that gap, Smith and a group of local tennis advocates launched the nonprofit organization with a mission of making tennis accessible to everyone in the community.
The association’s leadership team includes Vice President of Operations Margaret DeFonce, Treasurer Peter Erwin, board members Amy Levin, Linda Blake, Sandy Smallens, and Merideth Harte, and tennis instructor Jana Platina.
Since its founding, the PRA has focused on expanding access to the sport across Peekskill. The organization helped connect the Peekskill City School District with the USTA, resulting in donations of tennis equipment, portable nets, and professional development opportunities for physical education teachers. Those efforts have given every school in the district the resources needed to introduce tennis into P.E. classes.
The association has also partnered with the City of Peekskill to offer affordable programming at Depew Park, including youth lessons, adult clinics, cardio tennis sessions, and social round-robin events for players of all skill levels.
While restoring a high school tennis program won’t happen overnight, the PRA has begun building a strong foundation for the future.
