
Making Baltimore the Tennis Capital of the United States
Donation protected
Allow me to introduce Courtside Charm City, an initiative led by passionate citizens of Baltimore City and County to promote public health, enhance community engagement, and expand access to tennis by introducing red clay and grass courts in our state and city.
In the United States, both red clay and grass tennis courts are hard to come by. Red clay is mainly only found in New York City at beautiful Riverside Park, which is well maintained by a passionate group of volunteers. There are other red clay courts in the country, some being in Pittsburgh, PA and St. Louis, MO.
Grass courts however, are even more difficult to come by as nearly all grass courts in the entire country are locked up behind private clubs and expensive fees.
Maryland can do better.
Like you, I believe that the people are what make this state. The hardworking, honest, and charming nature of the people of Maryland is what makes us so special. We are a people proud of what we can achieve without the bustling grandeur of a New York City or the glamorous aura of a Los Angeles. We love our birds and our crabs and most of all, we know how to have fun in the face of turmoil.
So why tennis courts? And more specifically, why red clay and grass tennis courts? Red clay and grass are used at the French Open and Wimbledon respectively, which are two of the premier tennis events in the world. How many times have you heard the story of the kid in his driveway playing basketball with his brother and they’re pretending it’s the final possession of the NBA finals? Or the cousins on the football field pretending they’re in the Super Bowl? Every athlete of any level wants to live and play out their professional dreams, whether as a joke or not, this is an aspect of playing sports that exists within people.
Baltimore employs nearly half of all the tennis coaches in the entire state and tennis has seen a 33% increase in popularity since 2023 across the country. With players on the rise like the dynamic Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, and the hometown kid, Frances Tiafoe, tennis is bound to maintain its increasing popularity and I am proposing a project for Maryland to become the tennis capital of the entire United States.
By introducing public red clay and grass courts to Baltimore, we will allow players of all levels to live out their French Open/Wimbledon dreams, but you can’t play tennis alone. This introduction of a new playing surface in our city will prompt players to bring their friends and will naturally promote both public and personal health to… the people of Baltimore?
No, this will not just be a “people of Baltimore” thing. Tennis players around the state, from Annapolis, D.C, Bel Air, Frostburg, Salisbury, possibly even towns in Virginia and Pennsylvania will come to play on what will be a national treasure and pride for our city. While it won’t gather the same crowd that the World Cup final will, our city will surely be a destination spot for thousands of new faces.
But will they just come here for tennis? No. After a workout or sports session with friends, what do you do? Well, you could go home, but if you drove from Annapolis, D.C, or Philly, then you would want to maximize your time in the city. Local businesses would benefit from this, seeing an increase in foot traffic and patronage.
By simply introducing even just 3-5 red clay courts and even 1-2 grass courts in the city, the current citizens of the city will find themselves subconsciously promoting their own personal health and public health and the spectacle will invite players from around the country to visit our city, play tennis, and be a patron to one of our many local businesses. All of this culminating together allows for our city to shine in a different light. Tennis can’t stop crime. Tennis cannot stop murders and thievery, but if we have an opportunity to shine a light in darkness, why hold back?
I will be reaching out to the Maryland Populous with the help of the community at PASAMA (Pilipino-American Sports Association of Maryland), the JTCC (Junior Tennis Championship Center), Holabird Sports, Harford Community College, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Johns Hopkins University, and a passionate community at Oakcrest Senior Living. We can discuss a timeline and finances later on.
I do not plan to profit off of this. I don’t need my name on the courts. I only wish to promote public health and community togetherness in our great state and city.
And who knows, with the extra practice on the new surfaces, maybe Baltimore or Maryland can produce the next French Open/Wimbledon champion?
Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to discussing how we can bring this vision to life.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Instagram: @COURTSIDE_CHARMCITY
Facebook: Courtside Charm City
Organiser
Rashan Calleja
Organiser
Maryland, MD