Forty girls from New York’s local community took to the court ahead of the US Open as the CVC Foundation and WTA Foundation launched Dream Big. Play Big., a new programme intended to widen access to tennis and build confidence through the sport.
Key takeaways
- The inaugural Dream Big. Play Big. clinic involved girls aged seven to 12.
- Riverside Tennis delivered the first New York session.
- The initiative will pair free playing opportunities with equipment support, coach education and investment in community groups.
- A central objective is to develop more female coaches, leaders and visible role models.
- The New York event is the opening stage of a programme planned to expand beyond a single local activation.
A first session before the US Open
The clinic gave participants an introduction to the game, with some holding a racket and stepping onto a tennis court for the first time. Others used the day to sample a new activity, meet fellow players and find a place within a sporting community.
While tennis skills formed part of the session, the project’s wider purpose reaches beyond forehands, scoreboards and drills. The organisers framed the programme around teamwork, perseverance and the willingness to attempt difficult things again after setbacks.
“A goal of training big is looking forward and feeling excited about what lies ahead,” Riverside Tennis director Jocelyn Cruz said.
Cathrin Petty, CVC’s co-head of USA Private Equity and global head of healthcare, said sport can help girls establish friendships, healthier routines and ambition.
She added that athletes also learn how to respond when things do not go their way: “Sport does not follow a straight line, and neither does life. Learning to handle challenges, with a strong support system around you, is hugely important.”
Partnership built for longer-term access
The CVC Foundation and WTA Foundation collaboration is designed as more than a one-day clinic. Its stated focus is increasing participation opportunities, strengthening confidence and leadership, and creating routes for women to become coaches and mentors.
Ann Austin, executive director of the WTA Foundation, said the partnership was rooted in shared priorities and in the belief that sport can create meaningful opportunities for girls and women.
“We are using the profile and reach of women’s tennis to help girls and women gain confidence, develop as leaders and fulfil their potential on court and away from it,” Austin said.
Dream Big. Play Big. will build on the WTA Foundation’s existing girls’ empowerment work. As the series develops, the model is set to include court sessions, coach training, support for local organisations and digital learning resources.
The aim is to leave communities with the people, equipment and support structures needed to keep girls involved in tennis after each event has finished. The New York clinic offered the first example of that approach: a racket, a court and a community encouraging young players to see how far their ambitions can travel.
