Conga Sports Supplies Chicago
Friday, July 15th was a day unlike any other. A week prior, ACE hosted our inaugural Summer Smash event, welcoming over 150 residents of all ages on Riverdale Park District’s tennis courts to celebrate the season.
Later in the day, we would join our friends from Love to Serve and Tennis Opportunity Program (TOP) at XS Tennis to celebrate Chase’s Return the Serve. After 2 years off due to the pandemic, it was sure to be a winning return with the support of USTA Foundation, USTA Midwest, and Serve & Return Chicago.
It was on that rainy morning, though, that ACE was the first (ever) recipient of Conga Sports' Tennis Ambassador Program. This initiative, conceived and managed by Conga Sports’ President Rich Neher, equipped our Chicago chapter with a Slinger Bag ball machine, junior and adult Head tennis racquets, Penn tennis balls, and a Billie Jean King Eye Coach Home Tennis Training System. This moves ACE forward in major ways!
Rich met with members of our team to deliver this transformational gift, and our ACE-ers were excited to be the first to test out the new equipment. Never before have our youth had access to this type of advanced technology, but they were up for the challenge of hitting against the Slinger Bag ball machine as well as perfecting their form with the Head racquets, Penn balls, and Billie Jean King Training system.
To see kids who first grabbed a racquet in ACE’s after-school programs confidently hit against a professional-level ball machine reminded us why we do what we do. Thank you to Rich Neher, Conga Sports, and all the sponsors who made this possible! We are so grateful for this donation and for being the recipient of the first Tennis Ambassador Program. Even more youth will gain access to this advanced technology that will improve their game and build even more opportunities for the future.