July 2021 - Parks & Recreation - 48

TENNIS
" When we proved to the world
that we could have over 13,000
[COVID-19] tests and 99.97 percent
of them were negative... I think
we demonstrated that if you do it
properly, tennis is absolutely a safe
sport to play, " says Michael Dowse,
chief executive officer and executive
director of the United States Tennis
Association (USTA).
Tennis by the Numbers
At the recreation level, activity
throughout the past year suggests
that people have taken to the sport
during the pandemic, and the numbers
confirm it. Annual data shows
significant growth in racquet sales
and tennis participation across the
United States. Tennis participation
in the country increased by 22 percent
in 2020, with 21.64 million
people hitting the courts, according
to data from the Physical Activity
Council's (PAC) Participation
Report (tinyurl.com/hrxb6ar4)
produced
by
Sports
Marketing
Surveys. The survey and report
monitor more than 120 different
sports and activities participated in
by U.S. residents (see charts below
and on page 49).
Largest Increases (in millions)
Sport
Skateboarding
Pop Tennis/Paddle Tennis/Platform
Tennis
Surfing
Camping
Tennis
Pickleball
Hiking (Day)
Camping (RV)
Kayaking (Recreational)
Table Tennis
Bicycling (Road/Paved Surface)
48 Parks & Recreation | JULY 2 0 2 1
| PARK S ANDRECRE AT ION . OR G
Of the more than 21 million
Americans who say they played
tennis last year, 6.78 million were
either new or returning players.
" We are thrilled that so many new
and existing players came back to the
sport - especially in what was such
a challenging year for so many people, "
says Dowse. " These new participation
numbers are a testament
to the hard work, passion and commitment
of a united industry that
worked together to ensure that tennis
not only survived, but also thrived.
" Even though we continue to face
challenges, it's evident that many
people recognize tennis as the ideal
social-distancing sport, which puts it
in a great position to continue to grow
and allow people to stay active and
social in a healthy and safe manner. "
Tennis' positive health impacts
are well-documented. The report,
Health of Tennis Industry 2020
(adobe.ly/2SF6Y2x) published in
the July 2020 edition of the Journal
of Medicine and Science in Tennis,
shows that those who play the
sport have better general, physical,
social and mental health than the
general population.
" We are excited to see these pos2017
6.38M
1.07M
2.68M
26.26M
17.68M
3.13M
44.90M
16.16M
10.53M
16.04M
38.87M
2018
6.50M
1.06M
2.87M
27.42M
17.84M
3.30M
47.86M
15.98M
11.02M
15.59M
39.04M
2019
6.61M
1.38M
2.96M
28.18M
17.68M
3.46M
49.70M
15.43M
11.38M
14.91M
itive
trends and such significant
growth in our sport, " says Craig
Morris, USTA chief executive,
community tennis. " We are energized
to continue putting forward
key industry partnerships and quality
programming to ensure new
and existing players of all ages and
abilities have the best experience
playing the sport for a lifetime. "
The Sport's Impact
on Recreation
Self-contained facilities have been
among those that are reaping the
benefits of the boom. The courts
were resurfaced in 2019 with the
help of a $20,000 USTA facility
assistance grant and have been the
cornerstone of a vibrant community.
Since reopening in July 2020,
the park has seen its courts full from
morning to dusk, booked on a firstcome,
first-served basis.
" The community was so ready to
get the courts up and running again, "
says Mohammad El-Haj Ahmad,
president of the Fort Greene Tennis
Association (FGTA), which has a
10-person board of volunteers that
guides decision making, funding and
scheduling for the tennis center.
2020
8.87M
1.82M
3.80M
36.08M
21.64M
4.20M
57.81M
17.82M
13.00M
16.85M
39.39M 44.47M
1-year
change
34.2%
31.2%
28.2%
28.0%
22.4%
21.3%
16.3%
15.5%
14.2%
13.1%
12.9%
Change in
participants
2.26M
0.43M
0.84M
7.90M
3.96M
0.74M
8.11M
2.40M
1.62M
1.95M
5.08M
© 2021 TENNIS INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION
https://www.adobe.ly/2SF6Y2x http://www.tinyurl.com/hrxb6ar4
July 2021 - Parks & Recreation

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