The state of Vermont is often characterized as an idyllic pastoral haven for skiers, snowboarders, sailors, hikers, hunters, fishermen, and campers. Geography and weather mean tennis is often played indoors at a hefty price for everyone. The town of Bennington in Southern Vermont hosts our lone NJTL, a program that services children in underserved rural communities with tennis, education, and a once-in-a-lifetime experience. We know we are lucky to have the Bennington Aces in our tennis family and only wish children across our diverse state had the same access.
Bennington Aces was founded in 2017 with a vision of helping Bennington become a healthier, more vibrant community by attracting and retaining families through a lifetime sport and learning. Through its partnership with local schools, Bennington Aces offers high-quality, age-specific tennis instruction, academic tutoring, and nutritional programming.
They started with a handful of participants in grades k-4. They quickly realized a need for an educator to navigate the school system, help with behavior and trauma-related issues, and oversee the program’s growth. Sandy Foster is a former elementary principal with a teaching background and a passion for after-school programs.
As the program evolved, the need for summer programming became quite evident. Families struggled to find safe, enriching opportunities during summer vacation for their children. Sandy created a full-time summer camp that offered academic classes as well as fitness and tennis lessons. Free breakfast and lunch is included as well as tennis rackets and bags, sneakers, T-shirts, and socks. All fees for event activities are also included and free for all eligible students.
Sandy knew from her educational experience that parents could not share resources close to home because families were working or were not aware of the opportunities nearby.
One day of camp each week, the local school bus company provided transportation to area museums, exhibits, and even a cavern. “The experiences are wonderful to share but our learning doesn’t start and end there,” she said. “Students also learn valuable life skills while on their journey. It could be as simple as riding an escalator for the first time, learning museum etiquette, or simple bus rules to keep everyone safe.”
In the summer, the Bennington Tennis Center provides tennis instruction, and Bennington College allows the program to utilize the campus. The remainder of the year is divided between schools and the Bennington Tennis Center. The summer of 2022 was a breakaway program with the collaboration of our local rec center. Aces provided full-day programming at Bennington College and provided programming at the rec center after our full day at the college. Over 1,000 students participated this summer — some new to tennis, and some who have spent the last few years within the Bennington Aces family. This number exceeds pre-pandemic participation and is a good sign for future programming. Sharing the talents of tennis pros Seth Gabriel and Dan Rowe only increases the joy students get from learning to play tennis.
