Recent studies have shown that people who play tennis have a life expectancy of 9.6 years longer than the average person! However, not all people have the resources to be exposed to or excel at the highest levels in the lifetime activities of tennis or pickleball. This is where the RFL Foundation comes in. Our initiatives include:
Horizons Westminster Summer Camp - The RFL Foundation has formed a partnership with Horizons at Westminster, an organization which provides students from Hartford Public Schools (grades first through eighth) with a six-week summer program. Through this partnership, over 120 children aged 5 to 13 from downtown Hartford, CT have been introduced to tennis for the first time. This program is a much-needed resource for the community and requires equipment and instruction.
Asianae’s Way - Asianae, a 14-year-old girl with Cerebral Palsy who has limited use of one arm and leg, has had dreams of playing tennis. Clubs and programs all over Connecticut told her, “Sorry, we don’t have programs for you.” At Racquets For Life, Asianae is not only playing tennis with her able-bodied sister Chiana, but she also now has dreams of playing high school tennis and in the Special Olympics. But these dreams require resources such as coaching, equipment, transportation, and other fees and costs.
The Joseph Krocheski Junior Sportsmanship Award & Community Program - In memory of Joseph Krocheski, this annual award was created to recognize youth sportsmanship and foster community tennis programming for youth who would not typically have access to them. This award is given to (2) junior tennis players at RFL Simsbury.
Moylan Elementary School - This year, the RFL Foundation has adopted the Moylan Elementary School in downtown Hartford. Many of their students participate in the Horizons summer program, but this after-school program will provide a sustainable year-round tennis program in the school’s gymnasium for students from grades 3 to 5 (with a goal of expanding to middle school grades 6 to 8 in the future). Hartford has a poverty rate which is 113% higher than the national average and a crime rate 1.3 times higher than the average US city. Tennis is a great outlet for local youth and with additional support, we’ll be able to bring joy and healthy choices to more of them.
The Moe Family (Love, Perseverance, Leadership) - From a tragic accident to world class tennis. In 2021, Erika Moe, former national caliber junior and adult player and high-performance tennis coach, sustained an injury that left her permanently disabled and no longer able to run and hit tennis balls with her students and her two aspiring young daughters. Today, not only is Erika one of the few and only disabled high performance tennis directors in the country at RFL Simsbury, but her daughters, Kaya and Karina, have won Gold, Silver and Bronze National Tennis Balls, and Kaya is ITF internationally ranked. US Open Juniors, international competitions, and more are within reach — but not without assistance from the RFL Foundation.
