Santa Barbara Tennis Patrons Honor Graduating Class

On a gloomy Thursday afternoon at Cleveland Elementary School, the Santa Barbara Tennis Patrons recognized a group of Cleveland and Franklin Elementary School students as the first graduating class of community tennis players.

While spending a semester learning tennis might seem like a breeze, for this group of kids, the challenges go far deeper than mastering strokes. The Santa Barbara Tennis patrons see the true value in the life lessons these children learn, evident in the remarkable transformation they witness — from nervous beginners to confident players by the end of the five months.

“Tennis is a really, really hard sport to learn,” said Lisa Aviani, a Santa Barbara Tennis Patrons staff member, as she presented the children with certificates. “But you guys have stuck with it and shown perseverance and great teamwork.”

Lianna Contreas, the mother of graduate Josiah Juarez, also known as “Jo Jo,” joked that her 7-year-old son is naturally “very competitive” and “has to be the best at every sport.” But she acknowledged that playing tennis has helped him “learn to be a better sport.”

As Aviani announced each recipient, cheers erupted from their peers — a clear indication of their support of each other’s accomplishments. After receiving their certificates, each kid walked away with a brand-new tennis racquet.

In partnership with the Santa Barbara Unified School District’s A-OK (Afterschool Opportunities For Kids Program), the Santa Barbara Tennis Patrons provide free tennis lessons to underserved children. Lessons are offered to children ages 8-17, grouped by age and skill, for a personalized learning experience.

This year, the Patrons added an element of competition to the program: an end-of-the-season game, Cleveland versus Franklin. The competition took place on Santa Barbara High School’s tennis courts. The Cleveland Dolphins won, and the Franklin Eagles were understandably upset, but in the end, both teams shook hands over the net to show their support for one another.

Before the season started, many of the kids had never held a tennis racquet. The Santa Barbara Tennis Patrons hope that introducing the children to the sport at a young age will inspire them to continue in high school and beyond. This is why the Tennis Patrons plan to sponsor 10 children who want to attend the Summer Tennis and Swim camp this summer hosted by Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation.

After the Thursday ceremony and before a much-deserved pizza party, the kids put their new racquets to the test and continued to practice. The Executive Director of The S.B. Tennis patrons, Greg Tebbe, and I watched from the sidelines as the kids showed clear dedication to improving their skills. Tebbe pointed out that they aren’t haphazardly hitting the ball as hard as they can, but they are clearly trying to play the game. “That, to me, is a huge progression for this program,” said Tebbe. “Just to see their interest.”

For more information about the Santa Barbara Tennis Patrons, visit, sbtennispatrons.com.