A tennis court is 78 feet long and 36 feet wide for doubles. But the opportunities that can begin on that court are immeasurable.
For a child who has never held a tennis racket, it can be the beginning of a lifelong passion. For a student struggling in school, it can lead to a mentor who believes in their potential. For an athlete with a disability, it can become a place where barriers disappear and confidence grows.
That is the vision behind the First Serve Tennis and Education Center, a $10 million investment in Norwood that officially broke ground on October 28.
Led by the Cincinnati Tennis Foundation, the new year-round campus will combine athletics, education, mentorship and life-skills development in a permanent home designed to serve young people and adaptive athletes throughout Greater Cincinnati.
Construction, led by Neyer, is expected to be completed in fall 2027.
More Than a Tennis Center
The most important part of today's groundbreaking isn't the courts that will be built. It's what will happen inside.
The new center will feature indoor tennis and pickleball courts, classrooms, a community gathering space, a kitchen and fully accessible facilities.
Once open, it is expected to add 800 hours of after-school programming annually, provide academic support, mentoring, nutrition and life-skills education to at least 50 young people daily, and double the number of youth and individuals with physical and intellectual disabilities served by the Foundation each year.
For working families, that means more than access to recreation. It means a safe, supportive environment where children can learn, develop friendships and build confidence.
For Norwood, it means a new community asset bringing families, educators, volunteers and athletes together around a shared purpose.
Closing the Opportunity Gap
The need is significant.
According to data cited by the Cincinnati Tennis Foundation, 75.1 percent of young people in local households earning less than $25,000 do not participate in organized sports.
Children from higher-income families are more than 20 percentage points more likely to play sports than their lower-income peers.
Those statistics illustrate how cost, transportation and access can determine who gets to participate.
The First Serve Tennis and Education Center is designed to change that equation.
And the Foundation already has an impressive record of impact.
In 2025, the organization served 4,715 athletes across more than 30 community sites. Its Cincy Scholars program enrolled 382 students who achieved a 17 percent improvement in reading comprehension during seven weeks of summer programming.
Eighty-eight percent of participants improved in at least two foundational social-emotional development areas.
Perhaps most compelling, 75 percent reported gaining a new trusted adult in their lives.
For a young person, having someone who believes in them can be as important as learning a new skill.
"Every number in our program report starts with a kid who walked onto a court for the first time and decided to stay," said Matthew Dektas, CEO of the Cincinnati Tennis Foundation. "This building is how we keep them."
A Place Where Everyone Belongs
Inclusion is another cornerstone of the project.
The Foundation served 122 wheelchair and adaptive athletes in 2025, with teams ranking second nationally in wheelchair tennis and first in ParaStanding tennis.
The new facility will expand opportunities for athletes with physical and intellectual disabilities, reinforcing a simple principle: Everyone deserves the chance to participate.
A Community Investment in the Future
The project received a transformational $3.5 million cornerstone commitment from First Serve Community Fund, securing naming rights and establishing the organization as the lead philanthropic partner in the Rally for Dreams campaign.
The campaign has also attracted support from local foundations, families, businesses, the USTA Foundation and the Cincinnati Open.
The investment represents more than a new sports facility. It creates the potential for a lasting community institution where education, physical activity and mentorship work together to help young people succeed.
The Cincinnati Tennis Foundation has already helped produce more than 200 NCAA player graduates. But its greatest victories aren't necessarily measured by championships or scholarships.
They can be found in improved reading scores, stronger relationships, increased confidence and young people discovering possibilities they never imagined.
Today's groundbreaking in Norwood is a reminder that the most meaningful community investments are measured by the lives they change.
When the First Serve Tennis and Education Center opens in 2027, its courts will have lines and boundaries. But for the young people who walk through its doors, the opportunities could be limitless.
Learn more or support the Rally for Dreams campaign at www.cincinnatitennisfoundation.org.
