How Can We Make Jr Tennis Affordable

Summary

Erinn Murray, founder of the Spring Branch Tennis Association (SBTA) in rural Texas Hill Country, shares how she built a thriving community tennis program from scratch after discovering affordable tennis access was nonexistent for her own children. Starting in 2006-2007 with after-school programs on borrowed middle school courts, SBTA now operates six dedicated public courts, serves 1,500-1,700 kids annually, and charges roughly $50 for six weeks of tennis. The program runs on a “those who can pay do, those who can’t don’t” philosophy, funded through USTA program grants, local business sponsors, county funding, and fundraising. SBTA also awards college scholarships funded through its own fundraisers.

Guest Background

Erinn Murray is a tennis parent with no prior tennis or coaching background who founded the Spring Branch Tennis Association in rural Texas, approximately 30 miles north of San Antonio. Her daughter played college tennis and her son Kendall (age 26) returned to become SBTA’s certified Director of Tennis (Level 1, Level 2, and High Performance certified). Murray handles grant writing, parent education, and organizational leadership with a board of directors composed primarily of tennis parents.

Key Topics

• Affordability model: $50 for six weeks of tennis; scholarship-based access for families that cannot afford fees (approximately 40% of participants)
• Funding strategy: USTA program grants, local business sponsors, county commissioner funding for infrastructure, community ed partnerships with school districts, and fundraising events
• Infrastructure challenges: Tennis court construction costs ($400K-$500K for a bank of courts with lighting) vs. football fields ($50K), creating a persistent funding gap despite low ongoing maintenance costs
• Coaching pipeline: One full-time coach (her son) supplemented by ~18 rotating high school and college student coaches, creating employment and career exploration opportunities
• Sportsmanship culture: “Tennis 101 for Parents” orientation sessions covering etiquette, rules, and behavioral expectations; players consistently win sportsmanship awards at external tournaments
• Program structure: Red ball through elite levels, ~65 kids per week in summer camps, themed weeks (Wimbledon week with whites and strawberries & cream), Junior Team Tennis with ~40 teams
• College scholarships: SBTA awards college scholarships (five in the most recent year) to participants who complete community service hours with the organization

Actionable Advice for Families

• Community tennis programs can start small using school courts and community education partnerships without requiring dedicated facilities first
• Grant writing does not require formal training; Murray taught herself and succeeds with direct, transparent proposals
• Programs should instill sportsmanship from day one; clear expectations communicated early create a self-reinforcing culture where kids hold each other accountable
• Parents new to tennis benefit from structured “Tennis 101” orientations covering etiquette and behavioral expectations
• Rural communities can sustain quality tennis programs through a combination of USTA program grants, local sponsors, and county partnerships

INTENNSE Relevance

• Grassroots development models: SBTA represents a replicable community tennis blueprint that addresses the affordability barrier INTENNSE tracks as a systemic industry challenge
• Coaching pipeline innovation: Using high school and college students as rotating coaches is a scalable workforce development model worth studying
• Infrastructure economics: The cost disparity between tennis court construction and other sport facilities ($500K vs. $50K) is a concrete data point for infrastructure investment advocacy
• Participation data: 1,500-1,700 annual participants from a rural community of limited population demonstrates latent demand when affordability barriers are removed
• Sportsmanship as differentiator: The culture-first approach (sportsmanship before competition) aligns with INTENNSE’s thesis about values-driven development

Notable Quotes

“Those that can pay do. And those that can’t don’t.” — Erinn Murray, on SBTA’s accessibility philosophy

“If you can’t keep it under wraps, head to the car and I’ll let you know what’s going on, because it is just as important that our parents have the sportsmanship as our kids do.” — Erinn Murray, on parent behavior expectations

“I realized this was far bigger than me and my two kids.” — Erinn Murray, on the moment SBTA’s mission expanded beyond her family