From all of us, thank you for making so much possible in 2021!
We invite you to take a tour through our YEAR here at The Fort:
Named a National Youth Sports Strategy Champion!
The Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recognized The Fred Wells Tennis and Education Center (FWTEC) as a National Youth Sports Strategy (NYSS) Champion in June 2021. We are so honored to be an NYSS Champion alongside so many other organizations partnering with HHS to
improve the youth sports landscape in America!
Stayed Connected With Distance Learning!
We hosted 30 students from 9 different Minneapolis Schools during the 2020-2021 school year for distance learning support, tennis, and social connection. Program was offered on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays from 7am-4pm.
Camp and College Experiences!
Unique experiences were provided throughout the summer including a return of our full Fort Summer Camp, Campus Tours, a Summer Retreat Camp at Tennis and Life Camps, and a Middle School Girls Tennis and Leadership Camp with partner organizations!
In-Person School Programs Return!
We are beyond thrilled to be back in person for in-school and after-school tennis with students at our partner schools: Andersen United, Bancroft, Folwell, and Urban Academy Charter School.
Continued Family Support!
Thanks to our amazing community, we were able to complete two more rounds of home visits and host a family tennis open house event in 2021 to provide families in our TennisWorks programs with groceries, enrichment activities, warm winter clothing, school supplies, and more!
Increased Scholarship Capacity and Launched a New Opportunity!
This year we provided nearly $50,000 of scholarships to 51 unique students through the Isora Foundation Junior Tennis Scholarship. The Jim Dixon Play It Better Tournament Scholarship was announced in November to provide students with the opportunity to compete in local and national tournaments. The Vo Family Scholarship allows high school students to apply to the colleges of their dreams by covering the costs of application fees and supporting start-up expenses. We are so proud to offer three scholarships that ensure cost is not a barrier to youth in our community and that furthers our commitment to our mission.
New Bricks in Our Entrance!
It was so exciting to see our new pathway come together in 2020 so we wanted to give our patrons another opportunity to leave their mark. With your help in August, we added in so many inspiring words and names of the tennis players and patrons who make this community so special.
Introduced A New Junior Pathway!
Our new Junior Pathway was created in an effort to provide a welcoming environment for every player regardless of their age, ability, and ambilitions. We wanted to make it easier for players and parents to understand which class will be the best fit.
Thank you for such an amazing response to these changes!
JTT Intermediate Champions!
At the end of July, Coach Christian Maki and his Fred Wells 18U 1 team took home the 18U intermediate title!!! In bracket play, they defeated Lakeville Pride 31-14 in the Round of 16, Sioux Falls 22-17 in the Quarterfinals, Fargo 22-21 in the semifinals, and sealed the win beating
Mandan 26-20 in the championship!
Adult Programs Filled Our Courts!
Whether it was for drills, clinics, or leagues, our adult programs kept our courts and coaches busy. We introduced beginner classes for new and returning players. Over 180 women participated in our Women's Daytime League and over 145 people spent their evenings or Sundays playing our singles and doubles in-house leagues. We hope you continue to grow your game in 2022!
Our First Summer Slam!
The Fort Summer Slam brought together tennis players of all ages and levels to enjoy the AC, compete in some team tennis, and raised over $3,000 for Summer Camp Scholarships.
Thank you to everyone who participated!
The October 9 CommUNITY Gala!
After a two-year hiatus, the Fort Community returned to the Hotel Intercontinental on October 9, and it was clear we all missed being together. We exceeded our fundraising goal and raised $160,578 after expenses for our TennisWorks programs!! Thank you to everyone who contributed and made this event such a success. Make sure to mark your calendars for October 8, 2022.
Our Foundation Partners!
We would like to thank the USTA Foundation, Otto Bremer Trust, USTA Northern, Sheltering Arms Foundation, Isora Wells Foundation, and Frederic C. Collin Trust for their continued trust and financial support as we work together to build opportunity, confidence, and success with the youth we serve.
Winding down 2021 with all that we achieved together is encouraging and uplifting. A huge THANK YOU to all of you for helping us navigate a difficult year and evolve to deliver on our mission in new ways. We couldn't have done this without you!
As we close out this year, we invite you to consider giving the gift of community, tennis and life skill development through a year-end contribution to The Fort. You can view the various options by clicking on the button below.