JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – On a sunny afternoon at the MaliVai Washington Youth Foundation, the rhythmic thwack of tennis balls echoes through the courts. Each serve isn’t just a play—it’s a chance. A path. A purpose.
And now, that purpose is expanding.
The Foundation, based in the heart of Jacksonville’s Northside, has just been named one of only ten USTA Community Impact Hubs in the country, a designation that comes with national recognition, new resources, and a renewed commitment to changing lives through tennis.
For Samuel Kennedy, tennis has always been part of the family playbook.
“I was one year old,” he said, cracking a smile as he recalls his earliest days on the court. “I’ve been playing my whole life, really. My dad runs a tennis academy—same name, Samuel Kennedy.”
Today, he’s the head coach at the same foundation that helped transform the lives of kids like Mauricia Brown—a fellow coach and former student who had a very different introduction to the game.
“The first time I picked up a racket was with this foundation,” she said. “I was in kindergarten. I didn’t even know tennis existed.”
That was years ago. Now, both Kennedy and Brown are on the other side of the net—mentoring, coaching, and inspiring the next generation of Jacksonville’s youth.
But this foundation isn’t just about forehands and footwork.
“The organization has helped me reach underprivileged kids,” Kennedy said. “Kids who’ve never even thought about playing tennis.”
At MaliVai Washington Youth Foundation, the court is a classroom. The after-school program blends athletics with academics, mentorship, and emotional support.
“Basketball and football are obviously king in most urban areas,” Terri Florio, Executive Director said. “But our founder really wanted to expose kids to a non-traditional sport—and open doors they might not even know existed.”
With its new Community Hub status, the Foundation plans to reach deeper into Jacksonville’s Northside, offering more equipment, more coaches, and more opportunities.
“We hope to expose hundreds and hundreds of kids over the next two years,” Florio added.
For Brown, the impact is personal. After earning a college degree and receiving a coaching fellowship from the USTA, she’s back where it all started.
“When the kids come up to me and ask, ‘How can I do this? How can I change this?’ It’s like I’m making a change,” she said.
Today, five students from the program are attending college on tennis scholarships. But the team at MVYF said that’s just the beginning.
“The kids are really changing the culture,” Kennedy said. “They’re learning that tennis is just as fun as football or basketball. And it’s more than just a game, it’s a lifetime sport. It’s social. It builds networks.”
And when life off the court gets tough, this place becomes more than a practice ground it becomes a safe haven.
“It gets the kids’ minds off whatever they have going on at home, or school,” Brown said. “It gives them a space to have fun and let go.”
Back on the court, the energy is electric. Laughter, sneakers squeaking, encouragement from the sidelines.
Every point scored here means something more. It’s not about titles or trophies—it’s about transformation.
And as Kennedy lines up another serve, one thing’s clear: in this corner of Jacksonville, tennis is changing lives—one racket at a time.