Outreach Programs

Bridging Communities Through Participation

Since 2016, the OSTEN & VICTOR Alberta Tennis Centre School Tennis Program has introduced over 60,000 Calgary students to the sport of tennis.

In the 2019-2020 season, the School Tennis Program proudly introduced 14,421 Calgary students to the sport. Alongside this initiative, we offer a wide-range of community outreach programs, including options for autism and wheelchair users, as well as specialized programs catering to indigenous and girls’ participation. Our commitment extends further with community association programs such as Everyone Can Play and She Can Play, ensuring tennis is accessible to all.

Everyone Can Play Program

Introduced on May 15, 2024, as a new program run by the OSTEN & VICTOR Alberta Tennis Centre in partnership with Tennis Canada, it will aim to improve participation and enjoyment of tennis throughout all local communities.

About The Program

Everyone Can Play Program which is a barrier-free program developed and operated by the OSTEN & VICTOR Alberta Tennis Centre. The program will aim to improve accessible and inclusive participation in tennis at the community-level.

Everyone Can Play Tennis Program is a diverse and equitable tennis program for new and under resourced Canadians in Calgary. Our strategy focuses on diverse communities in Calgary with the potential to expand to other markets and needs across Canada. Tennis provides an optimal environment for new Canadians to learn skills, improve physical health, develop cultural understandings, and make social connections.

How does the program work?

ATC will engage, and partner with, existing community-based partners specializing in settlement and integration of over 30,000 Canadians in Calgary each year. Qualified individuals and families identified through partner agencies will be invited to participate in our Everyone Can Play Tennis Program. The program will remove all barriers to participation in tennis at the Alberta Tennis Centre; including complimentary or heavily subsidized programming, providing coaching, equipment, multiple locations, language support and subsidizing the cost of travel, if necessary.

The Calgary National Bank Challenger will team up with Women for Men’s Health (WFMH) to deliver a pro-tennis exhibition, gala and pro-am tennis event, which aims to raise funds to support OSTEN & VICTOR Alberta Tennis Centre’s Everyone Can Play Program. The program of events will be held on October 11 & 12, 2024 at the OSTEN & VICTOR Alberta Tennis Centre.

 

October 11, 2024

Tennis Exhibition 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm

Gala Event & Cocktail Reception 7:15 pm – Midnight

 

October 12, 2024

Celebrity Pro-Am Tennis Event 9:00 am – 1:00 pm

 

DETAILS

  • Culinary Experience: 6 of Canada’s Top Chefs will take our guests through a culinary experience.
  • Silent & Live Auctions: A silent and auction will be run in conjunction with high value prizes.
  • Entertainment: Musical Entertainment
  • Speeches from Dignitaries
  • Pro-Am Tennis Event: (16 players). Player auction format where participants can bid to play with a player/celebrity

 

Sports have a significant impact on cultural integration and health while encouraging integration into local culture and providing improved health longevity:

  • 61% of people living in Canada agree that sport, physical activity and recreation contributes to a reduction in feeling alone.
  • 76% of people living in Canada feel welcomed and included through physical activity, sport, and recreation activities.
  • Regular participation in physical activity has been attributed to a 6% to 10% increase in earnings.
  • 260,000 jobs in 2022 were provided by the physical activity, sport and recreation sector.

Everyone Can Play Program will assist the integration and settlement of new Canadians by removing barriers such as language, transportation and access to information. It will support families who require additional economic support to play sports. We believe sport plays a significant role on encouraging integration into local culture and providing improved health longevity. Everyone Can Play‘s holistic approach will improve sport participation and addresses the following:

 

  • 1 in 4 Calgarians can not meet basic financial needs as of 2023.
  • Many new Canadians find Canada’s ‘organized’ sport system a barrier to entry, finding it difficult to simply get out and play.
  • Over 471,000 people moved to Canada in 2023, a net total of 40,000+ moved to Calgary with 23,000+ being from out of country.
  • 61% of people living in Canada agree that sport, physical activity and recreation contributes to a reduction in feeling alone.
  • 76% of people living in Canada feel welcomed and included through physical activity, sport, and recreation activities.
  • Regular participation in physical activity has been attributed to a 6% to 10% increase in earnings. In addition, 260,000 jobs in 2022 were provided by the physical activity, sport and recreation sector.

 

For more information about the Everyone Can Play Program, please contact our CEO, Danny DaCosta at ddacosta@albertatenniscentre.ca.

School Program

Elevate your school’s physical education curriculum by partnering with us to introduce your students to a sport they may not otherwise have access to! Here’s why schools should choose us:

  • We foster developmentally appropriate learning activities in an inclusive environment.
  • Our programs support the delivery of high-quality physical education.
  • Accessible and affordable, our offerings expand the physical education curriculum.
  • Our equipment caters to a wide range of grade levels, from Grades 1 to 12.

Our team of Tennis Professionals at the OSTEN & VICTOR Alberta Tennis Centre is dedicated to supporting physical educators in bringing tennis to their students. The OSTEN & VICTOR Alberta Tennis Centre School Tennis Program:

  • Aligns with Provincial physical education learning outcomes.
  • Enhances physical literacy by focusing on fundamental movement skills essential to tennis.
  • Provides adaptable teaching methods to accommodate diverse learning contexts and student needs.
  • Offers flexibility to suit both large and small groups.

We believe that active children are happier and more well-rounded. By participating in School Tennis Program, students will:

  • Discover a lifelong sport they can enjoy for years to come.
  • Engage in meaningful physical activity, developing fundamental movement skills.
  • Cultivate cooperation and team-building skills through interactive sessions.
  • Experience the joy of learning new skills that promote a healthy, active lifestyle.

For more information about our school program, please contact our Head of Junior Development, Suzana Cavalcante at scavalcante@albertatenniscentre.ca.

GALLERY