USTA SMASHZONE AT ASIAN FOOD & TENNIS IN DC AREA THIS WEEKEND
US Open’s Premier Fan Interactive Attraction to Introduce Tennis to Youth
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., July 17, 2012 – The USTA announced today that the SmashZone Mobile Tour, the premiere fan interactive attraction, will be part of the Asian Food & Tennis Festival this Saturday and Sunday, July 21-22, on the campus of George Mason University in Fairfax, Va., with operating hours from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
You have no excuses. No Racquet Required!
SmashZone Mobile Tour engages audiences by introducing them to the game in a fun and interactive way by makings stops at fairs, festivals, and air shows. Children will have the opportunity to play tennis games and it will allow participants to get a racquet in their hand from the start.
The Asian Food and Tennis Festival is the largest Asian Festival in the Mid-Atlantic area and features unique music, cultural performances, food, and entertainment to promote greater understanding of Asian countries and cultures. This year’s festival theme is “The Year of Dragon”.
SmashZone Mobile includes a 53-foot trailer, which anchors four kid-sized tennis courts for youth play. Courts which will feature games such as Xerox Rally Courts, Esurance Sweet Spot and a Target Challenge. The trailer itself, which is handicap accessible, will feature interactive activities for visitors that will include video game kiosks featuring Mario Tennis Open for the Nintendo 3DS, a TENNIS Magazine Green Screen Cover Shoot, and Touch Screen Kiosks.
SmashZone Mobile is a complement to the USTA’s ongoing youth participation initiative, 10 and Under Tennis. 10 and Under Tennis is part of an effort to encourage young people across the country to get moving and start playing tennis.
The 10 and Under Tennis initiative is geared towards getting more kids to take part in tennis using modified equipment and courts tailored to a child’s size. By featuring shorter and lighter racquets, slower-bouncing balls, smaller courts and simplified scoring, children learn to play more quickly and easily while having more fun in the process.
“We are thrilled to have the SmashZone Mobile Tour provide an opportunity for thousands of children to experience tennis for the first time,” said Kurt Kamperman, USTA Chief Executive, Community Tennis. “The tour will introduce our 10 and Under Tennis program which is a wonderful approach to ensure children build confidence in their skills while having fun and leading a healthy lifestyle.”
For more info on the SmashZone mobile tour, check out www.10andundertennis.com.
–S. Pratt
