The First Racquet team arrived at the tennis courts of Shadow Creek High School at an early 7:00 am, setting up the premises and getting ready for a full day of playing tennis. But even before Sunday, the team had already been busy with preparations for the first-ever First Racquet fundraiser tournament.

     Members of First Racquet had long been setting up the logistics of the tournament months before the tournament date, with preparations concerning not only registration and raffle management but also court availability and sponsorship relations. By effectively communicating with various connections across Houston, First Racquet members were able to find courts to host the tournament, gather a variety of sponsorships, and inform Houston tennis players about the upcoming event. The First Racquet website was also set up to contain the details of the tournament, including the date, location, and registration information, making sign-ups easier.

     Soon, along with the growing traction and awareness of the First Racquet fundraiser, the tournament date arrived. Just a few days before the tournament, members worked tirelessly, running all across Houston to gather the necessary resources for a smooth-running event. They stocked water, Gatorade, protein bars, and bananas to fuel the players during their tiring matches. Gazebos and tents were set up to provide shade in the hot weather, and supplies such as Icy-Hot, athletic tape, and pickle juice were bought to treat any potential injuries.

  Finally, the day of the tournament arrived with sunny weather and plenty of enthusiasm, making it the perfect day for playing tennis. Early in the morning, all members of the First Racquet team arrived before the start time. They set up coolers with an abundance of water and Gatorade, pitched tents for shade, prepared for player registration, and displayed posters not only for First Racquet but also for our generous sponsors. In addition, the team also put out boxes to collect donations of old racquets, shoes, or bags any player wanted to donate for children in Angola. Shortly after, players from all across Houston began to show up for their matches. Players had the option to participate in both doubles and singles, and they could also submit their tennis experience to play against opponents of the same level. Overall, we were lucky enough to have a total of 52 players participate at our tournament along with collecting a full box of donations. Before the matches began, each player had the opportunity to purchase raffle tickets in the hope of winning the grand prize, a brand-new racquet.

     After all the players settled in, the first games started with the swift serve of a racquet. The players worked hard in the hot weather, playing match after match. Specifically, our tournament used a double elimination format, keeping players in the main bracket if they won their first matches but dropping them to a consolation bracket if they lost.  The First Racquet team also constantly reminded the players to stay hydrated under the grueling sun. Not only were the players hard at work, but First Racquet members also took photographs of the event throughout the day to memorialize this wonderful occasion.

 The matches concluded late in the afternoon without any hiccups or delays. The winners of our events received gift cards to use at our sponsors’ locations. However, the highlight of the day was the raffle draw. The First Racquet team instructed all raffle ticket holders to gather around as a ticket was drawn. Our winner, Stanley, was exhilarated when his name was called by the person drawing the raffle. The smile on Stanley’s face seemed like the perfect conclusion to the day as members cleaned up the courts and packed everything up.

     At the end of the day, we had fulfilled the purpose of hosting this tournament: to collect donations and raise money so Angolan children could continue their passion in tennis. We were able to send approximately $5000 of cash donation and boxes full of tennis gears to Angola thanks to the generosity of those who participated in the tournament and our 10 generous sponsors.