The Ebony Racquet Club is a 501(c)3 non-profit community tennis organization who’s primary goal is to promote and strengthen participation in tennis by making it available to all who are interested and to provide a facility to encourage year round participation.

Ebony Racquet Club has been in existence since 1975, and is currently revitalizing it’s mission and objectives for 2025. The club caters to those tennis enthusiasts in under served communities that still enjoy the game of tennis and do not have access to courts and do not want to pay the high monthly membership dues at private clubs. Our primary focus will be keeping our youth (6-18) and seniors(60+) active through tennis.

Services

Ebony Racquet Club offers a full range of tennis services to the underserved in the community including the scheduling and coordination of a number of activities and events. The club will offer in house leagues and ladders, private and group lessons and drills. The club will support the programs of the local schools providing practice facility as needed. The club will support the efforts of the USTA Tennis Plan for Growth by holding a variety of activities and programs.

Other services include :

• Tennis Free for All – events held to introduce new players to the sport or to get former players back in the game.
• USTA Ten & Under introductory program for players of all ages.
• Tennis Boot Camps – offers both members and non-members a way to quickly learn how to play or sharpen their skills.
• League Tennis – offers structured team matches, which offers a variety of competition in a social atmosphere.
• USTA Tournament Tennis – offers tournament match play.
• Obesity Campaign – Fighting obesity ―One Swing at a Time.

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Today the ERC continues to flourish under the leadership of President Joseph Ellerbes, Vice president Deno John, Coach Chris Brown, Coach Keisha Price, Advisor Queen Hargrove and Secretaries Latonya Hargrove-Boykin and Vonda Easterling – continuing to build upon the solid foundation of the ERC by volunteering much of their time to ensure each event is a success. The activities throughout tennis season include clinics, junior and senior events, competition with area league tennis teams, team match play, and both singles and doubles tournaments. The club league captain Deno John encourages adult members to participate at all levels through ladder challenge competition to improve their skills for overall performance and to strive for victory.The ERC hosts youth summer league tennis teams and supports tennis programs for those with special skills while encouraging them all to strive for excellence. The ERC believes that by instilling the appreciation of hard work, discipline and good sportsmanship in today’s youth it will develop a sense of fair play and camaraderie in tomorrow’s leaders.Coaches Keisha Price (Coach K) and Chris Brown work with intensity to cultivate the youth in tennis, physical fitness and life lessons for a better future. Because of their great efforts, the youth are intense and passionate about acquiring the knowledge to enhance their skills to improve and succeed.The Ebony Junior Team Tennis (ITT) program has worked with NC Tennis, the Boys and Giris Club and First Baptist Church over the course of the last 3 years. During the summer, Ebony JTT hosts summer camps for over 100 kids from their math and tennis programs. Ebony JTT currently has 8 team: 5 junior team tennis teams ages SU, 10U, 12U, 14U and 18Golds; and 3 Junior Championship teams who are in the running to advance to2016 State Championship. The Ebony JTT program has been extremely successful with multiple teams winning and advancing to finals in End of
Coaches Keisha Price (Coach K) and Chris Brown work with intensity to cultivate the youth in tennis, physical fitness and life lessons for a better future. Because of their great efforts, the youth are intense and passionate about acquiring the knowledge to enhance their skills to improve and succeed.The Ebony Junior Team Tennis (JTT) program has worked with NC Tennis, the Boys and Girls Club and First Baptist Church over the course of the last 3 years. During the summer, Ebony JTT hosts summer camps for over 100 kids from their math and tennis programs. Ebony JTT currently has 8 teams: 5 junior team tennis teams ages 8U, 10U, 12U, 14U and 18Golds; and 3 Junior Championship teams who are in the running to advance to2016 State Championship. The Ebony JTT program has been extremely successful with multiple teams winning and advancing to finals in End of Season Tournament play; and the 14U team placing 3rd in State Championship 2015.The Ebony Racquet Club is most thankful to the remarkable parents that support the efforts of the coaches and displays enthusiasm and interest in their children’s tennis development. We believe that a sound tennis program requires a collaboration of great board members, coaches, players, families, and communities. We look forward to continued growth and success in the years ahead!