Providing high quality tennis, educational, and college prep programs to Chicago’s youth.
Love To Serve Tennis and Education Foundation
Mission
Love To Serve, Inc. Tennis and Education Foundation (LTS) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization whose mission is to provide quality tennis and education programs that contribute to positive youth development, improve student academic outcomes, and build knowledge and skills for future success in college and careers. Our goal is to break down barriers, nurture potential, and rewrite narratives fostering equity-driven futures where every youth is resilient and equipped for success in academia and beyond. Our programs contribute to youth development in a supportive and safe environment and build knowledge and transferrable skills for future success in college and careers.
History
LTS was founded in 1992 by L. LaMont Bryant, a tennis professional and former school teacher. Coach Bryant recognized the need for a program that would provide access to the non-traditional sport of tennis, particularly for under-served youth in Chicago. His goal was to establish an organization that would keep impressionable urban youth off the streets by creating an arena for them to participate in structured tennis and academic programs after school, on weekends, and throughout the summer. Through hard work, dedication, and the development of strategic partnerships, LTS has become a nationally recognized organization serving hundreds of student athletes annually. Today, Love to Serve is run by Executive Director Lori James, a Chicago native who grew up in the Englewood Community.