2. Purpose of Presentation
To share a successful
university-community
collaborative program
How we went about
funding the program
Program specifics
3. Not just for world-class athletes.
Tennis is played by
people all around the
world! Something that
was once a pastime for
kings has become a sport
for all!
4. Tennis is for Everyone –
ESPECIALLY for children
in Akron, Ohio!
Thanks to grants
from Tennis Serves,
Midwest Youth &
Tennis Education
Foundation, and The
University of Akron.
5. PACE extends in-school tennis
and education programming to
children residing in low-income
communities where obesity,
constant physical inactivity, and
high fat/low fiber diets tend to
be more pronounced.
PACE
6. * Free, 6-weeks tennis program
* In-school (not after-school)
* Offered in collaboration with
the physical education teachers
of the Akron Public Schools
* Service-learning for University
of Akron students … majoring in
sport/exercise science/PETE/
coaching/sport management
PACE
7. PACE Grows the Game of Tennis
Collaboration is the key
Served over 7,000 youth
• Department of Sport Science & Wellness
Education; University of Akron
• Akron Public School Physical Education
Teachers, Principals, Administrators
• University of Akron Federal Work Study
Administrator (Gwen Jenkins)
• First Book of Greater Akron (Chuck Bell)
• Business Executives (Kropp Family)
8. PRESENTERS
Jada Ransome
Senior, PETE
Sport Science &
Wellness Education
University of Akron
Akron, OH 44325
330-972-6485
Alexis Holt
Graduate Assistant
Sport Science &
Wellness Education
University of Akron
Akron, OH 44325
330-972-6485
Ashley White
Graduate Assistant
Sport Science &
Wellness Education
University of Akron
Akron, OH 44325
330-972-6485
TEACHING TENNIS CHARACTER EDUCATION HEALTH FAIRS
9. Contact Information for
Mary J. MacCracken
(maccrac@uakron.edu)
Professor, Sport Science
& Wellness Education
The University of Akron
Akron, OH 44325-5103
330-972-6485
Contact Information for
Robert E. Stadulis
(rstaduli@kent.edu)
Emeritus Professor, Exercise
Science & Sport Studies
Kent State University
Kent, OH 44242
330-672-2117
Executive Director External Evaluator
11. Ms. Jada Ransome
Tennis lessons from
USTA and adapted
from the text by
Bonnie Mohnsen
(2008), Teaching
Tennis: A Standards-
Based Approach for
Grades 5-8.
12. Tennis Lessons (Skill Level Progression)
Ball toss; hug racket
Ready position
Strike tennis ball to
self – palm up/palm
down
Alligator catch (with
partner)
Wall volley to self -
racket “sweet spot”
Bunt ball tossed by
teacher, by partner
Wall volley
Forehand
Backhand
Stations
Rally
Games
34. What is character education?
Umbrella term
used to describe
the teaching of
children in a
manner that will
help them develop
both mentally and
socially
Seeks to develop:
Virtues
Human Excellence
35. How do we teach character?
We begin by teaching the children 5
rules that are always present and expect
to be followed:
1. Always Hug your racket when not in use
2. Take care of the equipment
3. Throw the ball underhand at all times
4. Don’t talk while the teacher/others are
talking
5. When we ask you a question and the
answer is “YES” please respond with “YES”
36. Hug your racket teaches:
Self control
Being thoughtful of others
Aware of your surroundings
Take care of the equipment teaches:
Responsibility and appreciation
Throw the ball underhand teaches:
Taking direction and applying
Focus and accountability
What qualities the rules teach
37. What qualities are taught (cont.)
Don’t talk while teacher is talking:
Self control
Respect
When we ask you a question and the
answer is “YES,” responding with
“YES” teaches:
Self control
Take your turn
Cooperate
Play fair
39. Structure
1. Executive director will monitor by
visiting and teaching at sites regularly
2. Evaluator will monitor programming by
unannounced site visits
3. Akron Public School physical education
teacher will give feedback to PACE
teachers, executive director, and
evaluator
42. Organization
5 stations
Dental
Nutrition
Drugs/Alcohol
Hygiene
Exercise
Every child
receives a brand
new book from
First Book.
Each station is thirty
minutes long.
5 minutes between
each station for
classes to rotate
with the help of
teachers and
volunteers.
All teachers receive
a free professional
massage.
43. Time Area 1
Classroom
(BACK)
Area 2
Hall –
Bathrooms
Area 3
Classroom
(FRONT)
Area 4
GYM
Area 5
Classroom (SIDE)
8:45-
9:15
Dental
Health
CLASS 1
Personal
Hygiene
Infection
Control
CLASS 2
Healthy
Snacks
CLASS 3
Physical
Measure
CLASS 4
Alcohol/Substanc
e Abuse
UMADAOP
CLASS 5
Change
9:20-
9:50
Dental
CLASS 5
Personal
Hygiene
CLASS 1
Healthy
Snacks
CLASS 2
Physical
CLASS 3
Alcohol/Substanc
e Abuse
CLASS 4
Change
9:55-
10:25
Dental
CLASS 4
Personal
Hygiene
CLASS 5
Healthy
Snacks
CLASS 1
Physical
CLASS 2
Alcohol/Substanc
e Abuse
CLASS 3
Change
10:30-
11:00
Dental
CLASS 3
Personal
Hygiene
CLASS 4
Healthy
Snacks
CLASS 5
Physical
CLASS 1
Alcohol/Substanc
e Abuse CLASS 2
Change
11:05-
11:35
Clean Up
11:35-
Dental
CLASS 2
Personal
Hygiene
CLASS 3
Healthy
Snacks
CLASS 4
Physical
CLASS 5
Alcohol/Substanc
e Abuse
CLASS 1
44. Dental Care
How and why to brush –
plaque, avoid caries,
fluoride, sealant, brush,
floss
“swish and swallow”
Giveaways: toothbrush,
toothpaste
45.
46.
47. Personal Hygiene
Avoid infectious diseases
Disease spreads via touch
& cough; wash your
hands, cover your mouth
Rest, drink lots of fluid-
especially water – don’t
drink from another’s cup
Giveaway: Purell
48.
49.
50. Nutrition
How and why to eat
healthy -
Food Pyramid introduced
and explained
Giveaway: Healthy snack
in plastic baggie
54. Exercise
Measure child’s heart rate
(HR) at rest and after a
minute of strenuous activity.
Children will learn their
height, weight; experience
strengthening flexibility
exercises.
55.
56. Drug Abuse
Discussion on what are
drugs? How can they
affect or harm your body?
Peer Pressure
JUST SAY NO!
COOL KIDS SKIT
63. PACE Evaluation
Evaluation tools to measure:
Student’s entering tennis knowledge &
proficiency plus character (PRE)
Progress during program (MID)
End of program perceptions of program’s
effectiveness (POST)
Quantitative
Qualitative
64. Initial Assessments
Tennis experience?
Teachers note initial group skill levels
and terminology use
Character behavior is observed during
lesson
65. Assessment of Progress
Teachers make note of whether
lesson plan goals are achieved
Move on to next skill/character
concept based upon daily assessment
Evaluator Observations (Announced?)
Field Notes
Feedback
66. Questions to assess participants’
general reaction to PACE
Asked Children:
Did you enjoy the program?
(yes, sometimes, somewhat or no)
Would you participate again?
(yes, sometimes, somewhat or no)
67. Questions to assess participants’
general reaction to PACE (Cont.)
Would you recommend the program
to a friend?
(yes, maybe, not sure or no)
How much did you like tennis?
(A lot, A little, Not at all)
How much did you like other
activities?
(A lot, A little, Not at all)
68. Snapshot of 4 Years of Evaluation
Overall Mean Percentages
Highlight selected statistics
69. Did you enjoy the PACE tennis
program?
OVERALL 2009-2012
YES = 77.1% SOMETIMES = 9.3
SOMEWHAT = 8.0 NO = 5.5%
Program responsiveness:
After a lower score, the program rebounded in
the next semester, e.g.
2010/11 = 69.9
Fall 2011 = 86.0
70. Would you participate again?
OVERALL 2009-2012
YES = 70.4% SOMETIMES = 8.8
SOMEWHAT = 7.5 NO = 13.2%
Program responsiveness:
Similar to enjoyment, after a lower score
the next program rebounded, e.g.,
2010/11 = 59.9
Fall 2011 = 78.3
71. Would you recommend the program
to a friend?
OVERALL 2009-2012
YES = 61.8% MAYBE = 20.7
NOT SURE = 9.5 NO = 8.0%
As with each question, less than 10% of the
participants in PACE respond negatively
(with a “NO”).
72. How much did you like tennis?
OVERALL 2009-2012
A LOT = 75.4%
A LITTLE = 17.3%
NOT AT ALL = 7.3%
Very strong, positive and consistent
support for the success of the
program from the participant’s
perspective
73. How much did you like the other
activities?
OVERALL 2009-2012
A LOT = 77.5%
A LITTLE = 16.5%
NOT AT ALL = 6.1%
Very strong, positive and consistent
support for the success of the
program from the participant’s
perspective (range = 71.0 to 83.3)
74. Overall Comment
The end of program responses remain
quite high in the 4th year of PACE (Fall
2012)
ENJOY = 81.2%
AGAIN = 76.7%
RECOMMEND = 72.2%
LIKE TENNIS = 81.7%
LIKE PHYS ACT = 82.9%
75. Measure of Program’s Success: Tennis
End of Program Assessment
Added in Fall 2011
Checklist
What skills were learned
76. Tennis Skills Checklist & F 2012
Hug your racket 100%
Underhand toss 94.5%
Ready position 96.4%
Gator catch 93.1%
Forehand 99.3%
Backhand 78.4%
Volley 96.3%
F 2011, only 51.9% evidenced BH
77. Qualitative Assessment
Student letters of thanks
To PACE
To the USTA
Read one sample letter
Teacher feedback concerning
Student character improvement (self-
control, cooperation)
Improved social skills (communication,
teamwork)
78. Assessing participants’ general
reaction to PACE (QUAL)
Open ended Questions:
What was your favorite part of the
program?
What did you dislike about the
program?
Would like to continue learning to play
tennis (e.g., summer program/league,
would like to purchase a racket or join a
community tennis program)?
79. Health Fair Success Assessed?
End-of-Health Fair Questionnaire
What do students say after the health
fair? Did they learn about and enjoy:
Nutrition – e.g., foods that are healthy,
making snacks
Physical activity – every day 30 minutes
to an hour of vigorous activity
Dental hygiene, Hand washing, Proper
Hydration
80. Character Counts Qualitative
Responses
Designed to assess how behavior has
changed as a result of PACE participation
Administered directly to students at
conclusion of PACE – asks children specific
questions about character/how character
is evidenced:
By being kind to them [people] (kindergarten)
By showing it in words and actions (1st grader)
81. Character Counts Qualitative
Responses
I treat others the way I want to be treated
(2nd grader)
By picking up the equipment (3rd grader)
Without good character everything would
be a ruckus (5th)
So life will be fair and safe (3rd grader)
[Character is] important because you know
how to act (5th)
[Character] helps you through life
situations/can help you through school
(5th)
82. IF YOU THINK YOU CAN…
YOU CAN!
Executive Director Mary MacCracken
Vision - See the “Big Picture” “Outside the Box”
Communication - Learn to write grants
Work with others - Seek collaborations with
people in other disciplines
Start Small – “Make haste slowly”
“Great programs come from building/seizing
opportunities” – Try to “give back” - Help others
Build program infrastructure – sustainability
Be Confident – Set Goals – Stay Focused
PACE Summary
83. SUMMARY
Overall summary will detail results
Will answer the question “How do you
know PACE is a success?”
Will answer “Does PACE ‘grow the game of
tennis’ and/or ‘build lives through tennis’?
Details of the USTA Serves proposal
84. Overall Evaluation Summary
Over 7,000 youth served
Over 80% indicate they enjoyed PACE
About 10% seek further tennis
lessons/experiences
University students volunteer for
involvement in PACE
PACE helps the USTA reach its goals
To build lives through tennis and education
To continue to be involved in tennis after
PACE
To increase tennis in the PE curriculum
To understand what a “healthy lifestyle”
means and to maintain such a lifestyle
85. Is PACE a Success?
Close to 100% attendance (few classes
or students have dropped out)
Letters to USTA, PACE students indicate
they not only learned tennis skills but
character (i.e., self control strategies,
discipline, anger management)
86. Does PACE enhance the USTA goal to “build
lives through tennis and education”?
UA students continue to volunteer for
PACE service-learning experiences.
Learning is a life-long process. Years
after PACE, children will continue to
seek ways to play tennis and tennis-
related activities and to maintain a
healthy lifestyle.
PACE has helped USTA Grow the
Game. Teachers want tennis in their
physical education curricula.
88. USTA Serves Program Grant
Online Application
1. Contact Information: Organization,
Executive Director, Person Responsible.
2. Proposal Narrative: 5 pages include:
A) Project Detail: Statement of need; explain
how program coincides with philanthropic goals
of USTA Serves. Identify all your collaborators.
B) Evaluation: List tools measuring program's
success. Give specific program goals. Tell how
you objectively monitor/measure goals.
How your program will demonstrate success?
How your program will enhance your
organization's ability to "build lives through
tennis and education" after the grant period?
89. 3. Program Sustainability: Reasonable
plan for financial sustainability of program
after conclusion of USTA Serves funding.
Where additional support sought?
If you have applied for funding from other
sources, list amounts sought/when you expect
a decision to be made on these requests.
4. Financial Information/List funding:
From government: federal, state, county
From United Way/Community Fund
From corporate and/or foundation grants
http://www.ustaserves.com/grants_schol
arships/grant_application_requirements/
90. 5. Supporting Documentation: Attach
Audited financials/Form 990
IRS determination letter/501(c)(3)number
A description of each member of your Board of
Directors
Project budget description (tell how the grant
monies will be used)
Organization's overall annual budget
6. Support letters from school, city, state or
federal elected officials and/or project
collaborators.
USTA Serves Program Grant
Online Application (Continued)
91. Tennis is for Everyone –
ESPECIALLY for children
in Akron, Ohio!
Thanks to grants
from Tennis Serves,
Midwest Youth &
Tennis Education
Foundation, and The
University of Akron.
93. What does the future hold for PACE?
Questions??
Expand Program
By Adding
Collaborations
1- summer camps
2- charter schools
3- youth groups
4- health fairs
94. For more information about PACE
Contact Mary J. MacCracken, Ph.D.
PACE Executive Director
Professor, Sport Science & Wellness
Education
The University of Akron
Akron, OH 44325-5103
330-972-6485
(maccrac@uakron.edu)
