Harper for Kids Partners with IVSN

Coach Dick Gould talks to Summer Splash campers

Vania King tells the kids about her tennis successes

Campers line up at a tennis lesson with Peanut Harper

Campers celebrate a good game

The group waves to the camera

Last week InnVision Shelter Network’s Summer Splash Camp partnered with local nonprofit Harper for Kids (HFK) to engage children living at IVSN with off-site educational opportunities. Harper for Kids, a nonprofit organization founded by former  WTA player Peanut Harper and her husband Tim, is committed to cultivating, inspiring, and developing leadership skills and healthy character development in children by providing education and enrichment programs and activities.

Last Sunday IVSN families were invited to a book reading hosted by the Bank of the West Classic and HFK at Barnes & Noble in San Mateo. HFK’s co-founder Peanut Louie Harper and WTA pro Sloane Stephens read from legendary UCLA Coach John Wooden’s children’s book, “Inch and Miles: The Journey to Success” which Peanut also collaborated on. IVSN families and children enjoyed the reading and hearing from Peanut and Sloane.

And on the following Monday Harper for Kids sponsored tickets for children in IVSN’s Summer Splash Camp to attend the Bank of the West Classic Tennis Tournament at Stanford University. The kids were introduced to Coach Dick Gould, a famous tennis coach who has worked at Stanford for the past 38 years, as well as Vania King, Wimbledon doubles champion from 2010 who has been on the tennis pro circuit since she was 16. Campers also got to watch a tennis match and received bracelets and towels as gifts before leaving. After the match campers discussed the theme of the event- the “Pyramid of Success” model created by Coach John Wooden celebrating good sportsmanship, hard-work, dedication, and being healthy.

On Saturday IVSN campers had the opportunity to cultivate their own tennis skills during the Harper for Kids Inch & Miles Sportsmanship Tennis Festival. Children went to the Pacific Athletic Club to learn to play tennis with Peanut Harper. The kids learned five more aspects from Coach Wooden’s Pyramid of Success; they worked on cooperation, hard work, fitness, skill, and team work. Although it was every campers first time playing tennis, they had a great time and loved the new sport!

“The strong collaboration between nonprofit partners, financial donors, and volunteers has delivered programs and opportunities that engage school-aged children and provide them with experiences they would otherwise never have access to,” says Lewis Eggleston, a Children’s Services Coordinator at IVSN.