2 2023 ANNUAL REPORT
Youth Tennis Advantage’s (YTA) mission is to help close opportunity and
achievement gaps for under-resourced youth in the San Francisco Bay Area
through comprehensive tennis, academic and enrichment programs,
seeking to promote the physical, educational, and life skills necessary
to prepare and empower them to reach for their full potential.
MISSION STATEMENT
YOUTHTENNISADVANTAGE.ORG 3
DEAR FRIENDS
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Dear YTA Community,
Thank you for your interest in Youth Tennis Advantage (YTA). In 2023, we continued to make strides toward closing
performance and opportunity gaps for under-resourced youth in the San Francisco Bay Area. It was an exciting year
of growth and achievement for YTA, including the following milestones:
• Expanded Reach: We served 424 youth, marking a 30% increase from 2022.
• Student Success: Our students remain in our program for many years—our graduating high school seniors
have an average of 10 years with YTA! Our seniors made strategic decisions when choosing colleges like
UC Berkeley, UC San Diego, USF, and City College of San Francisco, prioritizing affordability and specialized
programs. One of our graduates opted for professional flight school instead of college and one of our
high school juniors achieved a national tennis ranking!
• Court Reclamation: It took 7-years, but we ultimately reclaimed control of four tennis courts in Hunters Point
and secured over $200,000 in external funding for their renovation.
• New Site in Richmond: We opened our sixth year-round site at Nicholl Park in Richmond (North Bay).
• Leadership and Coaching Improvements: We welcomed Shahand Esmaeili as our new Director of Tennis and
Academic Operations and Partnerships. You can read more about Shahand and the great work he’s doing in
the featured bio below.
• Successful Fundraisers: Our two pro-am fundraisers, Big Hitters and S.O.S., sold out early and were incredibly
fun for all participants!
• Oakland Program Relocation: When Oakland’s Mosswood Park was closed to rebuild the recreation center,
YTA moved our program to DeFremery Park in West Oakland, which offers three lighted courts and an academic
space. We hope to return to Mosswood in 2025, where YTA has provided programming for over 30 years.
• Challenges Faced: We encountered three significant challenges in 2023. First, YTA’s van was stolen, stripped,
and deemed unrepairable. Second, the building we used for academics, storage, and restrooms at McLaren
Park was destroyed by fire. Lastly, some parents were robbed at knifepoint while waiting for their children at
McLaren Park. Fortunately, the robber was apprehended. Operating in under-resourced neighborhoods
presents challenges, but it also fosters a strong community spirit, setting us apart from other youth
development programs.
From a financial perspective, YTA experienced a loss of $69,170 in 2023. While this is disappointing, we remain
conservatively managed, maintaining a 1.5-year reserve and keeping overhead below 20%.
Tennis serves as an essential outlet for our students, providing relief from their stressful lives. Combined with
academics, it continues to be a powerful tool that helps under-resourced youth fill opportunity gaps, overcome
challenges, and excel. We are incredibly grateful to our donors, whose generosity makes our work possible.
Your support continues to inspire us.
Thank you!
Warmest regards,
YOUTHTENNISADVANTAGE.ORG 3
Michael Skinner
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR & CO-FOUNDER
155
USTA and UTR
TOURNAMENTS
PLAYED
BAY AREA
LOCATIONS
SERVED
11
JUNIOR TEAM
TENNIS TEAMS
COMPETED
10
AVERAGE YEARS
GRADUATING CLASS
SPENT W/ YTA
13
COLLEGE
SCHOLARSHIPS
AWARDED
160 of whom were new to YTA
— POPULATION SERVED —
43% 10 & Under
41% 11-14
16% 15-18
34% Black/African American
27% Latino/Hispanic
24% Asian
9% Other
5% Caucasian
1% American Indian/Alaska Native
55% male
45% female
70% Eligible for free/Reduced lunch
424 STUDENTS
Peter Wright
BOARD PRESIDENT