Burgundy Farm Student Teams with Old Town Restaurant for Tennis Fundraiser

Burgundy Farm Country Day School 8th grader and tennis player Pasquale Procaccino, 13, loves to play tennis.

He hopes to pass on his love for the game to others who can't afford to play and has organized a fundraiser Friday night to do just that.

The fundraiser is scheduled for Friday evening, May 24 at the Royal Restaurant in Old Town Alexandria (734 N St. Asaph St.), (703) 548-1616) to help fund the Game On program; Pasquale hopes to hold more fundraisers in the future to help repair and resurface those courts that first motivated him to act.

The owners of the restaurant said they will contribute a portion of dinner sales from other diners that evening not related to the fundraiser to help the cause.

As Pasquale, who plans to attend T.C. Williams High School, likes to say: “Playing tennis, hitting the ball, sharing with others is lots of fun and is great for helping focus on all parts of life.”

He first got interested in tennis when he played with his father. "When I was about 8, I signed up for a tennis summer camp and I loved it and I have been playing ever since then," he said.

One of Pasquale’s goals, he said, is to share that fun. So when – as part of the Junior Tennis Champions Center outreach program called Game On – he found himself teaching tennis to his peers. He teaches younger students at elementary schools or community centers in DC. "I really enjoy working with the kids," he said.

He was teaching on courts that were cracked, full of weeds and covered with trash, he said. "The first time I went to my community service, I saw the courts in such poor condition, and that's when I decided to try  to help the program," he said.

"There were weeds growing through some cracks which can be solved by resurfacing," he said. "I think if the courts were in better condition people would not throw trash or bottles on them. After resurfacing it is important to maintain clean courts so they need to be cleaned regularly." 

The funds raised Friday night will go to the Game On outreach at the the Junior Tennis Champions Center, where kids are inspired to become champions on and off the court with the outreach program. Game On teaches tennis to children ages 5 - 12. 

"The first money I raise will be put into the Game On program at the school where the courts are," Pasquale said. "The money wil be used to expand the program since right now there are kids on the waiting list to get into the program. But then my ultimate goal is to have the courts resurfaced and I plan on having more fundraising events in the future."

The JTTC is located at the Tennis Center at College Park, Md., a USTA Regional Training Center. It is also the home of the University of Maryland tennis teams. The award-winning facility is recognized as one of the most comprehensive tennis venues in the United States.

Pasquale has been training at the TCCP in the Champs program after school for three years and regularly competes in Mid-Atlantic junior tournaments. "I like being out on the court by myself and having control of the outcome," he said. "To me its more rewarding than a team sport." 

His favorite tennis player? "I enjoy watching and following Rafael Nadal because I like the way he plays and I admire his court etiquette."