In 1961, a small group of friends shared a deep commitment to their struggling community and a belief in the STEC transformative power of tennis. They recognized that by focusing on the well-being of youth, they could improve the health of the entire community. These beliefs led them to establish Sportsmen’s Tennis Club (now Sportsmen’s Tennis & Enrichment Center, STEC), the first indoor non-profit tennis club built by and for the African American community. They knew that quality tennis instruction and interaction with caring adults could develop well-rounded young citizens, and, through tennis, STEC began to identify and fill gaps that weaken youth, families and community.