Everyone loves to watch the best tennis players in the world compete in the top ATP and WTA tournaments such as Wimbledon and the U. S. Open, but very few people can truly comprehend the physical talent of these players, the grueling hours of practice, the undying drive and determination along with the huge financial commitment it demands. Many aspiring players, although talented cannot pursue their aspiration to play on the tour due to the lack of financial resources needed for coaching, tournament play and travel.
The Jack Waters Endowment Fund was established to provide financial resources for players who aspire to play on the ATP or WTA tour. Beyond financial support, the fund is intended to provide reicpients with continued education on such topics as fitness, nutrition, and mental preparation. Thanks to the Jack Waters Endowment Fund, talented aspiring tennis players in the state of Georgia can follow their dream to pursue the ATP and WTA tennis tour. Since the fund’s inception in 2000, over $65,000 has been distributed to outstanding Georgia tennis players to pursue success on the tour.
The Jack Waters Endowment Fund serves as a “Living Memorial” to the great tennis professional and coach; Jack Waters. Jack’s own tennis career began in 1934 as a 13-year-old in Miami, Florida. He became captain of his high school team and received a tennis scholarship to the University of Miami. His professional career, which began after 4 years in the Air Force during World War II,
included matches against prominent players such as Jack Kramer and Bobby Riggs. In 1950, he
reached the quarter finals of both the singles and doubles at the U.S. National Clay Court
Championships; his winnings were $14.00. Those close to Jack believe that Jack would have
enjoyed playing on the pro tour for several more years, but he felt responsible for his Mother and
needed a steady income to help support her. That year, 1950, Jack became the teaching pro at the
Piedmont Driving Club in Atlanta, Georgia where he taught for 38 years.
Jack Waters was acclaimed as one of the top teaching professionals in the United States. In 1953,
five of Jack’s students reached the quarterfinals of the Southern Junior Tennis Tournament. Fiftyfour
of his students played on college tennis teams and thirty-four of them received tennis scholarships.
Twenty were team captains and most were All Americans. Six players have successfully
competed as touring pros, and thirteen now teach others to play. Jack Waters was inducted into
the Georgia Tennis Hall of Fame in 1985 and into the Dade County Florida Hall of Fame in 1988.
It was Jack Waters’ vision to provide financial resources to tennis players who aspire to play the
Association of Professional Tennis or Women’s Tennis Association Tour. Since the inception of the
Jack Waters Endowment Fund in 2000, over $65,000 has been granted to aspiring Georgia tennis
players to pursue their dreams to the play the tour!
To open/download the application, please click here.
