Standout Spartan: Justin Fratkin '25

Last week, Steward eighth grader Justin Fratkin teamed up with The Metro Richmond Tennis Club and Rising Stars Tennis Academy to make a big difference in the lives of young tennis players in the Richmond area. He knew that in order for young athletes to get better at tennis, they would need to be ready to learn from experienced coaches, racket in hand. So he decided to put rackets in their hands — literally.

Justin gifted 100 tennis rackets to Richmond-area youth on Saturday, May 8. The two aforementioned nonprofits, driven by a mission to promote tennis in the Greater Richmond community, invited youth to Battery Park for a free tennis clinic. Coaches from University of Richmond and Virginia Commonwealth University participated in the clinic, as did other local tennis professionals and players. 

During the clinic, participants were able to take home a racket free of charge thanks to Justin's dedication and hard work. From January to March this past year, Justin placed collection boxes for gently used clubs at local tennis clubs. To add to Justin's gift, a family friend donated 100 tennis grips to give the rackets a like-new feel. Justin personally applied grips to each racket at home in the evenings.

"I love playing tennis and want other kids in Richmond to have the chance to play too," Justin said.

As a result of Justin's generosity, that desire is already coming to life!