Zinagarrison.org Zina Garrison, was one of the top tennis players in the world, a product of a free tennis program started by John Wilkerson at MacGregor Park in 1974. Wilkerson didn’t have a lot of rules, but the ones he did have he enforced. If you didn’t have a hat (summers are hot in Houston) you didn’t play. There was no gum chewing or talking on the court. During a tournament there was no sulking, no temper tantrums, no arguing. And there was no soda pop, period. The rest is what we call “a beautiful legacy.” Zina became a tennis legend in Texas and all over the world. A black women, one program, and loads of extraordinary talent. Zina wanted to give the kids of Houston the same opportunities that she was given as a child. Zina and her coach, John Wilkerson, founded the Zina Garrison Academy in 1993 with her prize money from the Family Circle Cup. She wanted to inspire kids just as she was inspired. She believed that any kid, given the right tools, would be able to grow up to be a productive member of society. The Zina Garrison Academy was never intended to just provide tennis education, but to provide everything a child would need to become successful in life. She always envisioned the program being a free service to all members of the community. The program remains 100% free to this day. The Zina Garrison Academy continues to reevaluate itself and change to provide the best possible tennis and education program in the Houston area. Please view the rest of our website to discover the other valuable opportunities we provide. And come join us on the tennis court!
