Student Standouts: Motwani ’21 and Girls Tennis in the News
Congratulations to this week’s standouts below. Way to go #RamNation! And as always, if you have a story to share, please email weeklynews@micds.org.
Senior Works on The Hudlin Legacy Project to Help Overcome Racial Barriers to Tennis
Over the summer Aryan Motwani ’21 taught tennis and life lessons to youth in the community through his nonprofit ACE Academy on the Hudlin Park Tennis courts. Unbeknownst to him at the time, the court’s namesake, Richard Hudlin, was not only a tremendous athlete but also a pioneer in helping bridge racial barriers in the sport of tennis. These courts over the years have become dilapidated, and, in their current condition, are a significant barrier in helping increase exposure to the sport within the community.
To revitalize these courts and create a substantive narrative around Richard Hudlin and his efforts, Aryan has partnered on The Hudlin Legacy Project with WashU student-athletes Koki Takabatake, Ally Persky, and Katie Gould.
The executive board of The Hudlin Legacy Project has been working throughout this summer in an effort to revitalize the Hudlin Park tennis courts located next to Barnes Jewish Hospital in commemoration of Richard Hudlin’s accomplishments. Hudlin is known for his mentorship and coaching of Arthur Ashe and Althea Gibson, two athletes who were instrumental in breaking racial barriers in the sport of tennis. Hudlin’s legacy as a local civil rights hero and tennis icon is indisputable—in 1945, Hudlin pioneered a lawsuit against the City of St. Louis to ensure African-Americans would be allowed usage of tennis courts in the city and won. This project is a great way for the St. Louis community to address and to engage with systemic issues.
You can check out and sign the petition here. Signatures help enable organizations like ACE Academy to continue Hudlin’s work for generations to come. They also help to restore the park to reflect the legacies of Hudlin, Ashe, and Gibson while celebrating their trailblazing efforts.
Girls Tennis Advances to State for First Time in the Last Three Years
The MICDS Girls Tennis team defeated Parkway Central this week to advance to the Class 2 team quarterfinals, as highlighted in STL Today. The team has three freshmen in the top five. They will take on Liberty High in Wentzville at state for the first time in the past few years. Let’s go Rams!
