Garrison is Establishing the Zina Garrison Academy

Written by: Staff on 27th November 2011

Garrison is Establishing the Zina Garrison Academy

epa00694094 Zina Garrison, team captain of the US Fed Cup team, speaks during a press conference at the Europapark in Rust, Germany, Wednesday 19 April 2006. This weekend the German and US teams will play their quarter final in Ettenheim, Germany. EPA/PATRICK SEEGER |

Zina Garrison emerged from the public parks of Houston to become world number four, win 14 singles and 20 doubles titles and reach the 1990 Wimbledon final. She also won two medals at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, a gold in doubles and bronze in singles before going on to captain the United States Fed cup team.

She has long given back to the sport at grass-roots level and elsewhere, founding the Zina Garrison Foundation for the Homeless in 1988, and the Zina Garrison All-Court Tennis Program, which supports inner-city tennis in Houston, in 1992. Now she is about to take things to a whole new level by establishing the Zina Garrison Academy.

It will include both educational and tennis facilities and be built on the ‘Knowledge is Power Program’ Sunnyside campus on Scott Street in Houston, not far from where she was raised. Preparation work will take place during next year and construction is expected to be complete by early 2013.

The initial phase will feature 10 tennis courts and a temporary education building. Phase 2 will include a permanent educational facility and additional courts. Capital for the project is being raised from community and business partners.

Garrison is still working together with her coach John Wilkerson, who discovered Zina and guided her to the stardom she enjoyed in a 10 year period that stretched from the mid-1980’s to mid-90’s.

“DAILY TENNIS NEWS WIRE”

Topics: Zina Garrison