IA Students Create Free Summer Tennis Program

Sajan Doshi (grade 11) is a passionate tennis player who, along with a fellow IA student, co-founded the Lil Aces Tennis Academy summer program to provide a way to offer free tennis lessons to students across Oakland County. Doshi, who attended Way Elementary and Bloomfield Hills Middle School, is a Bloomfield Hills Schools resident who attends International Academy and participates on the Bloomfield Hills High School Varsity Tennis team. The Lil Aces Tennis Academy was founded in Summer 2023, and the program doubled in size this summer to support 125 students who attend multiple school districts in Oakland County. 

Doshi noted, “What inspired Mantra and me to create Lil Aces is our love for the game of tennis. We have been playing for a long time, and it is one of our favorite hobbies. We know how much fun tennis can be: playing with the people you enjoy spending time with, being active, and being a part of something more than yourself. So we created Lil Aces so kids could see how much fun the game of tennis can be. All of our coaches were volunteers who took time out of their summer to help teach because tennis means a lot to every single one of them, and they truly care about making sure that these kids had a great time.” A total of seven high school student coaches, including Doshi, provided the tennis lessons, hosted at Avondale High School.

The Lil Aces Summer Academy program is free, but the high school students raised almost $3,000 for the charity of their choice, Variety Children’s Charity of Detroit, an organization that provides vital support and essential services to more than 20,000 children with unique and special needs in our community.

Doshi reflected, “The highlight of the program this summer was spending time with the kids. They truly enjoyed this camp and it taught them so many skills, not just for tennis, but for life. Some of these skills include: teamwork, collaboration, perseverance, communication, and so many more. The way that they came to camp every day, so excited and ready to learn, made it so easy to be their coach and help them through their tennis journey.” Congratulations to Doshi and the Lil Aces Summer Academy team for a second successful summer season!