Fresh off of winning six gold medals at the 2013 FINA World Championships, Missy Franklin will co-host Arthur Ashe Kid’s Day August 24th. The 4-time Olympic gold medalist has remained very visible in and out of the water since her stunning performance at the 2012 London Olympic Games by lending her support to numerous charities. Arthur Ashe Kid’s Day is a spectacular single-day event the Saturday before the US Open Tennis Championships. A-list celebrities and sports stars attend every year, stumping for the values that made the sports icon and humanitarian Arthur Ashe so respected and loved.
Next on Franklin’s schedule, UC Berkeley, where she will be busy with her studies and the Cal Golden Bears’ dual meet season starting soon.
Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day presented by Hess is the largest single-day, grassroots tennis and entertainment event in the world, with chart-topping performers, celebrities and some of the best tennis players in the game coming together to celebrate the life and values of tennis legend and humanitarian Arthur Ashe. The event takes place the Saturday before the US Open.
Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day features a ticketed Stadium Show and concert inside Arthur Ashe Stadium preceded by a free Grounds Festival on the grounds of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, N.Y.
Among those who have performed at the Ashe Kids’ Day on their way to stardom are Justin Bieber, Rihanna, Britney Spears, Jessica Simpson, Sean Kingston, Demi Lovato, Ne-Yo, Gavin DeGraw, Carly Rae Jepsen and the Jonas Brothers. A “Who’s Who?” of the tennis world has given back to the game during this fun-filled afternoon, including Andre Agassi, Kim Clijsters, Lindsay Davenport, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, John McEnroe, Rafael Nadal, Andy Roddick, Maria Sharapova, Serena Williams and Venus Williams. They’ve been joined by celebrities including Alec Baldwin, Nick Cannon, John Cena, Ellen DeGeneres, Will Ferrell Tony Hawk, Randy Jackson, Matthew Morrison, and Kenan Thompson.
The free Grounds Festival offers interactive games, music and tennis activities for all ages so that kids and their families can enjoy the health and fitness benefits of tennis. Families can test their skills, watch top tennis pros and have a chance to win prizes. The Grounds Festival also features a free concert with exciting up-and-coming talent on the Hess Express Stage.
The proceeds from Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day help support USTA Serves, the USTA’s national charitable foundation, and the National Junior Tennis and Learning (NJTL) network. NJTL was founded by Ashe, Charlie Pasarell and Sheridan Snyder and is a nationwide group of more than 600 nonprofit youth-development organizations that provide free or low-cost tennis, education and life-skills programming to more than 325,000 children each year.
For more information on Arthur Ashe and his legacy, please visit the Arthur Ashe Learning Center at www.arthurashe.org.