Those championships are not the only thing the tennis teams have been successful in as both programs have become involved in community projects. This year the teams have participated in events such as reading days at area elementary schools and free tennis clinics.

The men's team recently worked a road race at Metro Gym. The money raised through the road race went directly to the Montgomery Food Bank.

"This was a project that was good for our community," Coach Anuk Christiansz said. "Many of the racers commented on how nice our players were and how helpful they were at the event."

The men's team was also able to visit Bear Elementary School to read to the students. The students enjoyed the visit, but the thing that interested them the most was the accents of the international students, who took the time to tell them about their home countries.

"The students really enjoyed the players reading to them," Christiansz said. They were very interested in the international students telling them about their backgrounds and the different countries they came from and the student-athletes also relayed to the elementary students about their experiences at AUM and playing tennis at AUM."

During spring break a few weeks ago, both teams traveled down to Gulf Shores where they participated in a International Day at Gulf Shores Elementary and gave tennis lessons to several children.

"Both the men's and women's tennis players held a free tennis clinic for 51 junior players from ages 4-17," women's Coach Scott Kidd said. "We worked with stroke mechanics, foot work drills and tactics and strategy. We also held a conditioning clinic to show how our student-athletes trained."

Tereza Veverkova, Delia Sescioreanu, Francisco Redondo and Jean-Olivier Hebert made a trip to Gulf Shores Elementary School where they taught the students some geography lessons by showing the students the countries they were from on a big map.

"The tennis players spoke to the students about their countries and showed them where they were from", Kidd said. "The players told them about the histories of their countries, their customs, food, and even talked to them in their native language to introduce them to their countries."

"The students reacted to the players with a lot of enthusiasm and asked a lot of questions, it was a very enjoyable time for both the players and students."

The tennis teams will also continue its current practice of providing some free lessons to area children, like this year when it provides free lessons to students from Brewbaker Junior High School. It is a practice that has made the program and the players very popular among the tennis community.