Mission & History

Mission

To develop and unleash the potential of youth on and off the tennis court by engaging and serving a supportive community.

Vision

To be the national leader in youth development through tennis.

Values

Enthusiasm, Integrity, Perseverance, Respect, Responsibility, Service, Teamwork.

Our “Why” and “How”

Our Focus

ICT programs are designed with value-centric, holistic youth and community development as their central aim. They are designed to address three core needs:

All people, but especially youth, need safe, fun, compelling opportunities to develop and enjoy a passion for lifelong healthy activities.

All people, but especially youth, need caring, supportive mentors that challenge them and expand the world of what is possible for them.

All people, but especially youth, need to matter in and belong to nurturing communities.

The Research

The research that connects the fulfillment of these needs to a variety of positive outcomes is incredibly robust.

“A mountain of evidence now documents the physical, mental, social, emotional, cognitive and academic benefits that flow to youth whose bodies are in motion. Physically active children are 1/10 as likely to be obese, smoke less, use illegal drugs less, have risky sex less, are less likely to suffer depression, have up to 40% higher test scores, and are 15% more likely to go to college.”

“Research has found that young people who experience strong developmental relationships across different parts of their lives are more likely to show signs of positive development in many areas, including increased academic motivation, increased social-emotional growth and learning, increased sense of personal responsibility; and reduced engagement in a variety of high-risk behaviors.”

“School performance, public health, crime rates, clinical depression, tax compliance, philanthropy, race relations, community development, census returns, teen suicide, economic productivity, campaign finance, even simple human happiness – all are demonstrably affected by how (and whether) we connect with our family and friends and neighbors.”

Our Context

We understand the importance of physical activity, mentors, and community in the life trajectories of young people, and we understand equally well that the opportunity to have these needs fulfilled is insufficient and inequitably shared among our city’s kids.

In Minnesota, 23.1% of youth from families in the lowest-income group have obesity, compared to 8.1% of those in families from the highest-income group. – State of Childhood Obesity

In Minneapolis in 2022, 1 out of 90 white students and 1 out of 12 black students reported a prediabetes diagnosis. – Minnesota Student Survey

“For every Minnesota student in an afterschool program, one more would participate if there was a program available to them”  Afterschool Alliance

25.6% of all 9th graders in Minneapolis Public schools say that adults in their communities care for them “not at all” or “a little” – Minnesota Student Survey

Our History

The Founder

ICT FounderOur primary founder and Chairman, Lachlan Maclachlan of Strathlachlan from Loch Fyne, Scotland, or more commonly known as Lach Reed, was a captivating and multi-faceted individual. Raised in Turkey within a family of educators who later established colleges worldwide, including the renowned Reed College, Lachlan’s educational roots ran deep. A Yale graduate and subsequently a Navy officer, he was called to active duty in 1941, just weeks before the attack on Pearl Harbor. This led him to London, where he served as a naval attaché alongside Anthony J. Drexel Biddle, the U.S. Ambassador to the Governments in Exile. It was during his time in London that Lach’s passion for tennis reignited. In 1943, he was assigned to Egypt, collaborating closely with the Greek Navy, before moving on to Yugoslavia to support the Chetnik nationalists. Afterward, he found himself stationed in Martinique. Following an honorable discharge from the Navy in 1945, Lach embarked on a path as an educator, international businessman, and a devoted advocate for youth development.

Early Years

Lach’s college sweetheart, Martha Sweatt, became not only his wife but also his partner in the founding of InnerCity Tennis. Martha’s father, Harold Sweatt, a co-founder of Honeywell, played a pivotal role in the nonprofit’s early stages, with a deep historical connection to the company. In his autobiography, “Lucky Lach: Becoming an American,” Lach expressed profound love for Martha, describing her as the most significant development in his life. Originally intending to date another girl, he quickly fell head over heels for Martha. After their first date, he began collecting ads from the New York Times, pasting them onto a large roll of paper, proclaiming her a “great gal.” Martha and Lach tied the knot on September 3, 1942, embarking on a lifelong journey together that included raising six children.

In 1952, Lachlan Reed, Harold Sweatt, Martha Sweatt Reed, and a dedicated group of individuals, including Wheelock Whitney, Sewell Andrews, George Crosby, Robert DeHaven, Jack Dow, John Harrison, George Hoke, Goodrich Lowry, George Mairs, Joe Masek, Donald McNeely, George Pillsbury, George Weed, Donald Paul, Dr. Jack Pfister, William Rentschler, Justin Smith, Lucian Strong, and G. Cullen Thomas, came together to establish the Northwest Tennis Patrons. Their shared goal was to empower inner-city youth by introducing them to the lifelong sport of tennis.

Growth

The Patrons relied on volunteer coaches to provide tennis instruction in Minneapolis Parks throughout the summer season. This model has been enduring since the early 1950s and continues today. ICT continues to deliver tennis instruction in 23 Minneapolis Parks, with youth coaches who themselves learned tennis in our Park programs. In 1970, Nick Pappas, the President of the USTA, initiated the first summer tennis program in Windsor Park. In the same year, Jack Thommen of Minneapolis Community Education provided funds to support ICT’s program expansion. Over the last seven decades, we estimate that at least 95,000 children have participated in ICT programs. The organization’s growth owes much to the dedication of hundreds of board members and volunteers, including the esteemed Minneapolis civil rights leader, Matt Little.

In the 1980s, Northwest Tennis Patrons became Minneapolis Urban Tennis, eventually leading to the founding of St. Paul Urban Tennis as a separate nonprofit organization. In 1994, Northwest Tennis Patrons officially became the InnerCity Tennis Foundation. Lach and Martha Reed also established another offshoot, Palm Beach Area Tennis Patrons, in Palm Beach, Florida. Today, it is known as TEAM First (Tennis Education and Mentoring First), a member of the National Junior Tennis and Learning program.

Special mention must be made of Karen McGlynn, Lach Reed’s right-hand woman, a dedicated staff member, and former board member. Karen not only meticulously documented board meetings throughout the decades, preserving the history of InnerCity Tennis, but also consistently provided invaluable guidance to ICT programs. Karen is one of those remarkable individuals who has made enduring contributions to our unique organization.

Development

In the late 1990s, Peter Benson of the world-renowned Search Institute served as our Board Chair and collaborated closely with the Board and staff to develop our Kidspeed® program within the framework of Search’s groundbreaking work on the 40 Developmental Assets. We initiated the delivery of the Kidspeed program in Head Start programs around 2000, and this program continues to thrive today at Head Start McKnight in south Minneapolis and Head Start Fraser in North Minneapolis, as well as on-site at our Super Saturday program.

The Board of InnerCity Tennis acquired Nicollet Tennis Center from Jack Johnson in 2000 as our home base of operations. Now known as the Reed Sweatt Family Tennis Center, our doors welcome thousands of players, from age three to 96. Thanks to a strong partnership with the Senior Tennis Players Club, founded by the legendary Jack Dow, ICT hosts hundreds of senior players throughout the day, followed by youth taking over the courts after school, and league players in the evening.

A Long-Term Home

Tennis has a rich history at 40th and Nicollet. The first 12 courts and bleachers were installed between 1946 and 1950, establishing the Nicollet Tennis Center, managed by Frank Bruce. In 1960, the West High tennis coach identified star player John Ribnick as Captain and Number One singles player while watching players at the old Nicollet hitting wall. Today, John Ribnick serves as the Permanent Court Time and League Manager at InnerCity Tennis, and he is the originator of the “Ribnick” method of league scoring and rules of play that we use today. Mary Baker led the Nicollet Junior Wightman Cup squad to the State Championships in 1959 and has been an integral part of the Center since the 1970s, now serving as the Women’s Daytime League Coordinator and the keeper of the secret formula for “Nicollet Nectar.”

Nicollet Tennis Center hosted the National Public Parks Tournament in 1953 and 1961, and in the late 1950s, it witnessed a Davis Cup qualifying match between Australia and Chile. Nicollet Tennis Center has long been recognized as the hub of tennis activity for the best players in the Twin Cities.

In 1973, Jack Johnson embarked on an entrepreneurial endeavor and secured an agreement with the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board to install an air structure, covering the courts and making them available for indoor, year-round play. Many may have initially questioned the viability of year-round tennis in Minneapolis, but Jack Johnson’s Nicollet Tennis Center, affectionately known as “Nicollet,” soon proved them wrong. Jack’s Nicollet Tennis Center thrived until 2000 when InnerCity Tennis Foundation purchased the business, leasing the courts and land from the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board.

In tribute to the founders of InnerCity Tennis, Lachlan Reed, Harold Sweatt, and Martha Sweatt Reed, the tennis facility was renamed the Reed Sweatt Family Tennis Center. Embracing ICT’s mission of youth development and empowerment, the concept of family remains essential to our tennis identity. While Martha and Lachlan Reed are no longer with us, Inner