Five Chelsea youth participating in the Tenacity Chelsea Summer Tennis & Reading Program recently attended the 2026 U.S. Open in New York City with their families, experiencing a world premier sporting event firsthand.
Chelsea residents Rigoberto Gonzalez, 9; Eden Souffrant, 9; Oliver Bonilla, 12; Mila Dormevil, 8; and Samiah Clerie, 12, were selected for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity based on their demonstrated interest and ability in playing tennis, as well as their steady participation in Tenacity Chelsea. This free program for local families is made possible through a partnership between Chelsea Recreation & Cultural Affairs and Tenacity, a Boston-based non-profit organization founded in 1999 that combines tennis, fitness, and literacy programs to help urban youth achieve post-secondary success.
Chelsea resident Mila Dormevil (shown above) and four other Chelsea youths played on the same U.S. Open court as the world’s top tennis players.
“Our longstanding partnership with Tenacity has enabled us to expand tennis opportunities for Chelsea children,” said Bea Cravatta, Director of Chelsea Recreation & Cultural Affairs. “And this latest experience gave some of our youngest participants a chance to watch the U.S. Open and play on the same courts used by the world’s top players.”
Richard Wilson, who launched Tenacity Chelsea and serves as the Summer Program Lead said, “Watching the students I had the privilege of introducing to the game get the opportunity to live out their tennis dream brought tears to my eyes. I was also incredibly grateful that their family members could join and were able to watch as they had this incredible experience.”
Tenacity’s impact has also been felt closer to home. During the final week of the summer program, 22 Chelsea youth competed in the Mayor’s Cup Tournament in Boston. Oliver Bonilla and Rigoberto Gonzalez earned finalist trophies in the 12 and under division. The competition gave Chelsea youth an opportunity to put their skills to the test and compete outside the regular program.
The U.S. Open visit and the finalist placements of Bonilla and Gonzalez followed a summer of record-breaking engagement for Chelsea’s Tenacity program. Approximately 65 students participated in the 2026 summer program, marking the highest enrollment of new participants since the initiative launched in Chelsea in 2021.
Tenacity provides its free summer tennis and reading program for Chelsea youth ages 6 to 15 through a partnership with the City of Chelsea. The 2026 program marked Tenacity’s sixth year of expanding access to tennis and creating new experiences for Chelsea youth.