By Tucker Verdi
Be positive, be passionate, be proud to be an Eagle.
On a day when students across the country and the world took to the streets and marched for their lives, the boys and girls tennis teams from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School took to the court at Crandon Park Tennis Center.
They stood along the baseline, hand-in-hand with some of the sport’s biggest stars as a large banner bearing their school insignia was draped across center court.
These teenagers are part of a student body that is still grieving following the death of 17 classmates when a gunman opened fire in their school.
Their grief is not their own, however. It is not silent; instead, it is being broadcast for everyone to see. Students from all different kinds of communities are banding together to let their voices be heard.
A message from MSD alumni played on the video board with former students from the inaugural class of 1992 to the most recent graduating class let these young agents of change know that they are not standing alone.
The alumni aligned themselves with the movement #MSDStrong, a moniker for perseverance in the face of adversity, and reminded the youngsters to keep living by the motto of MSD.
That motto: “Be positive, be passionate, be proud to be an Eagle.”
T-shirts with the #MSDStrong motto were sold during the night session, with all proceeds going to the Marjory Stoneman Douglas victims’ fund.
If you wish to make a donation to the victims’ fund, you can visit gofundme.com/stonemandouglasvictimsfund.
About the Miami Open presented by Itaú
The 2018 Miami Open will be played March 19-April 1 at the Crandon Park Tennis Center in Miami. The two-week combined event is owned and operated by IMG. The Miami Open is one of nine ATP Masters 1000 Series events on the ATP calendar, a Premier Mandatory event on the WTA calendar, and features the top men’s and women’s tennis players in the world. The tournament is widely regarded as the most glamorous on the ATP and WTA calendars because of its exotic Miami location, thriving nightlife, five-star hotels and restaurants, beautiful weather and beaches, and its celebrity appeal. For ticket information, call +1.305.442.3367 or visit www.miamiopen.com.
About Itaú
Itau is the largest Latin America privately owned bank, with approximately 94,000 employees and operations in 19 countries throughout the Americas, Asia and Europe. Itaú’s relationship with sport goes back to the 1970s, when Itaú first sponsored the Itaú Tennis Cup in Brazil in 1970. Itaú has been a sponsor of the Miami Open for the last six years, and also sponsors the Rio Open, the only combined ATP/WTA event in South America. Itaú also supports the Brazilian Women’s Tennis Circuit, only female professional tournament in South America, certified by the Brazilian Tennis Confederation (CBT) and the International Tennis Federation (ITF), as well as the Tennis Institute Training Center, responsible for the development of young, new talent.
About IMG
IMG is a global leader in sports, fashion, events and media, operating in more than 30 countries. The company represents and manages some of the world’s greatest sports figures and fashion icons; stages hundreds of live events and branded entertainment experiences annually; and is one of the largest independent producers and distributors of sports media. IMG also specializes in sports training; league development; and marketing, media and licensing for brands, sports organizations and collegiate institutions.
