Black Girls in Tennis is Expanding East!
July 17, 2026
Founded in 2024 in Edmonton, Black Girls in Tennis (BGIT) was created to build a welcoming and supportive space where Black women can learn, play, and connect in a sport where they have long been underrepresented. What began as a single chapter has since expanded across the country, with chapters spanning from Vancouver to Halifax.
Closer to home, BGIT is bringing the same mission to Fredericton through a series of summer pop-up events. Despite the rainy weather, the first session at the end of June was a great success!
We spoke with Yosabeth Agonafer, founder of the Calgary chapter and one of the leaders helping BGIT grow across Canada, about the organization’s history, impact, and plans for the future. Read on to learn more about how BGIT is making a difference across the country, on and off the court, and building a community in Fredericton.
Tell us a bit about the history of Black Girls in Tennis. Why was it created, and what are the goals of the program?
Black Girls in Tennis (BGIT) was founded by Jacqueline (Jackie) Ngondo in Edmonton in 2024. Jackie grew up playing tennis — her dad taught her when she was three — but as an adult she kept noticing the same thing on court: almost no other Black women. Tennis is one of the most popular sports in the world, but also one of the least diverse — roughly 78% of players are white, while under 7% are Black. Jackie decided that gap wasn’t a reason to walk away from a sport she loved, it was a reason to build the community she wished existed. She launched the Edmonton chapter, and it caught on almost immediately.
Yosabeth found BGIT in 2025 while looking for a tennis club to join, reached out to Jackie, and ended up launching the Calgary chapter that June. Winnipeg followed later that year, and BGIT has kept growing since — Vancouver has already launched, Fredericton is running as a summer pop-up right now, and Halifax and Toronto are next, launching July 18 and August 8.
The goal has always been simple: build a sisterhood where Black women and girls can pick up a racquet, feel like they belong, and be genuinely celebrated while doing it — whether they’ve never played before or have been playing for years.
What impact has the program had on the local Fredericton community?
Fredericton is one of BGIT’s newest stops, so it’s worth being honest rather than overstating what’s happened locally so far. What’s clear from every city BGIT has launched in — Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Vancouver — is a consistent pattern: women who show up nervous or unsure become regulars within weeks, friendships form fast, and the group becomes a real support system on and off the court. BGIT has grown to over 500 members across its existing chapters using exactly that model. That’s what’s being brought to Fredericton — create the space, remove the intimidation factor, and let the community build itself.
What makes tennis such a great sport for women and girls to get involved in?
Tennis is social, but it’s also individual enough that everyone can go at their own pace. It’s a full workout that doesn’t feel like “working out.” It’s stylish and fun, and it gives women a space to show up as themselves, build real friendships, and grow their confidence — something that carries well beyond the court.
What are your hopes for the future of Black Girls in Tennis?
The plan is for BGIT to be a coast-to-coast movement — Vancouver has launched, Halifax and Toronto are launching this summer, and more cities will follow. Alongside that growth, BGIT wants to keep developing Black women coaches from within its own community, so the program is sustainable and locally led wherever it lands. Longer term, the hope is that today’s members introduce their own kids to tennis, so the sisterhood becomes multi-generational.
Where can we learn more about BGIT?
A big thank you to the City of Fredericton and Tennis NB for helping make this pop-up possible. BGIT would also love to partner with other communities interested in bringing the program to their city — reach out anytime at blackgirlsintennis@gmail.com.
