Jayadeva (Jay) Devashetty joined the team at the Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning (CLC) on August 3, 2020.
In his role at the CLC, Jay oversees player development programming including the Intensive Training Program, the Tournament Team, and the Premier Group.
GETTING TO KNOW JAY
Where are you from?
I was born in Mysore, in south of India, in 1975. I moved to the US right after college, where I earned an engineering degree in Polymer Science.
When did you start playing tennis?
I started playing tennis at the age of eight at the Mysore tennis club. Tennis was a family sport for the Devashetty’s, my older brother and sister played, so I wanted to follow them to the courts. As a kid, I played cricket, soccer, and tennis, but tennis was by far my favorite. I would wake up at 5:30 in the morning and walk the two blocks to the club so I could play singles before the courts filled up.
When did you start competing?
I played my first competitive tournament when I was 10 years old. I lost badly but was determined to improve. As a player, I was ranked top 5 in juniors and top 10 in men’s in India.
Where else have you worked?
I worked under Randy Mani as a tennis pro and shortly after I was promoted to run the Crosstown Tennis Club high performance program. I then managed the high-performance unit at the Hardscrabble Club. Later I transferred over to USTA player Development in NY with Jorge Todero and Joe Ceriello who now works here at NYJTL as the Chief Marketing Officer.
What are some career highlights as a national coach?
I spent the last nine years working as a national coach for the United States Tennis Association based in NY at Training Center – East. I was responsible for implementing the USTA teaching philosophy to top national juniors and professional players. I was lucky enough to work with a lot of very good players.
Kristie Ahn made it to the 4thrd of the US Open last year, Ann Li to the finals of Wimbledon’s juniors in 2017. I was also part of the coaching team of Stefanie Yakoff, Elliot Spizziri, Cannon Kingsley and many other notable juniors. But overall I am very proud of the culture we were able to create and the successes we had as a team at Training Center- East.
What have you learned from being a national coach?
Two main lessons from working with professional tennis players: small details matter – they get smaller and more important. Also, the importance of showing up to work consistently as one of the main ways to see results.
What has the experience of being a national coach meant to you?
I credit the life I have now with my experience as a national coach, which has opened many windows of opportunity for me. Tennis has helped me set goals. I have had the good fortune to interact and learn from a lot of very experienced legendary coaches.
Why is being a coach so important?
I enjoy teaching, especially when kids figure out stuff and the excitement that it brings. I love the relationships that I have built with them and am thankful when my former students call me later as adults. To see them grow up, is a privilege, and it gives me the best feeling to see them grow up as responsible adults.
Why the Cary Leeds Center?
For me it is important to instill a growth mindset in the juniors. NYJTL was the perfect fit for me because I hope to build a direct pathway from NYJTL programs to collegiate tennis, with a few children having the opportunity to play international tennis and maybe even one day a couple turning pro.
What do you hope to see from the Intensive Training Program?
I try to foster a culture with a growth mindset wherever I am. I hope the players and families at ITP adopt that culture because I believe it is the key to improving in all aspects of life.
What the secret to teaching high performance tennis?
High performance is a slow process, not a quick fix – you need to trust the process. You need to work with the parents to educate them with the process and sticking it out. Growth in tennis is similar to growth in life, it is not a linear process. Sometimes the most important improvement is simply the commitment to putting in the work every day.
What impact do you hope to have on NYJTL?
To create a culture of excellence and a culture of work. Keep things simple and show up every day…I am so excited to begin work at the Cary Leeds Center because I believe I can make a difference in the life of the players.”