Author: Sachi Kurup

Inaugural Tennis For America VISTA fellows

NYJTL is proud to announce that we are one of the six nationally recognized organizations who will work together with the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) to help address the issues of poverty through tennis in the United States. We are looking for three recent college graduates or seniors to be Tennis for America VISTA fellows to work with New York Junior Tennis & Learning and the Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Education from June 1, 2020 to May 31, 2021.

Recent graduates or seniors will have the opportunity to work with under-resourced children in NYJTL sites in one of the five boroughs and to help NYJTL carry out its mission to develop the character of young people through tennis and education for a lifetime of success on and off the court.

Applications are open until February 29, 2020

The Loss of an Idol

The students of Icahn Charter School 2 got the opportunity to meet Kobe Bryant on August 29, 2019.  The kids had an opportunity to play tennis with him, and were saddened to hear that he is no longer with us.

See the tribute the students of Icahn 2 made for him.

Mentoring Month

Mentoring is at the forefront of the NYJTL mission, and we believe that NYC youth deserve the opportunity to be guided thoughtfully, and we are confident that the life skills gained through our programs can provide a powerful catalyst for long-term achievement. York Chu, retired Senior Director of Tennis Programs, has been an amazing mentor to our kids!

SAT Prep

Prepare for the June SAT test! Classes run from February 29 through May 31 and are offered on Saturday OR Sunday. Our qualified tutors will help you prepare for the exam!

There is still time to register!

Up Next:

• NY Open, February 9-16.  Get your tickets here.
• ACES President’s Cup Tournament, February 17-21.
• CTP Boys and Girls Presidents’ Week Doubles, February 18-20.
• Mixed Doubles Round Robin, February 28.
• SAT Prep, February 29 – May 31.

What We’re Reading:

• Keeping Kids From Quitting Sports
• The Big Takeaway From Australia: Men’s and Women’s Tennis are in Very Different Places
• More Students Are Homeless Than Ever Before

According to MENTOR, The National Mentoring Partnership, “Young adults who had mentors speak highly of these relationships. They offer that their mentors help them stay on track in school, make good choices, and provide consistent support”.  At NYJTL’s core we believe in developing the character of young people through tennis and education for a lifetime of success on and off the court. Mentoring is at the forefront of what we do, and we believe that every child in New York City deserves the opportunity to be guided thoughtfully, and we are confident that the life skills gained through our programs can provide a powerful catalyst for long-term achievement.  Whether that means helping a child with their homework through our ACES Afterschool Program, or incorporating physical activity through tennis in our Community Tennis Program, or even having a child participate in our Serve & Connect Program so that NYPD 42nd Precinct officers can create life long relationships and mentor kids.  

Founded in 1971, NYJTL is active in every borough of New York City, operates in all 51 NYC Council Districts and providing free access to tennis in schools, community centers, and on playgrounds year round reaching 85,000 K-12 youth throughout NYC.  Our Community Tennis Program, which has mentored and served thousands of children over the years, creates a safe environment for children to learn the sport of a lifetime that instills teamwork, stamina, grit, and persistence. Our dedicated coaches, many of them NYJTL alumni, are committed to teaching tennis to the youth of NYC, for example Coach Gaetan said, “Mentoring kids is important because growing minds often need guidance.  I’m drawn to mentoring kids because my mentor growing up was very influential in making me the person I am today. My mentor was Scott Daly (NYJTL Senior Director, Community Tennis). I work for NYJTL because it’s given me so much as a growing teen that the least I can do is pay it forward to the next generation”. Coach Gaetan has impacted the lives of many children, but especially Allycia Santa-Cruz, a sophomore at Bard Early College High School.  Allycia said “To me, Gaetan is not only a mentor, but a friend, a father figure and also just a cool dude I met two years ago. He’s made tennis become more meaningful, which nourished my love of the game. I’m always making time for tennis, whether it’s a school night or six in the morning on weekends. Starting the summer program with him not only helped me become a better tennis player, but become a better person”. NYJTL looks forward to continuing to foster and mentor the youth of New York City through tennis, education, healthy living and character development programs.

Last year’s Leadership Luncheon was held at the Metropolitan Club on Wednesday, November 6, 2019.  Tommy Hilfiger, Andrea Jaeger, and Bethanie Mattek-Sands served as honorees, and Christopher Perez and Isis Rodriguez won the student awards.

Christopher Perez – Recipient of the Seymour Propp Achievement Award

The Seymour Propp Achievement Award recognizes an exemplary student who has demonstrated growth in tennis and life skills during their participation with NYJTL, particularly in the Intensive Training Program. 

The availability of free tennis lessons introduced Christopher to a sport that now plays a central part in his life.  Christopher takes two buses to get to the Cary Leeds Center each day, and despite the long commute, he began showing up for every possible opportunity to play.  He quickly improved, getting accepted into the Intensive Training Program and then eventually the Tournament Team. He played in the 2019 NYJTL Mayor’s Cup presented by Disney and joined his high school tennis team, earning the Varsity MVP award the last three years.  In his spare time, Christopher also coaches at the Crotona Park Community Tennis Program site to inspire the next generation to discover the sport that he loves so much.

Christopher’s passion for tennis has taught him valuable life skills that he applies off the court and in the classroom.  Juggling school, tennis team practice, getting to the Cary Leeds Center a few times a week, and competing in tennis tournaments takes commitment and time management skills.  Christopher told us, “Tennis has become apart of me and is not just something I can leave behind”. With his applications submitted, he is now anxiously awaiting college acceptances. 

Isis Rodriguez – Recipient of NYJTL Sportsmanship Award

The NYJTL Sportsmanship Award recognizes a student who shows great character and sportsmanship, as evaluated by NYJTL coaches, mentors, and educators.  The winner demonstrates the ability to make all feel welcome on and off the court, win or lose with grace, and serves as a role model for conduct and integrity.  

Tennis has given Isis the opportunity to break out of her shell.  She credits the sport and NYJTL’s ACES Afterschool Program for helping her find herself, and sparking an interest and passion she didn’t know she had.  Once extremely shy and afraid to speak, tennis ultimately gave Isis the confidence to improve her skills, take risks, and gain confidence in herself. Isis is a leader on and off the court, winning decisive matches for her team and supporting and encouraging her teammates from the sidelines.  Her spirit is infectious: her mom noticed the change, her teammates noticed, and NYJTL noticed. Isis was named the captain of her ACES Afterschool tennis team last year and led them to victory in the elementary team division at the 2019 NYJTL Mayor’s Cup presented by Disney.

Isis’s transformation through tennis translated to success in school as well.  Her classmates started seeing her confidence in the classroom. Although Isis’s middle school does not have an ACES Afterschool Program, she and her mom made a plan to further her success through a local Community Tennis Program, where she can continue making great strides in her tennis and character development.