Category: Latest News

NYJTL Hosts 29th Annual Mayor’s Cup

Posted on by joe

New York (May 15) –With two new stadium courts seating more than 800 at the Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning, New York Junior Tennis & Learning (NYJTL) will welcome fans and supporters with free admission to the Mayor’s Cup All-Scholastic Tennis Championships from June 1 – 11.

“The Mayor’s Cup is the largest interscholastic tennis tournament in the nation,” said NYJTL co-founder and Cary Leeds Center General Manager Skip Hartman, who created the tournament in 1988.  “It is a unique event because it offers interleague competition for teams and individuals from public, private, and parochial leagues from throughout the New York metropolitan area.”

With nearly 600 entries from elementary, middle school, and high schools, the Mayor’s Cup includes 14 different individual and team events.

“The Mayor’s Cup represents what NYJTL is all about— bringing all the children of NYC together to learn valuable life skills on the court and seeing kids grow with the game of tennis from elementary school through their senior year in high school,” said NYJTL President and CEO, George Guimaraes.

The Mayor’s Cup finals will be played on June 11 on the Victor Kiam and Pershing Square Stadium Courts, which were dedicated on April 9 in an opening ceremony attended by former Mayor David Dinkins, who has been a constant supporter of the Mayor’s Cup.

“This year we will have a special celebration with entertainment to commemorate the official opening of the new stadiums,” said Mayor’s Cup tournament director Pam Glick.

Student athletes who are interested in participating in this year’s event may apply at https://www.nyjtl.org/events/2017mayors-cup/.

Schedule of play for the week will be posted at nyjtl.org/events/mayors-cup.

About New York Junior Tennis & Learning

NYJTL was founded in 1971 (then, as New York Junior Tennis League) by Arthur Ashe and Chairman Emeritus Lewis “Skip” Hartman. NYJTL’s mission is to develop the character of young people through tennis and education for a lifetime of success on and off the court. Through tennis, academic enrichment, healthy living, and character development programs, NYJTL teaches life skills to 75,000 underserved youth throughout all of New York City. The experience and culture of tennis, along with academic support services, have helped hundreds of thousands of young people improve their performance in school and raise their aspirations, inspiring success both on and off the court. Learn more at www.nyjtl.org

Contact: Joe Ceriello – jceriello@nyjtl.org

NYC Mayor de Blasio, Officials & Philanthropists Celebrate NYJTL Cary Leeds Center Stadium Dedication

Posted on by joe
New York (April 3) – When Billie Jean King hits the first ball on the Victor Kiam Court and kids rally on the Pershing Square Court at the NYJTL Cary Leeds Center for Learning on Sunday afternoon April 9, the vision of committed supporters of New York Junior Tennis & Learning will be fulfilled and in full swing.

 

“For 45 years, NYJTL has been delivering services in this community,” said NYJTL Chairman Martin Goldberg. “The opportunities to help children and their families have increased exponentially now with the completion of the Cary Leeds Center.”
NYC officials present and past, including Mayor Bill de Blasio and former Mayor David Dinkins, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr., Bronx Parks Commissioner Iris Rodriguez-Rosa, and social justice pioneer and tennis legend Billie Jean King will participate in a ribbon-cutting ceremony and will address the audience.

 

Two stadium courts seating nearly 800 spectators will be dedicated on Sunday. For former NYJTL Chairman Tory Kiam, the day will be intensely personal with the naming of the Victor Kiam Stadium Court in honor of his father. Funding for the Pershing Square Stadium Court was generously provided by passionate tennis supporter Bill Ackman.

 

“With the completion of the stadium courts, NYJTL is committed to bringing back an annual professional tennis tournament” said President and CEO George Guimaraes.
“NYJTL is all about the kids. By 2019, our goal is for the children to see world-class tennis players who are role models for what can be achieved with hard work.”

 

Larry Leeds, who led the successful $13.5 million capital campaign with co-chair Kiam, will be joined by donors and friends including Tommy Hilfiger, Leonard Lauder, Donald Newhouse, Henry Buhl, Eric Hadar, former NYC Council Speaker Peter Vallone Sr., and John Rosenwald, who will serve as the Master of Ceremonies.

 

NYJTL offers more than 6,000 hours of free tennis annually to the residents of the South Bronx and surrounding areas. Nearly 30,000 children and their families live within a three-mile radius of the Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning.

 

For additional information, to confirm attendance, interview and media requests, please contact Joe Ceriello, jceriello@nyjtl.org. 

 

About New York Junior Tennis & Learning
NYJTL was founded in 1971 (then, as New York Junior Tennis League) by Arthur Ashe and Chairman Emeritus Lewis “Skip” Hartman. NYJTL’s mission is to develop the character of young people through tennis and education for a lifetime of success on and off the court. Through tennis, academic enrichment, healthy living, and character development programs, NYJTL teaches life skills to 75,000 underserved youth throughout all of New York City. The experience and culture of tennis, along with academic support services, have helped hundreds of thousands of young people improve their performance in school and raise their aspirations, inspiring success both on and off the court. Learn more at www.nyjtl.org.

NYJTL Appoints Joe Ceriello

Posted on by nyjtl

New York (August 30) –  Joe Ceriello, who developed extensive experience in facilities and program management with the United States Tennis Association (USTA),  has been appointed Interim General Manager of the NYJTL Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning, it was announced today by NYJTL President and CEO Deborah Antoine.

“We are so fortunate that Joe has joined the NYJTL team at this time,” said Antoine. “It is just one year since the Leeds Center opened, and Joe brings a wealth of experience from all aspects of the tennis industry. He will be the perfect complement to further position at the Cary Leeds Center for new growth and expansion”.

Ceriello will oversee NYJTL’s $26.5 million flagship community and tennis center in the heart of Crotona Park finalizing the completion of the two new stadium courts later this fall.

He will be responsible for overseeing daily operations, programming and marketing for the center’s 22 tennis courts, including 10 covered for year-round play, and a community center with classrooms.  As part of NYJTL’s commitment to the local community, Ceriello will administer 6,000 hours of free programming for the Bronx community, which includes 30,000 children living within five miles of the Cary Leeds Center.

For more than a decade, Ceriello worked in several divisions at the USTA including Youth Marketing, Player Development, Professional Tournament Operations and US Open Ticket Operations.

Most recently, he managed the strategic plan and marketing mix for Arthur Ashe Kids’ Days as well as overseeing the Discovery Education partnership and launch of Careers Beyond the Court.  Digitally savvy, Joe developed numerous national digital and video media campaigns and under his direction, USTA’s YouTube channel strategy showed a 133% growth year-to-year.

In 2009, Ceriello opened the USTA’s Training Center-East (TCE) at the Billie Jean King USTA National Tennis Center (NTC). In this role, he managed operations, budgeting and programming.  He launched USTA Player Development’s first fee-based feeder program in collaboration with the NTC designing junior pathway to national success and initiated the Hamptons Pro-Am with the USTA Foundation.

During his leadership, four top 100 American players trained at TCE: Christina McHale, Varvara Lepchenko, Melanie Oudin, and Louisa Chirico.

In 2006, Ceriello joined the USTA’s professional tennis division in the USA Team Events Department.  He focused on domestic operations for Davis and Fed Cup events and for seven years managed the US Open player services area, on-court ball signing, and player ticketing.

“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to lead the team to maximize the impact of the Cary Leeds Center not only in the Bronx, but throughout New York City,” said Ceriello.

For additional information you may contact Allison Sands at asands@nyjtl.org.

#GivingTuesday – A Message from the President & CEO

Posted on by nyjtl
deborah
Dr. Deborah Antoine

The winter holiday season has arrived, and in the spirit of the season, New York Junior Tennis & Learning is taking part in today’s third annual day of giving, called #GivingTuesday.

This day is a day devoted to inspiring giving to help others, showing support to create a better world. That speaks directly to our mission. For more than 40 years, NYJTL has endeavored to bring the joys of tennis and education to underserved children.

Together, we are changing the lives of inner-city children through the sport of tennis, providing them with the necessary tools to excel on and off the tennis court. The words of Arthur Ashe speak of the difference a person can make in this world.

“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.”

I encourage you to channel the generous spirit of the season, and make a meaningful difference today. Please click on this link to contribute.

Deborah's Signature

Dr. Deborah Antoine

President and CEO

New York Junior Tennis & Learning