Category: The Racket

Thirty-four Bronx 7^th graders took a big step on their journeys to college on Monday, October 5, at NYJTL’s Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning.

It was the students’ first day of after-school tutoring and mentoring in a college access program run by nonprofit organization, Breakthrough New York (BTNY). Through a new partnership between NYJTL and BTNY, the Cary Leeds Center is serving as the third site for BTNY’s year-round program. 

“This inaugural day represents two community-based organizations coming together in a partnership to best serve students on and off the court in their home community,” said Jessica Kruskamp, NYJTL’s Senior Director of Education. “The excitement of our students was thrilling and motivating.”

BTNY transforms the lives of motivated, low-income students by shepherding them to and through college with services that include academic support, test prep, and guidance through the high school and college application processes. The program serves over 350 students each year at sites in Manhattan, Brooklyn and now the Bronx.

Demand for NYJTL and BTNY’s free services is steep in the South Bronx, one of the poorest congressional districts in the country. NYJTL is delighted to host BTNY in the Cary Leeds Center’s state-of-the-art classroom space, as well as collaborate with BTNY to provide services on and off the court.

Two days a week after school, the students will receive an hour of tennis instruction from NYJTL coaches before heading into the classroom for academic support. Next summer, the Cary Leeds Center will host over 60 BTNY students for a six-week program of intensive learning and tennis.

BTNY students can also sign up – for free – to NYJTL’s Community Tennis Programs throughout the year to receive additional training.

“Through this partnership NYJTL, at the Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning, is hosting one of the highest quality academic and college preparation programs in the country,” said Kruskamp. “I’m really proud of BTNY, NYJTL and everyone’s dedication to the students.”

NYJTL and JPMorgan Chase brought together 150 students from across the city on August 13 for a tennis festival culminating with Chase presenting NYJTL with $10,000 to support free tennis and education programs for kids.

Students from NYJTL’s free Community Tennis Program and Advanced Tennis Program enjoyed a variety of engaging lessons in tennis fundamentals, interactive and lively literacy and mathematics activities, and healthy living and nutrition workshops during the three-hour event at the new Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning in the South Bronx.

The event is the culmination of Chase’s Return the Serve program, in which JPMorgan Chase provided the USTA Foundation with $110,000, distributed to National Junior Tennis & Learning Network chapters, including NYJTL. The contributions support programs that combine education and tennis by engaging kids in an academic curriculum.

NYJTL is grateful to Chase and the USTA Foundation for their continued support of our community efforts!

Click here to view pictures from the event.

New York Junior Tennis & Learning (NYJTL) held its annual Summer Gala with the Stars on Wednesday, August 12, drawing nearly 500 people to a festive celebration that featured music, dancing, dining, gondola rides and magicians at The Boathouse in Central Park.

The event raised funds to support NYJTL’s programs and make a difference in the lives of children across New York City. The benefit, chaired by Jacqueline Corba, Sumit Nihalani and Brian O’Connor, featured a silent auction (with 57 amazing items, including a Jade Mountain experience and a seasonal court at the newly built Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning), tarot card readings, magicians, caricaturists, and much more.

Attendees included former Mayor David Dinkins, NYJTL Board members and many young corporate professionals. They spent the night dancing to a live band and a DJ, adorned whimsical NYJTL sunglasses and glow rings, stepped into a popular photo booth and enjoyed a buffet of Boathouse favorites.

The guests received an NYJTL tote bag as they departed well into the night!

The evening’s top Gold donors were Elena and Tory Kiam, Valerie and Steven Rifkin, Jeremy Mindich, Polly Scott and Jim Maher, and Yvonne and Leslie Pollack Charitable Foundation. Silver donors were Advantage Tennis Clubs, Citi, Laurie Lindenbaum and Bob Horne, Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP, and Joan Teaford. Bronze donors were Acupay System, LLC, Cushman & Wakefield, Samir Gandhi, Lisa and Kyle Kliegerman, Sidney Migdon, Olmstead Properties, Anna Pinedo, Kristen and Robert Rahr, RR Donnelly, Rachel and Matt Snyder, Sports & Arts in Schools Foundation, Tennis Channel and the USTA.

Each summer, we collaborate with USTA Eastern to host a sleep away camp that focuses on tennis, education and culture for five days. The event brings together 36 student athletes, a group comprised of six players in grades nine to 12 from each of the six USTA Eastern regions (Long Island, New Jersey, Northern, Metro, Southern and Western). The student athletes stay in the dorms at Pace University, and they participate in tennis drills and match-play, off-court training, educational workshops and cultural activities at the Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning in Crotona Park in the South Bronx. This summer, the three dozen students got a special treat – they visited City Hall (across the street from Pace) and got a tour led by New York City Council Member Costa Constantinides.

During the visit, they also met New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, who was more than happy to pose for a few photos with our stellar athletes. And Dean Fuleihan, the Mayor’s Budget Director, also posed with the students (one of whom was his daughter).