Scholar Athlete Program

In the Fall of 2022, NYJTL launched the Scholar Athlete Program. This program provides its participants with in-depth tennis and education instruction as well as college preparedness and will create the pathway to college that we believe can change the life trajectory for many NYC youth. The Scholar Athlete Program will replace the Intensive Training Program.

The Scholar Athlete Program will have a halo effect on all of NYJTL’s tennis and education program offerings, and will serve as NYJTL’s flagship program and will highlight the significant benefits of providing greater frequency and depth of services to highly engaged students.

This program provides students in grades 3-12 with academic support and top-flight tennis instruction, with the goal of 100% high school graduation and college entrance as the baseline for success to create socioeconomic mobility. The program will expand to 100 within four years.

Meet the Team:

 

Academic and College Support

SAP will offer high-quality, personalized programming that uses a holistic approach to ensure that every student graduates high school, enrolls in college, and achieves their college degree. The program will include individualized academic support and family engagement. Core components include 1:1 tutoring, standardized test preparation, college tours, financial aid counseling, essay feedback, internships, and guidance to students and families throughout the middle, high school, and college admission processes.

Tennis Instruction

Scholar Athletes will be trained by world-class tennis coaches. Core components of the program will include coaching, court time, fitness, and life skills training on a year-round basis. Four tiers are designed to meet the needs of Scholar Athletes that range from basic tennis skills to tournament level training. Tiers 1 and 2 are designed for the most talented players, and they will receive 12-15 hours per week of programming. These Scholar Athletes will be prepared to play collegiate and possibly professional tennis. Tiers 3 and 4 are designed to be less intensive with 6-8 hours per week of programming with a focus on inter-scholastic competition.

Transportation Support

Scholar Athletes will receive a stipend to offset the cost of travel to the program sites. The stipend amount will be determined by the commuting distance and the program attendance requirements.

Criteria for Acceptance

Eligible Scholar Athletes must have previously participated in either an NYJTL ACES, CTP, or Cary Leeds Center program for a minimum of one year and demonstrate financial need. Scholar Athletes must complete a tennis tryout and have a minimum GPA of 3.0 to enter the program.

Program Requirements

Scholar Athletes must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 and participate in at least 90% of the SAP sessions. Scholar Athletes and their parents will also sign a code of conduct agreeing to good behavior.

The Scholar Athlete Program will teach skills to develop students’ academic success from elementary school to high school and coach them to become competitive tennis players. For questions, contact Raiyan Nafee at rnafee@nyjtl.org.