The Racket

Do you want to be a US Open Ball Person?
To be considered for selection you must:

  • Be at least 16 years of age
  • Be available for qualifying (Tuesday, Aug. 24 to Friday, Aug. 27) and main draw (Monday, Aug. 30 to Sunday Sept. 12, 2021)

Benefits of being a US Open Ball Person:

  • Having an amazing summer job
  • Each Ball Person will be paid $15/hour and a normal day is approximately 8 hours, which includes a meal break
  • Polo Ralph Lauren uniforms are supplied and can be kept at the conclusion of the event
  • Being part of a unique team
  • Sharing the court with the world’s best tennis players

Applications will close on Wednesday, June 16 at 5 p.m. APPLY HERE!

Apply NOW!

Compete in the NYJTL Mayor’s Cup, the largest FREE interscholastic tournament in the nation! Learn more about the tournament!
Deadline to register is June 14!

Kayla Moore

Congratulations to Kayla Moore, longstanding member of the NYJTL family, for making it to the #1 National Ranking Girls in 12’s! Kayla participated in the community tennis program, and currently participates in the CLC Academy at the Cary Leeds Center.

ACES Feature!

Last week, the ACES Program participated in DYCD’s Innovation Expo featuring innovative resources that made afterschool remote youth engagement successful this year! NYJTL nominated 10 activities from 10 different sites and all 10 were selected to present at the Expo!

Community Youth Tennis Trainings!

Join the staff at the Cary Leeds Center in their NEW FREE youth-based tennis community trainings! Join Fridays from 4-6 pm year-round, or starting June 16, join Saturday’s from 9-11 am.
Call 718-247-7420 to register.
*limited spots available

The Racket

Summer Rising!

This Summer the ACES Afterschool Program is opening 15 Summer Rising sites serving 1,500 kids! Summer Rising is a free summer program for any NYC student in grades K–8. Students will get the opportunity to go outside, learn, and engage with their peers. All students participating in the program will have access to academic classes and enrichment programming, including field trips, arts activities and outdoor recreation. Students will also engage in daily community building and social emotional learning activities.

Save the Date!

In dedication to the late Mayor David N. Dinkins, this year a socially-distanced NYJTL Mayor’s Cup will return to the Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning from June 19 to 26! Learn more about the tournament!

NYJTL Internship Program

This summer NYJTL will participate in the Internship to Employment Program facilitated by CUNY. We will host an 8-week internship, with the goal of exploring the potential for a permanent position at NYJTL for the interns. The internship will run from July 12, 2021 until September 3, 2021.

CLC Bubbles are Down!

The bubbles at the Cary Leeds Center have come down! The center will continue its season outdoors! Learn more about what the Cary Leeds Center offers.

Summer Rising

This year, NYJTL will be participating in Summer Rising, a New York City’s free summer plan for any child in grades K-12 who wants to participate.

Program Overview

  • Summer Rising will be available throughout New York City to every student grades K-8, including students with disabilities.
  • All programs will be run by local school leaders and trusted community-based organizations.
  • Summer Rising programs are full day and in-person experiences.
  • All programs will create a bridge back to school in the fall and give parents peace of mind as they return to work.
  • The environment will be safe and supportive. Staff members are prepared to respond to children’s social and emotional needs.
  • Summer programs will offer academic support, arts, recreation, and social-emotional support.
  • All K–8 students participating in programs will have access to academic classes and enrichment programming, including field trips, arts activities and outdoor recreation. Students will engage in daily community building and social emotional learning activities.
  • Breakfast, lunch, and a snack will be served to each student.

Register Here!

NYJTL Partners with Hospital for Special Surgery

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, NEW YORK, NY – [May 06, 2021] New York Junior Tennis & Learning (NYJTL), and the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) will work together to promote and deliver injury prevention education and screening programs to NYJTL coaches, participants and select Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning programs.

“This is a huge opportunity for all of our coaches and families,” said Jay Devashetty, Director of Player Development at the Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning, “I am particularly excited to see the positive impact this training will have on the long-term health and well-being of our kids.”

HSS is the world’s leading academic medical center focused on musculoskeletal health. HSS has been ranked No. 1 in orthopedics for 11 years in a row by U.S. News & World Report (2020-2021) and has also been among the top-ranked hospitals for both orthopedics and rheumatology for 29 consecutive years.

“We are extremely excited to partner with NYJTL on this very important initiative,” said Dr. Andrew Pearle, Chief of the Sports Medicine Institute at HSS. “Preserving the musculoskeletal health of young athletes is among our top priorities and this collaboration will provide NYJTL coaches with the resources they need to keep children throughout New York City safe and healthy.”

Through this partnership, NYJTL coaches and participants will  learn about the health benefits associated with physical activity and how to maximize those benefits by reducing the risk of preventable injury. The cutting-edge injury prevention education and screening programs delivered by HSS will help to keep children on the court and promote long-term healthy living.

About New York Junior Tennis and Learning:

The mission of New York Junior Tennis & Learning is to develop the character of young people through tennis and education for a lifetime of success on and off the court.  Since 1971, NYJTL has changed lives through tennis, education, healthy living, and character development programs.  Today, it is the largest youth tennis and education non-profit in the nation, reaching 85,000 K-12 New York City youth. NYJTL celebrates the diversity of the children who participate in every program, providing three million hours of year-round tennis and education programming serving youth from all five New York City boroughs.  All NYJTL Community Tennis and Afterschool programs are offered at no cost to participants.

About HSS:

HSS is the world’s leading academic medical center focused on musculoskeletal health. At its core is Hospital for Special Surgery, nationally ranked No. 1 in orthopedics (for the 11th consecutive year), No. 4 in rheumatology by U.S. News & World Report (2020-2021), and named a leader in pediatric orthopedics by U.S. News & World Report “Best Children’s Hospitals” list (2020-2021). HSS is ranked world #1 in orthopedics by Newsweek (2020-2021). Founded in 1863, the Hospital has the lowest complication and readmission rates in the nation for orthopedics, and among the lowest infection rates. HSS was the first in New York State to receive Magnet Recognition for Excellence in Nursing Service from the American Nurses Credentialing Center five consecutive times. The global standard total knee replacement was developed at HSS in 1969.

An affiliate of Weill Cornell Medical College, HSS has a main campus in New York City and facilities in New Jersey, Connecticut and in the Long Island and Westchester County regions of New York State, as well as in Florida. In addition to patient care, HSS leads the field in research, innovation and education. The HSS Research Institute comprises 20 laboratories and 300 staff members focused on leading the advancement of musculoskeletal health through prevention of degeneration, tissue repair and tissue regeneration. The HSS Global Innovation Institute was formed in 2016 to realize the potential of new drugs, therapeutics and devices. The HSS Education Institute is a trusted leader in advancing musculoskeletal knowledge and research for physicians, nurses, allied health professionals, academic trainees, and consumers in more than 130 countries. The institution is collaborating with medical centers and other organizations to advance the quality and value of musculoskeletal care and to make world-class HSS care more widely accessible nationally and internationally. www.hss.edu.

NYJTL Announces New Board Chair

New York Junior Tennis & Learning (NYJTL) is pleased to announce that Bob Horne has been elected as its Board Chair effective February 23, 2021. Mr. Horne has been an active member of NYJTL’s Board for 25 years, including acting as Treasurer and serving on the Executive Committee for more than 20 years.

A long-time resident of New York City, Mr. Horne is the managing partner of ZS Fund L.P., a private equity firm. Mr. Horne was captain of the Harvard tennis team and achieved a top ten world ranking in the men’s 35-and-over division. In addition to graduating from Harvard, Mr. Horne also is a graduate of the Stanford Business School.

“Consistent with our mission statement, I am very excited about the opportunity to help NYJTL continue to develop the character of young people through tennis and education for a lifetime of success on and off the court,” said Mr. Horne. “I hope to help NYJTL further its reach in after-school enrichment programming and grass roots tennis as we build upon the success of the Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning in providing access to tennis year-round. I also look forward to supporting our talented staff as they look to provide additional tennis coaching and academic support to our most advanced players to enable them to get college scholarships.”

Mr. Horne succeeded Martin Goldberg, who served as Chairman for ten years. During Mr. Goldberg’s tenure as Chairman, NYJTL increased its after-school programming throughout New York City and raised the funds and completed the construction of the Cary Leeds Center, the $26.5 million state-of-the-art facility and flagship home of NYJTL in the heart of the Bronx. Mr. Goldberg was elected Vice Chair and will remain on the Executive Committee.

“A key to NYJTL’s success has been the skill and commitment of its board leadership. NYJTL is fortunate to have had Martin Goldberg and Tory Kiam as previous Board Chairs, and I am pleased that now Bob has taken on this important role,” said Skip Hartman, NYJTL’s founder and Chairman Emeritus. “As Treasurer and Executive Committee member for many years, Bob thoroughly understands the organization, its challenges and many opportunities.”

“I have worked alongside Bob for many years, and his dedication to the children in the organization is ever-present,” said Mr. Goldberg. “I am excited for him to fill this role and could not be more confident in this transition.”

About NYJTL
The mission of New York Junior Tennis & Learning is to develop the character of young people through tennis and education for a lifetime of success on and off the court. Since 1971, NYJTL has changed lives through tennis, education, healthy living, and character development programs.  Today, it is the largest youth tennis and education non-profit in the nation, reaching more than 85,000 K-12 New York City youth.

NYJTL provides after school programming in approximately 30 schools and community tennis programming at approximately 40 sites throughout New York City in the summer months and at additional sites that operate during the school year. In addition, NYJTL designed, funded (with NYC), built and operates the Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning, at which it provides free and commercial tennis programming year-round as well as life skills, character development and healthy living lessons. All NYJTL community tennis and after school programs are offered at no cost to its participants.

NYJTL is looking forward to celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2022 (delayed due to COVID)!

CEO’s Statement on Asian Discrimination

One of the core values of NYJTL, the commitment to diversity and inclusion, has underpinned our beliefs and our programs since our founding fifty years ago.  Without question we work on behalf of all the children and families of New York City regardless of race, ethnicity or color.

As we’ve seen in the last year of the pandemic there has been a growth in violence toward people who are Asian Americans.  Stop AAPI Hate, an initiative that tracks incidents of hate and discriminations against Asian Americans, released data that between March 2020 and February 2021, nearly 3,800 firsthand accounts of anti-Asian incidents were reported.  In addition, a recent survey by the Pew Research Center documented that nearly 40% of Americans say that “it’s more common for people to express racist beliefs about people who are Asian American” today than before Covid-19.  We want to strongly reaffirm that anti-Asian discrimination and violence have no place in America and that we will do our part in supporting the Asian American community.

We need to raise our voices to condemn all forms of racism and stand for inclusion for all.

George Guimaraes

President & CEO