NJTL Programs: Rallying for Good

By Amber Gerdes

This year the USTA Foundation is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the National Junior Tennis & Learning network, which features hundreds of nonprofit youth development organizations that offer free or low-cost tennis and education programming to over 200,000 under-resourced youth each year. To honor the event, USTA is recognizing many of the NJTL programs around the country that leave such a strong impact on their communities, youth, and the game of tennis.

In partnership with this initiative, USTA Missouri Valley has proudly featured each of our nine registered NJTL programs within our section: McAdams Community Center in Wichita, Kan., Net Rushers Tennis Association in St. Louis, Mo., Youth at Heart in Tulsa, Okla., Stephanie Waterman Foundation in Kansas City, Kan., First Serve in Oklahoma City, Okla., Genesis School in Overland Park, Kan., Dwight Davis Tennis Center in St. Louis, Mo., Britton Christian Church Tennis Academy in Oklahoma City, Okla., and Play It Forward in Edmond, Okla.

Each of these nine programs have demonstrated a passion for their respective communities, investing in the lives of underserved children and teaching them lifelong lessons that go far beyond the tennis court.

Here are some of the things the leaders of these NJTL chapters had to share about the impact their programs have had on their children, their communities and themselves:

Jessica Reineke, Executive Director of Britton Christian Church Tennis Academy: We feel very fortunate to be an NJTL. We feel like our mission aligns with what the USTA would want for an NJTL. We love our kids through the game of tennis. We share God’s Word with kids, we teach about life through tennis, we help our

kids with life skills, and we help our kids talk about how to be stronger people on and off the court, all through tennis.

Jocelyn McCarver, President and CEO of Youth at Heart: Something we really take pride in is exposing underserved youth to different opportunities. How many kids can say they’ve been to LaFortune Park Tennis Center and played tennis here? The kids that we work with, no matter where they live, they still have so much potential.

David Minihan, Founder Executive Director of Play It Forward: It is a joy for us to see our players improve and how they are developing into tennis champions each and every day they come to one of our clinics. I believe that our athletes are sometimes underestimated on what they can or cannot do. They are proving them wrong!

Jess Campbell, organizer of Dwight Davis Tennis Center NJTL: It’s important to provide exposure to tennis for those who normally wouldn’t have access to it.

Mary Owens Hudson, Director of Net Rushers Tennis Association: The Net Rushers Tennis Program promotes academic achievement, self- discipline, work ethics, good sportsmanship and personal responsibility, and we nurture our youth to become future leaders who will be successful in life. We also encourage our youth to be the best that they can be, by working hard and being persistent.

Alex Lee, Director of McAdams Community Center: It’s making a difference in these kids’ lives. There’s so many of them that go on and play college tennis, and if not, they’re playing league tennis and if I don’t see that they’re playing, I give them a call or a text. We are growing tennis in a community where it is most difficult. It’s just the love of the game. It’s happening right here.

Vick Newson, Executive Director of Stephanie Waterman Foundation: The most impactful thing I've learned is that changing a person requires a sustained commitment to the person/child. I’ve been working with some of my kids for more than six years. Many times it is not easy to sustain the efforts to help, but when I see some of the successes and outcomes we are having with children, it has intrinsic rewards that help us continue.

Emmy Tigert, Executive Director of First Serve OKC: The ones that stick with the program begin to learn the culture of good sportsmanship and how that impacts all of our interactions. They become the leaders for the next generation of First Serve OKC students. If they are willing to give First Serve OKC a shot, the benefits will go far beyond the tennis court and give them tools to help in many different areas of their lives.

Kevin Foster, Executive Director of Genesis School: As a school that serves youth, including at-risk youth, tennis has been a successful complement to academic programming. Like in the classroom and life, kids progress in tennis through hard work and practice. Tennis requires sportsmanship and provides our students to engage and compete with and against children that they otherwise would not normally come in contact, often at places that they have not previously been. Tennis is also a way to bring other community members in contact with our students and the work we do at the school.

The dedication that these nine leaders, as well as the other staff and volunteers that pour in their own time and effort, cannot be appreciated enough. The lives of underserved children all around the Missouri Valley due to the hard work put in by these nine NJTL programs. Check out our Instagram for video features or the News tab on usta.com for full articles with each NJTL program.