Your 2021 Guide to Long Island Tennis Magazine’s Top Clubs & Programs

January 28, 2021 | By Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff
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Photo courtesy of Getty Images

 

Long Island tennis players have great choices when it comes to where to play tennis. We have compiled a list of some of the top clubs and programs with descriptions of what each has to offer.


Bethpage Park Tennis Center 

99 Quaker Meeting House Road, Building #4

Farmingdale, N.Y.

BethpageParkTennis.com 

(516) 777-1358

Bethpage Park Tennis Center is located just a few hundred feet from the Black Course at beautiful Bethpage State Park. Four indoor hard courts and four indoor red clay courts are air-conditioned for year-round play, along with two outdoor Har-Tru courts. Bethpage Park Tennis Center offers an array of adult seasonal court opportunities, Men’s and Women’s leagues, Lesson and Junior Development Programs, Quickstart, Zone tennis and walk-on court opportunities. New this year is the addition of Pickleball and Saturday night tennis/pickleball parties. It’s free and low-cost program for special populations and veterans is perhaps the largest of its kind in New York State.

The Center is best known for its renowned junior development program, led by top coach Steve Kaplan who has developed more top players than anyone else in the East. Steve is the owner of Bethpage Park Tennis Center, director emeritus of City Parks Foundation Lacoste Academy and Executive Director of Serve and Return Inc. Steve has been the long-time coach of more than 1,100 nationally-ranked junior players, 16 state high school singles champions, two NCAA Division I Singles Champions, and numerous touring professionals, prominent coaches and many prominent members of the New York financial. Steve’s students have been awarded in excess of $11 million in college scholarship money.

In the summer, the finest players in the East join Bethpage Park Tennis Center for summer camp on four indoor hard courts four indoor red clay courts that are air-conditioned, along with two outdoor Har-Tru courts and six nearby outdoor hard courts. Lunch is included and transportation is available. Bethpage Park Tennis Center charges no membership fee and values all of its beginners equally with its nationally-ranked players.

We follow all COVID safety protocols and charge no membership fees.

 

 


Carefree Racquet Club 

1414 Jerusalem Avenue, #1

North Merrick, N.Y.

CarefreeTennis.com

CarefreeTennis@gmail.com

(516) 489-9005

Carefree Racquet Club is Long Island’s premier indoor tennis club, offering seven indoor tennis courts, two half-court basketball courts and four pickleball courts.

League Coordinator Samantha Perri offers adult singles, doubles and team doubles leagues that are always on the correct level to insure you a good game every time you play. Carefree has many USTA teams in the 18 & Over, 40 & Over, 55 & Over Men’s, Women’s and Mixed Doubles Leagues, along with Tri-Level Leagues. For those new to the game or just want to improve, Carefree offers two 14-week sessions of learn and play groups, coordinated by Louis Vallejo. Players get an hour lesson each week, along with 90 minutes of practice time each week.

Jean Tanklowitz, senior program coordinator, has many retirees who simply have a flexible schedule, playing Monday through Thursday in the afternoon. All games are arranged by Jean.

For junior players, Ben Marks, Carefree’s director of tennis, coordinates the Junior Development Program with two 14-week sessions starting at the age of five, running through the age of 18. Children can take group, semi-private or private lessons, along with practice time and ladder match play as well. Ben also runs a high school prep program and an Elite program.

Carefree is very proud of its QuickStart Tot Program for children ages three- to five-years-old, which uses props to keep the children’s attention.

Carefree Racquet Club is managed by Kathy Miller, who is also the Long Island USTA Adult League Coordinator. Kathy, along with Assistant Manager Pat McIlwee, pride themselves on the organization and smooth running of Long Island’s premier indoor tennis club that has never and continues to not charge membership fees.

So if you are looking to join a program or just rent a court now and then, come down and visit Carefree Racquet Club!

 


Centercourt Performance Tennis Academy 

222 N Passaic Ave.

Chatham, N.J. 07960

Centercourtcta.com

(973) 855-3111

Conrad@CentercourtClub.com

(862) 308-3029

Centercourt Performance Tennis Academy boasts the toughest playground in the North East and has created a true Culture of excellence. The quality and intensity of programs, daily in-person academic support, personalized competitive scheduling as well as hosting a full calendar of UTR/ITA tournaments monthly makes Centercourt Tennis Academy the top choice.

Our coaches have walked the pathway and take pride in delivering only the best cutting edge Player Development Programs which are personalized to the needs of each athlete.  Centercourt’s methodology is well-proven with the number of top players coming from our programs who are currently attending some of the best colleges in the country.  Our specialized approach, teamwork, world-class facilities as well as the unique experience each player receives makes Centercourt a great the place to call home.

Centercourt’s facilities are comprised of eight New Jersey locations, with more on the way. Centercourt’s Performance Tennis home base is located in Chatham, N.J., conveniently located 45 minutes from New York City with transportation and boarding options available.

While Centercourt encourages a tennis culture of excellence, Centercourt also places a strong emphasis and focus on academics and work ethic. Since its full-time academic inception Centercourt’s scholar-athletes have committed to play collegiate tennis at strong academic institutions such as Yale, Columbia University, Wake Forest University, New York University and many more. Centercourt offers schooling through K12, Laurel Springs and The Dwight School, however our point of difference are our on-site teachers who work individually with each student-athlete to ensure they are at their potential daily.

Team, long-lasting relationships and family at Centercourt that is essential in creating the ideal training environment. Our world-class staff of coaches are proven globally in the industry and boast decades of experience at the highest levels. 

We firmly believe in communication between the players, parents and coaches and that players need to be developed holistically to become the best they can be.  We believe that Competition is the backbone to development with players competing locally, nationally and at ITF level regularly. Centercourt’s full-time athletes become proficient in Technical through the use of our SMAP Video Analysis Programs and also undertake weekly mentally tough tennis seminars.  We challenge players to become top student-athletes through our academics guided by our team in class daily.

We strive daily to ensure that our objective is clear—to ensure our environment always feel like home to our players. 

Visit Centercourtcta.com for more information on after-school programs, specialized weekend training and our Full-Time Academy. Our Annual Calendar of UTR, ITA, College Series, Junior Series and Official Match Play is also a perfect supplement for anyone ready to compete.

 


Chris Lewit Tennis Academy 

3997 VT-100

Londonderry, Vt.

(914) 462-2912

ChrisLewit.com

Chris@ChrisLewit.com

Chris Lewit Tennis Academy (CLTA) is a serious high performance academy set in the natural paradise of Vermont.

CLTA offers year-round full-time training, short-term training, and a world-famous high Performance summer camp.

Players have the opportunity to train personally in very small groups with Chris Lewit, one of leading high-performance junior development coaches in the United States. Chris is known as an expert in technique and biomechanics, and in Spanish training methods. He has developed numerous top 10 nationally-ranked juniors, many of whom are now graduating to the pro circuit. He also has experience building the foundations of many young prodigies.

Players live in a charming Vermont Inn and have exclusive use of a private tennis club, CLTA Vermont, which offers both outdoor red clay courts and indoor hard courts in the event of rain, gym, yoga studio and clubhouse. New this year: Visiting players and families can stay in Chris’s private carriage house apartment!

CLTA offers a unique teaching system based on the Bruguera Method from Spain, as well as other European influences based on Chris Lewit’s travels abroad. Author of the best-selling book, The Secrets of Spanish Tennis, Chris has spent the last 14 years studying with many of the legendary coaches in Spain and Europe. He brings the most cutting-edge training methods from Europe back to the U.S. for his students.

All students receive personal coaching and mentoring directly from Chris Lewit, and are supported by his trained staff of top college and ATP players.

For more information, contact Chris directly to discuss your player’s development plan by e-mail at Chris@ChrisLewit.com, call (914) 462-2912 or visit ChrisLewit.com.


CourtSense Tennis Training Centers at Tenafly and Bogota Racquet Club 

195 County Road 

Tenafly, N.J. 

(201) 569-1114

156 W Main St

Bogota, N.J.

(201) 489-1122

CourtSense.com

CourtSense offers the top tennis facilities in Northern New Jersey and provides a comprehensive program of tennis instruction delivered by professional coaches, using the finest techniques and technologies. With CourtSense, you’ll achieve your personal best, because our training is of the highest professional caliber—and easily tailored to suit your age and skill level. Children under 10 years of age benefit immensely from a proper training foundation—eliminating poor techniques that could mar their game later in life.  We love helping juniors and adults achieve their goals on and off the tennis courts.

CourtSense Tennis Training Centers have a whole range of activities to support junior and adult tennis lovers. From teddy tennis and afterschool clinics to high-performance full-day program, cardio tennis, internal and USTA leagues, and private and group sessions, we have something to suit everyone. CourtSense students have access to 15 indoor tennis courts (All of them are PlaySight smart-courts), world-class strength and conditioning centers and luxury players’ lounges.  The indoor facilities have also been updated with state of the art UVGI systems that are constantly sanitizing the air inside the facilities.

CourtSense’s club in Bogota, N.J. primarily specializes on the high-performance and tournament players. We have worked with players who have become ATP- and WTA-ranked players, U.S. Olympians, as well as many college scholarship athletes, and currently work with some of the top juniors in the Eastern Section. CourtSense’s high-performance coaches, in collaboration with its fitness staff and a sports psychologist, have developed a program that maximizes athletes’ strengths, both on and off the court. The goal is to use tennis as a vehicle to teach life lessons by tapping into the spirit of every player, with passion, expertise and character. We want our juniors to be the best tennis players they can possibly be, but at the same time, be prepared to be successful in anything they want to be once their tennis careers are over.

Another unique aspect to CourtSense’s facilities is the fitness programming provided in partnership with Magnus: Expand Human Potential. Magnus’ team has the ability to assess, correct, enhance and reassess an athlete–giving you everything you need to compete at the best of one’s abilities. CourtSense members have access to cutting-edge strength and conditioning technology, private sessions, nutritional counseling and mental toughness training.

For more information on CourtSense programs, call (201) 569-1114 and (201) 489-1122 or e-mail Info@CourtSense.com. Registration is now open for the winter and summer sessions at CourtSense.com.

 


Eastern Athletic 

EasternAthleticClubs.com 

EACTennis@yahoo.com

(631) 773-6293

Multiple locations on Long Island and in Brooklyn

Eastern Athletic is family-owned and is one of the New York’s original and finest tennis and fitness facilities, offering a wide variety of programs for the tennis enthusiast and fitness buffs. Offering five locations throughout Suffolk County and Brooklyn to accommodate the ever changing needs of our clientele, Eastern Athletic has 17 Nova Ultra cushion indoor tennis courts, seven racquetball courts, eight squash courts, Indoor Pools and much more. To find out about all we have to offer, visit us at EasternAthleticClubs.com.

Eastern Athletic Tennis offers season and open court rentals, private and group instruction for the pee-wee through the seasoned octogenarian. All programs, lessons, drills, clinics, zones, leagues, performance training, ladders, parties and camps are offered year-round in climate-controlled facilities. We host one of the largest Men’s Singles Flex Ladder/Leagues on Long Island, and are home to more than 15 USTA teams. Many of our teams have competed in regional, sectional and national competition.

In addition, Eastern Athletic has one of the best performance training programs, integrating tennis with athletic performance programs. Eastern Athletic has produced some of the top tennis players on Long Island under the direction and supervision of Laurie Tenney Fehrs and its renowned tennis staff. Eastern Athletic has programs for Juniors and Adults of all ages and level of play, and is confident there is something for you.

For more information and to join our growing family, e-mail EACTennis@yahoo.com or visit:

►EAC in Blue Point: 9A Montauk Highway, Blue Point, N.Y.      (631) 363-2882

►EAC in Dix Hills: 854 East Jericho Turnpike, Dix Hills, N.Y.      (631) 271-6616

►EAC in Melville: 100 Ruland Road, Melville, N.Y.          (631) 773-6293

►EAC in Brooklyn Heights: 43 Clark Street, Brooklyn, N.Y.         (718) 625-0500

►EAC in Prospect Park: 17 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, N.Y.       (718) 789-4600

 


Evert Tennis Academy 

10334 Diego Drive South

Boca Raton, Fla.

EvertAcademy.com

The Evert Tennis Academy (ETA) is located in the Mission Bay area of Boca Raton, Fla. With 23 courts, pristine grounds, state-of-the-art-equipment, a caring staff and family atmosphere combine make Evert Tennis Academy a beautiful and unique training environment.

As the proud home to more than 15 Grand Slam participants and 100 Division I college athletes, Evert Tennis Academy has a proven record of success in developing champions at the highest levels. Chris Evert, tennis legend and winner of 18 Grand Slam titles, and John Evert, world-renowned developmental coach and academy director, believe in designing personalized programs that consist of a strategic balance between technical, tactical, mental and physical training. They pride themselves on handpicking some of the finest developmental coaches working in the sport who are dedicated to the instruction, development and success of each athlete

Academy and Developmental Programs

The Academy Program at Evert systematically addresses every aspect of a player’s game through a daily regimen of technical, tactical, mental and physical training. The Morning Training Session is composed of drilling, and strength and conditioning. The program is continued in the afternoon with a focus towards competition and tactics. The Developmental Program at Evert Tennis Academy is designed to take players to the next level by providing a very exclusive, individualized program and the difference between it and the Academy Program lies within the daily 1:1 lesson. Boarding students age 18 and younger enrolled in the Full-Time, Weekly or Camp programs, stay in our three-story dormitory. Each dorm room houses up to two students during the school year and up to four students during Camp and Summer Sessions with boys and girls being housed on separate buildings.

Evert Tennis Academy conveniently provides one-on-one airport transportation for its boarding students, for a fee (subject to change), to all three area international airports: (PBI) West Palm Beach (35 minutes), (FLL) Fort Lauderdale (35 minutes), (MIA) Miami International (55 minutes).

All transportation coordination is handled directly through the Academy, making it stress-free and easy for you.

Please contact Evert Tennis Academy at (561) 488- 2001 for more information or e-mail Andrew.Parker@EvertAcademy.com.

 


Glen Head Racquet and Fitness 

95 Glen Head Avenue

Glen Head, N.Y.

(516) 676-9849

GlenHeadRAF.com

Glen Head Racquet & Fitness Club is a boutique tennis club that provides the highest tennis standards in the North Shore Area, the reason why it was named “2018 Tennis Club of the Year!”

Though the Club has been one of the pioneers in the area, gathering and forming many champions over the years, under the new ownership, Glen Head Racquet and Fitness Club has been modernized in many ways. From the elegant fully-equipped locker rooms to the cozy lounge and LED lighting, everything comes together to satisfy every client.

With easy access from both Glen Cove Road and LIRR (Glen Head Station), Glen Head Racquet & Fitness has a fantastic playing facility: Six high-quality hard courts of which four can be used for pickleball and table tennis classes.

The satisfaction and results of the facility’s clients are priorities for us and now you can learn from the knowledgeable, certified pros. Their programs include:

►A wide variety of junior and adult tennis clinics are available for all ability levels. These tennis programs feature video analysis, stroke development and refinement for both basic and advanced skills, including the use of spin, repetitive/tactical drills and some competitive situations. These clinics are a great opportunity to build solid technique and to learn new skills

►Accommodation for groups and teams year-round. If the existing programs do not meet your needs, we can tailor a group training session just for your team. We are happy to accommodate groups and teams year-round at our site.

►Summer camps: Glen Head’s camps offer technical and tactical training from highly-skilled and passionate certified coaches. Players will receive world-class instruction on every stage of their game, thus aiding in the advancement of their skill level. Glen Head’s coaches push each player to perform at their highest level and although it’s intense training, the coaches see to it that the week is fun and enjoyable.

►10 & Under Tennis

►School break camps

►Pickleball classes

►Special events

►Private birthday parties

 


New York Tennis at Great Neck 

12 Shore Drive

Great Neck, N.Y.

NYTAGN.com

(516) 233-2790

A hidden gem conveniently located and open to players of all ages and levels, New York Tennis at Great Neck is a short ride from anywhere in Nassau County and Queens. This scenic club overlooking the Little Neck Bay features five year-round clay courts, two outdoor season hard courts, and a highly-skilled and experienced coaching staff comprised of former ATP, ITF and NCAA players.

New York Tennis at Great Neck has been serving up tennis in this location since 2010. Initially formed over 30 years ago by the late and legendary Tennis Director Howie Arons, the junior program has produced more than 90 NCAA players, 250 ranked junior players, and 1,000 high school players. The club’s adult program prides itself in having a wide array of programming, from dynamic clinics and express tennis for beginners, to high energy cardio tennis and in-club competitive leagues, ensuring adults have exactly what they’re looking for. The waterfront location, accommodating staff, and friendly atmosphere has also made the club an increasingly popular destination for those looking to host events, such as birthday parties, holiday parties and corporate outings.

What players enjoy most about playing at the club is the comfortable, relaxed and welcoming environment that they feel when they walk through the doors of New York Tennis at Great Neck. Passion, consistency and authenticity ring true every day at the club, where everyone feels at home and part of one big, but at the same time, tight-knit tennis family.

 


Point Set Indoor Racquet Club 

3065 New Street

Oceanside, N.Y.

PointSetTennis.com

Lori@PointSetTennis.com

(516) 536-2323

Extreme makeover … tennis club edition! Upgrade yourself by enjoying the all new U.S. Open blue tennis courts, gleaming locker rooms, renovated lobby/office and redesigned social space of post-storm Point Set Indoor Racquet Club!

A state-of-the-art, spare no expense renovation out of respect to our customers! With 350-plus juniors in developmental programs, 60-plus QuickStart Pee-Wees, 500-plus adult players in leagues/contracts/drills, Point Set Racquet Club is working towards fulfilling its mission statement: Point Set aspires to be the most vibrant tennis club on the South Shore by integrating heart with sport in the community. The dedicated dream team staff of tennis professionals administers a top tier Tournament Training Program (TTP) for three levels of junior competitors. It addresses all aspects of competition: drills, match play, fitness and mental toughness. See what a difference the Point Set staff delivers as the facility has added air-conditioning for a controlled climate for play year-round!

Point Set Indoor Racquet Club recognizes that customers are its most important asset. The collegial relationship of the staff, on- and off-the-court, translates into a friendly environment for its customers. Point Set is a full-service club and your gateway to challenging yourself to explore, enjoy and improve yourself through the great sport of tennis. Experience the difference a supportive environment makes!

Come play at Point Set, where fun meets fitness.

 

 


Port Washington Tennis Academy 

100 Harbor Road

Port Washington, N.Y.

PWTA.com

Tennis@PWTA.com

(516) 883-6425

Port Washington Tennis Academy (PWTA) is dedicated to young people, primarily from the ages of four through 18. PWTA was created in 1966 as a non-profit facility to use tennis as a means of fostering educational success for children, by developing a stimulating lifelong activity that is fun, healthy, and scholastically and socially beneficial. This is accomplished by utilizing specialized techniques with a wide range of instructional programs, special in-house competitions and several USTA-sanctioned tournaments.

Additionally, graduating high school seniors get the benefit of PWTA’s many years of experiences and up-to-date knowledge of schools, teams and coaches when it comes to identifying, selecting and the eventual placement at a university meeting their individual capabilities and goals. While PWTA is well-known for many world-class professional players graduating from its programs, encouraging educational excellence will always be the club’s main focus.

PWTA also offers an extensive variety of adult programs at all levels. Men’s and women’s daytime and evening leagues, private lessons, group clinics (three players plus a professional), seasonal courts, including instructional and season-ending doubles play sessions, are just part of the club’s broad spectrum of activities. PWTA is the largest indoor tennis facility on the East Coast, with 17 indoor courts (four hard and 13 HarTru) and a unique elevated quarter mile-long indoor running track.

PWTA also provides many extras not found as part of a teaching program, such as an international teaching staff, closed-circuit TV for each court, upper TV lounge for relaxed viewing, spectator viewing galleries to ensure full visibility of every court, comfortable lounge areas, extensive men’s and women’s locker rooms, meeting rooms, etc. Complimentary coffee, tea, milk, cookies, juice and potassium-rich bananas are always available to PWTA members. In addition, the Academy has a fully-stocked pro shop to meet the needs of members.

For more information, call (516) 883-6425 or visit PWTA.com.

 


Ross School Tennis Academy 

20 Goodfriend Drive

East Hampton, N.Y.

Ross.org/Tennis

TennisAcademy@Ross.org

(631) 907-5162

Ross School Tennis Academy (RSTA) is the premiere training center in the Hamptons, boasting a beautiful tennis facility that is open to the public and located on the Ross Upper School Campus in East Hampton, N.Y. The Tennis Center features six HarTru courts that are enclosed by a bubble from mid-fall through mid-spring, allowing for year-round play. The Tennis Center features state-of-the-art amenities such as spacious locker rooms, lower level lounge, convenient snack bar, and ping-pong tables, and the staff provides a fun and supportive atmosphere that allows for the greatest amount of success.

After-school programming, a dynamic program for junior players, and specialized summer programs are offered to make Ross Tennis Academy the place to play tennis in the Hamptons.

After-school Programs (Pre-K–Grade 12)

Nursery-Grade 4: Specialized one-hour training program where players build a strong foundation through a variety of game-based and cooperative activities using 10U age appropriate (Red, Orange or Green) balls and nets that will prepare them for eventual full court play.

Grade 5-Grade 12: Players build off their 10U foundation to further develop fundamental skills and techniques as they transition into yellow balls and prepare for full-court tournament competition. Ball control, strategy, and work ethic are all emphasized in this 90-minute session of drills and point play.

Players in kindergarten and higher are required to play twice per week in this program.

Integrated Training + Academic Program: Designed for USTA/ITF players in grades seventh through 12 and postgraduates, RSTA is the first in the New York City area to have a full academic program with a complete physical and mental conditioning program. In addition, unlike other tennis academies, RSTA is a small, intimate program that allows student-athletes to develop lasting relationships with coaches, while receiving personalized instruction. Students who attend the Academy experience high-performance tennis training, while studying alongside their peers in a stimulating college preparatory learning community following a regular academic year (Ross.org/Tennis).

Lessons and Court Rentals: Ross Tennis Academy also offers adult clinics, court rentals and private and group instruction for all ages and levels. The Tennis Center is also used for a variety of special events and is available for private parties.

 

 

 


 

SPORTIME Tennis Clubs–Home of the John McEnroe Tennis Academy 

New York Region

11 locations across Long Island, Manhattan, Westchester and the Capital Region

SportimeNY.com

Info@SportimeNY.com

(631) 269-1055

SPORTIME’s facilities, programs and coaches have set the tennis standard of excellence in New York since 1994. With more than 150 hard and soft surface courts, indoors and outdoors, we offer great tennis clubs and facilities, and cutting-edge programs, academies and camps for players of all ages and abilities. Faced with the challenges of COVID-19, we responded immediately with new guidelines and protocols designed to keep our players, members, guests and staff safe and healthy. To find out more, go to SportimeNY.com/Covid19_Guide.

Programs for everyone include:

Juniors: From Bounce for preschoolers, to the SPORTIME U10 tennis pathway for red and orange level players, to SPORTIME EXCEL for green and yellow level juniors, to the ultimate opportunity to train with New York tennis icon Johnny Mac and the John McEnroe Tennis Academy (JMTA) team, SPORTIME offers a complete menu of tennis programming for every level of junior development and play. Our curriculums include world-class, age and level appropriate athletic training, mental toughness training, vision training, and more, reflecting our commitment to developing complete players. SPORTIME/JMTA’s approach, including gamification, gets kids playing fast and blends technical and tactical learning and coaching from the very first lesson. SPORTIME students turn their weaknesses into strengths and their strengths into winning games!

Adults: SPORTIME’s Adult Tennis Kinetics is the largest adult group lesson program in the country. Major League Tennis, Cardio Tennis, and SPORTIME’s signature “Zone” high-intensity, competitive games program all provide great workouts, combined with skills development and lots of fun! For those looking for the ultimate challenge, SPORTIME offers Adult EXCEL, modeled after the Junior EXCEL and JMTA programs. Mixed-doubles parties, round-robin mixers, club tournaments, special events, and concierge-style game arranging, enhance adult play throughout the year.

SPORTIME Summer Camps and JMTA Tennis Training Camps: SPORTIME offers the best tennis and sports camps anywhere and has a camp location near you! SPORTIME summer and school-break camps, including U10, EXCEL and JMTA player development camps, utilize fun and fast-paced training methods, competitive games, technical instruction and tactical training for match play, as well as off-court athletic and mental toughness training. Multi-Sport, Preschool, Volleyball and Hockey camps are also offered.

 

 


USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center 

Flushing Meadows Corona Park

Flushing, N.Y.

NTC.USTA.com

(718) 760-6200

The USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, home of the US Open Tennis Championships, is the largest public tennis facility in the world. It is, most certainly, a “Tennis Welcome Center.” The Tennis Center is open to the public year-round for court rentals and offers exciting programming, as well as numerous events throughout the year.

Programs are offered for all ages and levels, as well as clinics, private lessons, leagues, tours, field trips, summer camps, corporate events, birthday parties, and tournaments. The NTC also supports all USTA Community Tennis and Player Development initiatives.

The professional staff of the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center also conducts community tennis programs, including 11 & Under Tennis for children 11 years of age and under to learn tennis in a fun and dynamic way; USTA Junior Team Tennis for youth match play; USTA League Tennis for competitive, level-of-play competition, and an official Cardio Tennis site for on-court heart-pumping fitness.

Initiatives for USTA Player Development include an Invitational USTA Competition Training Center for ranked players, Player Development programs for top-ranking juniors residing in the Northeast, and a year-round USTA Tournament Training Program for ranked juniors.

The USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis also provides for diverse community outreach programs including; the New York Junior Tennis League (NYJTL), the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation, various Community outreach events, the Queens District Attorney’s Star Track/Say Yes to Tennis, No to Violence program for Queens at-risk youth.

The NTC hosts various tennis opportunities for special populations, including wheelchair tennis instruction for the physically-challenged from the months of October through July, HERO (Help Expand Recreational Opportunities) for developmentally challenged adults and tennis for autistic children through NYFAC (New York Families for Autistic Children).

There is an extensive summer camp program which provides basic tennis instruction starting as young as 11 and under up through and including Academy level players. Camps include instruction and fitness programs; the encouragement of good sportsmanship leading to general character building for the children of all ages and levels. These services are provided at a nominal cost, making it affordable for youngsters who would not otherwise get the chance to attend camp or receive tennis instruction. Lastly, the Project ACES (Alternative Classroom Environment for Students), implemented at the NTC in 2009, is geared towards children from schools from the New York City Metropolitan Area. This program provides students the opportunity to visit the NTC and learn about the history and the game of tennis. The kids are given a tour of the entire site, including Center Court in Ashe, a video presentation on the history of tennis and the great players of the sport, followed by an hour of on-court tennis instruction.

 


Long Island Tennis Magazine Staff
Bethpage
Pointset

March/April 2024 Digital Edition