NJTL CHAPTERS
COMMUNITY TENNIS | USTA SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
NJTL CHAPTERS
COMMUNITY TENNIS
USTA SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
WE ACHIEVE MORE TOGETHER.
Community providers play a critical role in delivering tennis programming to children across Southern California, often reaching underserved communities and serving as the first point of entry for budding young tennis players. As a tennis provider–including NJTL chapters and Community Tennis Associations–programs within our section receive essential benefits that help foster and maintain the growth of tennis in our local communities.
NATIONAL JUNIOR TENNIS & LEARNING (NJTL)
The USTA Foundation’s flagship National Junior Tennis & Learning program (NJTL) supports local organizations that provide tennis development, wellness, and education enrichment to under-resourced youth. Across the country, there are approximately 300 NJTL chapters that reach nearly 200,000 youth on an annual basis. Students in NJTL programs show improved grades and better behavior, and are better positioned to attend college and be eligible for scholarships.
Tennis pioneer Arthur Ashe co-founded the NJTL network in 1969 along with long-time tennis greats Charlie Pasarell and Sheridan Snyder. The three founders envisioned the NJTL as a way to reach young people in inner cities using tennis as a platform to teach them important life lessons.
The goals at the NJTL’s founding remain the same: instilling in youngsters the values of leadership and academic excellence; and giving all kids (regardless of income, race, or gender) the opportunity to fully develop their tennis skills so they can derive a life time of enjoyment from the sport and experience its myriad benefits.
In 2014, the NJTL network combined with the USTA Foundation. NJTL chapters are supported by the USTA Foundation through grants such as the Program and Capacity Building grant. There are multiple tennis and educational initiatives and opportunities for NJTL participants, including scholarships, Excellence Teams, ACE Curriculum, USTA Foundation Essay Contest, and participation in Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day at the US Open.
