NJTL Programs & Applications

For NJTL Chapters and Programs

NJTL of the Year Award
The USTA continues its tradition of honoring outstanding program work in presenting the annual NJTL of the Year Award to NJTL chapters/programs that have demonstrated continued excellence in youth tennis programming. The award is open to those NJTLs that have conducted a program for a minimum of three consecutive years and is an active organizational member of the USTA.

Three (3) awards will be offered corresponding to the NJTL's organization budget level:
•  Level 1:  budget up to $50,000
•  Level 2-3:  budget between $50,000-$350,000
•  Level 4-5:  budget $350,000 and higher

National winners will receive an all-expense paid trip to the USTA’s Community Tennis Development Workshop. The 2010 NJTL of the Year Award application period has closed. The 2011 application period will open in October, 2011.

Capacity Building Program
Often, mid-size NJTL chapters/programs seeking to expand their impact and reach into the community need a little guidance.  Before they can provide more programming or take on a greater number of kids, they must first develop additional management capabilities. The Capacity Building Program is designed to provide long-term assistance to selected chapters that are committed to achieving significant qualitative and quantitative growth and to developing management capabilities necessary to achieve their goals.
Chapters/Programs are selected at the end of each year through a competitive application process. Applications available in the fall.

NJTL/First Serve
The USTA/NJTL acquired all rights to the First Serve Life Skills Curriculum and the National Student Athlete Competition in January, 2010. The acquisition presents NJTL chapters with the exclusive ability to deliver a professionally researched and developed off-court life skills curriculum to complement a chapter’s already-existing on-court programming. The National Student Athlete Competition gives NJTL students the ability to compete for college scholarships based on grades in four subject areas and USTA sanctioned tennis activity. Scholarships are divided equally between four age/gender categories and are awarded to twelve total students each year. In the 2009-2010 school year there were 32 NJTL chapters participating in First Serve programs.

NJTL Kids' Days (formerly known as Regional Rallies)
Established in 1988, the Kids' Days are one of NJTL’s longest running and most successful offerings.  Each year, NJTL provides grants and equipment to selected Chapters/Programs that have the means to host a day or weekend tennis event extravaganza for NJTL participants in the local and neighboring areas. USTA/NJTL provides an Host Kit which helps the host site with planning and tournament details.

The Kids' Days serve as both a reward for active Chapters and Programs, and an incentive for new communities to join the NJTL Network.  The grants and equipment are available to chapters/programs that are active NJTLs and USTA members. 

Recreational Coach Workshops (RCWs)
An RCW is an on-court training program designed for tennis teachers and coaches working with players at the recreational level, and is ideal for training NJTL staff and volunteers.  Each interactive, fun, 6-hour workshop is conducted by an outstanding certified tennis professional specially trained to effectively handle large groups and get kids to play tennis quickly using the QuickStart Tennis format.  Additionally, NTJLs that host a successful RCW will receive a financial reimbursement for each attendee who completed the workshop.

NJTL Community Building Initiative
Through the work of its National Junior Tennis League (NJTL), the USTA received a large grant from The Ford Foundation and USTA Serves. The combined resources will fund the “Community Building through Tennis” initiative. The initiative uses select NJTL Chapters to bring together changing neighborhoods in ways that will enhance education, communication, economic opportunity and neighborhood stability.

The five NJTL chapters are:
- Arthur Ashe Youth Tennis and Education; Philadelphia, PA
- Malivai Washington Kids Foundation; Jacksonville, FL
- Milwaukee Tennis & Education Foundation; Milwaukee, WI
- Tenacity, Inc; Boston, MA
- Tennis Memphis; Memphis, TN

Read Press Release

After-School Intermediary Partnerships
In a strategy that developed in late 2006, the USTA forged partnerships with two leading after-school intermediary organizations to enhance local partnerships that support and sustain the growth of the NJTL network.  The partnerships rely on NJTL chapters to provide programming at middle and elementary schools city or county-wide where there are strong intermediary organizations and strong NJTL chapters already in place.  The USTA brings valuable resources to the partnership including quality providers with capacity to reach a number of schools city-wide, technical assistance, training, discounted equipment, and in some cases, temporary cash investments.

For NJTL Participants
14th Annual Arthur Ashe Essay and Art Contest
To help commemorate the legacy of humanitarian and tennis great Arthur Ashe, USTA/NJTL sponsors an annual essay and art contest asking entrants to respond to a different question each year. 10 National essay winners and 4 national art winners receive an all-expense paid trip to New York to be guests at Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day, a daylong festival of kids’ tennis activities that includes interactive games, musical entertainment and free clinics.  Artwork is allowed for kids ages 12 and under. Visit the Arthur Ashe Learning Center at www.arthurashe.org for resources and information about Arthur Ashe and his legacy.

**Online submission for essays and artwork will be available July 10, 2011.**

Tennis Leadership Camp (TLC)
The TLC is a wonderful opportunity for NJTL participants to experience an intense week of training, emphasizing individual skills development, physical fitness, proper nutrition, good sportsmanship and other healthy attitudes.  At the Camp, kids will meet other kids that love tennis, train with experienced pros, participate in a career counseling night, interact with special guest speakers, and visit local area attractions.  Created in 1984 to provide an educational as well as motivational tennis experience for NJTL participants who could not afford such an opportunity, the goal of the Camp is to provide NJTL participants a chance to be part of a life lasting tennis and social experience. The 2011 TLC location, is Sonoma, CA, July 18-24. For more information and to nominate a participant, Click Here.