NJTL Spotlight of the Week: Blake Strode, Ambition Personified

By Nicholas J. Walz, USTA.com

Since the age of five, nothing has captured the imagination of Blake Strode like the game of tennis.

Growing up and trying other sports, he decided early on that tennis would be his one and only. Soccer and tee-ball were fun in their own right… but by the time he was eight, the only sidelines and baselines he had interest in would have a net at the center.

Nothing compared to the joy he felt with racket in hand.

It was then that Blake became a fixture at the Dwight Davis Memorial Tennis Club in his hometown of St. Louis, Missouri, and became part of the then-National Junior Tennis League (NJTL). Mornings were spent hitting around and learning about team play and personal accountability; the afternoons, reserved for more formal drills and training. Each day during the summer, for years afterward, NJTL was an enormous part of an extremely enjoyable routine.

"It jumpstarted my tennis life," said Strode of NJTL. "I'll always say that it’s a tremendous way to get into the sport as a young person. NJTL didn't set out to create a competitive atmosphere, at least in my experience. It was more about having fun and making friends."

Strode is a prime example of Arthur Ashe's vision when he, Charlie Pasarell, and Sheridan Snyder founded NJTL in 1969. Ashe, who grew up in the segregated south, set out to establish a program that would unite children of color with the white, many coming from limited means, and developing the character of participating kids through tennis and education. Since then, the NJTL network has grown to include over 550 chapters which serve over 220,000 youth annually as of June 2009.

At the age of twelve, Blake Strode would sit down and marry the two sides of the NJTL coin-- athletic and academic achievement-- writing up a winning submission for the national Arthur Ashe Essay Contest. As one of ten finalists for the grand prize, Strode found himself in New York for the first time to be recognized at the annual Arthur Ashe Kids Day, the kickoff event to each year's US Open.

"I was stunned," said Strode. "I knew there was hundreds, if not thousands entered. Just being on the grounds right before the tournament started, taking it all in… amazing. I remember that day, Serena (Williams), who won the Open that year, was just three feet away from me and saying 'hello.' That was insane!"

Little did he realize then how much he and Serena had in common-- both African-American, both crazy about tennis since early childhood, and both highly-influential to those around them; ambitious Ashe disciples who answered the call.

Just like in 1999, they return again this year to Flushing Meadows as winners: Serena as the defending US Open champ, Blake Strode as the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Arthur Ashe Leadership and Sportsmanship Award recipient on-- of course-- Arthur Ashe Kids Day.

"It’s a testament to him, how much I've grown over the last ten years," said the now-22-year-old Strode of Ashe. "He's an amazing example of what people can do and what they can accomplish through dedication, perseverance, and hard work."

"I began to read about him around eight or nine-- about his childhood and his life in overcoming segregation, and then moving to St. Louis, where I'm from, knowing he spent much of his youth there… I was amazed by his poise and professionalism. Even with all that faced him, he never let himself become rattled."

The ITA/Arthur Ashe Leadership and Sportsmanship Award recognizes outstanding collegiate tennis players in all divisions at the regional and national level. The award, which dates back to 1984, goes to NCAA Divisions I, II and III, NAIA and junior college men's and women's players who have exhibited outstanding sportsmanship and leadership as well as scholastic, extracurricular and tennis achievements.

A four-year player for the University of Arkansas, Strode amassed over 100 victories and garnered three All-SEC honors, in addition to being named the 2008 SEC Co-Scholar Athlete of the Year. Off the court, he was involved in activities which allowed him to give back to his community, taking part in such programs as "Razorbacks for Christmas," "Lift up America," and "Sweat Hogs & Book Hogs."

His hard work translated into the classroom as well, where he maintained a 3.976 GPA as an undergraduate before being accepted into Harvard Law School. An opportunity, to be noted, that he will be delaying for at least one year as he attempts to become a professional tennis star. Off to a good start, Strode won his first Professional Circuit tournament, the 2009 Millennium Tennis Club $10,000 Men's Futures in Joplin, Missouri, less than 300 miles from his hometown.

"Honestly, it wasn't all that hard," said Strode. "I made the decision before I was accepted-- they're allowing me to defer it for a year. Professional tennis is my number one goal. If it were tennis or no Harvard, then it might have been tougher."

"Again, tennis is what I love. A lot of people don't really get the chance to achieve a dream of this magnitude, so I have no regret in trying to go pro."

His coach throughout his childhood, Carl Walker, believes that Blake has all the makings of an explosive player.

"He would be one of the fastest players on tour right now," said Walker. "He's got that balance of good offensive skills and great defensive ability, but above all, he's a student of the game. He's developed so much in the way he breaks down the game and locks on to what he needs to improve each and every match.

"His serve is developing well-- he's still growing and can ratchet it up to 120, 125 miles per hour. Tremendous backhand. If there was one thing I'd want to get with him on when I see him again, I would want to develop a little more strength to his forehand, so that he drives the ball better."

Strode has an immeasurably tough road ahead of him given the loftiness of his aspirations, but he finds peace when returning to Missouri for the summer-- back to where it all began, ready to pass on the game to a new generation of players even as his career is dawning.

"I met Blake when he couldn't have been more than eight or nine years old, and what a good young man he has become, in all facets of life," said Joseph Clark Jr., President and CEO of the Just US Tennis Foundation based out of St. Louis. "Blake's a motivator. To me, its always good to have accomplished African-American players influence other African-American children, giving them someone to look up to, and Blake fits that description. He's very personable with both the kids and coaches-- he indeed gives back."

Walker echoes that sentiment.

"I've known Blake since the time he was eight-and-a-half, all the way through high school-- he's got that focus. He's always known where he wanted to go in life, and I hope his dreams come true."

No matter what happens from here for Blake Strode-- whether he's dominating the court or courtroom, or perhaps in a new endeavor yet to be discovered-- you can bet that he'll always remained involved in both tennis and the world of public service in some manner. The lessons he learned being a part of the NJTL as a child, honing both craft and character, have carried over to adulthood.

"I want volunteering to be a large part of my life, in whatever I'm doing," said Strode. "I feel very fortunate to have these things in my life, so not giving back wouldn't be an option. Arthur Ashe taught that to me."

In 1999, twelve year old Blake Strode won a trip to New York City to attend Arthur Ashe Kids Day as one of the first winners of the USTA NJTL National Arthur Ashe Essay Contest. Now, 10 years later he returns to Kids Day, this time as a recipient of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Arthur Ashe Sportsmanship and Leadership Award.

A former participant of the Net Rushers NJTL in Kansas City, MO, Strode is currently a senior at University of Arkansas. Heralded by Arkansas head coach Robert Cox as "the epitome of what a student athlete should be", Strode was named the 2009 Southeastern Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Off the court, Strode boasts a 3.972 grade point average and plans to go to law school. He has already been accepted to law programs at Duke, Georgetown, NYU and Harvard.

Strode will receive the Sportsmanship & Leadership award during Kids Day at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Each year, ITA President David Benjamin has invited the NJTL Arthur Ashe Essay Contest winners to attend the luncheon, where they can be inspired to pursue college degrees while remaining active collegiate or recreational tennis players. This year will be especially inspiring as the essay contest winners will hear from one of their own.