Spotlight: JTT Local Leagues Parent Captains

Nearly 100,000 kids nationwide play Junior Team Tennis (JTT) annually, in large part to the parents who donate their time and talents. In fact, many parents play several roles in their children’s JTT experience beyond being just a supporter and have gotten involved by becoming team captains. Whether they've been playing for years or have never picked up a racquet, parent coaches bring a unique perspective to the JTT experience. We caught up with several new and returning NorCal parent captains and their kids to share what they love most about JTT Local Leagues. 

Local parent turned JTT Local Leagues team captain Hu He has been leading teams for two years and has nothing but positive things to say about the all-around experience.

He has been a long-time tennis fan and said coaching JTT has been very rewarding for both the kids and himself, as he has gotten a deeper understanding of the sport.

“I never thought that I would become a tennis captain one day. It’s a big responsibility to run a sports team. I didn't have much experience, but I decided to pursue it to get more of an involvement with the sport and players' families,” He said. “It’s been fun and challenging. I love finding ways to transfer my knowledge to the team, seeing what we have practiced being applied to our matches, and I also love coaching JTT teams because it helps build up teamwork. When you see them having fun, all your hard work pays off. It is a priceless experience.”

He also believes the league helps the player develop their skills. “Winning tennis matches needs a lot of practice and focus, so playing on a week-to-week basis, both their body and mind can easily get ready for the coming match,” he shared. “The traveling we do in JTT is also essential if the kids want to continue to play tennis at high levels, and the earlier they get used to visiting different facilities, it benefits them from a young age.”

And adding to the experience for He is the fact that his 14-year-old son, Samuel, plays on his teams. Samuel has been playing Local Leagues for five years and is a regular fixture on the court, playing daily and competing in JTT matches or tournaments almost every weekend.

“Playing tennis on a team is a lot of fun, and I enjoy getting to know a lot of the other kids like myself, Samuel said. “I also like playing both singles and doubles, and Local Leagues offers the opportunity to play both compared to most other tennis tournaments or events. But overall, my favorite part is when I can help my team win.”

Overall, he sums up his experience of playing Local Leagues as “combining playing tennis with a weekly reunion with friends.”

After captaining a team for the first time in 2019, parent and team captain Zhitao Cao enjoyed it so much he coached three teams in 2021.

Cao said he appreciates the learning format JTT Local Leagues offers the kids and gets a lot of enjoyment out of watching them improve their game week-to-week and visiting different facilities.

“Consistent play helps build good habits, so it helps to have matches each week,” he said. “You can learn from your weaknesses in one week, see what you need to work on, and then improve on it the following week.” 

Cao also explained that he thinks the league does a good job with the format to help the kids grow and prepare for the next level.

“The kids are young and still learning the sport, so I think it’s great you can remind them on different skills or strategies in the turnover and see them turn it around and improve in real-time,” he said. “The rules and format of playing different teams in both singles and doubles help the kids get ready for school sports.”

In addition to the good learning atmosphere supported by JTT, Cao shared that being a team captain motivated him personally and that the overall team aspect brought all of the families together.

“This environment helped my son improve mentally and technically, which also motivated me. It’s not just a sport, but it brings families together and the parents are committed and build bonds as well,” he added.

His son Samuel, 10 years old, has been playing Local Leagues for two years and enjoys sharing the sport with his dad and teammates.

“I like playing with my dad and that I can play with my friends because it makes it more fun,” he said. “It’s fun to play against different teams and go to other places and see where other people play and train.”

Lastly, parent and captain Archie Xuan similarly values the team aspect and camaraderie of Local Leagues. 

Xuan coached a 14U Yellow ball team for the first time in the summer of 2021. 

“Tennis can be a lonely sport, but they get a sense of team in Local Leagues. I think it’s critical for them to learn together, share tennis, and cheer each other on for their mental development,” he shared.

Not only does he know this helps the players improve, with all of their players improving their rating, but he thinks the camaraderie and knowledge sharing between all of the players and parents helped their game as well.

“All of the kids were playing separately, but when we got together as a team, we shared training information, resources, and regularly had open discussions that helped all of the players improve,” Xuan said.

His 13-year-old son Justin, who played on his team and has been playing tennis since he was five and competitively for three years, agrees with his dad’s perspective on Local Leagues.

“I have made friends from Local Leagues, and I feel like I have learned a lot from them,” he said. “We share thoughts and cheer for each other, which you don’t get as much at tournaments, and it feels good. It really can be helpful to expand your tennis skillset.”

There you have it! If you'd like to get involved with JTT Local Leagues or even start a team, click here to learn more or even join the upcoming spring season.