National Junior Tennis & Learning: The Legacy of Arthur Ashe
History
In 1969, the National Junior Tennis League was founded by Arthur Ashe, Charlie Pasarell and Sheridan Snyder. The program uses tennis as a tool to teach important life skills such as leadership, discipline, teamwork, and responsibility. It also provides academic support and encourages participants to excel in school.
Today, the now-named National Junior Tennis and Learning (NJTL) network features more than 250 nonprofit youth development organizations that offer free or low-cost tennis and education programming to over 150,000 under-resourced youth each year.
NJTL is supported by the USTA Foundation, the national charitable organization of the USTA. The work done by its member chapters includes after-school tutoring that focuses on academic enrichment, a life-skills curriculum and, of course, tennis.
Over 60 Southern NJTL chapters are also supported by USTA Southern and the Southern Tennis Foundation. Furthermore, NJTL chapters are supported by each of the nine state offices in the Southern Section.
2025 NJTL Regional Leadership Camp
June 2025, Louisville, Ky.
Pictured above is participants in the 2025 NJTL Regional Leadership Camp in Lexington, Ky.
2026 USTA Southern NJTL Program Grant
2026 STA Tennis Program Grant application
Grant cycle one: Opens 12/15/25; Deadline 1/31/2026
Grant cycle two: Opens 4/1/2026; Deadline 5/31/2026
2025 USTA Foundation NJTL Essay Contest
“Finding Your Way?”
2026 USTA Southern NJTL Program Grant
2026 STA Tennis Program Grant application
Grant cycle one: Opens 12/15/25; Deadline 1/31/2026
Grant cycle two: Opens 4/1/2026; Deadline 5/31/2026
2025 USTA Foundation NJTL Essay Contest
“Finding Your Way?”
Southern Tennis Foundation College Scholarship applications
Southern Tennis Foundation Scholarship link: TBD
Opens 1/1/25; closes 3/31/25
USTA Foundation College Scholarship application
Scholarships apply here | USTA Foundation
2025 deadline: TBA
2025 USTA Foundation NJTL Essay Contest
2025 date: TBA
USTA Foundation Program Grant
2025 date: TBA
NJTL Chapter highlights for newsletter submission form
USTA Impact Conference for NJTL chapter leaders
2025 dates and location: TBA
Download the Southern NJTL Newsletter
USTA Southern contacts
Jean Marie Simon, Manager, NJTL & Southern Tennis Foundation simon@sta.usta.com
Miyanda Wynn, Coordinator, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion wynn@sta.usta.com
Rudy Lewis, NJTL Committee Chair tenniszyx@aol.com
2026 USTA Southern NJTL Program Grant
2026 STA Tennis Program Grant application
Grant cycle one: Opens 12/15/25; Deadline 1/31/2026
Grant cycle two: Opens 4/1/2026; Deadline 5/31/2026
2025 USTA Foundation NJTL Essay Contest
“Finding Your Way?”
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