Each month, USTA Eastern selects one passionate advocate who has made unique contributions within the community through tennis. This particular New Jersey tennis professional is leading USTA Eastern’s Early Development Camps, which have been so successful, the camp participants and their parents are begging for more.

 

Tennis Organizer of the Month: January 2018

 

Tom Battaglia is the lead faculty coach of USTA Eastern’s Green Ball Early Development Camps (EDC), a unique high performance player development program that offers training and coaching for 7-10-year old players. Offered to inspire, motivate and assist players in reaching their highest level, the EDC training series are led by tennis professionals who have proven coaching success and use the USTA National curriculum.  Battaglia led these intensive training programs in Metro and New Jersey regions in 2017, which also included a one-hour educational workshop for the players’ parent to attend and learn how to best support their budding tennis superstars.

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“At the conclusion of the camp’s series of trainings, I develop reports for each of the players and their parents that clearly outlines the player’s performance and results with recommendations on what should be focused on when they return to their local instructors,” said Battaglia, who also is the co-owner of the brand new Crestmont Indoor Tennis Club in West Orange New Jersey.

 

The camps were so well received and successful that parents are pleading for more, and now Battaglia and USTA Eastern’s Youth Development leaders are entertaining a follow-up event so these same players can train and compete again together.

“This group of kids really bonded and brought out the best in each other,” said Battaglia. “We are thrilled that these kids embrace and support each other as competitors. That’s the ideal and atmosphere we strive to create.” 

 

Most of the time, however, Battaglia is teaching kids of all levels how to play tennis at the Maplewood Club during the summer and now at the new Crestmont Indoor facility in West Orange during the colder months. As the club gets off the ground, Battaglia is focused on making its programs accessible, affordable and fun.

 

“What we care most about at Crestmont is getting fresh new faces, those who have never played tennis before,” said Battaglia. “Our clinics are high-energy fun and we do a lot of athletic skill development. We'll spend 20 minutes with not even a racket in the hand. For instance, balancing and anticipation reaction drills are skills that are beneficial for almost every sport. We want to complement their other sports activities, keep them engaged and and of course coming back for more.”