Providers Get Creative
Tennis and Learning at Home with NJTL of Trenton
Bob Loonie was excited to give Trenton kids an incredible spring and summer on the tennis courts. Just as quickly as it started, COVID-19 shut it down.
“My first thought was that these kids can’t be cut off,” said Loonie, the Executive Director of NJTL of Trenton. “I knew we couldn’t lose the kids, and we didn’t want them to lose out on the tennis and education we would normally be offering.”
It was time to be creative.
Like a handful of other tennis organizations, Loonie immediately adopted virtual conferencing as a chance to stay connected to the youth in NJTL of Trenton’s program. He worked with the coaches and program staff to offer organized, structured lesson plans on ZOOM, delivering virtual tennis lessons that hit on everything from dynamic stretching to tennis rules, strategy and technique.
While Loonie mentioned there wasn’t full participation, NJTL of Trenton did everything it could to allow kids the chance to participate. The organization even gave out iPads and tablets for families without access to them.
Loonie mentioned that staying in touch with other NJTLs and facilities helped him and his team work through the pandemic and stay connected with their kids. He specifically shouted out Legacy Youth Tennis and Education and its Executive Director, Ron Nano. Legacy also offered digital options for its kids during the shutdown.
“I have so much respect for Ron and what his team does over there,” he said. “I think keeping in touch with others and being open to learning was a big help for us. Now, we take this as an opportunity to step back, think about our goals as an NJTL, and plan for the future.”
Players and organizers from NJTL of Trenton are used to the courts looking like this
Coaches and program staff of NJTLT get creative with organized, structured lesson plans on ZOOM
- Players and organizers from NJTL of Trenton are used to the courts looking like this
- Coaches and program staff of NJTLT get creative with organized, structured lesson plans on ZOOM
Related Articles
-
![Visit the Champion in the Community page]( "Greg Scott at coaches training")
Champion in the CommunityJanuary 16, 2026What is a champion? Winner, advocate, coach, proponent and defender. No matter what synonym you use, they all define Greg Scott. On Friday, May 2, Scott will be honored with the Champion in the Community Award at Jefferson Moss-Magee’s 25th Annual Night of Champions fundraising event, benefiting the hospital’s patient and community programs. Read More -
![Visit the Tennis Central page]( "Tennis Central kids at US Open")
Tennis CentralJanuary 16, 2026USTA Middle States is continuing its content series, Sharing Our Stories, that celebrates the life-changing, positive impact that our local National Junior Tennis and Learning (NJTL) network is making. Through human interest stories and spotlights, Sharing Our Stories will showcase many of the remarkable individuals and programs within our NJTL network who are following the USTA Foundation's mission of bringing tennis and education together to change lives. Read More -
![Visit the Player, Coach & Volunteer page]( "Ann Koger")
Player, Coach & VolunteerJanuary 13, 2026Those connected to tennis in the northeast should already know the name Ann Koger. But even those who know her well are often surprised at her impact on the Black tennis community and the sport as a whole. Read More
Sign up for our Newsletter
Download the USTA App
