Leaders Gather for 2025 CTA/NJTL Forum
The 2025 CTA/NJTL Leadership Forum kicked off Tuesday, May 20th in Round Rock, bringing together community tennis leaders from across Texas for three days of engaging workshops, collaboration, and strategic insight aimed at strengthening grassroots tennis.
Katy Rogers, USTA Texas Director of CTAs and Facilities, who co-organized the event along with USTA Texas NJTL Program Manager Carlin Murray, said it’s valuable for grassroots tennis leaders to not only hear from experts in the industry, but make connections with each other.
“The CTA and NJTL Leadership Forum brought together passionate leaders from across the state for three days of learning, connection, and inspiration,” said Katy Rogers. “And it's our hope that they leave here with a renewed sense of purpose, a renewed sense of energy and excitement and passion around the sport that we all love so much.”
The Forum opened with “Capital Campaigns: From Concept to Launch – A Strategic Workshop,” led by Fayruz Benyousef, Founder and Principal of FBC | Generosity Experts. The session provided attendees with a practical roadmap to planning and executing effective capital campaigns aligned with long-term development goals.
“I really enjoyed Fayruz’s presentation [...] on the framework for a capital campaign and how to put that into action and raise money for things that you need,” said attendee Jessica McMillan. “I know in Austin we need to raise money for more facilities and courts.”
Attendees also participated in “Tennis for Everybody,” an on-court interactive session exploring adaptive tennis.
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The event keynote “Unlock Your Potential: The Power of Passion in Purposeful Work,” presented by USTA National Chief People & Culture Officer Henry Lescaille emphasized how individuals can connect personal passion to professional performance to drive success and fulfillment.
“I also really enjoyed Henry’s discussion this morning about how passion is your superpower,” added McMillan. “And if you enable your superpower, you can accomplish anything.”
Other sessions included a strategic update in “From Ambition to Action: USTA Priorities,” highlighted national and sectional objectives while in “Board Development,” strategies were shared on how organizations can increase capacity to drive long-term growth. Attendees also participated in a networking lunch featuring “A Rose, a Bud, and a Thorn,” sharing success, emerging opportunities, and a current challenge.
Co-organizer Carlin Murray said he was grateful for this event to be able to happen, to have people be able to connect with one another—especially within the heart of a shared interest and passion.
“Ultimately that creates experiences for them to be able to ask thoughtful questions within themselves or the people that they're serving with about how to move the work forward in an effective manner,” Murray said. “I’m grateful for my leadership for offering me the opportunity to be a part of something so amazing and impactful.”
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