KCTL Announces $100,000 Pledge From Renowned Brooklyn-based Artist Eddie Martinez

Kings County Tennis League Announces $100,000 Pledge From Renowned Brooklyn-based Artist Eddie Martinez

Brooklyn, NY – December 2, 2024 – Kings County Tennis League, Inc. (KCTL) is honored to announce a generous $100,000 donation pledge from acclaimed Brooklyn-based artist Eddie Martinez. A dedicated annual supporter of KCTL, Martinez made this contribution in memory of his close friend and tennis partner, Richard Webley, who also supported KCTL in multiple ways.

The first $20,000 installment of Martinez’s extraordinary $100,000 pledge is scheduled for 2024 with the remaining installments distributed over the following four years. This timely donation will be allocated to KCTL’s year-end campaign, which is focused on expanding opportunities for young players ages 12-15 at three newly renovated tennis courts located at De Hostos Park in South Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

“I loved getting to know Rich on and off the court. KCTL connects communities and kids through tennis, and I hope my support will help foster relationships as meaningful as the one I had with Rich. I can personally attest that tennis is a sport that changes lives, which is why I am so supportive of KCTL’s mission,” said Eddie Martinez.

Webley, who passed away in 2023 following a courageous battle with cancer, first introduced Martinez to KCTL in 2018. Martinez immediately felt a deep connection with the organization’s mission: to combine tennis and education to spark the potential of children living in Brooklyn’s public housing communities.

Martinez’s involvement with KCTL has only grown since then. In 2022, he initiated KCTL’s first art auction, which has since become an annual event, called Paint the Lines, celebrating both tennis and art. Over the past three years, this auction has raised more than $200,000, with contributions from 52 artists, helping expand KCTL’s programs.

“Eddie’s donation arrives at a pivotal moment for KCTL,” said KCTL Executive Director, Joe Ceriello. “In 2024, we expanded our tennis court capacity from one to six full-size courts and doubled down on our commitment to supporting youth aged 12-15—an age group at higher risk of disengaging from sports, according to national data.”

To honor Webley’s legacy, KCTL will introduce the Richard Webley Award. This award, to be presented annually at The Jamboree, KCTL’s end-of-summer event, will recognize a student who embodies Webley’s passion for tennis and his dedication to leadership on and off the court. Webley was an enthusiastic supporter of KCTL, and this award will celebrate a young person who demonstrates both a commitment to the sport and a positive influence within the community.

KCTL Partners with The Nourish Spot BK During 2024 US Open

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Nourish Spot BK Donates Resources to Kings County Tennis League in Recognition of Support at the US Open

Brooklyn, NY – October 17, 2024 – The Nourish Spot BK, the second location of The Nourish Spot, is pleased to announce a $1,000 donation to Kings County Tennis League (KCTL) to help sustain and expand its tennis and youth development programs in underserved communities across Brooklyn. This donation is a heartfelt gesture in recognition of KCTL’s support of The Nourish Spot’s Queens location during its successful residency as a concession at the US Open.

KCTL’s mission to engage young people through tennis, promoting physical fitness and life skills, aligns closely with The Nourish Spot’s commitment to community wellness and empowerment. The organization played a key role in supporting The Nourish Spot's three-year residency at the US Open in Queens, where the company brought its fresh, healthy offerings to tennis fans from all over the world.

“Kings County Tennis League was an incredible partner this year, and their dedication to empowering youth in Brooklyn deserves to be celebrated,” said Dawn Kelly, CEO and founder of The Nourish Spot.

 “This donation is not just a token of our appreciation for their support during the US Open, but also an investment in the important work they do to enrich the lives of young people through tennis and mentorship.”

Founded in 2010, KCTL transforms public spaces in Brooklyn into tennis courts, offering free lessons and mentorship to children in communities that often lack access to sports programs. With the donation, The Nourish Spot BK seeks to help KCTL continue their mission, providing the resources necessary to expand their programs and maintain the equipment and courts used to inspire and educate Brooklyn youth.

The Nourish Spot BK, which opened its doors in February 2024 in Bedford-Stuyvesant, shares the same community-first values as its Queens counterpart. This donation marks a continuation of The Nourish Spot's efforts to invest in local organizations that promote health, wellness, and educational opportunities for underserved communities.

For more information on The Nourish Spot BK or Kings County Tennis League, please visit www.thenourishspot.com or www.kctl.org.

Media Contact: The Nourish Spot BK

917-816-7729

Info@thenourishspot.com 

About The Nourish Spot BK
The Nourish Spot BK is the second location of The Nourish Spot, a wellness bar offering fresh smoothies, salads, natural juices, and other healthy food options. Established in February 2024 in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn with radio hall of famer Angela Yee, The Nourish Spot BK aims to nourish bodies and minds, fostering health and wellness in underserved communities through both delicious food and educational programs.

About Kings County Tennis League
Kings County Tennis League (KCTL) is a nonprofit organization founded in 2010. KCTL provides free tennis lessons and mentorship to youth in underserved Brooklyn communities. Through tennis, KCTL promotes physical health, education, and life skills that help young people succeed on and off the court.

Kings County Tennis League Appoints Karen Tayeh as Board Chair

Tayeh to take the helm of KCTL board as organization is poised to produce its next strategic plan

BROOKLYN, May 22, 2024 — Kings County Tennis League, Inc. (KCTL), a sports-based youth development non-profit, today announced that Karen Tayeh has been appointed Board Chair effective April 25, 2024. Ms. Tayeh is a KCTL veteran who has held multiple leadership positions on the board since joining in 2018. She most recently served as the KCTL Development Committee Chair during the organization’s recent and impressive growth period and prior to that, served as the Nominating and Engagement Committee chair ensuring the organization attracted top-tier board talent.

Ms. Tayeh comes into this new role with a wealth of experience having previously served on the board of Packer Collegiate Institute for seven years and is an active member of AllinBklyn, a women’s giving circle committed to strengthening Brooklyn communities through philanthropy. In addition, she is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and inherently aware of the importance of KCTL’s holistic approach towards participant health and wellness.

“I am grateful and excited to have the opportunity to work in this new role with our talented staff, my devoted fellow board members and our tireless volunteers,” said Ms. Tayeh, “to grow our program to serve more children and deepen our impact in our communities.” 

“Karen Tayeh served as one of the lead architects in KCTL’s first strategic plan, laying the groundwork for the organization’s expanded services over the past five years,” said Joe Ceriello, KCTL Executive Director.

“It is an exciting time for the organization to appoint a leader who understands the organization inside and out and to take the reins as our goals become more ambitious and we look to build upon our past success, building deeper and richer services for our community.”

Ms. Tayeh will succeed KCTL Board Chair Karen Levine, who led the organization’s board from 2020-2024. “We are greatly indebted to Karen for leading the KCTL board during these past years. Karen has had a tremendous impact on the KCTL community. On behalf of the KCTL Board and staff, we sincerely thank her for her contributions to our mission, and we look forward with excitement as Karen moves into her new role as Chair Emeritus, continuing to support our efforts and serve the community,” said KCTL Founder, Michael McCasland.

About KCTL
Kings County Tennis League (KCTL) combines tennis and education to spark the potential of children living in and around Brooklyn public housing. Founded in 2010, KCTL provides free, year-round tennis-centered programs to nearly 700 youth living in and around six NYCHA developments; the children in each housing development form a “tennis club” (e.g. Marcy Tennis Club), which comprise the Kings County Tennis League. By creating courts on underused play spaces in NYCHA developments, and bringing our staff, volunteers, equipment and programs directly to where our students reside, KCTL eliminates the physical and financial barriers to tennis and creates community spaces that foster economic connectedness, the strongest known predictor of upward economic mobility. A thoughtfully designed pathway and an ensemble of caring and authentic staff and volunteers help KCTL cultivate safe spaces for children to play, learn, and develop the social and emotional learning capacities that youth need to succeed.

2024 KCTL Volunteer Doubles Open

About the Event

Kick off the Summer season with KCTL volunteers and friends. Enjoy a fun round-robin doubles tournament, tasty picnic food and light beverages, and the chance to come together as a community.

All funds raised will support future events that build community among our volunteers!

Learn more and register here. We hope to see you at Fort Greene Park!

Thank you to the Fort Greene Tennis Association for hosting the annual tournament, kids clinic, and community day.

Senior Spotlight: AJ Esperanza, Class of 2023

AJ at Davis Cup circa 2016

Each student starts their KCTL journey at a different point. For AJ Esperanza, his journey started in 2015, at a small court tucked between the high rises that make up Sumner houses, hitting red balls on a Saturday morning. Throughout the years, he progressed as a player through our community tennis and UpSwing programs, then to a volunteer-in-training, and eventually, all the way to a Site Assistant, one of KCTL’s paid youth assistant coaches.

AJ with his sister, Janelly, and mom, Ivelisse, at Connect at the Net 2022

Apart from serving as an example and mentor to younger students in our program, AJ also distinguished himself as a star student at Abraham Lincoln High School in Brighton Beach. After graduating from high school this Spring, AJ will continue his educational career at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. We are so proud of AJ, all that he has accomplished thus far, all that he will accomplish, and we cannot wait to see where the future takes him!

KINGS COUNTY TENNIS LEAGUE APPOINTS JOE CERIELLO EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

KINGS COUNTY TENNIS LEAGUE APPOINTS JOE CERIELLO EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

– Ceriello to lead KCTL into its next chapter as one of New York’s most impactful sports-based youth development non-profits –

BROOKLYN, December 1, 2022 — Kings County Tennis League, Inc. (KCTL), a sports-based youth development non-profit, today announced that Joe Ceriello has been appointed Executive Director effective December 12, 2022. Mr. Ceriello is a tennis industry veteran who has held multiple leadership positions during his 13-year tenure with the United States Tennis Association, and spent the last seven years driving marketing and development initiatives at New York Junior Tennis & Learning, one of the first chapters of the USTA Foundation’s NJTL network co-founded by Arthur Ashe. Most recently, Mr. Ceriello served as the NYJTL Chief Marketing and Development Officer and NYJTL Bronx Open Tournament Director. 

“There is a spark, a palpable feeling of passion and purpose among the KCTL Board, staff and volunteers that drew me to this organization,” said Mr. Ceriello. “KCTL’s unique program setting and delivery model has enormous potential for attracting new communities to tennis, the growth of which has been at the center of my life’s work. The impact of KCTL’s intentional use of tennis for developing the social and emotional learning (SEL) capacities that children need to succeed in life is truly compelling. I am thrilled to bring my 20+ years of experience to KCTL to create greater access to the sport while bringing new opportunities and authentic relationships to KCTL’s young people, on and off the court.”

Mr. Ceriello graduated from Binghamton University with a Bachelor of Arts and later earned a Master’s degree in Music from the Boston Conservatory. He also received a Master’s in Business Administration from the Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College in Manhattan, where he now teaches as an adjunct lecturer.

“On behalf of the board, I am thrilled to welcome Joe to KCTL at this pivotal moment when our community of young people, their families, our staff, volunteers, partners and loyal benefactors are united with an unwavering commitment to see each of our students realize their full potential,” said Karen Levine, KCTL Board Chair. “Joe is uniquely experienced to lead within this diverse community. His talents and experience will help us thoughtfully expand the KCTL pathway and its programs, as we continue to present our youth with a stream of opportunities and mentors who can assist them in discovering their passions and building a future in which they will thrive.”

Mr. Ceriello will succeed KCTL’s Interim Executive Director, Mohammad El-Haj Ahmad, who’s led the organization since June 2022. Mr. El-Haj Ahmad will resume his original role as Program Director, for which he was hired in February 2022. “We are greatly indebted to Mohammad for stepping in and leading KCTL during these past six months. In a short time, Mohammad has had a tremendous impact on KCTL, adding a number of new programs and services for our youth. On behalf of the KCTL Board and staff, we sincerely thank him for his contributions to our mission, and we look forward with excitement as Mohammad dedicates his exceptional talents to deepening the impact of KCTL programming for our young people,” said Ms. Levine.

About KCTL
Kings County Tennis League (KCTL) combines tennis and education to spark the potential of children living in and around Brooklyn public housing. Founded in 2010, KCTL provides free, year-round tennis-centered programs to nearly 500 youth living in and around six NYCHA developments; the children in each housing development form a “tennis club” (e.g. Marcy Tennis Club), which comprise the Kings County Tennis League. By creating courts on underused play spaces in NYCHA developments, and bringing our staff, volunteers, equipment and programs directly to where our students reside, KCTL eliminates the physical and financial barriers to tennis and creates community spaces that foster economic connectedness, the strongest known predictor of upward economic mobility. A thoughtfully-designed pathway and an ensemble of caring and authentic staff and volunteers help KCTL cultivate safe spaces for children to play, learn and develop the social and emotional learning capacities that youth need to succeed.

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MEDIA CONTACT:

Mara Mazza

516-655-2904 

mara@kingscountytennisleague.org