Well, our fourth week was going to be an extension of our lesson on forehands, but that turned out to be a bust, thanks to some ugly weather here in Brooklyn Saturday afternoon. We hate when that happens!
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In the meantime, keep up with the latest from KCTL's weekly sessions on our Facebook page or our Instagram account. We've been sharing a lot of photos of our students in action.
Fingers crossed we have clearer skies for our next class, Saturday, June 27.
In addition to their support for KCTL's mission to enrich the lives of children, we know that many of our volunteers and staff were motivated to join our program because they're passionate about tennis. So we're bringing back the opportunity for organized singles tennis play in the form of the Second Annual KCTL Open!
Awesome news, right?! We happen to know know very well how difficult it is to play tennis in New York City. So we're doing the hard part for you: coordinating matches! It's up to you and your opponent to choose a time and place each week.
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Registration is available to the public and all funds will directly support KCTL's youth tennis programming. To reserve a spot in one of the tournament's three divisions--Men's Competitive, Women's Competitive or Co-Ed Recreational--sign up and submit payment by June 24 at midnight.
Thanks all for your participation. Have fun!
We had another amazing Saturday at Jackie Robinson Tennis Club. It was the third week at Kings County Tennis League's newest site and attendance continues to grow. We had about 25 participants, the majority of whom were returning students.
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We focused on basic footwork and coordination along with an introduction to the forehand. The class began with a warm-up and group stretch. We then split up into three groups that rotated among stations: a foot workstation using cones, a target practice station, and a forehand technique station. The kids are showing significant improvement and seem to really be enjoying themselves on the court. Due to the warm weather, we were sure to take plenty of water breaks.
Once each group had rotated through all the stations, our Site Coordinator, Christine, facilitated the off-court conversation. This week, Christine led a discussion about healthy expression of our emotions. Christine did an amazing job of engaging with the students and teaching them about different emotions--such as anger, jealousy, and sadness--and the best ways to cope. She made it very easy for the kids to share stories of times they experienced negative emotions and how they responded. She also encouraged the students to give examples of how they’ll better manage their emotions in the future.
We ended class with Breakout, which the students absolutely love. It's a fun-filled game that involves hitting forehands, running and catching. The students always have a great time with this game.
The highlight of class was calling out the names of the students who were able to borrow a racquet for the week because they had attended three classes. It was clear that the kids that were able to take a racquet home felt a great sense of accomplishment and pride and those that were not able to felt as though that had something substantial to strive towards. Overall, it was a great class with amazing volunteers and stellar students.
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Kings County Tennis League recently had the pleasure of speaking with retired tennis pro Andy Ram. Andy, who hails from Israel, is best known for his performance in Men’s Doubles; in 2008, he and his partner Jonathan Elrich ranked fifth in the world.
Today, Andy serves as the CEO of Pulse Play, a social tennis smart watch for scorekeeping and rankings. Though Andy no longer competes on the court, his continued involvement in the tennis community positions him as an excellent resource to players of all abilities. Whether you’re just learning the game or have been playing for decades, we hope that Andy’s tennis advice works to your advantage.
How were you introduced to tennis?
My father introduced me to tennis when I was five years old. As an ex-soccer player who experienced multiple injuries, he wanted his kids to play non-contact sports.
Who were your role models as you first learned the game?
Jimmy Conners, Boris Becker, Stefan Edberg, but my favorite was definitely Andre Agassi.
What advice would you give to a discouraged young player who hasn't yet mastered the basics?
Always remember you're there to enjoy the game. If you combine your dedication and commitment with a smile, you'll both master the basics and enjoy the journey getting there.
What do you think is the greatest mental/emotional benefit of playing tennis?
Balancing the competitive nature of the game with respect and sportsmanship. This is a huge part of the game and something you can extend to your life outside the court.
What is the greatest tennis-related challenge you've had to overcome in your career?
Coming back to the game from injury. In 2002, I underwent two surgeries: one on my knee and the other on my back. I was on crutches for three months and out of the game for a year. Starting again from zero to get back to pro-level was the toughest challenge I ever experienced, but I persevered and I did it.
Pulse Play's social integration is building a global community of tennis players. How do you feel that tennis builds community in general?
What I love about tennis is how naturally social it is. It's an international sport that brings people together.
What is your favorite thing about tennis?
I love the game of tennis because there is no age limit. You can play it from the age of five years old to 90 (and I actually know some 90-year-olds who play it!). It's a sport you can enjoy for life, and from which you can benefit physically, mentally and socially.
With about 30 students and 10 volunteers, Marcy Tennis Club was swarming as usual on Saturday, June 6. The lesson theme was Racquet and Ball Control, which we taught through exercises to strengthen dexterity and to facilitate comfort with tennis equipment.
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Five groups of students moved about four unique Racquet and Ball Control stations and a fifth station that was used for the off-court discussion. Each student group was accompanied by one volunteer who followed them through the rotation. Meanwhile, one to two volunteers remained fixed at each station. This format provided students with constant attention from a single individual throughout the class along with detailed instruction and feedback at each station.
On one small court, the students practiced "Bump-Up and Tap-Downs" to master controlling small ball movements with their racquets.
On another small court, the name of the game was "Partner Bump-Ups," in which a pair of teammates stood about 10 feet apart and passed a ball back and forth using their racquets. The objective was to let the ball bounce on the rubber dot placed on the ground halfway between theme.
A third small court was used for a racquet-free, ball-free activity: footwork! Though nothing to do with tennis equipment, footwork exercises a ladder are great for improving agility.
Lastly, the big court was designated for Split Steps, and was far and away the students' favorite station. Here, the students practiced preparing for their groundstrokes with the proper movement--a split step--and enjoyed the excitement of attempting full-depth shots on a real tennis court.
In the shade, Marcy's Site Coordinator, Gary, conducted the off-court discussion on Healthy Lifestyles. The students reviewed the components of the Food Pyramid and shared their opinions regarding a list of health advice from tennis professionals.
We concluded with a mega game of breakout--and split steps were mandatory! So if players didn't start their groundstroke with a split step, they were automatically out! With so many participants, we only had time for one round. We look forward to resuming next week with our first lesson on forehands. Go Marcy!
What a great start to the 2015 Kings County Tennis League (KCTL) season this past Saturday. Bringing tennis to the kids, as our motto goes. KCTL now operates programs in five Brooklyn communities in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood. I stopped by Marcy Playground for opening day to experience the program first hand. What an uplifting experience it was.
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The weather was perfect, turnout was high and the court was full of smiling faces. Some were new and others were returning for another year of the program. And the volunteers were as upbeat and enthusiastic as ever. (We have the best volunteers in the New York, hands down!)
The highlight for me was meeting the mother of a girl who has joined the program this year. We chatted while she watched the activities and cheered her daughter on. Her daughter had shown an interest in learning tennis last year, but the season was already nearing an end. She made sure to get registered early to take part this season.
I learned that her daughter also takes piano lessons and learns ballet. “I want her to be exposed to many different activities. When she gets older she can choose what she prefers, but I want her to have options,” the mother explained. I was more than a little impressed, as I wondered if I was looking at a future tennis pro, breakout musician or ballerina. Or even all three.
The conversation brought me back to the organization’s purpose – to empower youth in Brooklyn to learn tennis as both a healthy activity and also to impart life skills. And as this parent so eloquently explained how she wants her daughter to have options to help her make future life decisions, I was reminded of just how important KCTL is to our local communities. And that in turn inspires me to look for creative new ways to support and expand this important program. If you have ideas, I’d love to hear them. Please let me know at cmcmanus@kingscountytennisleague.org.
Author Chris McManus is a member of the Board of Directors for Kings County Tennis League.
Tompkins Tennis Club had a spectacular start to the season on Saturday, May 30!
10 students bright and ready to play, accompanied by five dedicated volunteers, participated in a series of activities and drills designed to introduce new students to tennis and to refresh the skills of our returned students.
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We started off with running and stretching, followed by a racquet and ball control drills, all as a group.
After that, we initiated our off-court session, establishing the time as an open space for students, volunteers, and staff to share ideas. For this first session, we also conducted an ice-breaker that used movement and call/response to learn everyone's names.
Following off-court, students were divided into different stations: introduction to tennis and games. For introduction to tennis, students learned how to hold the racquet when not at play, how to move when hitting a forehand, and how to stay on their toes in ready position.
At the games station, students played lobster-trap, which also engaged the practice of being explosive and staying on their toes. They leapt forward to capture the balls tossed by volunteers by trapping the ball with their hands against the sweet spot of the racquets.
To close off the class, students regrouped to do an obstacle course where side-step footwork was emphasized. They then played a few rounds of Red Light, Green Light, balancing tennis balls on their racquets and moving forward or freezing according to the volunteers' instructions. The students enjoyed it; they were really expressive about succeeding and remaining in place or losing and having to start over again.
All of our students, new and returning, were excited about the start of the season, as were our volunteers about working with them. We're looking forward to next week. Go Tompkins!
