National Junior Tennis & Learning at the Hall of Fame
On Wednesday afternoon during the recent Dell Technologies Hall of Fame Open at the International Tennis Hall of Fame, 13-year-old Marcus Duff cracked a two-handed-backhand, doing his best to mimic his hero, Novak Djokovic. Marcus was one of nine boys and girls who trekked three hours to spend a day at the Hall of Fame's annual ATP World Tour tournament – a special opportunity to take part in a clinic, watch pro tennis and tour the ITHF museum. They’re participants in New HYTES, a New Haven-based chapter of the National Junior Tennis and Learning (NJTL), the community tennis and educational organization founded nearly 50 years ago by a pair of Hall of Famers, Arthur Ashe and Charlie Pasarell, and tennis industry leader Sheridan Snyder.
The New HYTEs were one of three NJTL chapters who came to the tournament Wednesday. From Boston, there was the Sportsmen’s Tennis and Enrichment Center. The Rodney Street Tennis & Tutoring group came from Wilmington, Delaware
“This is a memorable experience that they won’t forget,” said Kareem Bryant, executive director of the Rodney Street program. “In the tennis history world, this is a landmark. It makes sense for them to see the genesis."
Two 13-year-olds from Sportsmen’s loved their tour of the museum. Jaida Faust enjoyed seeing how racquets evolved over years. Jaime Durodola said, “It was great to see all the old-fashioned players and learn how they inspired so many others.”
But as much as these youngsters valued the chance to study the past, tennis in the present also commanded their attention. “It’s amazing to see the way these pros hit the ball and keep it under control,” said 15-year-old Yoshua Douglas, a Rodney Street player.
Pleased as the International Hall of Fame is to host these visits, it’s also becoming an active NJTL participant. September 2018 marks the launch of TeamFAME (Future Aces Modeling Excellence), the first NJTL chapter to be operated on the premises. With 63 percent of public middle school students in Newport at or below the poverty line, there is a strong need to provide support for this underserved population.
The new program has been in development for about a year, with Hall of Fame staff working closely with local educators and community organizers. In recent months, work has been underway to completely renovate the former Canfield House restaurant, which will serve as home base for TeamFAME, complete with classrooms and computer labs.
Three days a week, local children will learn all about tennis– from hitting the ball to how tennis plays out in academic disciplines, to character and sportsmanship.
“Our opportunity to capture a child’s imagination is unrivaled,” said ITHF CEO Todd Martin. “To be able to have a museum 100 feet away, access to three different surfaces, a teaching staff. Our seven acre property is one of the most beautiful locations in Newport. We cannot simply reside here. We want to be of service to the community.”
For additional info about TeamFAME, please contact Marguerite Marano at mmarano@tennisfame.com.
You can also learn more about TeamFAME www.tennisfame.com/teamfame!
