serving all of new york city ANNUAL REPORT 1.1.14-6.30.16 PB 1 “Our idea is to use tennis as a way to gain and hold the attention of young people so that we can teach them about matters more important than tennis.” —Arthur Ashe 2 1 mission The mission of NYJTL is to develop the character of young people through tennis and education for a lifetime of success on and off the court. about nyjtl For 45 years, NYJTL has been changing lives through tennis and education. Arthur Ashe and Lewis “Skip” Hartman founded NYJTL in 1971. Today, it is the largest nonprofit youth tennis and education program in the nation. Through tennis, academic enrichment, healthy living and character development programs, NYJTL teaches life and tennis skills to 75,000 underserved K-12 youth throughout New York City. NYJTL celebrates the diversity of the children who participate in every program, serving youth from all five boroughs. All NYJTL community and afterschool programs are offered at no cost to the participants. 2 1 contents 3 letter from Dr. Deborah Antoine and Martin Goldberg 4 nyjtl by the numbers 5 programs and education 8 events 9 partnerships with purpose 10 fundraising 12 cary leeds center 14 cary leeds center: one year later 16 donors 22 nyjtl impact 23 financials 24 nyjtl alumni 25 nyjtl board of directors 2 3 dear nyjtl friends and family, “Build it and they will come” were the buzz words for the believers who became supporters of the Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning, NYJTL’s magnificent flagship home in Crotona Park. And when the $26.5 million facility opened in the South Bronx on June 15, 2015, they 3 letter from Dr. Deborah Antoine and Martin Goldberg came! The community has embraced the Cary Leeds Center that offers 6,000 hours of free tennis, summer camps, and afterschool programs to approximately 30,000 children 4 nyjtl by the numbers and their families within the surrounding area. 5 programs and education Dr. Deborah Antoine Seeing smiles on the faces of thousands of children and their families engaged in tennis and healthy living activities over the past year confirms the vision of founder Skip 8 events Hartman and the NYJTL Board that the Cary Leeds Center would be transformational for the neighborhood and beyond. 9 partnerships with purpose Making the Cary Leeds Center a reality involved the formation of a unique public/private 10 fundraising partnership between NYJTL and the City of New York, most critically the Bronx borough led by borough president Ruben Diaz, Jr. It is impossible to thank everyone who gave 12 cary leeds center tirelessly of their energies over nearly a decade to create an award-winning world-class tennis and learning center. 14 cary leeds center: one year later Notably, there are two contributors who deserve our most heartfelt ‘thank yous.’ Board 16 donors members Larry Leeds and Tory Kiam together assumed leadership of the capital Martin Goldberg campaign, spreading their infectious enthusiasm and bringing in more than “1000 Friends 22 nyjtl impact of NYJTL”—including many luminaries from New York City philanthropic circles. 23 financials There is truly no way to express our gratitude except to invite everyone to the Leeds Center to experience firsthand the dream being lived daily by New York City children. 24 nyjtl alumni Most sincerely, 25 nyjtl board of directors Dr. Deborah Antoine Martin Goldberg President & CEO Chairman 2 3 3 million hours of year-round programs in tennis, academics, healthy living and character by the development for NYC youth numbers 500,000 hours of free community tennis in 100% of NYC council districts 100% of Advanced Training Program seniors 10,000 attend college children mentored annually by 400 dedicated NYJTL staff kids reached through tennis training for PE instructors at 75,000 schools in all 5 boroughs 45 years of continuous service 4 5 programs & education ON AND OFF THE COURTS COMMUNITY TENNIS PROGRAM Each year: Underserved youth ages 5-18 receive free tennis • More than 6,000 children received free instruction from trained coaches in schools and equipment and tennis instruction and learned public parks in all 51 New York City council districts about healthy lifestyles. throughout the year. • Seven indoor tennis clubs donated nearly 300 hours of court time to NYJTL for 800 dedicated Offering tennis instruction in four boroughs, the players who participated in clinics from 6:00 – winter 2015 NYJTL tennis program accommodated 8:00 am on Saturday and Sunday mornings for 376 players. This number swelled to 5,438 20 weeks during Winter Early Morning Programs. participants in the spring when NYJTL operated programs at 27 locations in all five boroughs. With • NYJTL implemented training services for more a dedicated staff of nearly 100 for eight weeks at 37 than 275 physical education teachers committed locations, NYJTL provided New York City youth with to including tennis instruction in their schools’ more than 3,000 hours of tennis. curricula reaching up to 75,000 children. In addition, NYJTL supplied nets, balls, and racquets NYJTL instructors are highly regarded in the tennis to the School Time tennis programs. In 2016, the community. In 2015, coach Victor Caraballo was training was held at the Cary Leeds Center. named Emirates Airlines US Open Series Mentor of • Special Populations Festivals, Disney Kids’ Day the Year in a national competition. Victor was a part Parade, Fall Festival providing pumpkins for of the Community Tennis Program coaching staff everyone, and EmblemHealth “Healthy Living and was selected to travel and coach the NYJTL Family Nights” are among the many events Excellence Team in 2015. serving the community. 4 5 ADVANCED TRAINING PROGRAM ACES AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAM For the first time in 2015, NYJTL’s ACES Afterschool Program operates from more than 200 players 3:00–6:00 pm daily offering tennis instruction, tried out for the NYJTL academics, healthy living and character education Advanced Training Program in 30 school-based partnerships providing a safe (ATP) with 100 juniors and nurturing environment for children during the selected to receive summer crucial out-of-school hours. More than 90 percent of training at the newly- ACES participants live in high-poverty households. opened Cary Leeds Center for Tennis & Learning. By Since 2012-13, ACES enrollment has increased by 35 2016, 240 talented players percent. In 2014-15, 3,400 children were engaged for participated in the ATP more than 500 hours of activities on the court and in tryouts, demonstrating the the classroom during the school year, and students strength of the summer who participated year-round received up to 1,000 program. hours of tennis and academic programming. ATP players receive free Evaluations completed by the independent TASC entry into designated Research Team reported that nearly 60 percent USTA tournaments and of NYJTL participants increased both their english USTA Junior Team Tennis and math grades from the first to the final marking league play and subsidized period in 2014-15 representing more than 10-15% travel to Sectional and improvement over 2013-14. National tournaments. Beginning in January, 2016, 60 ACES program In 2014, 28 ATP participants were ranked in the top participants from all five boroughs traveled to the 100 (with 13 in the top 25) of the USTA Eastern Cary Leeds Center to play in Youth Tennis Leagues Section, with three earning national top 100 rankings. (YTL) established in partnership with the USTA and Junior Team Tennis. YTL was introduced as part Since 2012 a core group of ATP players have been of the ACES tennis curriculum for middle school training together and have achieved increasingly students to benefit from intermediate training and impressive results in USTA Junior Team Tennis (JTT). competitive league play as a transition to prepare for NYJTL Tournament Team tryouts. Players try out to be part of the Tournament Team and train in the 100% Advanced Training Program. of NYJTL’s ATP seniors have attended college, many earning scholarships. In 2014, competing in the 14 & Under JTT division, the NYJTL team won the Metro League, moved on to the Eastern Sectionals in Albany emerging as champions, and capped its season with a third place finish at USTA Junior Team Tennis National Championships in South Carolina. In 2015, the boys and girls competed in the JTT 18 & Under division. The NYJTL team rose to the challenge reaching the finals in the Eastern Section 18 & Under tournament. Now in their second year of JTT 18 & Under play, the 2016 players have won the USTA Eastern Sectionals and will play in the USTA Junior Team Tennis Nationals again in the fall. 6 7 awards 2014-15 ARTHUR ASHE ESSAY CONTEST 2014-2015 REGIONAL WINNERS Age Group NYJTL Award Winners This national writing competition is sponsored by 10 U Addyson Abreu, Ramsey Colon the USTA Foundation. It honors the life of Arthur Fabian Firu, Alyssa Gordon Ashe by encouraging students to learn, write Frederick Prince III, Destini Robinson and explore his legacy. All NYJTL students are 12 U Michael Figueroa, Jessica Perez encouraged to enter. In 2014, there were 600 entries Amanda Rivera, Jackson Skog by NYJTL participants. In 2015, nearly 1,000 essays were submitted by NYJTL. 14 U Maria Halimi, Maurice McCowen Alexander Mishiyev, Alyssa Tirado 2014 NATIONAL WINNER 16 U Aren Marfey, Camille Uy Srinath Mahankali, who participated in the 10 U competition, was one of only 18 U Isabel Balillo, Anthony Coneo 10 National Winners. Zorriana Johnson, Genji Noguchi 2014-15 MAYORS CUP AWARDS GREG CARRINGTON