SUMMER NJTL

The partnership between DALLAS TENNIS and Dallas Park & Recreation Department (DPARD) make Summer NJTL possible. The Education Academy offers children ages 4-18 the opportunity to participate in City Wide Summer Programs and Summer Camps. These 9-week programs offer beginner tennis lessons and competition at 7 sites. DALLAS TENNIS provides all tennis equipment and teaching materials. DPARD provides free use of city courts and the classrooms needed to implement the educational components of programming. Program instructors are a combination of 14 Education Academy teaching pros and DPARD employees. 

 

In 2022, participation numbers in DALLAS TENNIS Summer NJTL reached 440 youths.

 

JUNIOR DEVELOPMENT

Junior Development (JD) is offered year-round at Kiest Tennis Center and 24-weeks a year at 3 secondary sites to children ages 4-18 with beginner to intermediate level of tennis experience. JD is FREE for its participants and their families. DALLAS TENNIS covers program expenses that include but are not limited to tennis equipment and gear, 8 Education Academy teaching pros and fees (court costs, tournament fees, etc.). JD reaches approximately 150 young players each year. JD participants can earn racquets and participate in end of season tournaments. Both parent and child are required to give back to the program through 15 hours of community service hours. 80% of community service hours must be done within JD programming. DALLAS TENNIS Education Academy Program Director also requires participants to present their report cards 2 times a year, participate in USTA National’s NJTL Essay contests, Texas Section Art contests and Annual Awards Banquet raffle ticket sales. The Education Academy has produced USTA Nationals NJTL Essay contest Winners 15 times over the past 20 years! It has been a multi-time winner of the Texas Section Art contest. 

 

Many JD participants go on to join the Education Academy's Junior Competitive programming.
 

JUNIOR COMPETITIVE

Junior Competitive (JC) is the Education Academy's year-round low-cost programming comprised of 2 development levels for children ages 6-18: Junior Competitive (Intermediate) and Excellence (Advanced). Junior Competitive runs year-round out of Kiest Tennis Center. DALLAS TENNIS covers program expenses that include but are not limited to tennis equipment and gear, 12 Education Academy teaching pros, 2 DALLAS TENNIS volunteer pros, fees (court, tournament entries, travel, etc.) and teaching materials. For families whose financial situation might prohibit a child from participating in JC, the program has scholarships available. JC’s 95 participants play at school and in sanctioned or non-sanctioned tournaments. JC is built for the players who want to play competitively and be part of a team. Like JD, JC participants are required to fulfill community service hours and participate in USTA National’s contests and the Annual Awards Banquet. JC programming includes 2-hour sessions Monday through Saturday. As players develop, they begin to compete in monthly sanctioned tournaments and DALLAS TENNIS USTA JTT. 

EXCELLENCE

Excellence is the highest performance level of the DALLAS TENNIS Education Academy. Excellence participants attend National Workshops organized by the USTA Foundation (USTAF) and USTA Player Development. Players are selected to participate in several high-profile camps across the United States and take part in events that lead to the pathway of college. The Education Academy's Excellence teams travel and compete across the United States  in a variety of tournaments, like the Clay Courts and Orange Bowl, representing DALLAS TENNIS and USTAF. Excellence is an invitation only program based on a player’s elite level of tennis ability, educational outcomes, and commitment to the pathway to becoming student-athletes at the collegiate and professional levels. DALLAS TENNIS Education Academy's excellence team maintains a roster of 24. Excellence team members receive 2-hour sessions Monday through Saturday.

ADAPTIVE 

“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” Arthur Ashe

​

Giving back to the community is a fundamental building block of the DALLAS TENNIS Education Academy. Together with Education Academy teaching staff, program participants share their passion for tennis by partnering with Scottish Rite Hospital’s (TSRH) Therapeutic Recreation department’s community outreach programs that provide patients an introduction to adapted activities.

​

Tennis All-Stars is a four-week program for Scottish Rite for Children patients ages 6 to 14. It emphasizes fun, fitness, and healthy competition. TSRH programming averages 28-40 children each session.  It is offered every Wednesday during the months of April, June, and September.

​

Scottish Rite Hospital: 2222 Welborn Street, Dallas, TX 75219