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Hundreds of kids from the National Junior Tennis & Learning (NJTL) chapters in Northern California, coaches, volunteers and parents rallied together at the annual NJTL Kids Day held in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park Tennis Complex.

The NJTL Kids Day started off with a quick group warm up followed by various exciting tennis drills organized by skill level and age. QuickStart format of play was introduced this year for beginners and kids ages 10 and under making it easier for them to pick up the ball and start rallying. Later in the afternoon, the kids participated in carnival tennis where fun games such as The Fastest Serve, Beat the Pro, or Hockey Tennis were played. The NJTL Kids Day turned out to be a great way to celebrate the end summer.

Many thanks to NJTL Kids Day sponsors Kasier Permanente, Sports Basement, USTA NorCal, Chipotle and YTA for providing a venue where young people can thrive and learn to do their best in tennis.

Photography by The Photoblock

YTA’s biggest fundraiser, the 19^th Annual LRG Capital Group “For the Kids” Dinner held in Stanford University during The Bank of the West Classic, has exceeded expectations again! With the support from our generous donors and sponsors, the LRG Capital Group “For the Kids” Dinner raised $180,000, surpassing 2010’s dinner by an impressive $34,000, and 2009’s dinner by $41,000. The funds raised from the dinner will help YTA continue its year-round tennis, academic, and life-skills programs for hundreds of Bay Area children.

This year’s LRG Capital Group “For the Kids” Dinner had a special visit from WTA tennis pro, Rebecca Marino of Canada and honored: Bruce Bodaken, Chairman, President and CEO of Blue Shield of California, and YTA Advisory Council Member with the Arthur Ashe Award of Excellence; Nancy Hong of John McLaren Park with the YTA Scholar Athlete Award; and Johnson Hua, alumnus of Mosswood Park with the YTA Scholar Athlete Emeritus Award.

Many thanks goes out to: our dinner sponsors LRG Capital Group and Blue Shield of California; Aces for Kids sponsored by Bank of the West, Cline Winery; William Hill Winery c/o Kathryn Parkin, Silverado Resort Napa c/o John Evans, Manager; Donny Edwards Landscape & Vineyards, Napa, CA; Rudd Winery c/o Wendi Webster; Louis Martini Winery c/o Kathryn Parkin; Event Manager Cindy Summers; the dinner committee, volunteers, staff, and board members, and guests for making the LRG Capital Group “For the Kids” Dinner a successful evening to remember!

>>>LRG Capital Group For the Kids Dinner Pictures
>>>Silicon Valley Mercury News Coverage of the Dinner

In the USTA NorCal section, YTA is proud to announce that five of our YTA Scholar Athletes won in their age group for their essays about "Why do you think Arthur Ashe created the National Junior Tennis & Learning (NJTL) network and how has your NJTL Chapter impacted your life?” They are: Amira of Bear Trax (girls 10 and under), Martina of John McLaren Park (girls 11-12 years), Nancy of John McLaren Park (girls 15-16 years), Karl of Bear Trax (boys 10 and under), and Bryant of Mosswood Park (boys 13-14 years).

But no one must be more proud than Martina (picture on left) who not only is a USTA NorCal sec tion winner but also a USTA national Arthur Ashe Essay winner. For their prize, Martin a, along with 10 other national winners, have won an all-expense paid trip to New York City to attend the Arthur Ashe Kids Day at the US Open and other special activities.

>>> Read Martina’s national winning essay!

2011 Rally for Health and Hope

A new partnership with YTA and To Celebrate Life Breast Cancer Foundation formed in a new fundraising event called Rally for Health and Hope, which replaced YTA’s Marin Doubles. Hosted at several different tennis locations in Southern Marin County and the Ferrari- Maserati of San Francisco in Mill Valley, the funds raised from Rally for Health and Hope will support YTA’s mission in inspiring youth on and off the court and provide grants to organizations that supply direct services to women and men meeting breast cancer challenges.

Special appreciation goes out to: Rally for Health and Hope committee for their hard work and planning. Our major sponsors, especially YTA board member Martha Ehrenfeld and her partner Carla McKay. The Club at Harbor Point, Marin Tennis Club, Ross Valley Swim and Tennis Club, Scott Valley Swimming and Tennis Club and Tiburon Peninsula Club for hosting our women’s and mixed doubles play, and the Ferrari- Maserati of San Francisco in Mill Valley for hosting the reception.

Exciting long rallies, and cheers from players and parents was the atmosphere at the French Open Play Day hosted by YTA Laney College. Young players from YTA, Bay-O-Vista, Tennis Playground, and El Cerrito gathered for this QuickStart tennis event. Singles matches were played at the orange or green level, and scoring was determined by a seven-point tiebreak (or win by two). 

Nothing but effort and great sportsmanship was displayed from all the players. And for those players who came in the top four in the orange and green level received a shiny USTA medal to show for it.

Special congratulations to YTA Laney College Scholar Athlete Members’ Linda (orange level) and Leah (green level) for placing first in the French Open Play Day!

>>>QuickStart Team Tennis Play Day in your area!

 Where Do Old Tennis Balls, Strings, and Racquets Go?

The answer, not in our waters! For this year’s Earth Day, the YTA kids partnered with the Matter of Trust School of Fish project. Students from all over the Bay Area created show-stopping fish art installations and recordings to broaden awareness for the need to reduce plastic waste in our waterways. YTA kids created their own fishes with racquets and showed that old tennis balls can be reused on walkers for the elderly and sick.

YTA kids from Laney College and Bear Trax enjoyed a fun and exciting day of QuickStart* team tennis, pizza, trophies, and cheers hosted by the Bay-O-Vista Swim and Tennis Club (BOV) in San Leandro.

Four teams, Eagles (Laney), Hawks (Laney), Bear Trax Bears, and the BOV Bombers competed in the QuickStart Invitational. The teams were then divided according to the three QuickStart levels: red, orange, and green; and scoring in a match was based on the amount of points won in a given amount of time.

Many close matches and long rallies were played but in the end, team Bear Trax Bears came out on top with first place and received a big silver Bay-O-Vista Invitational traveling trophy as their prize. (See bottom-left picture of team Bear Trax Bears proudly holding their trophy)

The Saturday, September 18^th ribbon cutting and tennis block party at John McLaren Park’s (JMP) tennis facility near Mansell and Visiticion Streets attracted sunshine, comfortable temperatures and a wide array of diverse guests.

Nichole Avril, representing San Francisco Recreation and Park Department (SFRPD) General Manager Phil Ginsberg, spoke of the strong community collaborations that were formed to support JMP as she cut the bright red ribbon on the newly renovated tennis courts.  YTA Executive Director Loretta Conway presented a beautiful dedication plaque to SFRPD to be hung at the courts and an acknowledgement plaque to the Tiret Family for the generous contribution received from the Jeff Tiret Memorial Fund through the Olympic Club Foundation.  Steve Leube, Executive Director of USTA NorCal congratulated everyone and spoke of the support, past and future, of the USTA for the site and the programs planned at JMP.

The afternoon was filled with friendships, old and new, as well as food, music, tennis games and drills.

YTA looks forward to working with many community partners on Phase II of the John McLaren Park facility improvement plan. Phase II will include repair and resurfacing of the middle bank of two courts, improvements to the clubhouse and repair and creation of walkways around the facility.  There may even be lights on the courts in the future!

Plans don’t stop there.  YTA will be hosting free after school tennis, academic and life skills instruction Monday – Friday year round at the site.  YTA is working with SFRPD to organize clinics/socials/tournaments and other programs for youth and adults at John McLaren in our initiative called Empowering Community Through Play. Come on out and join the fun!