USTA Billie Jean King NTC Hosts 16th Annual Say Yes to Tennis, No to Violence Event

May 28, 2013 | By Alexis Merced

Queens District Attorney Richard A. Brown joined the USTA and the New York Junior Tennis & Learning (NYJTL) in hosting the 16th Annual “Say Yes to Tennis, No to Violence” event at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on May 23.

“It’s a great occasion for all of us,” said Brown. “This is the 16th year we’ve done this. We focus on all of the schools in Far Rockaway during the course of the year.”

Eight public schools from Far Rockaway participated in the event. Indoor courts were set up and the students were exposed to the game of tennis.

This event was designed to help the students become interested in sports activities like tennis in order to avoid violence. According to Dr. Deborah MacFarlane Antoine, president and CEO of New York Junior Tennis & Learning (NYJTL), she believes that tennis is constructive to young people’s academic and social development.

“We’ve always known that there’s a positive correlation between sports and academic success,” said Antoine. “Tennis, in particular, makes a huge difference, especially when you combine tennis with academic support as we do. Kids who play tennis develop very positive peer networks with people who are striving to do better and striving to win. The kids learn to how to be good sports and learn about fairness.”

Near the middle of the event, tennis players from the St. John’s University women’s team joined St. John’s coaches Eric Rebhuhn (men’s coach) and Taka Bertrand (women’s coach) and demonstrated elements of the game, such as groundstrokes, serving, volleying, to the students.

During the course of the year, members of the New York City Corporation Counsel’s Office and Queens Law Associates go into the schools of Far Rockaway to educate them about the risks of violence and help build up self-esteem of the students.

Dr. Deborah MacFarlane Antoine was very pleased with the turnout of the event. “Any time we get to expose kids to a new sport is a wonderful thing,” said Antoine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Alexis Merced
Centercourt
USTA NTC

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