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Crisis at the Harlem Tennis Center (HTC)

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Contents:

Press Release

Past Events

Role of Tennis as a Non-Traditional Sport


PRESS RELEASE

Click here to see the Press Release.


PAST EVENTS

June, 2002

  • Manhattan Borough President, C. Virginia Fields, convened another meeting, this time at her Centre Street office, giving representatives from the various groups (including the Friends of HTC) interested in the development of programs at the Armory, another opportunity to discuss and resolve their differences

Feb., 2002

  • An interim lease was extended by the DMNA to the HTC from 02/01/02 through 04/30/02, while the DMNA continued to consider the merits of a longer-term lease at the Armory proposed by the HTC

Sept., 2001

  • Upon the failure of the DMNA to grant a lease to the HTC for the Fall 2001 season at the Armory, a 3rd letter-writing campaign to the DMNA was begun, asking again that the HTC be granted a lease for the 2001-2002 indoor season

June, 2001

  • 2nd FHTC letter-writing campaign to the DMNA began, this time asking them to grant a new lease to the HTC and the HJTP

May, 2001

  • an informative piece on the plight of the HTC appeared in the May 15th issue of Tennis Week magazine (click here to see the full text of the article)
March, 2001

  • Manhattan Borough President, C. Virginia Fields, convened another meeting, this time at the Armory, giving representatives from the various groups (including the Friends of HTC) interested in the development of programs at the Armory, another opportunity to discuss and resolve their differences

Feb., 2001

  • Manhattan Borough President, C. Virginia Fields, convened a meeting at her 125th Street office, giving representatives from the various groups (including the Friends of HTC) interested in the development of programs at the Armory, the opportunity to discuss their differences

  • article on the HTC by Sports Central published

      describes the HTC:

      • as "one of the very few publicly available and affordable indoor tennis court facilities in the New York Metro area"

      • and that it "has been and continues to be the heart and soul of the inner city and African-American tennis community in New York"

      quotes Arvelia Myers, Co-Chair of the FHTC, as saying that:

      • the HTC is "more than just a tennis facility." It is a place where "the therapeutic value of tennis, especially a place for tennis, education and self-motivation" can be experienced -- a place where "the youth of the community can come and find out who they really are."

      • "As long as the tennis center at the Armory is open, kids can come and feel comfortable there. Parents know that they are safe there."

      click here to see the full text of this article

Jan., 2001

  • DMNA agreed to extend the HTC lease from 2/28 thru 5/31

  • televised segment on the HTC aired with NY1's Rebecca Spitz

Dec., 2000

  • 1st meeting (and subsequent meetings) of the Friends of Harlem Tennis Center (FHTC) took place

  • FHTC letter-writing campaign to the DMNA began, asking the DMNA to extend the lease of the HTC and the Harlem Junior Tennis Program (HJTP)

  • FHTC call-in campaign to the media & politicians began, asking them to intervene on behalf of the HTC

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ROLE OF TENNIS AS A NON-TRADITIONAL SPORT

One author, in writing about the HTC, states:

"Like many people, I hadn't thought of tennis as a sport many black people play, despite the success of stars like Venus and Serena Williams, Arthur Ashe, and Althea Gibson."
Yet, the author continues, in describing the HTC:
"Today, it's home to more than 1,000 players, including doctors, firemen, actors, cops, teachers, and 150 Harlem schoolchildren."
In describing the goals of one of the HTC's juniors to turn pro, the article further states that the plans of that junior:
"...aren't too unrealistic, considering that two of the top U.S. college players, now pro, both graduated from the program: the 1999 No. 1-ranked NCAA player, James Blake, All-American at Harvard, and his brother Thomas, also All-American at Harvard".
For other juniors who might not actually make it onto the professional tennis circuit, children's coach Brown is quoted as saying:
"Our goal is to get them tennis scholarships to college.... Let's face it: We don't always have the money in our communities."
The article concludes by quoting a parent of a junior at the HTC as saying:
"Most black heroes are basketball or football players.... This gives them a chance to see something different."

Click here to see the full text of that article.

 
Former professional tour player, Leslie Allen, also emphasizes the importance of tennis as a non-traditional sport.

In her letter to Behind the Baseline in the June 26, 2001 issue of Tennis Week magazine, she describes non-traditional sports as exposing and elevating youth to new worlds, giving them the opportunity to reach for the stars -- with tennis, in particular, as giving kids a very different way to reach in that direction. Click here to see the full text of her letter.

Ms. Allen had already put her words into action when she took her Young Tennis Divas (a group of inner-city junior girls from Harlem) to the Australian Open in 1999.

In her letter to Claude Cargill, thanking him for providing the facilities of the HTC to her and the girls in preparation for that trip, she spoke of how the girls learned in Australia first hand (in seminars with WTA Tour staff and other people in a variety of careers) the education and skills needed to become not only a professional tennis player, but also: a player agent, a tournament director, a writer, an athletic trainer, a computer center worker, a TV broadcaster or technician, a post match court reporter, etc.

 
New Yorkers are not the only ones who recognize the importance of tennis in the development of youth.

In Detroit, for example, one teacher of both tennis and the martial arts is developing a program for urban youth, using tennis as a major vehicle for them "to learn a lot about life," fostering "discipline, respect for the game and for each other."

Tennis also provides them an opportunity to "earn good college scholarships by striving for excellence." More details can be found on the page at this web site.

In Houston, the All Court Tennis Foundation describes its tennis program as "character development training through tennis and mentoring. The training focuses on building self-esteem and social skills."

To quote from part of its philosophy:

While few students may pursue a professional tennis career, all will use acquired skills to prepare themselves for real life issues.

By emphasizing structured activities with positive reinforcement and good role models, all children will be given useful tools to succeed and excel in both tennis and life.

Interaction with tennis coaches, adult mentors and especially with each other enables the participants to foster respect for other people, accept differences, and value diversity.

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