Summer Camp for Project J

[EdWeiss]

I started a thread several months ago about a young man, Project J I called him (just as a matter of privacy for him), who participates in the charitable program I am involved in. The program teaches tennis and provides life skills and educational tutoring to children who are generally from families (as is the case with this young man) who live in public housing. The young man has become extremely interested in tennis and has done everything we have asked including hitting an hour or two a day on the wall, etc. He is a nice kid and a good student. We are looking for a summer tennis camp that would be willing to provide a scholarship for a week to give him that experience. Our organization would pick-up the transportation costs. Does anyone have a suggestion for some camps that we could contact? He has only been playing seriously for about two years but has good technique and has much potential in my view. He is starting to play USTA tournaments. Thanks in advance for any thoughts!!

[don_budge]

Project J...

I started a thread several months ago about a young man, Project J I called him (just as a matter of privacy for him), who participates in the charitable program I am involved in. The program teaches tennis and provides life skills and educational tutoring to children who are generally from families (as is the case with this young man) who live in public housing. The young man has become extremely interested in tennis and has done everything we have asked including hitting an hour or two a day on the wall, etc. He is a nice kid and a good student. We are looking for a summer tennis camp that would be willing to provide a scholarship for a week to give him that experience. Our organization would pick-up the transportation costs. Does anyone have a suggestion for some camps that we could contact? He has only been playing seriously for about two years but has good technique and has much potential in my view. He is starting to play USTA tournaments. Thanks in advance for any thoughts!!

That is one great idea. Get a list and write to all of them. Try to get some arrangement where perhaps he can work part of his fee off. Go for the whole summer…why not? Shoot and aim high and best of luck to you and the kid. It's such a great project and the kind of thing that goes unheard of. I love the entire concept of what you are doing and if more of the world or even the country were doing things of this nature…well, things might just be incrementally different. Best of luck!!!

[lobndropshot]

http://www.gofundme.com/questions/ maybe you could set this up for him?

[klacr]

Not aware of any camps that offer scholarships. But I would suggest looking into Ed Krass' College Tennis Exposure Camp when Project J gets to a certain age, his game progresses and there is an opportunity for college tennis. And he will have opportunities. This may be the best way to give his talents the exposure it deserves. I went there as a junior in high school and is the reason I chose where I chose to go to college and main reason I am where I am today

http://collegetennis.com/


Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[EdWeiss]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts/input. It looks like there is a local program that will provide him a slot. But still looking for a sleep away type camp to give him that kind of experience (I think he has only been on an airplane once). Thanks.

[klacr]

Tough for many sleep away camps to offer scholarships as the margins are usually pretty slim to begin with. Perhaps the IMG/Bollettieri academy may have something to offer if you sent them a video and explained the kids story. Perhaps they would cover a week's camp or the flight. Maybe both but let's not get too optimistic. But it is worth a shot.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton