JTCC coaches and student-athletes serve as mentors and teach tennis to aspiring players in the community
The Junior Tennis Champions Center (JTCC), the world-class tennis training center in College Park, Md., today announced that it has been recognized by the United States Tennis Association (USTA) as the 2013 Outstanding Mid-Atlantic Member Organization of the year award.
The award is given to organizations that best exemplify service to the community, service to its members through junior and adult programs, and service to the game of tennis. As a sectional winner of the Outstanding Organization Award, JTCC will be eligible for the national USTA Member Organization of the Year Awards.
“We are proud to recognize the Junior Tennis Champions Center and their dedication to their members and the community,” says USTA/Mid-Atlantic Executive Director, Rod Dulany. “JTCC and their staff are leaders in the tennis industry and we are grateful for their advocacy of USTA programs.”
JTCC has developed a unique Community Outreach program based on a mentoring model. High performing student athletes in their early teens become role models for pre-teen youth in the underserved communities of Washington, DC and Prince George’s County. In 2009, through a partnership with the District government and GEICO, JTCC introduced Game On!, an out-of-school program offering tennis and academic enrichment to underserved children ages 6-13. In 2011, JTCC partnered with the Prince George’s County Department of Parks and Recreation and Maryland National-Capital Park and Planning Commission to bring its grassroots tennis program, Advantage Prince George’s, to children in Prince George’s County. Since its inception, Community Outreach has introduced tennis and life-skills lessons to more than 1,000 children in the District of Columbia and in Prince George’s County, MD.
“Giving back is a top priority for JTCC,” said Ray Benton, chief executive officer of the Tennis Center at College Park Home of the Junior Tennis Champions Center. “We are honored to be recognized for our work in the community which is a critical component of our program. We appreciate USTA’s continued support of JTCC.”
JTCC will be honored for the award on November 23 at the 2013 USTA/Mid-Atlantic annual meeting and awards luncheon.
