Yonkers Tennis Center and United States Tennis Association Bring Revolutionary System to the Court

Aug. 18, 2011 - PRLog -- Yonkers Tennis Center and United States Tennis Association Bring New, Revolutionary System to the Court – and the Mall


Yonkers, NY (August 18, 2011) – On September 17 from 9:30AM to 4PM, Yonkers Tennis Center (YTC) and the United States Tennis Association (USTA) will be teaming up to showcase Quickstart, their revolutionary and wildly popular new 10 & Under Youth Tennis format. The event will be held at Cross County Shopping Center. We all love watching Federer, Roddick, Nadal rock the court, but tennis just got even better. The next tennis superstar can begin playing as young as four years old!  

10 & Under Tennis uses smaller courts and bigger and softer tennis balls in addition to child-sized rackets to ease kids in to the basics of the game, develop good tennis habits, and encourage early success. The USTA has committed $2 million to the cause and has chosen YTC as one of just 25 tennis clubs in the entire country as “target sites.”

"The real goal is provide the children of our community with a healthy, fun alternative to video games or television,” says Simon Gale, General Manager and Director of Tennis Instruction for Yonkers Tennis Center.  “We created a guide called ’10 Reasons Why Tennis is Great for YOUR Kid,’ (see list below) bringing to surface the health benefits AND fun factor of tennis. Lets face it, we all want kids more active in today’s society. The cutting back of fitness and recreation classes in Yonkers public schools has spurred YTC to provide a solution. Tennis can be an activity for the entire family to do together!”

To help us promote a healthy lifestyle for kids through fitness, we’ve reached out to Let’s Move!, who will be launching a movement in Yonkers for the first time! Let’s Move! is a comprehensive initiative, launched by the First Lady Michelle Obama, dedicated to solving the problem of obesity within a generation, so that children born today will grow up healthier and able to pursue their dreams. According to Let’s Move!, “Combining comprehensive strategies with common sense, Let’s Move! is about putting children on the path to a healthy future during their earliest months and years.” YTC and Let’s Move! are providing a great start here in Yonkers to hopefully spread across the nation.

Events that will get Cross County visitors moving and learning on September 17 include:

•   “Private lessons” with some of Yonkers dignitaries and the first ball of the day served.  A special donation will be pledged to Yonkers Partners in Education at this ceremony.
•   Our amazing sponsors for the event, with booths to visit and giveaways: Blink Fitness, Concordia College, and Yonkers Jazzercise.
•   On-court demos of 10 and Under Youth Tennis.  A pop-up Quickstart court will be provided at the mall by Sport Court.
•   Chances for all consumers (kids and adults) to show their stuff and great prizes while competing in target challenges and fastest serve competitions.
•   The first-ever Yonkers exercise “flash mob” and a tennis/sports fashion show.

Yonkers Tennis Center, a family-oriented indoor tennis club, has been part of the fabric of Yonkers for 40 years. The club offers world-class tennis instruction for players of all ages and levels of skill. YTC is also known for their sustainable “green” business practices and regular charitable contributions.

Cross County Shopping Center, opened in 1954 as one of the nation’s first open-air retail venues and is considered one of Westchester County’s retail landmarks. CCSC has recently been transformed into a modern, inviting plaza where shoppers and visitors will enjoy beautifully landscaped outdoor gardens, and fresh new retail offerings.


Media Contact:
Afshaun Naficy, Director of Public Relations
914.969.2900, afshaun@theonswitch.com



10 Reasons Why Tennis is Great for YOUR Kid

1.   It’s affordable and easy to play anywhere – little special equipment required.  And public courts abound!
   All kids need is a racket and tennis balls! These can cost less than $20 all-together! Public courts are free too!

2.   Tennis is an individual AND a team sport.  Kids learn both self-esteem AND fair play.
   Whether they’re playing in singles or in doubles, kids learn to respect teammates and opponents. Self –esteem boosts children’s athletic confidence and eagerness to participate!

3.   Kids stay healthy by burning fat and improving cardiovascular fitness.
   The share of obese children tripled in the last 30 years to 17 percent. Staying active by playing tennis can help shoot down these startling childhood obesity stats!

4.   Tennis can be played year-round
   As long as you’re dressed properly, tennis can be a year-round sport! Some public facilities even have indoor courts!

5.   Players always seem to make new friends.  Doubles anyone?
   Doubles is a great way to have fun playing with a partner! Vocalizing your position is key in a successful doubles game. Socializing before and after matches can’t hurt either!

6.   It’s a lifetime sport for boys or girls
   Players range from age three to age 100!  Boys and girls are equally involved and just recently, women’s tennis players were listed as some of the highest paid athletes!

7.   Tennis is a low-injury sport; no tackling or hitting involved
   In 2003, more than 3.5 million children under age 15 suffered a sports injury that required medical treatment -- about one attended injury for every 10 players. Many were the result of garden-variety mishaps: a base runner turning an ankle at second base or a field hockey goalie nicked by a point-blank shot. (SI.com)

8.   It’s a truly international sport.  Wherever your life takes you, you’ll meet a fellow tennis player.
   Tennis is enjoyed world-wide by professionals, recreational players, and spectators alike! There are even four Grand Slam tournaments celebrated in four major countries!

9.   Tennis is great exercise for the brain as it teaches you to solve problems
   Hand eye coordination and problem solving are key players in tennis! From penmanship to tying their shoelaces, improvement in hand eye coordination can only benefit children! Problem solving comes into play with each move they make! Tennis is truly a teaching moment!

10.     It’s FUN!
   Tennis has become a internationally popular sport to be played at any age and skill level without compromising its “fun factor.” In many surveys around the world its “The Most Popular Sport!”