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After
School Tennis News Thanks to the dedication, time and efforts of our wonderful After School Tennis instructors and volunteers, Youth Tennis San Diego is proudly celebrating our 20th year of the After School Tennis Program. Over 115,000 children have participated in the AST Program since it began in 1989. Today we offer this program at over 100 schools and park and recreation sites throughout San Diego County. More than 90 percent of the children involved in the program are on a scholarship provided by YTSD; equipment and even clothing are furnished free of charge. Through the past 20 years the AST Program has encouraged youth participation, personal integrity, leadership and competitive spirit in a friendly environment helping to build responsible citizens. YTSD is proud of our success and thankful for everyone who has helped create such a wonderful program. Sign up for AST Tennis & Education at the Barnes Tennis Center. Youngsters split their time between the library and the tennis court. The library portion gives children the opportunity to get help with their homework, as well as providing students with a quiet work area and books for reading. (Classes available for grades 1-5 and 5 - 8) "Star AST Schools""Star Schools" are nominated based on students display of participation, personal integrity, leadership and a competitive spirit in a friendly environment. September 2011 San Ysidro Recreation Center
Instructor: Alberto Le Duc, AST Instructor since 1991
Quotes from the students: "I like tennis because it is fun and I play with my brother." -Pablo, age 9
"I love tennis because its fun, you get healthy and its exciting." -Alia, age 8
August 2011 Crawford High School
Instructor: John Betlejewski, AST Instructor since February 2011
What is your favorite thing about teaching AST? "I really enjoy being out amongst the kids and sharing my knowledge of tennis with them."
What makes you smile on or off the court? "When I see the look of joy on a student's face the moment he or she realizes they CAN play the game of tennis and it's fun!"
"My goal when I became an AST instructor was to help kids by sharing my knowledge of tennis with them. I wanted to give back. What I didn't realize was how much joy and fulfillment I'd be receiving myself from teaching and coaching these young people."
Quotes from the students:
"Life spend playing tennis is a life full of fun!" -Joey, 10th grade
"I like tennis because of the skill required and the mental focus needed for it." -Daaay, 10th grade
"Tennis is my motivator and it helps me burn my energy." -Long, 11th grade
June 2011 Sunset View Elementary
Instructor: Winston Strozier, AST Instructor since 2009 Locations: Sunset View Elementary, Rosa Parks Elementary, Urban Village Recreation Center, Memorial Middle School
What is your favorite thing about teaching AST? "Teaching the kids and basically seeing them enjoy the game of tennis."
What makes you smile on or off the court? "Seeing others enjoy the game as much as I do."
"AST is providing the venue for kids to learn the game of tennis as well as other social skills. It is a game for life!! A game for all ages!"
Quotes from the students:
"I like tennis because it is fun." -Ian, 6 years old
"I like tennis because it is healthy." -James, 8 years old
January 2011 Riverview Elementary School
Instructor: John Lelevier, AST Instructor since 2010
Every Wednesday you can find twenty five K-2nd graders having a blast with racquets in hand at Riverview Elementary. Instructor John Lelevier uses portable tennis nets and a bucket full of foam balls to teach the youngsters the love of the game. With volunteer help from a few Santana High students, Mr. Lelevier get the kids rotating around the blacktop area participating in a variety of tennis drills and games. With balls flying and smiles beaming, it is obvious to see the kids are enjoying their time. One student said it best when he yelled out, "Tennis is better than candy!"
December 2010 Tierra Del Sol Middle School
Instructor: Lisa Neely, AST Instructor since 2002
"We have been plugging along with an average attendance per session of 11 players for the last 7 years. I love exposing tennis to a community of students that otherwise would not have an opportunity to play and watching them grow into their skills and even go on to play at the high school level."
"We enjoy playing our music loud outside and dancing around the courts while playing 'Catch It' or 'Roll Out'."
"Thank you, Lindsey Vosburgh and YTSD After School Tennis, for allowing me the opportunity to spread the joy of tennis to our Lakeside Middle Schoolers." November 2010 Las Palmas Park in
National City Instructor: Jorge Oliver Torres, AST Instructor since 2008
Youth Tennis San Diego would like to give a special thanks to the City of National City for their generous support of the After School Tennis Program held at Las Palmas Park. Because of their generosity, YTSD is able to offer a low cost After School Tennis program to the children in the National City area. Lessons are provided to children of all ages and all levels of play for only $6 per six-week session.
We kindly thank National City and all of our supporters for allowing us to impart the valuable life skills and experiences which tennis offers, replacing discouragement with dreams and apathy with achievement.
Quotes from the students:
"I love tennis because it makes you run a lot and you can get very strong." -Jason, 10 years old
"I like tennis because Coach Jorge makes it fun!" -Carolina, 10 years old
"I like Tennis because I am good at it." -Ilse, 10 years old
"I like to play tennis because Coach Jorge is a good coach and he is teaching us a lot of new things." -Xavier, 10 years old
October 2010 After School Tennis & Education Program Held at the Barnes Tennis Center This is a fun way for children to learn the basic fundamentals of tennis and keep up with their homework. The youngsters slip their time between the library and the tennis court. The tennis portion of the program consists of students learning the game, performing drills, and understanding the benefits of physical fitness. The library portion gives children the opportunity to get help with their homework, as well as providing students with a quiet area and books for reading. Instructor: Tina Benedict AST Instructor since 2009
Instructor: Ivy Chester AST Instructor since 2010
Location: Barnes Tennis Center
Conversation with Tina Benedict: What is your favorite thing about teaching AST? "Let's see...I think my favorite thing about teaching AST is working with the kids of different backgrounds and seeing their enthusiasm to learn and really just be active. And, they are very encouraging with each other as well. Whether they continue with tennis or not, I feel a sense of satisfaction that we've provided a place where they can be with peers and just be a kid." -Tina Benedict, 2010
What makes you smile on or off the court? "Some of the personalities are so cute. Like when they can't wait to tell you about the Valentines cards they bought, or that one little guy has a girlfriend...Another reason to smile when someone hs a breakthrough and they can finally make contact with the ball. Or the first time they can rally with you, they really feel like a tennis player. It's fun to see their excitement." -Tina Benedict
Conversation with Ivy Chester: What is your favorite thing about teaching AST? "My favorite thing about teaching ASR is that I know that the kids in the program are having so much fun, as well as learning to play a sport that is so good for your health as well as something that you can play at any age. I also have just as much fun as the kids do!" -Ivy Chester, 2010
What makes you smile on or off the court? "When I see the kids using good sportsmanship; being a player myself I think that it is one of the most important things to have, so when I see kids really working as a tem, cheering each other on, working together and having good sportsmanship after games it's really great to see." -Ivy Chester
September 2010 Diegueno Middle School and Oak Crest Middle School Instructor: Steve Mallory, AST Instructor since 2004
Conversation with Steve Mallory: What is your favorite thing about teaching AST? "The constant surprise of how much I learn from the kids!"
What makes you smile on or off the court? "Seeing the smiles on all those little faces. It's a wonderful honor to be able to serve as a positive role model for the kids, and to be able to provide a positive impact in their lives. So, thank you AST!"
Quotes from the students: "Tennis is more than a sport; it's a way of life. It's hard to quit life!!!" -Cameron, 14 years
"Tennis is really fun, there are a lot of great people and anyone can play it." -Alex, 12 years
August 2010 Las Palmas Elementary, National City School District Instructors: Jorge Torres, Raymond Tabuena, and Santiago Jaquez
February 2010, Youth Tennis San Diego partnered with Angel Lopez to bring the love of tennis to Las Palmas Elementary School in National City. Angel and six other tennis professionals presented tennis to over 300 children during a school assembly. The interactive assembly introduces the sport of tennis to the youngsters and helped promote our After School Tennis Program currently being offered at the school. Thanks to Angel Lopez and many other generous sponsors, YTSD was able to provide Las Palmas Elementary with a fully paid scholarship for our AST Program. Students at the school are offered our program free of charge. Over 100 students participated in the program this year, and YTSD will continue to scholarship the school throughout the 2010-2011 school year.
Quotes from the students: "I am very thankful for you sending your coaches to our school. They have taught me lots about tennis. It has been a great experience playing tennis, thank you." -Alan Q.
"Thank you for letting us play tennis and telling us that we can do it!" -Eduardo
"I like tennis because I have never been in something so fun. I like my coach and I want to thank Angel Lopez for letting us play for free, thank you." -Eddie
"Thank you for bringing tennis to our school. I love tennis because it makes you run and you have a lot of fun!" -Milthon
July 2010 Pacific Beach Elementary Instructor: Kim Thompson AST Instructor since 2008 Current Location: Pacific Beach Elementary (previously taught at Urban Village)
"I enjoy teaching for AST because it gives me a chance to expose many children to the game of tennis for the first time. I love to see their enthusiasm and enjoyment of the game. I also enjoy watching their sense of accomplishment as they gain mastery over new skills. I have always really enjoyed kids and that is why I pursued my Masters in social work and specialized in children's mental health. I feel that YTSD provides children from all different backgrounds an avenue to increase their self esteem, develop their ability to work as a team and to teach sportsmanship. I feel that these skills are transferable to other areas of their lives and that they will increase the student's likelihood of success in a variety of arenas." Kim Thompson
Quotes from the students: "I love tennis because I love Mrs. Kim." -Daniela, age 7
"I like playing tennis because of the extra practice and awesome exercise!" -Ashley
"I like hitting the balls because they go fast." -Arry, age 8
June 2010 Nye Elementary
Instructor: James N. Irby AST Instructor since July 2000 Current Location: Nye Elementary
"I've been teaching AST at Nye Elementary for about 9 years. Nye was recently named Distinguished School for the 2010-2011 school year, a great honor. I took over the AST program from Frank Lucero when he moved to another site to teach." - James N. Irby
What makes you smile on and off the court? "Watching the students grow up into caring teenagers makes me smile. And occasionally seeing them on local high school tennis teams in the area is a real kick. I try to make some matches if my schedule permits." - James N. Irby
Quotes from the students: "I started tennis because I admire Mr. Irby and my Dad. Also, it is fun!" -Charyna, age 9
"I love tennis because it is so cool and it is good for your health. It involves sportsmanship that you need to be nice and good-hearted. It's fun to hit the tennis ball back to the other person and maybe you lose or win, but it's all about the sportsmanship." -Kyle, age 10
January 2010 Rosa Parks Elementary School
Instructor: Santiago Jaquez AST Instructor since July 2007 Locations: Rosa Parks Elementary, Urban Village Recreation Center (City Heights)
"The AST Program has given me the opportunity to tell the children from UVRC my goal. I have said to them, I am going to work for edification, pleasure and differentiation because I don't want to be one of the people Voltaire talks about in his book, The Princess of Babylon. Here he says, 'Decadence was brought about by doing work too easily and being too lazy to do it well.'."
What makes you smile on and off the court? "This usually happens when I see that some players are not making any effort to get to the tennis ball. At this moment I say 'this is not a walking game, this is a running game! If I see somebody not moving his feet, everybody will run two hundred laps!' After that is said, everybody not only gets to the ball, but everybody begins to put the ball over the net as well. And that makes me laugh." -Santiago Jaquez Quotes from the students: "I love to be with Coach Santiago because he is so nice and he wants to learn more with us. Coach Santiago is also respectful with us. Santiago is so nice." -Stephanie, age 9
"I love tennis because Coach Santiago helps you get better in tennis. Thank you Coach Santiago." -Kelly, age 9
"I love tennis because I like hitting the balls and getting them over the net." -Jazmin
History in the Making: First-hand news on previous AST Players and where they are today: Jason Voss and Chris Proctor participated in AST at Oak Grove in Jamul, then volunteered at Hillsdale High School and assisted AST Coach Judy Inskeep. Read this story to see where they are now.
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