About Us

Arthur Ashe founded the National Junior Tennis League (NJTL) in 1969 "as a way to gain and hold the attention of young people in the inner cities and other poor environments so that we can teach them about matters more important than tennis….Through tennis, lives can be changed and spirits reclaimed." Barbara Wynne started a youth tennis program at Riverside Park the same year, and just four years later, she officially formed an NJTL chapter in Indianapolis.

The National Junior Tennis League of Indianapolis serves over 1,600 children in Marion County every year by offering low-cost tennis lessons at over 25 parks, schools, and racquet clubs. NJTL has offered instruction to more than 42,500 children over the past 36 years.

The actual cost to NJTL for each child enrolled in a class averages $120, but NJTL registration fees are much less. Scholarships are available to those who cannot afford to pay the fees. NJTL never turns any child away due to financial circumstances. Over one-half of all participants play for a fee of $15 or less.

NJTL makes summer vacations memorable for young people by not only offering low-cost tennis instruction, but also by teaching youth life skills — being respectful, giving your personal best, showing integrity, practicing safety, working hard in school, and saying "no" to drugs, alcohol, and tobacco — through the sport of tennis.

NJTL is not only a tennis program. NJTL has expanded its operations and gives children assistance with their entry into the Arthur Ashe National Essay and Art Contest and encourages youth to participate in a summer reading contest. Through a partnership with the American Heart Association, NJTL youth participate in the "Go Healthy Challenge" and learn the value of healthy, active lifestyles.