NEW YORK, NY, July 02, 2015 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Young hopefuls from across the tri-state area will be out in force at SPORTIME Randall's Island, the flagship location of the John McEnroe Tennis Academy, on Saturday, July 18, as SPORTIME/JMTA coaches seek to discover untapped tennis and athletic talent in "Finding the Next Mac."
The goal of both the Tryout and the Athletic Scouting Combine is to award full or partial scholarships to attend the John McEnroe Tennis Academy at the SPORTIME Randall's Island location in the fall of 2015. The event is a joint initiative of SPORTIME/JMTA and the Johnny Mac Tennis Project, a 501-C-3 charity, the mission of which is to support young players from the greater NYC area who are pursuing college scholarships and professional playing careers, and to elevate the sports' presence in under-resourced and under-serviced communities within the five boroughs through thousands of hours of free community tennis programs both at SPORTIME and at NYC Schools and Community Based Organizations.
Open solely to players with tennis experience, ages 6-16, the Tryout will begin at 9:30a.m, with check-in at 8:30a.m. Participants will be evaluated by a JMTA Selection Committee, consisting of JMTA directors, coaches and leaders. The Tryout will include tennis and athletic drills, as well as point/match play.
"Past tryouts at various SPORTIME locations have helped us find players and athletes with great potential" said JMTA Director Lawrence Kleger. "We all look forward to a great day of try-outs and to finding some amazing kids and future champions."
The Athletic Scouting Combine will be held separately, from 12:30 - 3:30pm. The Combine is open to kids, ages 5-10, with little or no tennis experience, but who currently excel in other sports and/or demonstrate an above-average athletic skill set. Participants will engage in a variety of physical tests and games, designed by JMTA coaches, to assess objective, measurable capacities such as speed, strength, agility and hand-eye coordination. Other factors such as attitude, concentration, energy and competitive spirit will be considered.
"The Combine is an opportunity for young athletes to be evaluated by John McEnroe Tennis Academy performance and tennis coaches for scholarship consideration. JMTA is looking for students and families who are ready to commit to pursuing tennis as a life-changing educational and career opportunity," stated JMTA Performance Director, Andrew Small.
Scholarship winners for both the Tryout and the Athletic Scouting Combine will be notified at a later date.
SPORTIME Randall's Island is located at 1 Randalls Island, in Randall's Island Park, Manhattan. For more information, parents of interested players/athletes can email [email protected] or visit http://www.JohnMcEnroeTennisAcademy.com. Registration closes on July 13 at 5 p.m. ET.
Proper athletic attire, including footwear, is required. Participants will have access to locker room and shower facilities. Water and Titan Tea , the official tea of the JMTA, will be available on court. Cafe and vending is available on-site. SPORTIME Randall's Island features a full-service pro shop, as well as professional stringing services. Registrants can visit http://www.jmta.com/scholarshipnyc for online registration or to print and submit via postal mail, online form or fax.
About SPORTIME
SPORTIME is proud to operate the finest tennis facilities in New York State, with over 160 indoor and outdoor courts at 13 clubs across Long Island, in NYC, in Westchester and in the NY Capital Region. SPORTIME's "fitness for real life" philosophy is reflected in clubs that are state-of-the-art, yet affordable, and that feature the best tennis facilities and programs, along with great gyms, camps and sports and fitness offerings. SPORTIME is proud to be the home of the John McEnroe Tennis Academy at Randall's Island since 2010, with JMTA Annexes at Syosset/Bethpage, Long Island, and Lake Isle, Eastchester, since 2012.
About The John McEnroe Tennis Academy
In September 2010, tennis legend John McEnroe and SPORTIME partnered to launch the John McEnroe Tennis Academy, in John's hometown of New York City, at the SPORTIME Randall's Island Tennis Center in Manhattan. SPORTIME Randall's Island is SPORTIME's flagship location, and the flagship location of the Academy. In September 2012, JMTA expanded its geographic reach to SPORTIME locations in Westchester and on Long Island: SPORTIME Lake Isle, an 8-court, state-of-the art, year-round facility in Eastchester, New York in lower Westchester; and SPORTIME Syosset in central Long Island, an 11-court indoor facility, that has long served as SPORTIME's high performance training center on Long Island. John's passion and belief is that great players can be developed in urban settings, while still having the opportunity to live at home, pursue their educational goals, and participate in a variety of sports and extracurricular activities. The Academy works to recruit the most talented and the most highly motivated young athletes in the New York Metropolitan area. Inspired by the vision and daily presence of Johnny Mac, under the guidance of JMTA Managing Director, Bennett Schlansky, JMTA Director, Lawrence Kleger, JMTA Performance Director, Andrew Small, JMTA mental toughness expert, Dr. Dom Lausic, and with a world-class staff of tennis, athletic training and performance directors and coaches, JMTA delivers a complete training program designed to assure the best possible outcome for serious players; whether that is junior tournament tennis, college tennis or beyond. JMTA's athletic training and performance is provided by SportsLab NYC, under the guidance of JMTA Performance Director Andrew Small. SportsLab NYC has an exemplary reputation for providing innovative, multi-faceted and high-caliber athletic development training models to international collegiate and professional sports organizations. Mental Toughness Training for JMTA is provided by Dr. Domagoj Lausic, Ph.D of The Hourglass Performance Institute. HPI provides mental performance services, including the use of state-of-the-art technology that teaches athletes to master their thoughts and emotions, so as to perform optimally under any and all circumstances.
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