Pittsburgh Inner City Junior Tennis Program Enriches Kids’ Lives

The Pittsburgh Inner City Junior Tennis Program offers children from the Greater Pittsburgh area the opportunity to learn tennis. Children ages 5-19 can be found at the Mellon Tennis Center in the winter months and Highland Park Community Tennis Courts in the summer months learning at free weekly clinics taught by nationally certified volunteer coaches. The program was created in 1974 and has seen many students pass through both the introductory and competitive levels. North Hills Monthly learned more about this nonprofit from board Chair Joe Washington.

In the summer, the Pittsburgh Inner City Junior Tennis Program practices at Highland Park.

North Hills Monthly (NHM): What is the mission of the Inner City Junior Tennis Program (ICJTP)?

Joe Washington (JW): The mission of the ICJTP is to enhance opportunities for inner-city and Greater Pittsburgh youth to realize thei

r full potential, develop essential life skills, and gain tennis competencies. The overarching goal is to work with potentially high-risk youth, offering them a powerful, positive alternative to negative community influences and environment through tennis and academic development.

NHM: Who can attend the ICJTP clinics?

JW: The clinics are open to inner-city and Greater Pittsburgh children between the ages of 5 and 19 (elementary through high school). The program strictly commits to developing all youth regardless of their economic status, which fosters socioeconomic and demographic diversity by bringing together children from various neighborhoods and backgrounds.

NHM: Who leads your program? Are they volunteers?

JW: The program is led by a dedicated, 100% volunteer-driven team of nationally certified tennis professionals and strong players/instructors who are United States Tennis Association (USTA) Safe Play approved.

The Leadership Team includes myself — Joe Washington (president and executive director), Richard Parks (vice president), Frederick Crawford (secretary), and Aaron Washington (treasurer).

The Board of Directors includes myself — Joe Washington (chair), Frederick Crawford, Martha Hall, Rachael Link, Daryl Mendenhall, Richard Parks, Eric Ruka, Aaron Washington, and recently appointed Michael Fine.

The program relies heavily on a lean infrastructure of six core volunteer instructors. To build scalability and transition into a formal National Junior Tennis and Learning (NJTL) chapter, long-term operational plans include budgeting for formalized instructor stipends and transitioning to paid executive/program director positions.

Kids from all over Pittsburgh come to the Mellon Bubble to play tennis.

NHM: Tell us about the two levels of the ICJTP?

JW: The ICJTP utilizes a dual-track program model:

The Introductory Track: Operates year-round and focuses on teaching core tennis fundamentals to players ranging from absolute beginners to advanced, noncompetitive participants.

The Competitive Track: Also operates year-round and focuses on providing informal support to student-athletes who show deep commitment and play for high schools, in local junior tournaments, or in USTA-sanctioned events.

The program intends to expand the competitive track by securing funding to provide formal financial sponsorships and awards, private in-house coaching, national tennis camp opportunities, apparel allowances, and travel funds.

NHM: Where and when do the clinics take place?

JW: The schedule runs throughout the calendar year across two primary locations:

Fall and winter sessions (October-April) are held on Friday evenings at the Mellon Park Tennis Center (Mellon Bubble). Beginner and intermediate players practice from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., and advanced players practice from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Summer sessions (June-August) are held on Saturday afternoons at the Highland Park Stanton Avenue Courts. Beginner and intermediate levels practice from 4 p.m. to 4:55 p.m., and the advanced players practice from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

PICJTP welcomes kids of all ages.

NHM: What are the program’s long-term goals for both the participants and for the future of tennis in the Greater Pittsburgh area?

JW: There are multiple goals that are important for the ICJTP.

For Participants: To ensure weekly, ”best-in-class” instruction that builds USTA and high school players, while emphasizing academic excellence (monitored through open dialogue and character mentorship).

For Pittsburgh Tennis (Strategic Shifts): The program is actively undergoing a multiyear transition to achieve formal NJTL status. This includes a commitment to be more intentional about making sure we are building partnerships with CitiParks recreation centers and local school districts for kids at risk. The goal is to aggressively combat regional ”tennis deserts,” expanding capacity to heavily under-resourced youth.

NHM: How is the Inner City Junior Tennis Program funded? Who are some of your sponsors? Are you a registered 501(c)(3)?

JW: Yes, ICJTP is a fully registered, 501(c)(3), tax-exempt nonprofit organization.

We are historically funded through a loyal base of private donors, and the program operates on a lean base budget. It has successfully raised its capital profile by securing additional grants from the USTA and other private donors. Along with the USTA, Pittsburgh CitiParks has been a significant sponsor, allowing us to use court time for our fall/winter and summer programming.

Future funding targets include expanded corporate partnerships alongside USTA Foundation funding expected through the pending NJTL network application.

NHM: Tell us about the Willa Bentley Junior Tennis Talent Showcase.

JW: The showcase is a dual opportunity allowing aspiring junior tennis players to showcase their talent while acting as the organization’s annual fundraising event. The event is named in honor of Willa Bentley, a legendary pioneer in Pittsburgh’s African American tennis community who founded the ICJTP in 1974 to give inner-city kids equal access to equipment, coaching and court time. After a 10-year hiatus due to resource constraints, the board officially voted to revive the showcase. This year it will be held on Sunday, Aug. 16. It features multilevel sponsorship opportunities ($100 to $2,500 levels) and a digital ad book to generate critical general operating funds.

NHM: Talk a bit about some of your individual successes. Have past participants played high school and college tennis?

JW: Yes. ICJTP has a celebrated history of producing City of Pittsburgh High School, WPIAL and state champions. A point of immense pride for the program is its ”circle of giving” — many accomplished junior players return to the courts as adults to serve as volunteer instructors for the next generation. Past student-athletes have translated the support of ICJTP coaches into academic and athletic success, moving on to achieve career goals and attending premier institutions such as Harvard, MIT, Brown, UPenn, Cornell, Wake Forest, the Naval Academy, West Point and Howard.

NHM: How can our readers follow your organization on social media?

JW: Readers can stay up-to-date by checking the official website at icjtp.org or by following the Inner-City Junior Tennis Program page on Facebook, where community updates, events (like the USTA Friday Nite Live initiatives), and scheduling notices are shared.

NHM: How can your readers financially and/or physically support ICJTP?

JW: If you’d like to be a sponsor or contribute to our organization, you can go to our website at icjtp.org to give online. If you are a teaching instructor or professional and would like to donate your time and talents, please send an email to icjtptennis@gmail.com. Or, if you are interested in providing mentorship/guidance into college scholastics or athletics or a trade profession, please send an email to the address above.