Three Yonkers Public Schools are learning the game of tennis thanks to a recent grant from the United States Tennis Association and support from Yonkers Tennis Center.
Over 300 students at the Martin Luther King Jr. Academy, The Boyce Thompson School, and Museum 25, receive tennis lessons through a community service project called the Coach Pat Project.
The Coach Pat Project is named after longtime YTC tennis coach, Pat Rogers who passed away last year of esophageal cancer.
“This project is really giving back to the community and providing kids with an opportunity of a lifetime. When you see that light in their eyes and how excited they get when they hit the ball for the first time and it finally clicks for them, that feeling is breathtaking,” said Coach Alexa Goldberg, who has been the primary coach on the project. She recently graduated from Skidmore College with a degree in early childhood education. "Alexa was a perfect fit for this with her education background and her love of tennis. She also had the experience of learning tennis from Coach Pat" said Joe Curto, YTC President. "This project is a great way for us to continue to give more kids the opportunity to learn how to play tennis, along with honoring Coach Pat and keeping his legacy alive," added Thane Schweyer, Asst. General Manager, of YTC.
Each week Alexa, Chris Rogers, Coach Pat's widow, Nicole Cummings, along with several other coaches head to the Yonkers Schools to teach tennis to students. We can't wait to see what the future holds for this project as it can only get better!
Below is a pice from Fios News about the Coach Pat Project!
http://fios1news.com/news/lower-hudson-valley/grant-allows-yonkers-students-to-take-a-swing-at-tennis/page/52/