My Nonprofit Reviews
renellehui
Review for National Junior Tennis League of Indianapolis Inc, Indianapolis, IN, USA
I have the pleasure to work with NJTL of Indianapolis for another summer of tennis! This past winter of 2011, I taught anything from 5 year olds through 18 year olds. My experience was great! I worked with other talented instructors with both high school and collegiate tennis experience. We taught and reinforced fundamentals, strategies and concepts of the game while also implementing life skills and healthy living instruction. Parents enjoy the low cost of our program as well as instructors who genuinely care about their children. While our program is not as strong as others in terms of developing ranked tennis athletes, I do believe our program has the best mission of all of them... and we are beginning to form a stronger advanced program with athletes now emerging to play competitive varsity high school tennis. I am a proud instructor for Indy NJTL. My life-changing story has been a girl I taught my first summer in 2005 who is now playing for her high school team -- varsity 2 singles.
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I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
Watching children I taught their 4th and 5th grade years go on to play in high school... as well as proudly watching them grow into fine teenagers who are already giving back to their communities!
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
Help them organize and fund an after-school program for inner-city youth interested in tennis. In Indianapolis, I would like to see these specific high schools get stronger with the help of NJTL: Manaul, Arsenal Tech, Broad Ripple, Arlington and Beech Grove.
Would you volunteer for this group again?
Definitely
For the time you spent, how much of an impact did you feel your work or activity had?
Life-changing
Did the organization use your time wisely?
Very Well
Would you recommend this group to a friend?
Definitely
When was your last experience with this nonprofit?
2012
What one change could this group make that would improve your volunteer experience?
None at this time.
Did your volunteer experience have an effect on you? (teaching you a new skill, or introducing new friends, etc.)
I have several close ties to those I have worked with at NJTL. The instructors from 2006-2009 are very close and still keep in touch with each other. We went to colleges in at least 3 or 4 different states yet still keep in contact and report to each other on how our former students are doing. It's amazing. Some of us played in college, some of us did not -- what has brought us all together has been our love of the game and passion for introducing the game to others... Moreso, the people behind the scenes working in the office (2008-2012) namely Nancy, Steve, Julie, Mandy, Kristen and Vonda -- have made incredible and indispensable impacts on this organization. They have worked together and provide support for one another. They're great people to work with and I wouldn't have it any other way.
How did this volunteer experience make you feel?
No words for how this organization changed my life... It's been amazing.
Review for National Junior Tennis League of Indianapolis Inc, Indianapolis, IN, USA
I worked for NJTL the summers of 2005-2009. Because of NJTL, I was able to teach very affordable instructional tennis to youth of the inner city ages 6-18. The most striking memory I have of these summers is spending time with kids who were often in daycare programs... some of them up to 12 hours a day... I vividly remember Friday match days in which I typically would pick up children from their daycares and/or homes so that they were able to gain more experience in match play. I witnessed numerous instances in which kids felt success (like rallying over the net more each week), persevered (in hard matches), sensed community (as kids cheered for each other in the end of summer tournament), and were cared for (in the hugs and high fives from instructors).
Our teaching staff learned to bond together and create friendly competition among participants from all sides of the city by tye-dying tshirts, having park picnics with water balloons, using sidewalk chalk to create enthusiasm and chants to boost team pride.
This program is about much more than just tennis. NJTL strives to provide a safe environment that fulfills its founder, Arthur Ashe's, legacy of using the sport as a way to, "teach [young people] about matters more important than tennis."
More Feedback
I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...
witnessing the physical, mental and emotion growth of participants over the years... I still keep in touch with one of the kids I taught my first summer. I also have had a great experience because of the executive director, Nancy Carr, who not only works hard for the benefit of the organization but for her staff. We all love her.
If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...
give them a bigger office space. It gets really crowded, especially with all the volunteers who come in to stuff envelopes, fold the papers for fliers, enter data and lend hands for whatever needs to be done. I'd also like to ensure that the program has enough funding to continue offering lessons to youth who file for scholarships.
