John McEnroe”™s philosophy for training future tennis champions isn”™t what you might think.
Kids don”™t have to leave their homes and families and move into an academy where they”™ll do nothing but play tennis. They should have outside interests and even be involved in other sports.
“The big thing with John is at every other academy you have to come down to Florida, leave your family, play tennis six hours a day, get rid of every other interest in life and hope you”™ll be the one-in-a-billion player who ends up ranked high on the pro tour,” said Lawrence Kleger, who will be the John McEnroe Tennis Academy”™s new director of tennis. “He wants kids to have other interests, he thinks that makes them well-rounded ”“ better people, better citizens. He even encourages kids under age 10 to be involved in other sports even if tennis is their major sport.”
McEnroe started his tennis academy in 2010 at Sportime on Randalls Island. Its aim is to train top junior players for pro careers. There is also a facility in Bethpage on Long Island, and in September the academy will expand to Westchester, at the Lake Isle Country Club in Eastchester.
Kleger, a veteran coach of junior players, has been the executive director of tennis at Sportime Clubs since 1998, and an assistant academy director for McEnroe”™s school since September 2011.
Sportime Lake Isle will have an eight-court facility with synthetic clay indoor courts covered by three bubbles. There will also be a 5,000-square-foot clubhouse. Kleger said McEnroe”™s academy will use four of the eight courts.
“The sessions will run for the indoor season, from September through the end of May or early June. There will probably be about 100 students, ages 10 to 18,” Kleger said. The 32-week program costs $4,200. Private lessons are also available.
Kleger said McEnroe will spend most of his time at Randalls Island, but be a “significant presence” at the other locations. “He also personally interviews every staff member and gives his okay to every hire.”
Randalls Island has the largest facility with 34 teachers. Eastchester will have seven to 10. The coaches are from all over the world. They were players who had been ranked in the top 35 at one point. The Eastchester facility, which will cost $6 million to build, was started in January and is set to be finished by September.
“We select students based on their ability, coachability, attitude and effort,” Kleger said. Some have already achieved success. “One player on Randalls is 16. He”™s from Long Island; Noah Rubin. He”™s been ranked as high as 14th among people 18 and under. He made the quarters of the French Open juniors.”
Kleger has coached Rubin since age 7. Another, he said, is from Westchester, 17-year old Jamie Loeb of Ossining, who also trains on Randalls Island.
“She just won a Futures tournament in Buffalo and cracked the top 1,000 in her WTA ranking.” Futures tournaments give players a chance to improve their rankings.
When asked what McEnroe is like as a teacher of young players, Kleger said, “You”™d be surprised to see how patient he is, he knows just what to say and how to say it to kids. He”™s very inspiring.”
