The USTA Foundation NJTL Essay Contest application launched on March 24, 2021. NJTL student participants are invited to write their essay answering the following question:
Robert Ryland was an accomplished tennis player and coach. He was known for seeing the possibilities in those he coached and within himself. Mr. Ryland was the first African-American professional tennis player and the first African-American to play in the NCAA National Championships.
What facts about his story inspire you to break boundaries and excel in
school, sports, and to follow your dreams? What are your possibilities?
Attached below are the materials to help NJTL chapters promote this special opportunity for NJTL youth. Each NJTL chapter is encouraged to set a local deadline for its Essay Contest entries, and to include that on the customizable poster provided.
For 2021, we have put together helpful tools for administering the 2021 NJTL Essay Contest to your organization's youth participants. That document, downloadable
here and below, contains the following:
- Full submission instructions
- Additional Resources that includes a supplementary video and articles on Mr. Ryland. The aforementioned brief video about Mr. Ryland's life can also be viewed here.
- Discussion points and questions to ask on both Mr. Ryland and the NCAA to help with your youth's content and structure of their essays.
*NJTL Chapters are subject to the terms and conditions of the 2021 USTA Foundation NJTL Essay Contest.