by Jill Phipps, USPTA staff writer
Josiah Hatt, like many other members of the United States Professional Tennis Association, demonstrates "a personal responsibility to step up and give back" to the game.
As an independent teaching pro under contract with the city of Naples, Fla., Hatt started a public-parks tennis program for the youth in the underserved African-American community of Anthony Park. He did this about eight years ago after seeing how much the kids wanted follow-up lessons to the annual Tennis Across America clinics conducted by visiting pros.
And after years of negotiating with neighborhood basketball players for shared court time and advocating for separate facilities, Hatt has been instrumental in the construction of a newly completed tennis court - minus the basketball goal.
Hatt, the former co-director of the USTA Player Development program in Woodbridge, N.J., said he "has always been actively engaged in promoting greater minority participation in tennis."
"I'm trying to develop a model that can be used in any urban setting based upon my work here, Hatt said. "Everything we do is sport science based, and is always free for the children."
The HELP (Hey Everybody Let's Play) Junior Tennis Program at Anthony Park offers weekly group lessons to youngsters ages 6 to 16. It is funded by the Naples parks department under the auspices of the Community Services Advisory Board and the mayor.
However, Hatt does cover some expenses out of pocket, such as the apples he hands out every night. Some of the students come to lessons hungry because their parents are busy working two jobs, he said.
Hatt, the lone instructor for the program, conducts lessons twice a week, beginning at 5 p.m. (after the students receive help with their homework at the rec center). The boys and girls are scheduled on different nights to combat sibling rivalry and keep the guys from making fun of the girls as they work on their shots, the coach said. "I want an environment the girls can thrive in."
Hatt has three groups of boys and three groups of girls, with three to six per group. Ages 6 to 8 get a half hour, and ages 9 to 12 and 13 to 16 get an hour each week for their sessions, although ability is actually the first criteria and age is second. About 30 children are currently enrolled in the program, which receives a great deal of support from Mercedes Puente, park manager for River Park and Anthony Park.
The HELP lessons run nine months a year, with a break in the summer. The kids tend to go visit relatives or opt to take part in the summer tennis program at the city's 12-court Arthur Allen Tennis Center at Cambier Park, where Hatt also teaches part time.
Not only is the HELP program free, but each child who attends receives a new racquet. It's his or hers to keep and use for practice. "In addition, based on a Grand Prix point system modified from my work with James Annesi, sport psychologist and USPTA pro, the children earn points that go into an account so they average $1 per week," Hatt said.
"At the end of each session (six weeks), they can cash in, take some out, or roll it over, which is designed to both reward them for their efforts and to teach them basic banking skills."
But they also have responsibilities. Participants and their parents must sign an agreement to abide by the rules of behavior appropriate to participating in a USTA tournament.
Then as they progress in both decorum and shot-making skills they are given a free junior membership to the city's USTA-recognized tennis courts at Cambier, Hatt said.
Many of the children choose to serve as Hatt's assistants at Anthony Park. Some have been involved in the program for four or five years.
In turn, the coach accommodates students who are eager for private lessons. He also has attended their school activities, such as band concerts and field trips, because he wants to know what's going on in their lives. He even gave one youth Saturday guitar lessons.
One girl who came from Haiti at the age of 12, speaking only Creole, learned tennis, then assisted Hatt, and was mentored by program volunteers. This year she is at Stetson University in DeLand, Fla., and earned three As and one B her first semester, the coach said. "All the children know her story, so tennis has given me a vehicle to nurture their ability to hope."
Being a community bridge builder, Hatt recently met with the local police and is planning to start free lessons for them. "The goal is to have them play doubles with the children of Anthony Park so they can bond instead of being adversarial," he said.
Although this 55-year-old pro and holder of a degree in music is semi-retired and devoting more time to his rock band, he's emotionally invested in this tennis program that keeps on growing.
"I asked for one-quarter of my normal pay to keep it reasonable for the city," Hatt said. "If funding dried up I'd do it gratis because of what it's come to mean to the kids. I would never desert these kids; trust is everything with them. Besides, I've got my recording studio right here ... life is good."
