The 2025 Lenny Simpson NJTL Leadership Camp brought together twenty-seven aspiring young leaders from across USTA Southern for a memorable four-day experience centered around purpose, education, and tennis. Funded by the Southern Tennis Foundation, the camp was designed to promote character development and leadership in youth from under-resourced communities, using tennis as a catalyst for growth.
Held in Louisville, Ky., the camp began with a warm welcome and dorm check-in at the University of Louisville. Campers visited the Muhammad Ali Center to explore the legacy of one of history’s most influential athletes and humanitarians, a powerful way to kick off a program rooted in self-belief, respect, and service. That evening, participants engaged in high-energy team-building activities and played Red Ball Tennis at the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts. The session was led by USTA Southern Director, Community Tennis Andrew Feldman, who guided campers through leadership-focused games and challenges designed to build trust, collaboration, and communication.
Day 2 brought campers to the Kentucky Horse Park, where they attended the Hall of Champions and Parade of Breeds shows, learning about the cultural and historical impact of Kentucky’s equestrian traditions. In the afternoon, they returned to the courts at Central Park for tennis drills and friendly competition. Campers were surprised and inspired by a challenge from USTA Southern Treasurer John Herring and his daughter, Kennedy, the current USTA Father Daughter national champions, who effectively demonstrated the benefits of teamwork, focus and determination.
The final two days of the camp were filled with celebration, reflection, and meaningful competition. Campers participated in the Charles Crawford Juneteenth Annual Tennis Tournament at Petersburg Park, toured the University of Louisville, and engaged in the Juneteenth Heritage Quiz Bowl, an educational team competition where Team Gray came out on top and earned the overall team title for the camp.
Two campers, Julius Brown Jr., of A’s & Aces NTJL, New Orleans, and Hadassah Dorius, of James Lewis NTJL, Birmingham, Ala., were honored with sportsmanship awards and received new racquets. They also received a signed copy of the autobiography Lenny Simpson: In the Shadow of Tennis Legends for exemplifying the values and spirit of the camp. Participants also had the opportunity to take part in a PTR assistant coach workshop led by Frank Adams, a PTR International Master Tennis Professional, Black Tennis Hall of Famer and former NJTL member.
The Southern Tennis Foundation is proud to support the Lenny Simpson NJTL Leadership Camp as part of its mission to create, support and promote life-changing opportunities through tennis, education, and wellness. A heartfelt thank you goes out to the volunteers, chaperones, coaches, and players who made the 2025 camp an unforgettable experience.
Special thanks to USTA Kentucky for their outstanding support in helping make this camp a success. We are especially grateful to the USTA Kentucky staff: Maddie Henning, Senior Manager, Marketing and Community Engagement; Leslie Strahl, Manager, Administration and Events; LJ Allara, Manager, Adult and Junior Tennis, and Jason Miller, Ph.D., Executive Director.
We also thank members of the USTA Kentucky Board, including RC Scheinler, Board President; Sonya Harward, Vice President; and Leony Barroso, Immediate Past President. Additional thanks go to Christy Herring, Executive Director, Bluegrass Tennis Association, Bruce Stone and Charles Crawford of Rising Stars of Kentucky NJTL, Dr. Aretha Fuqua of the West Louisville Tennis Club, Luz Orbaiz, Courtney Ray, and Brad Knapp of Louisville Tourism, and the USTA Foundation for their valuable support.
