A's & Aces Academy
A’s & Aces provides a comprehensive pathway for youth tennis players—from early exposure to competitive play and elite-level development. Two key programs in this pathway are Tournament Training and the Excellence Team, each with distinct goals, expectations, and opportunities.
🎾 Tournament Training Program
Competitive Development for Aspiring Tournament Players
Our Tournament Training Program supports players who are actively competing or preparing to compete in USTA-sanctioned tournaments. This program builds technical skill, match play experience, and tournament-readiness through structured, year-round training opportunities.
Who:
Committed players of all ball levels (Orange, Green, Yellow) interested in tournament competition.
What:
To develop strong, tournament-ready players and provide them with the tools to succeed competitively and academically.
Player Expectations:
🏆 Excellence Team
Elite Training for Our Most Dedicated and High-Potential Athletes
The Excellence Team is a selective, invitation-based program for student-athletes who demonstrate exceptional dedication, skill, and leadership potential. These players are expected to train year-round, compete at a high level, and serve as ambassadors for A’s & Aces on and off the court.
Who:
Orange, Green, and Yellow Ball players competing in a minimum of:
To cultivate student-athletes who excel in tennis, academics, and character, and prepare them for collegiate or professional pathways.
Excellence Team Expectations:
📜 Program Origins
A’s & Aces’ high-performance programming began in 2014 with the Dream Team, funded by the DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation. In 2015, the Saturday Tournament Clinics and a dedicated Summer Training Camp site further strengthened the development pipeline. Over time, these efforts evolved into today’s two-tiered structure: a broad Tournament Training Program and the more elite Excellence Team.
🎾 Tournament Training Program
Competitive Development for Aspiring Tournament Players
Our Tournament Training Program supports players who are actively competing or preparing to compete in USTA-sanctioned tournaments. This program builds technical skill, match play experience, and tournament-readiness through structured, year-round training opportunities.
Who:
Committed players of all ball levels (Orange, Green, Yellow) interested in tournament competition.
What:
- Saturday Tournament Training Clinics (fall–spring)
- After-School Training (August–May) at Joe W. Brown Tennis Center
- USTA Sanctioned Tournaments hosted locally
- Summer Training Camp Track focused on tournament preparation
To develop strong, tournament-ready players and provide them with the tools to succeed competitively and academically.
Player Expectations:
- Commitment to consistent training and tournament participation
- Sportsmanship and teamwork
- Academic accountability and personal responsibility
🏆 Excellence Team
Elite Training for Our Most Dedicated and High-Potential Athletes
The Excellence Team is a selective, invitation-based program for student-athletes who demonstrate exceptional dedication, skill, and leadership potential. These players are expected to train year-round, compete at a high level, and serve as ambassadors for A’s & Aces on and off the court.
Who:
Orange, Green, and Yellow Ball players competing in a minimum of:
- 8+ USTA tournaments/year (for 10&U players)
- 10+ tournaments/year (for 12&U and older players)
- High-Performance Summer Academy (8 weeks, June–July)
- After-School & Saturday Training throughout the academic year
- Individual & Group Coaching, drills, match play, and tournament planning
- Scholarship & Leadership Opportunities
- Career Development: Coaching support, job training, academic mentorship
To cultivate student-athletes who excel in tennis, academics, and character, and prepare them for collegiate or professional pathways.
Excellence Team Expectations:
- Regular attendance at practices and tournaments
- Academic commitment and leadership in the community
- Upholding core values: perseverance, humility, service, and excellence
- Participation is supported regardless of financial means
📜 Program Origins
A’s & Aces’ high-performance programming began in 2014 with the Dream Team, funded by the DICK’S Sporting Goods Foundation. In 2015, the Saturday Tournament Clinics and a dedicated Summer Training Camp site further strengthened the development pipeline. Over time, these efforts evolved into today’s two-tiered structure: a broad Tournament Training Program and the more elite Excellence Team.
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A’s & Aces Book Distributions
Thanks to First Book and First Book Greater New Orleans, regular book distributions are part of our programming. Children receive age-appropriate books to take home to build their home libraries.
Thanks to First Book and First Book Greater New Orleans, regular book distributions are part of our programming. Children receive age-appropriate books to take home to build their home libraries.
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A's & Aces College Experiences A's & Aces has conducted After-school and Summer Camp programming at Dillard University for many years. Summer Camps have also been held at the University of New Orleans, and field trips have been taken to Tulane University so that our student-athletes can experience various college environments. |
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A's & Aces Service Learning Projects
A’s & Aces scholars participate in various service projects, including writing thank you cards to our veterans, picking up trash at Dillard University, or organizing a Lemonade Day for A’s & Aces.
Teaching empathy and ways to express gratitude are part of our curricula.
A’s & Aces scholars participate in various service projects, including writing thank you cards to our veterans, picking up trash at Dillard University, or organizing a Lemonade Day for A’s & Aces.
Teaching empathy and ways to express gratitude are part of our curricula.
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Middle School Tennis Teams
Since the spring of 2012, A’ & Aces has managed and coached the Edward Hynes Charter School middle school tennis team. Competition includes dual matches against other school teams in the New Orleans area and culminates with the Metro League Championship. |
St. Philip Neri vs. Hynes - Middle School dual match
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Teaching Job Skills
The JCIT program requires familiarity with the normal activities that participants engage in, and thus requires at least one summer of prior attendance at an A’s & Aces Literacy & Tennis Summer Camp as a participant (or similar experience) prior to becoming a JCIT.
- Junior Counselor in Training Program (JCIT)
The JCIT program requires familiarity with the normal activities that participants engage in, and thus requires at least one summer of prior attendance at an A’s & Aces Literacy & Tennis Summer Camp as a participant (or similar experience) prior to becoming a JCIT.
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Because of our unique nature as a sport-specialty camp within the framework of a traditional camp, our counselors need to have skills in two distinct areas: camp duties and tennis coaching. The JCIT program was established to teach counselor skills, while also providing an opportunity for participants to continue developing their own tennis skills and prepare for high school tennis and USTA competition.
Applications to this program will next be available in January 2018. |
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- Counselor in Training Program (CIT)
This is a paid position which comes with several responsibilities:
· CITs attend the all-staff orientation prior to the camp.
· Meet with his/her supervisor on a regular basis as part of the counselor in training mentorship.
· Participate in all camp activities.
· Organize and lead one camp community service activity.
· Organize and run one special activity.
· Help plan, set-up, and clean-up classrooms and/or tennis courts.
· Assist in activities, field trips, and special events.
Applications to this program will be next available in January 2018.
Equipment Distributions
Thanks to Rob Provence, proprietor of Second Serve Tennis Center, Brett Schwartz, Tennis Director, New Orleans Lawn Tennis Club, and several individual donors, A’s & Aces has been able to distribute many new and gently used rackets, pairs of tennis shoes, tennis shirts and skirts to our participants since 2014.
Future Programs
As capacity grows, A’s & Aces plans to develop further job training opportunities, including racket repair (stringing, re-gripping, etc.), tournament administration, and tennis club/pro shop management internships.
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