There are many ways to achieve athletic excellence but sometimes the forfeit that is required individually is more than what the athlete bargained for. Our competitive system depends on community support. Healthy, well-balanced relationships with students, and their parents, allows us to step in when the burden is too consuming. We spend our time and energy on building rapport with each student-athlete, honing their strengths and re-training any areas of weaknesses. Our coaches are devoted to knowing the student-athlete’s ability and tailoring excellent tennis processes and proven academic strategies to each individual!
Next Level Tennis and Education
Next Level Tennis was founded in Washington , DC on January 1998. Originally established to prepare youth for collegiate and professional tennis, we developed sound techniques in stroke production, footwork & strategies tailored to each student’s attributes. In 2004, Next Level Tennis relocated to Atlanta, Georgia for twelve years in order to give our student-athletes better opportunities for competing professionally. In 2018 Next Level Tennis, recognizing the lack of funding for talented and committed student-athletes, converted into a non-profit entity, and was renamed: Next Level Tennis And Education (NLTE). NLTE was founded to support student-athletes who desire to take their athletic and academic skills to the highest levels.
Our System
Parents, can expect Next Level Tennis and Education to be tough. You can expect the coaches to be compassionate, yet, driven. You can expect your student-athlete to grow in areas that affect both their personal lives and their work ethic, even at a young age; And you can expect for your student-athlete to become a confident, well-rounded individual, who is capable of setting his/her own expectations and delivering results that measure up!
Our End Result Expectations
Core Values & Objectives
Many good athletes are students in the making. You may not be able to see it right away, but athletes crave sound teaching. That’s why great coaches change lives. At Next Level Tennis and Education, we believe that when opportunities are open to those who’ve been previously blocked (by whatever circumstances) there is no telling just how great an individual can be. Never-the-less, without the right guidance, many student-athletes will not realize their potential, and the best they will ever become is someone who played something in school. Our value lies in our ability to train, teach, coach, and guide our student-athletes into setting and reaching their lifelong objectives.
Meet Peter A. Townes,
Executive Director.
“At 14 years old, I decided to play tennis. Like much of my young life, if I put my mind to a thing, I accomplished it. It wasn’t from my mother’s investment, or my father’s encouragement that I was driven to the courts of D.C. It was because my father left behind a racket, some tennis balls, and the will of an athlete. Arthur Ashe inspired me from the television when he defeated Jimmy Connors in Wimbledon. I looked at him and realized that he was doing something that I could do, so I did it!” - Peter Townes
Executive Director and Founder, Peter A. Townes, attended South Carolina State University on a full tennis scholarship and earned a Bachelor of Art in English with a minor in Journalism. He then went on to coach student-athletes who became productive citizens: doctors, lawyers, teachers, and businessmen/women. To his credit, two of the Founder’s adult children obtained Division 1 tennis scholarships, and one earned the National Merit Award, then walked onto her Division 1 Tennis Team and became team captain for three years. His eldest son maintains the title of Head Mens & Womens Tennis Coach at a Division 1 university.
-- Jackson Mcilwain, Prince George's County Maryland
STUDENT
Going into training with Coach Pete I was not continuously expected to uphold a certain level of dedication and effort in my tennis career. So, in the beginning I had to feel out the way practice was going to go for me in the same expectations that were required. And after the first day I could tell it would be beneficial overall to stick with that program. And at the end of the six weeks, I feel and know that My tennis game has seen major improvements. Not just my tennis game but me as a person now, I am more inspired and disciplined in my craft.
Being a part of NLTE's first travel team it has really hindered the amount of sleep I get. But there have been many advantages and upsides to the past six weeks. My endurance speed, strength and overall athleticism have improved tremendously. The past weeks have also allowed me to increase my consistency to the point where I can hit 100 balls in a row. Not only that but my confidence in self-belief skyrocketed through the roof to the point where I think I can take on anybody that comes on the other side of the court.