Participating in NYC’s World Tour Tennis Jam on Labor Day Weekend
SARATOGA SPRINGS – Coach Rich Johns will be packing his racquets, along with decades of tennis acumen, good cheer and, most importantly, his mission to spread respect (“Act with Respect Always”) to the “Crossroads of the World” on Labor Day weekend as part of an ambitious project that organizers hope will showcase the worldwide renaissance of tennis.
Dubbed the inaugural World Tour Tennis Jam, the setting will certainly be attention-grabbing: Numerous tennis courts and presentation booths will be spread along several blocks in the Times Square area along Broadway from 42nd to 44th Streets. In other words, it should make for quite a photo op. During the 3-day expo (September 4 – 6), there will be numerous demonstrations and exhibition matches that will provide a platform about all aspects of the game, suitable for every level from beginner to expert.
As part of the festivities, Coach Johns will be participating by speaking about his program to groups of junior teams and will also have an on-court teaching role, demonstrating and teaching everything from grips to serving for any level of player. Other roles are still being defined for the coach.
“I was thrilled to be asked to be involved in this,” Coach Johns noted. “I’m just one small player in a major event, but it’s great to be included.”
Also, on September 5, Coach Johns will be an attendee at a dinner that will honor Billie Jean King and the fortieth anniversary of her role as both commissioner and major owner in the World Team Tennis league. It is possible that Coach Johns will be asked to speak at this event, as the two have a long history promoting the game. They first met in 1981, when King visited Saratoga Springs to promote a local event that was part of the USTA-Nike (United States Tennis Association) series.
She was also on-hand when Coach Johns received the USTA’s Starfish Award in 2010. The Starfish Award was bestowed to Johns for his ‘no-cut’ policy during his tenure as a high-school tennis coach. The USTA’s website (usta.com) states: “…These coaches serve as positive role models and make a difference by spending the extra time and effort to ensure that thousands of young players experience the fun of representing their high school tennis teams.”
Coach Johns’ participation in the World Tour Tennis Jam will add yet another chapter of honors to a legendary career that is best characterized by the phrases “paying it forward” and giving back to the community.
For more information about the Labor Day Weekend event, visit worldtourtennisjam.com
