No Quit Tennis Academy

The promise behind the name

No Quit Tennis Academy was born from a simple idea that feels bigger every time you see it play out on court. In 2006, former University of Nevada, Las Vegas standout Tim Blenkiron set out to build a program where tennis excellence and personal growth could move in lockstep. He chose a name that doubles as a standard. No Quit is both a banner and a behavior, a daily commitment that touches how athletes train, how families engage, and how the academy shows up for its city.

Blenkiron brought a rare blend of experiences to the project. He had played and coached at elite levels, but he also cared deeply about the larger arc of a young athlete’s life. The academy’s community work has been recognized by tennis and civic leaders, and the staff continues to frame results through a person-first lens. That founding story is not a dusty origin. It is the rhythm of the day, the way players shake hands, the attention to recovery, the leadership conversations that follow practice, and the expectation that a champion is built on character at least as much as on topspin.

Why Las Vegas works for tennis

A desert city may not be the first place everyone imagines for tennis development, yet Las Vegas offers a compelling training canvas. The climate allows year-round play, with smart scheduling that tilts toward early mornings and late afternoons in the height of summer and leans into gentle daytime blocks during the cooler months. The academy operates at Lorenzi Park, near the heart of the city, so players train in a setting that is public and alive rather than tucked away behind private gates.

That location matters for competitive rhythm. Las Vegas hosts a steady calendar of junior tournaments, and many of the sport’s strongest western hubs sit within a short drive. California, Arizona, and Utah events are accessible without long-haul flights, which means match play can be frequent, varied, and budget conscious. Families who value regular competition find that this geography supports predictable planning and practical costs.

Facilities and infrastructure

No Quit calls Lorenzi Park home. The site currently features ten outdoor hard courts and a community-focused footprint that suits both high-performance training and open access. A city-led improvement plan envisions resurfaced courts, a permanent clubhouse, and additional courts, upgrades that will raise capacity for daily development and for larger events. Players also benefit from proximity to one of the region’s major public tennis complexes, which is used as a secondary venue when tournaments scale.

This is not a resort or a luxury compound, and the academy is clear about that. What you will find is a serious, efficient training environment with the right practical tools. Sessions fold in structured fitness, mobility, and recovery habits. Stretching, yoga-inspired movement, and injury prevention protocols are built into the week rather than bolted on as extras. There is no on-site boarding. Instead, the academy’s model is that of a day program with flexible academic support, which keeps costs below traditional residential options while maintaining a professional cadence.

Coaching leadership and philosophy

Blenkiron anchors the coaching vision and has assembled a staff that blends tour experience, collegiate insights, and teacherly patience. The curriculum maps a player’s growth over days, weeks, months, and seasons so that each practice sits inside a larger plan. New athletes enter with an assessment that looks at technical foundations, movement patterns, and competition temperament. From there, the staff builds individualized priorities within a shared framework.

The philosophy rests on three pillars that repeat until they become a habit: mastery of fundamentals, clarity of patterns, and strength of mind. Technically, the program emphasizes contact point stability, serve and return as daily anchors, and footwork templates that travel under pressure. Tactically, players progress from pattern awareness to full ownership of a game style. Mentally, leadership and life skills are not separate classes but a thread that runs through practice. Athletes learn a vocabulary for stress management, pre-point routines, and reflection. The academy’s mentoring partnerships deepen that approach and expose players to speakers and role models beyond tennis.

Programs built for every stage

No Quit’s program menu is designed to meet players where they are and usher them toward the next level with clear milestones.

• Red Ball Program for ages two to seven introduces balance, coordination, and simple rally skills on 36-foot courts with softer balls. Coaches make the first experience joyful and skill-rich so that young players feel both confident and curious.
• Orange Ball Program for roughly six to ten expands athleticism and basic technique on 60-foot courts. Here, grips, swing shapes, and movement patterns start to settle while kids learn to keep score and compete with friendly rigor.
• Green Ball Program for approximately eight to eleven moves players onto full-court geometry. Shot selection and early patterns take center stage, and the serve becomes a daily focus.
• After School Academy for ten to eighteen offers a high-energy, three-day-per-week training block that blends technical reps, fitness, point play, and mental routines. Tournament calendars are customized by player goals.
• Homeschool Academy for twelve to eighteen is the full-time high-performance track with daytime training, periodized strength and conditioning, leadership curriculum, and a travel-ready competition plan.
• Summer Academy compresses training into cooler hours with morning blocks for older players and evening tracks for younger athletes, an approach that balances load and heat management.

Families considering alternative formats may want to compare this day-academy model to a residential environment such as IMG Academy Tennis. If you prefer a West Coast option with a similar emphasis on tournament access, look at Southern California Tennis Academy. Community-minded families often explore Portland Tennis & Education to see how service and sport can reinforce one another.

The training day in detail

A typical high-performance day opens with movement quality. Players cycle through dynamic mobility and footwork ladders before picking up a racquet. On-court blocks emphasize serve and return first, then groove crosscourt shapes and depth targets. Drills progress to live ball patterns with scoreboard pressure. Coaches keep a sharper eye on contact height and spacing than on cosmetic flourishes. The feedback loop is immediate and specific, and athletes are asked to articulate what changed and why it matters.

Point play is not a free-for-all. The staff scripts constraints that align with each player’s identity, whether that is a first-strike server, a counterpuncher who wins with depth and legs, or an all-court player who builds with variety. Video is used selectively to reinforce feel with visuals. After the on-court block, athletes move into strength and conditioning sessions that are periodized across the week. The emphasis is on durability and speed rather than maximal lifting for its own sake. Recovery finishes the day, with breath work, mobility, and practical hydration habits that players can reproduce at tournaments.

Leadership and life-skills modules appear throughout the week. Topics range from mindset and emotional regulation to time management and social leadership. The principle is simple. If you are calm enough to execute a serve at 5 all, you are calm enough to manage an exam week. The academy expects athletes to carry these tools beyond tennis, and families often credit this program-within-the-program for sustainable motivation.

Results and college pathways

The academy’s scoreboard is long. No Quit players have collected hundreds of sectional and national junior titles. A steady stream of athletes has earned scholarships to colleges across the United States, including selective academic programs and top Division I teams. The staff reports that in recent years all full-time athletes secured college opportunities, a statistic that reflects both player quality and the academy’s hands-on approach to placement.

Professional doors have opened as well. Alumni have earned world rankings and lifted trophies, and several juniors have risen to number one in their national age groups. For families, the more practical storyline may be the well-traveled path to college tennis. The academy guides prospects through film, outreach, and timeline management. Coaches speak candidly about where a player will fit and how to make the right impression on visits. The ethos is realistic optimism. Aim high, know your timeline, and control what you can.

Culture and community life

Culture is the strongest differentiator at No Quit. Training happens in a public park, and that is by design. The environment is accessible, welcoming, and visible. Younger players see older athletes working with intent. Older players are expected to model standards for the next group. Kindness and competitiveness are presented as compatible, even necessary, teammates.

Families describe a team feel without losing the benefits of individualized coaching. That balance shows up in how groups are formed, how staff rotates to ensure fresh eyes, and how the academy guards against burnout. The message is consistent. Show up, do the work, reflect, repeat. Wins matter, but they are part of a longer arc that includes academic growth, mental health, and service.

Costs, access, and scholarships

No Quit publishes schedules and pricing in plain view. Entry-level programs such as Red Ball typically sit near the cost of a recreational sport season, while the Homeschool Academy reflects the investment required for full-time development with daily training and competition support. As a point of orientation, families can expect a range that starts around the low hundreds per month for foundational programs and rises into the mid four figures per season for high-performance tracks, with monthly options available during the school year and summer.

Because the academy operates in a public setting and partners with community organizations, access is an ongoing priority. Need-based scholarships and program discounts have historically been part of the model. Families are encouraged to discuss circumstances early in the process, and many find that the day-academy structure offers a more manageable financial profile than boards-and-tuition at residential schools. Travel costs are moderated by the region’s dense calendar of driving-distance tournaments.

What sets No Quit apart

• Purpose-driven training in a public park. The academy proves that a community venue can house a high-performance culture. That visibility creates a feedback loop of inspiration and accountability.
• Leadership woven into the day. Life skills are not a side seminar. They are part of practice, which makes the habits more durable under pressure.
• Serve and return as daily anchors. This technical priority is simple and powerful. Players learn to start and neutralize points with intent, which travels to every surface and situation.
• A practical pathway to college tennis. From early planning to outreach and visits, the academy helps families navigate a complex process with clarity and integrity.
• Heat-smart scheduling and recovery. The staff knows the climate and shapes the day to manage load, using mornings and evenings to protect performance in summer.

Future outlook and vision

The city’s planned upgrades at Lorenzi Park signal a stronger home base in the years ahead. A clubhouse will improve logistics and parent experience. Additional courts and resurfacing will expand capacity for training groups and events. With more space, the academy can fine-tune player flow, shorten wait times between drills, and host larger draws on a single site. The staff also has an eye on technology that reinforces learning without turning practices into screen sessions. Expect targeted video, data that informs rather than overwhelms, and continued investment in coaching development.

Beyond the fences, the academy’s leadership curriculum will keep evolving. Topics like digital wellness, nutrition literacy, and student-led mentorship are already part of the conversation and will likely grow. The vision remains consistent with the name. No Quit is not a slogan. It is a promise to keep building people who can navigate stress, lead with kindness, and chase ambitious goals without losing themselves along the way.

Practical notes for families

• Location. No Quit trains at Lorenzi Park in central Las Vegas, a convenient jump-off for school, tournaments, and airport access.
• Courts. Ten outdoor hard courts at present, with city-led improvements slated to add capacity and a permanent clubhouse.
• Training cadence. During the school year, Red, Orange, and Green ball groups meet on fixed weekday slots with Saturday options. After School Academy runs three afternoons per week. Homeschool Academy trains weekday mornings and mid-days. Summer shifts to early mornings and evening blocks to reduce heat exposure.
• Academic flexibility. The academy supports homeschool and hybrid models. Families traveling in for seasonal blocks can coordinate with staff for tutoring and testing windows.
• Competition planning. Coaches build personalized schedules with a blend of local and regional tournaments. Travel is designed to be frequent enough to foster growth and varied enough to build resilience.
• College placement. The staff helps with film, coach outreach, and campus visit strategy. Athletes meet regularly to track progress and refine targets.

Who will thrive here

Choose No Quit if you want a high-performance day academy that places equal weight on forehands and character. The program is a strong fit for families who value transparency, predictable scheduling, and a patient, layered approach to player development. Ambitious juniors who respond to accountability and community will find a home. If you need on-site boarding with dorms and dining halls, a residential campus will be a better match, and comparing to a program like IMG Academy Tennis will help you assess the difference. If you want a public-park environment that still hits tour-level standards, schedule a visit, watch a session, and talk to the coaches about where you are and where you want to go.

Bottom line

No Quit Tennis Academy is proof that you can build elite habits in a public setting, that you can marry rigorous training with leadership and kindness, and that you can turn a sunny desert city into a year-round classroom for sport and life. The courts at Lorenzi Park are not just a place to hit balls. They are a workshop for disciplined work, thoughtful mentorship, and lasting community. For players who buy into the promise behind the name, the results speak for themselves, and the journey feels as meaningful as the wins.