Portland Tennis & Education

A mission-first tennis academy rooted in a neighborhood court

Portland Tennis and Education began with a simple question in 1996: what if the discipline and joy that draw young people to the court could unlock better outcomes in the classroom and at home? The organization was launched by Ernest Hartzog, Ph.D., then an assistant superintendent for Portland Public Schools, together with leaders from the Pacific Northwest section of the United States Tennis Association. It started as Portland After School Tennis, delivering after school tennis to students across the city. A few years later, as tutoring, reading support, and family engagement were added, the name changed to Portland Tennis and Education to reflect a wider purpose.

Today the academy operates out of the St. Johns Racquet Center in North Portland and serves K through 12 students with a holistic model. Students receive tennis coaching, academic tutoring, mentoring, and mental health resources on a predictable rhythm through the school year and summer. Over nearly three decades, thousands of young people have come through the program, and the organization reports a perfect on time high school graduation rate among its year round participants. For a tennis academy, that metric speaks as loudly as match results.

Why Portland and why St. Johns

The academy’s home sits a few blocks from the St. Johns Bridge in a working neighborhood on the north tip of the city. Portland’s climate shapes the training. Winters are wet and gray, which pushes most serious practice indoors. Summers are mild and stretch out with long daylight hours that suit camp style schedules and tournament play across the metro area and the Willamette Valley. Locating the academy in St. Johns matters for access. Families from North and Northeast Portland can reach the facility by car, bicycle, or bus, and the nonmembership model keeps the doors open to the wider community when youth programming is not running.

Portland Tennis and Education treats the setting as a training tool. Rain teaches flexibility and planning. Indoor months encourage precise footwork, compact swings, and a bias toward quality repetitions. Summer’s long days invite more open play, team events, and match blocks that build competitive stamina.

Facilities and how they are used

St. Johns Racquet Center is compact and purposeful. There are three indoor hard courts with full length backdrops and safe run off space, lined for both tennis and pickleball. Courts sit under a high roof that keeps noise manageable and ball flight true. The building is owned by the City of Portland and managed by Portland Tennis and Education, so public court time helps fund the youth programs. That community loop is part of the academy’s identity.

This is not a resort style complex. You will not find dormitories, an on site cafeteria, or a sprawling fitness center. What you will find are clean courts, study spaces for tutoring and homework, a small check in area, whiteboards and clipboards for lesson planning, open floor space for dynamic warm ups, and the regular tools of modern coaching such as target cones, resistance bands, agility ladders, and portable nets for red and orange ball lines. Recovery is practical rather than plush. The focus is on good movement prep, mobility work, hydration, and consistent training habits.

Court booking for adult and junior public programs runs through a simple reservation platform, which makes participation feel familiar for families who juggle multiple activities. The building is fully accessible, and the staff runs inclusive offerings, including wheelchair tennis and senior sessions, when youth programs are not in session.

How sessions flow

• Check in and quick wellness check, including a brief academic touch point for year round students.
• Dynamic warm up and movement quality circuits built for the day’s focus.
• Court blocks that blend technical themes with live scoring.
• Cool down, reflection, and goals for the next session.

Coaching staff and philosophy

The coaching team blends certified tennis professionals with educators and youth development specialists. On court, instruction follows a progressions model. Players move from red to orange to green to yellow ball as their footwork, swing paths, and tactical awareness advance. In the high school groups, coaches dial up live ball training, pattern building, and serve plus one combinations. Across the pathway you will hear the same cues about spacing, contact point, balance, and recovery steps, which helps younger athletes build reliable muscle memory.

Parents comparing models that emphasize tournament travel and rankings might compare with Fink Tennis Academy to see how a high performance blueprint differs from a mission anchored approach. Portland Tennis and Education is unapologetically student centered. It treats tennis as both a sport and a structure for building skills that last longer than a season.

Off court, the academy treats school success as non negotiable. Each student in the after school program receives targeted academic support tied to district standards. Staff monitor reading growth, math practice, and executive function habits such as planning, organizing, and completing assignments. Mental health support and family engagement are part of the weekly cadence. This is a tennis academy that schedules around the report card as much as the tournament calendar.

The tone is supportive and competitive in equal measure. Players keep score often because scoring is a skill. They also learn to reset between points with simple breathing routines and clear between point checklists. Coaches model sportsmanship and encourage leadership, whether that is a middle schooler helping set up red ball lines for younger kids or a senior welcoming a new family at the door.

Programs and pathways

Portland Tennis and Education’s programming falls into two broad tracks. There is the tuition free youth development core for families who qualify for Oregon’s Free and Reduced Meals program. Then there are low cost, open to the public tennis programs that operate around the youth schedule and help fund the mission. Within those tracks, families will find the following options.

• After School Program for grades K through 8. Four afternoons per week during the school year, typically Monday through Thursday from mid afternoon until early evening. Students rotate through homework help, literacy blocks, and court sessions that build athletic movement, coordination, and stroke fundamentals. Family communication is regular, and staff coordinate with classroom teachers when needed.

• High School Academy. Weekly tennis practices supported by individualized college and career advising. The aim is to help every student chart a path to the right post secondary outcome. On court, training emphasizes point construction, fitness you can use in the third set, and doubles patterns for league play. Off court, students receive guidance on applications, financial aid, and time management.

• Summer Program. A full day, nine week slate for K through 12 students that blends academic enrichment with daily tennis. It is designed to prevent summer learning loss and to build the physical base needed for fall sports. The day includes literacy and math projects, fitness blocks, and court time with certified coaches. Healthy snacks and lunches are provided so that energy levels stay steady from morning to late afternoon.

• Middle School and High School Tennis Sessions. Flexible, tennis first classes for players ages 12 to 18 who want skill progression in a supportive but competitive setting. Sessions run on seasonal blocks and are grouped by level. Expect a mix of feeding drills, live ball games, and focused point play with coaching between points.

• Junior Pathway Classes. Red, orange, green, and yellow ball classes for ages 5 to 18. These sessions build footwork patterns, stroke shape, and court awareness in age appropriate ways. Younger players start with smaller courts and slower balls to groove contact and rhythm. As they advance, they graduate to full court tactics and serve mechanics that hold up under pressure.

• Adult Programs. Group lessons, drills, mixers, and simple league style nights open to the community. Adult programming keeps the building lively, gives parents a chance to play where their kids train, and contributes to the funding model that supports youth scholarships.

Private lessons and court rentals round out the schedule, and the staff hosts mixers and small events that bring alumni and neighbors back into the building. Families exploring community driven models in other cities might look at the community first model in Denver to see a similar blend of tennis and education.

Development approach across tennis and academics

Technical. Coaches teach a repeatable contact through guided progressions and a strong emphasis on spacing and timing. Players learn to build the ball from neutral to offensive positions and to defend with height and shape when stretched. Serve work links toss placement to spin production and first ball intentions.

Tactical. Every court block includes scoring. Younger players practice short games that reward consistency, depth, and direction. Older groups work on percentage patterns that travel well to high school tennis, USTA Junior Team Tennis, and local tournaments. Players rehearse cross court stability before pulling down the line, learn to treat the first shot after serve or return as a decision point, and keep a simple plan that can handle pressure.

Physical. The program emphasizes movement quality. Expect dynamic warm ups, lateral speed development, and core stability work that supports the serve and protects the lower back. Conditioning is delivered in small doses across sessions rather than as a separate grind, which keeps kids fresh and eager to come back tomorrow. Coaches teach footwork that fits indoor surfaces, from adjustment steps on short hops to balanced recovery after wide balls.

Mental and social. Students practice between point routines and goal setting. They learn how to be a strong doubles partner and how to voice needs respectfully. On court, athletes rehearse reset cues like bounce breathing and a short focal checklist. Off court, tutoring blocks and mentoring relationships build confidence that shows up on court. The message is steady: compete hard, show respect, control what you can control.

Educational. Each year round student receives a high dose of academic time measured in hours that match or exceed their hours on court. Reading growth is tracked, and math work is aligned with school standards. The organization’s on time high school graduation record speaks to the method’s consistency. Families see tennis become a lever for school success rather than a barrier to it.

Alumni and what success looks like here

You will not see a wall of tour trophies. This academy measures success by diplomas, college acceptances, and young adults who keep tennis in their lives. Alumni have gone on to four year universities, community colleges, and trades programs. Many come back to visit, to volunteer, or to hit balls with younger players. Families who are looking for a place where tennis supports a larger life will understand why this metric matters. If later a player seeks a more intensive competitive pathway, options like the high performance pipeline at Phoenix can complement the foundation built here.

Culture and community

The building feels like a neighborhood school during the week and a busy tennis center on nights and weekends. Because the facility operates on a nonmembership model, you will see a wide range of ages and levels sharing space. That diversity of use keeps the environment grounded. Staff know families by name. Volunteers pitch in with reading blocks, snack prep, and event days. When a high school senior announces a college choice, the applause sounds like a small gym on senior night.

Culture shows up in small details. Students stack ball carts and return cones without being asked. Coaches debrief tough losses with the same care they celebrate small wins. A middle schooler may spend twenty minutes helping a first grader find the right grip. Parents swap tips on school projects in the lobby. The idea is simple: tennis is a tool that helps young people practice responsibility and joy in the same hour.

Costs, access, and scholarships

For families who qualify for the state’s Free and Reduced Meals program, youth development programs are tuition free. For those who do not qualify, the academy provides information on fees and options directly. Public tennis activities are priced to be accessible and are paid per class, as a series, or through simple passes. Court rentals and private lessons are available, and all proceeds from the facility support the youth mission. Registration for summer programming typically opens in early spring, and after school registration opens in early summer, so families should plan ahead.

Families should also expect candid placement conversations. Coaches aim to place each player in a group where they will be challenged but not overwhelmed. The schedule is designed to avoid conflicts with school hours and to provide safe, predictable routines for working parents.

What sets it apart

• Education is built into the DNA. The program was designed by educators and coaches working together, and it has kept that balance.
• The facility’s public model funds the mission. Community play directly supports scholarships and program staffing.
• Scale is intentional. With three indoor courts, groups stay right sized and coaching remains hands on.
• Inclusion is not a slogan. The academy offers accessible programming and actively reaches families who might not otherwise find a path into tennis.
• Results are holistic. A track record of on time graduation among year round students tells a story about consistency and care.

Future outlook and vision

The organization continues to invest in coaching development, classroom resources, and partnerships with local schools. The team is exploring more pathways for older players who want to compete in high school leagues, USTA events, and college club teams while keeping academics front and center. Expect steady growth rather than splashy expansion, with facility improvements and staff training that strengthen the daily experience for students. Discussions include expanding leadership opportunities for alumni, building more structured peer mentoring, and refining the bridge from high school graduation to the first year after high school.

Longer term, Portland Tennis and Education is positioned to be a regional model for how public facilities can sustain youth development at scale. By showing that court rentals and adult programs can underwrite academic staff and tutoring hours, the academy offers a template other cities could adapt to their own contexts.

Is it for you

Choose Portland Tennis and Education if you want tennis to lift more than a ranking. This academy fits families who value character, grades, and college readiness as much as cross court forehands. It is a smart match for elementary and middle school students who need a safe, consistent place to learn after school, for high school players who want real coaching plus guidance on the next step, and for parents who appreciate a community facility that opens its doors to everyone. If you are looking for boarding, a huge campus, or a tour first pipeline, this is not that model. If you want day to day excellence on court and in the classroom with coaches who know your child by name, it is worth a close look.

Bottom line. Portland Tennis and Education turns a neighborhood court into a reliable engine for youth development. The tennis is thoughtful, the academics are serious, and the culture is welcoming. Families who value steady progress across school and sport will find a home here.