Club Bulletin

Feb 14, 2024

JMTA Westchester Staff Updates

Dear JMTA Players and Families:

As you are all aware, in early September 2023, Lawrence Kleger, the Co-Director of JMTA, suffered a terrible fall and life-threatening injuries. After months in the intensive care unit at Columbia Presbyterian, followed by extensive rehab, he has made remarkable progress, but the road ahead, for our friend and colleague of more than two decades, remains long.

The love and support for Lawrence from the SPORTIME/JMTA community, including from his colleagues and students, and from all who know and love him, has continued to be overwhelming. And his impact on SPORTIME, on JMTA, on junior tennis, and on the individual lives of those who call him friend, family or coach, has been enormous. In recognition of his substantial impact, the USTA Eastern Section presented Lawrence with a Lifetime Achievement award at their 2024 Annual Awards Dinner: a befitting honor.

We will continue to support Lawrence in every way that we can in his recovery and, we hope, in his journey back to the tennis court.

Our JMTA team of Directors and Coaches, including JMTA Westchester Director Alberto Romea, with our support and support from Patrick McEnroe, Mike Barrell, SPORTIME’s Executive Director of Tennis for all tennis sites, and others, has done an extraordinary job in Lawrence’s absence. However, as it is, sadly, now clear that Lawrence will not be returning to a day-to-day leadership role at JMTA, he will transition to JMTA Director Emeritus, and Patrick McEnroe, who has been Co-director of JMTA with Lawrence since 2017, will now serve as the Executive Director of JMTA. The JMTA Directors at the JMTA sites will report to Patrick, and the Academy will remain very strong and in terrific hands!

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to let us or any of those above know, and thanks for being part of the SPORTIME/JMTA Family.