Lawrenceville School Nike Tennis Camp Lawrenceville, New Jersey
Click to enlarge and view gallery »
Come join the fun this summer and get better! The Lawrenceville School Nike Tennis Camp is one of our longest standing Nike Tennis Camps renown for it's amazing environment, great instruction, and all around fun summer camp experience for kids!
The renowned Lawrenceville School Nike Tennis Camp is in its 39th year. Campers will have the opportunity to hit thousands of balls, improve their technique, and be challenged by some of the best players in their peer group. Our youth summer tennis camps combine technical instruction and drilling from a top notch coaching staff, supervised match play, and a variety of evening social activities. Come work hard and make friends along the way. Your days will be filled with tennis and fun!
International Campers Welcome!
International campers seeking a Sport and Language program can find a list of camp sessions and a detailed description of our new programs by Clicking Here. International campers seeking a Sport Only program, a multi-week sport camp experience, can easily combine any of our individual Tennis Camp sessions together with a weekend stay over to create the right camp program to fit your needs!
Dartfish video analysis offered at this camp! See details tab for more info.
Highlights Include
- 5-6 hours of daily instruction with low camper to staff ratio and 24 hour supervision
- Daily instruction from top teaching pros and players
- We offer a "10 and Under Tennis" program, featuring lighter, lower-bouncing balls
- Experience campus life and create lasting friendships
- Every camper receives a Nike Tennis Camp T-shirt
- Fun off-court evening activities for overnight campers
Located four miles south of Princeton, New Jersey and about an hour from New York City and Philadelphia, The Lawrenceville School is a prestigious college preparatory school with outstanding facilities. In addition to 12 tennis courts and the Lavino Field House’s indoor tennis facilities (3 courts), the school has baseball and soccer fields and a six-lane swimming pool.
Lawrenceville School is not in any way involved in the ownership or management of the Nike Tennis Camp.
Meet your coaching staff
Co-Director
Jim Poling
Jim Poling, owner of the Lawrenceville Tennis Camp, brings with him a 31-year tennis background and 21 years of camp experience. Coach Poling is head men's coach at the United States Military Academy at West Point. His Lawrenceville camp is in its 25th successful year.
Read Full Bio
Jim Poling will enter his tenth season at the helm of the Army men's tennis program this year. Poling, twice named the Patriot League "Coach of the Year," led the team to a 5-1 record in conference play in spring of 2011 and a second place finish in the League Championships.
In nine years at the Academy, Poling has mentored three Patriot League "Players of the Year" (Arnie Albornoz - 2003, John Sabia - 2004, Carl Fisher - 2006), two "Rookie of the Year" honorees (Donald Van Velzer - 2009, Gary Kushnirovic - 2010) and has taken the Black Knights to the conference championship match in all eight seasons. Army has now appeared in the Patriot League championship match 16 times in the last 17 seasons.
The last four seasons, Army dropped the final match of the championships to service academy rival Navy. In 2006, the Black Knights won the Championship defeating American 4-2 in the finals. During the 2005 season, the Black, Gold and Gray registered an Academy-best 21-5 mark. In 2004, Army tallied a 19-8 dual match record, including a 5-1 mark in conference play. The Black Knights were 15-5 in 2003, Poling's first season at the helm.
Poling arrived at the Academy with 16 years of head coaching experience at the collegiate level, serving highly successful terms at Rollins (1993-2002), the University of Tulsa (1985-88), the University of South Alabama (1980-83) and Mississippi State University (1979-80).
The Winter Park, Fla., native continued a legacy of tennis excellence at Rollins, guiding the Tars to the NCAA Tournament during each of his nine years at the helm. After directing Rollins to a 25-3 record and a Division II national championship in 2001, Poling was named Wilson/Intercollegiate Tennis Association Division II National "Coach of the Year" in the spring of 2002. Poling led the defending national champion Tars to a 21-4 mark and a top four national ranking throughout the entire regular season. He also garnered Sunshine State Conference "Coach of the Year" honors for the second straight season (and third time in nine years), and was named ITA South Region "Coach of the Year" for the second time in six years.
Poling led the Tars to a trio of top-three finishes in the NCAA Tournament during his first three years at Rollins. His Tars club posted a 21-7 dual-match record in 1996 and reached the finals of the NCAA's. For his efforts, he was named the ITA South Region "Coach of the Year" for the first time. Poling guided the Tars to a pair of third-place NCAA finishes the previous two seasons.
The veteran mentor continued to build on his list of impressive accomplishments at Rollins. In addition to leading the Tars to the Division II national title in 2001, Poling presided over the National Rolex Doubles Champions, four All-Americans, the No. 3 doubles team in the nation, the top-ranked player in the nation, the conference player of the year and a pair of Sunshine State Conference team championships during that time. In all, three of his teams captured Sunshine State Conference crowns during his tenure at Rollins as he authored an impressive 147-79 (.650) dual-match record.
A 1970 graduate of Clemson University, Poling lettered three times on the Tigers' tennis squad. He was selected the team's most valuable player as a junior and helped Clemson to an Atlantic Coast Conference championship the following year. He went on to earn a master's degree in exercise physiology from the University of South Alabama in 1982. Following his graduation from Clemson, Poling served two years in the U.S. Army and was awarded the Bronze Star for service in Vietnam.
He began his collegiate coaching career with a one-year stint as men's head coach at Mississippi State, before moving to guide both the men's and women's tennis programs at South Alabama in 1980. Poling led the Jaguar men to three consecutive Sun Belt Conference titles and was twice named the league's coach of the year. During his third season at South Alabama, the Jaguars captured the National Independent Tournament and Poling was named the NIT "Coach of the Year." He spent three years running both men's and women's tennis programs at Tulsa, earning Missouri Valley "Coach of the Year" honors in 1987, before moving on to Rollins in September of 1993.
Poling is married to Marianne Ingard Poling, a member of a national champion tennis team during her undergraduate days at Stanford University. He has three children, Matthew, 27, Lilian, 13, and Karl, 11.
Co-Director
Randy Rowley
Randy Rowley enters his third season at West Point as an assistant coach. Prior to coming to the academy he spent the previous year coaching and traveling with nationally ranked junior players in the United States and Europe.
Read Full Bio
Before going back to coaching and traveling with juniors, Rowley spent seven years coaching at the University of Southern Mississippi, turning a 3-21 program into a team that became the winningest in school history. Rowley's team achieved USM's first national team ranking, recorded the most wins in a single season and finishing third in the Conference USA Tennis Championships.
While coaching the Golden Eagles, Rowley split his time traveling and coaching on the WTA tour and ITF women's tour, spending two months helping conduct a preseason training camp and coaching at the 2007 Australian Open Grand Slam, the 2007 Mondial Australian Women's Hardcourts, the 2007 Pacific Life Open, and the 2007 United States Open Grand Slam.
Rowley went to Southern Miss after spending three seasons as the assistant men's tennis coach at Texas Tech University. During that time, he twice served as the NCAA's representative for the Tennis Championships. The Red Raiders were ranked nationally all three seasons during Rowley's tenure.
Prior to his three-year stint at Texas Tech, Rowley was the head men's tennis coach at University of Louisiana-Monroe from 1995-2000. He changed titles in 1999, serving as director of tennis, coaching both men's and women's programs during the 1999 and 2000 seasons. He compiled a 52-36 overall record at ULM, including a 14-2 Southland Conference record. He led the Indians to two Southland Conference titles, three years in the national rankings, and a berth in the NCAA Tournament once, marking the first time in 25 years ULM reached the national tournament. Rowley also served as an NCAA representative at the NCAA national tournament.
He spent two years as head women's coach and assistant men's coach at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette from 1994-95. The women's program reached a national ranking of No. 36 during his tenure at ULL.
Rowley served as an assistant coach for the men's and women's tennis program at the University of Kansas during the 1986 and 1987 seasons. The Jayhawks reached as high as No. 21 in the national rankings, winning the Big Eight Conference Championship and earning an NCAA appearance.
After serving as a student assistant coach with the women's tennis program at Southwestern College in Winfield, Kan., from 1979-84, he was director of tennis at Seward County Community College in Liberal, Kan., from 1984-86. During his tenure at Southwestern, he helped lead the program to four KCAC team championships and three NAIA District 10 runner-up finishes.
During his coaching career, Rowley has also spent nine years as head coach of Tennis: Europe, and five years as head coach for the national team of Tennis: Europe. He has spent 14 years coaching ranked juniors on the ITF junior circuits in America and Europe. He has coached players on the ATP, WTA and ITF circuits. He served as the president of the junior program on the board of officers for the Dallas Tennis Association in 1992 and spent five years as the DTA representative at the USTA Area Training Center. Coach Rowley serves as a director at the NIKE / Lawrenceville, NJ, Army Tennis Camps, College Exposure Tennis Academy and directs a fundraising camp at his alma mater, Southwestern College in Winfield, Kansas
Program
This year we are offering eight weeks of overnight, extended day (8:30am-9:00pm) and day camp (8:30am-4:00pm) for kids ages 9-18 of all skill levels. Lunch & dinner are included for Extended Day Campers. Lunch is included for Day Campers
In addition to the general camp sessions, we are offering two "tournament training" sessions (during the July 1-6 and July 29-August 3 sessions) geared towards tournament level and ranked players looking to improve their tournament results, learn winning strategies, and work on mental toughness during certain weeks of camp. Make sure to note that you would like to participate in these programs when you register.
10 & Under Tennis
In addition, we will feature teaching technique’s from the USTA’s successful new “10 and Under Tennis” program. Balls are low-compression so they are easier to hit, allowing kids to get to the ball and develop optimal swing patterns. It all makes it easy and fun for them to hit, play and score from the start, while developing skills that will last a lifetime. Please note: This program is optional and younger campers may opt to play regular tennis on the full courts. For more information on “10 and Under Tennis” programs nationwide, Click Here to check out the USTA website.
Upon arrival, all participants are evaluated by the staff so that their own instructional needs can be addressed throughout the week.
Dartfish video analysis will be used during the camp to analyze and improve your strokes. See your strokes compared to a top playing professional! Your Dartfish Mediabook will be posted to a private player locker on Dartfish.tv and reviewed with you by the staff at camp (click here for an example). You will receive a printout showing key positions with corrective comments. After camp, these Dartfish interactive analyses are available for purchase. For $19.95, the package includes:
- Stroke Analysis: your Dartfish Mediabook contains videos of your strokes, plus side-by-side comparison with a pro, along with comments.
- Pro Stroke Library: one month access to Pro Stroke Library, featuring hundreds of strokes in both real and high speed.
- Camp highlights video*: This video of camp activities and friends all set to music will be something everyone will want to have and keep forever. (*Only offered at participating locations.)
NOTE: Regardless of whether you purchase the post-camp package, all campers will be filmed at camp, see their mediabook, and go home with a printout.
Check-in
• All Campers: Sunday between 1:00-3:00pm between the Stanley and McClellan Dorms. Signs will be posted directing you where to go.
• Campers should come dressed to play as we will head straight to the courts after check-in
• Day campers will depart that afternoon at 7:30pm.
• Extended Day Campers will depart that evening after dinner and evening activities at 7:30pm
Check-out
• Graduation: 3:30pm at the tennis courts for all campers. Parents are invited to attend!
• Check-Out: 4:30pm immediately follows Graduation.
Extended Day and Day Camper Schedule & Information
• Camp will start at 8:30am each morning at the tennis courts for all Extended Day & Day campers.
• Tournament Training campers have an optional 6:30 AM hit with breakfast included
• Day campers will leave each day after all tennis activities at 4:00pm.
• Extended Day campers will stay through the evening activities until 9:00pm.
• Meals: Campers must eat breakfast at home. Lunch is included for all Day campers. Lunch and dinner are included for all Extended Day campers.
Dorms
Campers stay in the school’s comfortable residence halls. Campers stay 2 or 4 to a room. The rooms are assigned according to sex, age and roommate requests. Please bring a fan, there is no air conditioning in the dorms.
Evening and Off-Court Activities
Supervised off-court activities may include daily swimming, talent show, camp dance, and a movie/pizza night.
Weekend Stayovers
Weekend stayovers are available and includes housing, meals and supervision for Friday and Saturday night. Cost: $150/weekend.
Designated Airports: Philadelphia, Newark
Travel
Nike Tennis Camp does not provide any transportation to/from camp from airport, train stations or bus depots. If you fly into camp, we recommend that you fly into Newark International Airport and schedule a shuttle from the airport to camp through the Princeton Airport Shuttle Service (800) 385-4000.
If you have a camper arriving by air and is deemed an “unaccompanied minor” by the airlines and must be met by a camp staff or shuttle company employee, there may be a fee that needs to be paid in advance of camp. You will still have to arrange transportation to/from camp. Please call 1-800-645-3226 two weeks prior to camp to provide camper’s flight and shuttle information.
Registration Packet
A detailed camper registration packet containing check in location, health/release forms, emergency contact info, and a list of things to bring will be emailed to all registered campers in the Spring. Our health and release forms do not require a doctor's signature and they will be collected on the first day of camp.
Sample Daily Schedule
- 8:30am Stretching, Camp Meeting at Courts
- 8:45am Tennis Instruction
- 10:00am Break
- 10:15am Tennis Instruction and Drills
- 11:45am Lunch, Rest, Optional Tennis
- 1:15pm Tennis Program, Match Play
- 2:45pm Break
- 3:00pm Tennis Program, Doubles and Drills
- 4:00pm Conclusion of Daily Tennis Program
- 4:15pm Groups or Private Extra Help, Optional Tennis, Swimming
- 5:00pm Rest, Shower, Dinner
- 7:15pm Evening Activity
- 9:00pm Extended Day Campers Depart
- 9:30pm Overnight Campers to Rooms
- 10:15pm Lights Out
Lawrenceville School is not in any way involved in the ownership or management of the Nike Tennis Camp.
Read camper reviewsParent of Campers
Best Time Ever!
Two of my kids attended and they said it was the best year of their life. Thanks for the great experience. It would be really helpful to know that there is no AC in the dorms. But other than this, I have no complaints – thanks for the great first time camping experience for my kids. They can’t wait to go back.
Past Camper
Can't Wait!
I had a lot of fun and cannot wait until next year.
Past Camper
Loved tournament training!
Tournament training was an awesome experience!!!!!
Parent of Camper
Sending our other child too next year!
My daughter enjoyed herself and we plan to send our son next year as well.
Past/Repeat Camper
Love From A Repeat Camper
Loved the camp – third year in a row.