Pate-Nickell Nike College Exposure Clinics at the Peddie School Hightstown, New Jersey
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Nike Tennis Camps proudly announces the Pate-Nickell Nike College Exposure Clinics at the Peddie School! One of our oldest Nike Tennis Camp locations, the Peddie School is a perfect location for tournament-level junior players ages 13-18 to come and take their game to the next level.
The Pate-Nickell Nike College Exposure Clinics at the Peddie School are ideally suited for tournament-level junior players who are on a pathway for playing college tennis. A strong emphasis will be placed on player development with intense drilling and fitness sessions. Camp will also provide competitive match play and mental toughness training.
Both clinics will be directed by Princeton University Head Coach, Billy Pate, and Assistant Coach, Ryan Keckley, as well as University at Buffalo Head Coach, Lee Nickell. Additional staff will be comprised of top college coaches and players.
Highlights Include
- On court training from Princeton University Head Coach, Billy Pate, and University at Buffalo Head Coach, Lee Nickell
- College coaches will share their insight on competing at the highest level
- Special focus will be given to strategy and tactics during point play
- Each week will feature information sessions on preparing your game for college tennis as well as in-depth presentations on conducting a recruiting search
- Every camper received a Nike Tennis Camp T-shirt
The Peddie School is in Hightstown, ten miles east of Princeton. The Peddie School has outstanding athletic facilities, including 18 hard courts, an athletic center, swimming pool, basketball courts and grass playing fields. Indoor tennis courts are available.
Meet your coaching staff
Camp Director
Billy Pate
Billy Pate was hired as the ninth head coach of the Princeton University men's tennis team on May 31, 2012. Prior to Princeton, Pate spent 10 seasons as the head coach at the University of Alabama, where he guided the Crimson Tide to seven NCAA tournament appearances.
Read Full Bio"Billy has guided a very successful program in Alabama for the last decade, and we are fortunate to be able to bring someone with such a winning background to Princeton," Walters said upon Pate's hiring. "We look forward to him continuing that success in his new role at Princeton."
Pate arrived at Alabama for the 2002-03 season and guided the team to the NCAA round of 16 that spring. The Crimson Tide reached the NCAA tournament six more times and the round of 16 two more times under Pate's tenure, winning eight total NCAA tournament matches. His overall record at Alabama was 236-163, making him the winningest coach in Alabama's program history.
Pate's Alabama teams were routinely part of the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's national rankings and ended nine of his 10 seasons there, including the 2011-12 season, in those rankings. The highest final ranking a Pate-coach team achieved was No. 14, which the Tide reached in 2007. That season, Pate was named the ITA's South Region Coach of the Year and the SEC Co-Coach of the Year.
Individually, Pate's Alabama players earned eight singles or doubles berths in the NCAA individual tournament. Seven singles players and six doubles pairs have also been part of the ITA national rankings under Pate.
In addition to recruiting domestically, Pate put together a long list of international recruits from 15 countries across four continents during his time at Alabama.
Prior to Alabama, Pate was an assistant coach at Notre Dame for two seasons, helping the Irish to NCAA tournament appearances in both seasons, yielding three NCAA tournament wins while earning the ITA's National Assistant Coach of the Year Award in 2002. Pate spent five seasons, from 1996-2000, as the head coach at Georgia Perimeter College, winning NJCAA national championships in his final three seasons while being named the National Junior College Coach of the Year all three times.
After graduating from Mississippi State University in 1992 with a bachelor's degree in communications, Pate worked with the Atlanta Thunder of World Team Tennis, earning his master's degree in sports administration in 1995 from Georgia State University.
Camp Director
Lee Nickell
Lee Nickell, who is entering his 4th season as head coach at University of Buffalo, returns as Nike Tennis Camp Director. Nickell, a former assistant coach and Nike Director (for five seasons,) with the University of Alabama, is excited to be bringing the Nike Tennis Camp tradition to the University of Buffalo.
Read Full BioIn one season, head coach Lee Nickell led the University at Buffalo men’s tennis team to some of its greatest successes in school history. Among these were an undefeated record in the Mid-American Conference, a top seed in the league championship tournament, a spot in the MAC Championship match and national and regional rankings for his players. For all those efforts, Nickell was named MAC Coach of the Year in 2010.
Nickell was named to the position in June of 2009 after a national search. Prior to his arrival in Buffalo, Nickell was an assistant coach at Fresno State for one season and spent four seasons as an assistant coach at Alabama, helping guide the Crimson Tide to a Top 12 national ranking.
“Lee brings a wealth of experience to Buffalo and has proven to be a winner wherever he has coached,” said UB Director of Athletics Warde Manuel upon Nickell’s hiring. “His tennis background and recruiting knowledge will prove to be a tremendous asset to our program, both on and off the court. His vision of the total student-athlete experience fits well with that of the entire department and we welcome him to the UB family.”
During the 2008-09 campaign, Nickell coached at Fresno State, helping the Bulldogs to a final ranking of 44th in the nation and a 17-9 overall dual match record, while working alongside head coach Jay Udwadia, a Buffalo native. The Bulldogs narrowly missed an at large bid into the NCAA Tournament, but Nickell did coach Rudolf Siwy, who made it to the singles draw of the NCAA Championships. Siwy finished the season as the 54th ranked singles player in the nation. As for doubles, Siwy joined with Mirko Zapletal to finish 41st in the nation. Nickell helped four Bulldog netters earn All-Western Athletic Conference honors in 2009.
Prior to his stint at Fresno State, Nickell was an assistant coach at the University of Alabama, where in three seasons he helped move the Crimson Tide from 74th in the nation to the top 12. Alabama went 55-31 during the four seasons that Nickell was an assistant coach there. The Crimson Tide made the NCAA Tournament in all three years, including an appearance in the Sweet Sixteen in 2006. He also helped coach three individual players to the NCAA Championships including one doubles pair that went two years in a row.
Before beginning his college coaching career in 2005, Nickell worked for four years at several clubs and tennis centers in the Southeast. In 2001, he was the Head Tennis Pro/Director of Junior Development at North Carolina’s Hendersonville Racquet Club. In 2003, Nickell was named Fitness Director at the Tops’l Beach and Racquet Club in Destin, Florida. before being named Tennis Professional at the Cherokee Tennis Center in Woodstock, Georgia. in 2004.
Nickell graduated in 2001 from Furman University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise Science. At Furman he played number one singles from 1998-02. He was a three year captain and was named to the All-Southern Conference Team twice in singles and once in doubles. Furman made its first ever NCAA Tournament appearance in 2001. At Furman, Nickell played for legendary men’s tennis coach Paul Scarpa, the all-time winningest coach in Division I men’s tennis history.
On the national level, Nickell also serves as the Northeast Region Committee Chair for the Intercollegiate Tennis Asocociation.
Programs
The Pate-Nickell Nike College Exposure Clinics are offered during two weeks this summer. Camper's may choose between an Overnight and Day (8:30am-4:00pm) option. These cilnics are ideally suited for tournament-level junior players ages 13-18 who are on a pathway for playing college tennis. Campers may attend multiple sessions.
Coaches
Both clinics will be directed by Princeton University Head Coach, Billy Pate, and Assistant Coach, Ryan Keckley, as well as University at Buffalo Head Coach, Lee Nickell. *Additional staff will be comprised of top college coaches and players.
Camp Level of Play & Instruction
• These College Exposure Clinics are ideally suited for tournament-level junior players who are on
a pathway for playing college tennis
• Strong emphasis will be placed on player development with intense drilling and fitness sessions
• College coaches will share their insight on competing at the highest level
• Special focus will be given to strategy and tactics during point play
• Each week will feature information sessions on preparing your game for college tennis as well as
in-depth presentations on conducting a recruiting search
• Camp will also provide competitive match play and mental toughness training
Check-in & Check-out:
• Check-in: 1:00pm the first day of the session. Campers should come dressed to play as we will head straight to the courts after check-in.
• Check-out: 4:00pm the last day of the session
Day Camper Schedule & Information
• Day campers check-in at 1:00pm on the first day of camp. They depart that day at 4:00pm.
• All other days, Day Campers should be dropped off at 8:30am and picked up at 4:00pm.
• Day campers check-out at 4:00pm on the last day of camp.
• Meals: Lunch is included for all Day campers.
Dorms
Campers stay 2 per room and are assigned by age and roommate requests.
Evening Activities
Camp evening activities may include movie night, field games, capture the flag, and more.
Weekend Stayovers: Weekend stayovers are not available at this location.
Designated Airport: 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/bus from the airport to camp through the Princeton Airporter 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
- 7:30am Wake-up, Breakfast
- 8:30am Meet at the Courts
- 8:45am Tennis Instruction, Drills
- 11:30am Lunch, Rest, Swimming, Optional Tennis
- 12:30pm Tennis Instruction, Match Play
- 4:00pm Day Campers Depart
- 6:00pm Rest, Shower, Dinner
- 7:00pm Evening Activity
- 9:30pm Lights Out
Parent of Camper
Commendable!
First-rate! Coach Nickell & Coach Kindervater & their entire staff are to be commended for an enthusiastic & well-run program.
Past Camper
Just Needed Some Warming Up
Coach Pate and his staff really do an excellent job. I was a little scared when I first got there, but within a day they had me feeling at home. I really enjoyed it and will be coming back next year.
Past Camper
Wonderful!
I enjoyed the camp very much. It was a wonderful experience.The staff is very encouraging as are the other tennis players!
Parent of Camper
Organized and Motivated Campers
We love this camp! My twin daughters have been for the past 3 years, and Billy Pate does an exceptional job of keeping the kids organized and motivated, and they enjoy every minute of it. We'll be back next year!