Welcome!
Established in 2022, the SNTA/Institute teaches high quality, inclusive, accelerated and advanced programming in Tennis and Sports Science beginning in Middle School. The curriculum was developed for students at all experience levels and is being taught at a large urban Middle School in Denver. We began our first class in Spring, 2024, and over 100 students have completed the program since then, with 10 graduates playing on their High School Tennis teams. Ultimately we seek to establish our own professional-grade facility for junior athletes to learn, train, compete and grow the game of tennis.
Mission
- Recruit and train the next generation of diverse junior and collegiate athletes from Northeast Park Hill and beyond.
- Build upon the rich tradition of athletic and academic excellence and mentorship of residents from the community.
- Emphasize sportsmanship, consistency, integrity, discipline, and a training regiment for tennis that will serve people throughout their lives.
- Bring tennis to a diverse community of all ages and build community through tennis.
- Design a middle school model for accelerated learning and high quality programming in sports science that can be implemented in any setting.
Vision
Create a world-class tennis training facility in the heart of Northeast Park Hill in Denver, Colorado that provides professional level coaching and instruction for diverse students of all ages. Our focus is on developing junior (ages 10-18) tennis tennis players with the skills and confidence that will lead to scholarships, high school team, collegiate play, and pro-level play.
Steven R. Nash
President and Founder, SNTA/Institute
Steven R. Nash is the President and Founder of the Steven Nash Tennis Academy/Institute, a professional tennis player, instructor and author who grew up and lives in Northeast Park Hill, Denver, Colorado.
In 2022, Mr. Nash founded the SNTA/Institute to provide pro-level instruction to people of all ages, and especially junior tennis players. In his book, Ambidextrous Tennis: The Game of the Future! The Revolution is Here!, Mr. Nash discusses the future of the game and outlines the teaching and learning philosophy that is creating Next Generation Tennis Players through the SNTA/Institute.
Over the past 45 years Mr. Nash has developed a precise and concise teaching style that provides consistent modeling and practice of excellent stroke mechanics. By understanding the movement and science behind shot-making, players can continually improve their game.
At age 15, inspired by Arthur Ashe and taught the basics by his older brother, he fell in love with the game and has trained and played ever since. In addition to playing tournaments in country clubs throughout Colorado, he played singles on the George Washington High School tennis team in Denver, and subsequently earned a full tennis scholarship to The University of Northern Colorado (UNC).
At the University of Northern Colorado he was the first freshman ever selected to play on the varsity tennis team and the first African American player on the team. Mr. Nash was then recruited by Metropolitan State College in Denver to be the number one player on their varsity team, and the first African-American player to hold that distinction.
Accolades include, but are not limited to:
- Presently Open Tournament Player with multiple tournament wins at every level
- Collegiate state champion, Mesa College State Open
- NCTA II Participation in Kansas City
- A Master racket stringer, he tests and evaluates strings and rackets, adjusting and learning with each new innovation
- Author of Ambidextrous Tennis: The Game of the Future! The Revolution is Here!
Anne Ginnold, M.Ed., Executive Director
Anne Ginnold is Executive Director of the SNTA/Institute, educator and advocate. Ms. Ginnold manages programming and registration for the SNTA She rediscovered tennis in Spring, 2021, when she began training with Mr. Nash, and has been an advocate for tennis ever since.
Ms. Ginnold has 35+ years of experience working with culturally and linguistically diverse educators, families, and students. She is dedicated to creating and delivering high quality programs that lift up students, community. Her education career began in California, and in 2016, she relocated to Denver, Colorado. There Ms. Ginnold coordinates the McAuliffe Club Tennis program and works with the brilliant students and incredible staff at McAuliffe as a guest teacher and assistant coach. Anne holds a B.A. in Spanish from the University of California, Berkeley, bilingual teaching and administrative credentials and an M.Ed. in Educational Administration from California State University, East Bay and Mills College, Oakland, California.
National Curriculum Guide of Higher Education in Tennis For Middle School Students
Established in 2022, the SNTA/Institute develops and provides high quality, accelerated and advanced programming in Sports Science beginning in Middle School. The curriculum was developed for and implemented with a diverse group of middle school students in a large urban middle school in Northeast Park Hill. Over 100 Next Generation Players have graduated in the last two years, with over 10 now playing on their High School Tennis teams. This programming can be implemented in any setting.
