By Ariane Lewis
On Saturday, June 20th, 2026, the faces of eager, captivated parents, family, and friends lined the fence, wrapped in blankets and pride. Twelve courts, splayed out amid a field of green, welcomed their children into battle. The Aces & Academics of New Haven, Inc., led by Coaches Sonje Williams, Jay John, Meredith Robinson, Robert Vidal, Barbara John, Sam Rossi, Ronald Murphy (Murph), and Ron Lewis, was about to compete in the Junior Team Tennis USTA New England Tournament at William H. Hall High School in West Hartford, CT. Sixteen years earlier, in 2010, Coaches Sonje and Jay formed Aces & Academics of New Haven, Inc., making Edgewood Park Tennis Courts their home court.
- Day 2: Sunday, 14 and under, pictured above:
- Front Row: Zoe, LeAndre, Benjamin
- Back Row: Coach Sonje, Coach Meredith, Sanaya, Ronald, Daniil, Eugene, Diana, Coach Jay, and Coach Lewis
It wasn’t the first time the kids were competing, but for many, it was the first time they were doing so at this level. And they came to play. Over the course of 2 days, the kids played match after match from 9 in the morning until well into the evening. On the first day, 6 players represented the team in the 12-and-under group. On day 2, the team was represented by 5 players for those 14 and under. Playing both singles and doubles, each athlete competed in multiple matches over the course of their respective days.
Spectators looked on as the kids warmed up, hit their first serves, engaged in competitive rallies, celebrated their wins, and reflected on their losses. As a team, they cheered each other on and grew closer in the trenches of competition. No matter the outcome, when players stepped off the court, a line of fist bumps awaited them. At the end of each day, the scores were totaled, and an award ceremony was held for sportsmanship. Unlike in traditional tennis scoring, each game won, regardless of whether the team was victorious in the overall match, counted as a point for the team. At the end of Day 1, Aces & Academics of New Haven, Inc. came in 6th place out of 6, with a total of 42 points. They fought hard, and they were proud of how they showed up. Day 2 found the team in 3rd place out of 4, with a total of 70 points.
Ten Good Sport Nominees and one winner were announced at the end of each day. Two Aces & Academics of New Haven, Inc. players, Zoe Howard and Ronald Dupree, were awarded Good Sport Nominations on Day 1. On Day 2, two more players, Daniil Laskov and LeAndre Dupree, took home their own Good Sport Nominations. And LeAndre received the Good Sport Award for 2026. His beaming grin made one thing clear: it was the only outcome that mattered. As the parents, coaches, and kids gathered their things and said their goodbyes, you could tell they were hooked. If they weren’t before, the players had become competitors.
With the tournament over, the team prepares for its seasonal hiatus. Before the fall, the coaches will need to figure out another season of funding as well. Tennis requires access, equipment, expertise, and, of course, love for the game. Aces & Academics of New Haven, Inc., is a non-profit youth tennis program that focuses on educational, physical, and social development to promote holistic growth. Now is the time to champion New Haven tennis and youth enrichment by supporting our Aces & Academics of New Haven, Inc. state qualifiers. For more information about becoming a sponsor, please contact Coach Sonje Williams at 860.724.2233. And for more information about the team, please visit Aces & Academics of New Haven, Inc. All donations are welcome and appreciated.
In the final moments of the tournament, LeAndre’s words summed up the energy of the team: “We came in 3rd this year. Next year, we’re gonna be number 1.”
PHOTOS – Photography by Britt Lewis