Court 16 Opens Kid-Friendly Tennis Spot in Long Island City

2/22/18 - By Jody Mercier

When it comes to family-friendly amenities, Long Island City is experiencing a boom. From inventive play spaces to sprawling parks and cool tot spots, there's plenty to see and do, including a brand-new tennis facility, Court 16.

Four years after opening its flagship location in Gowanus, Brooklyn, Court 16 has opened a new indoor tennis complex geared toward the kids who are rapidly taking over this neighborhood's sidewalks. With nine tennis courts of varying kid-friendly sizes, there's something for tennis players of all ages at this new spot.

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Courts are divided by age group and include spots for toddlers, grade-schoolers, and tweens and up.

Court 16 opened its doors earlier this month, and little tennis-pros-in-the-making are already honing their skills.

The brainchild of former Division 1 tennis player Anthony Evrard, the club is named after the court at his home club in Brussels, Belgium, where he spent time perfecting his game as a youngster. Drawing on the fun had and lessons learned there, Evrard built a club meant to introduce the game to a new generation of players in an entertaining and empowering way.

The courts are designed to be kid-friendly, coming in smaller, more age-appropriate sizes. There are three 30-foot tennis courts for ages 2–6; four 36–foot tennis courts for ages 6–10; and two 60-foot courts for ages 10+. All classes are taught by USPTR-certified coaches.

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The new center opened on Queens Plaza South earlier this month.

Club 16 is a members-only facility, but families with multiple kids get a big break on its pricing. Classes are offered for kids as young as 2½ years old and a low instructor-to-student ratio makes sure they get plenty of quality instruction on-court.

Annual membership fees for one child start at $350; the second child pays $175; and the third is free. A premium membership (which includes a raquet and four hours of court time) runs $500, $250, and free. Once you've signed up for a membership, you can begin booking classes and court time, but you'll pay $32–$120 per session, depending on the length of the class and whether you register for group, individual, or partner classes. Payment plans are available.

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Parents can take classes, too!

Other membership perks include classes for parents, family movie nights, and weekend brunches and court time for families once per month, plus a detailed evaluation of your kid's game every month. School-break camps and birthday parties are also offered.

Parents who are waiting during their kids' lessons can watch from the on-site viewing area while enjoying the FREE wi-fi. There's also a snack bar and pro-shop on-site. Adults can also partake in beginner classes here, plus a tennis-specific fitness class.

It opened at 13-06 Queens Plaza South, not far from the F Queensbridge subway station. For more information on Court 16, or to book a FREE trial class, visit its website.

All photos courtesy of Court 16

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