Game On: Level UP! Academy Elevates Tennis Education
Published 10:00 am Friday, January 31, 2025
Newberry’s staff includes Freddie and Susie Hartzog, Helen Jean Thompson, Babs Coyle, and Kathy Fowler. Level UP! enthusiastically welcomes students from Hutto Elementary, Bainbridge Middle School, Grace Christian Academy, Spring Creek Charter Academy, and homeschoolers fostering a diverse and vibrant community.
LEVEL UP!' advanced tennis players playing doubles.
Level UP! enthusiastically welcomes students from Hutto Elementary, Bainbridge Middle School, Grace Christian Academy, Spring Creek Charter Academy, and homeschoolers.
The ability to advance and advocate the interest of tennis for the youth can not only be impactful for the game's future but also emphasizes the sport of tennis by fostering physical fitness, mental discipline while instilling values such as sportsmanship, teamwork, and perseverance
Carolyn Newberry, the director of Level UP! Education is one of the driving forces today behind the youth tennis recreational program in Bainbridge, Georgia.
LEVEL UP!' mission is to foster both intellectual and athletic growth in children from third to eighth grade, including those who are home-schooled.
“It’s giving the kids the opportunity,” Newberry said. “To experience the game of tennis with no expense to the parent(s). This was a way to promote tennis in Decatur County.”
LEVEL UP! Education and Tennis Academy comes together at the Joe L. Sweet Jr. Community Center twice a week.
Introducing tennis to the youth ensures a thriving comfort for the sport, both in terms of talent and community support.
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The Level UP! Education and Tennis Academy, a non-profit organization, offers high-quality tennis instruction and focuses on academic and personal development. They create a nurturing environment with inspiring role models and award scholarships to graduating seniors who have participated in the program throughout middle and high school, helping them achieve new heights.
Carole Floyd, the founder of Level UP! Education and Tennis Academy, is a key innovator in Bainbridge’s thriving tennis community. Her vision and dedication have significantly impacted the sport locally.
Melanie Feliz partnered with Floyd to launch and implement the beginning of “Level UP!” aimed to initiate the game of tennis through this exciting program.
Floyd coached the Bainbridge High School boys tennis team in 1978 and returned to coach in 1999. She was inducted into the 2017 Decatur County Sports Hall of Fame for her numerous contributions, from playing tennis to creating leagues and associations, including the Bainbridge Tennis Association in 1992 and sanctioning the first junior tennis tournament in Bainbridge.
The Carole Simpson Floyd Tennis Complex was named in her honor by the city of Bainbridge.
Carolyn Newberry, the director of Level UP! Education is one of the driving forces today behind the youth tennis recreational program in Bainbridge, Georgia. Her dedication and hard work have shaped a bright future for the next generation of tennis players.
Newberry’s staff includes Freddie and Susie Hartzog, Helen Jean Thompson, Babs Coyle, and Kathy Fowler. Level UP! enthusiastically welcomes students from Hutto Elementary, Bainbridge Middle School, Grace Christian Academy, Spring Creek Charter Academy, and homeschoolers fostering a diverse and vibrant community.
“We see children from all walks of life, it’s rewarding to be a part of because they learn from one another. We have several players from our academy who will participate on the middle school tennis team,” Carolyn Newberry said. “And several are already playing on varsity. We’ve already had some that have graduated since starting the program.”
The Level UP! Education and Tennis Academy, proudly sponsored by the Fogg Trust Foundation, provides an exceptional array of free tennis training sessions alongside community engagement activities. Their mission is to foster both intellectual and athletic growth in children from third to eighth grade, including those who are home-schooled. Through this comprehensive approach, they inspire young minds and bodies to reach their fullest potential, nurturing a well-rounded development that extends beyond the tennis court.
“It’s giving the kids the opportunity,” Newberry said. “To experience the game of tennis with no expense to the parent(s). This was a way to promote tennis in Decatur County.”
The ability to advance and advocate the interest of tennis for the youth can not only be impactful for the game’s future but also emphasizes the sport of tennis by fostering physical fitness, mental discipline while instilling values such as sportsmanship, teamwork, and perseverance. By nurturing these qualities, introducing tennis to the youth ensures a thriving comfort for the sport, both in terms of talent and community support.
Tennis is a lifelong sport that has impacted Newberry in more ways than one. She began playing in high school and picked it back up at The Floyd Tennis Complex in Bainbridge. Newberry has played on USTA (United States Tennis Association) teams until recently and continues to play on the South Georgia Bainbridge adult tennis team. Through USTA tennis Newberry has traveled to the Panama Canal to represent the United States tennis program which also included national, state, and sectional championships.
“It’s very much been part of my life, and I’m just an average Joe tennis player,” Newberry said “But being part of USTA and the Georgia Tennis Association it’s given me opportunities that I never would have done.”
The Level Up Education and Tennis Academy meets twice weekly, Monday and Wednesday at the Joe L. Sweet Jr. Community Center tennis courts from 3:30 p.m. until 5:30 p.m.
“The only thing we require is for tennis shoes to be worn and appropriate clothing,” Newberry said.
