Update: July 2016
Sister Cities Essex Haiti’s  Club Tennis Deschapelles is busy now that school is out.  They are continuing their training and have added a “ladder” system where players can challenge fellow players who are listed above them the ladder.  They are also organizing a local tournament for their team members to take place at the end of July.  The club received a wonderful gift of high quality strings from Solinco, an organization that produces high quality tennis equipment.  They are proud to have the Solinco banner hanging on the wall.  Thank you Solinco!!!

Update: March 2015

James Adler who has progressed from the Deschapelles Tennis Team to being accepted into the elite St. Louis Tennis Academy in Port au Prince is competing this week in the Dominican Republic in the Caribbean Junior Davis Cup Tennis competition.  15 teams are competing.  Adler is the one on the right.  Kudos Adler!

SCEH Sports Project Update: September 2014
The coaches continue to work with the players and they continue to attend tournaments.

Update: January 2013

Two of the most important tools that Coach John DeLong offered  a year ago were 1) more in-depth instruction to the Tennis Coaches to augment their tennis coaching skills and 2) the encouragement he gave them to continue their work with their youth program, “Club Tennis Deschapelles.”  They now have 34 children in the program, 17 of whom are girls.  They accept invitations from the Federation Tennis Haitienne to go to Port-au Prince  for country wide competitions.  And they almost always come out as winners or runners up.  In the most recent Tennis 10 competition, the finalists were both from Deschapelles.  They recently organized an adult tournament as well as a youth tournament at Deschapelles on their own initiative.  In January 2013 they organized a small party to distribute certificates to all the children and coaches who had continued to participate in the tennis program.  Walter, main coach and President of the Club Tennis Deschapelles, also gives lessons to some of the ex-pats who are working at HAS and the interaction between the foreigners working at HAS and the tennis group has become very positive.  We also brought down donations of racquets, a good many the next level up for youth play which they had been so eager to receive, and grips and strings to keep the racquets they have in good shape. I had more time to spend with the Tennis folks this last trip.  I managed to get up to the courts almost every day around 6:00 am to take lessons from Walter and also hit with other coaches.  One morning the new CEO of HAS, Louis Martin an avid tennis player, and I had a one set match against Walter and Asnel.  SCEH Vice President and Director Dan Taylor-Stypa, unbeknownst to me, had played on his college tennis team.  He came up and hit balls with the youth and also played a one set match with folks there.  The warm reception and the respect that we all give to each other is indicative of the second goal, to establish relationships.

Update: June 2012

Tennis clinics had been canceled for the week we were there as all the students were taking exams.  They did, however, participate  in what we termed the “Coin D’Enrichissement.”  We brought down some books geared to helping children learn to read – both skill books and books for pleasure.  We also had some playing cards which are helpful in number recognition, order and addition.  The program is geared toward youth in the tennis program who are not able to go to school, but many who joined are readers, which will make the adventure of learning to read an understanding number concepts more enjoyable for all.  Each participant received a beautifully decorated Pringles can full of writing and art materials created by students at the Deep River Elementary School.  The Tennis Committee is hoping to host the next tournament, inviting the other teams from Port au Prince and environs. To see the children opening the Pringles cans, please click here.