✰PREMIUM Kings County Tennis League announces $100,000 pledge from renowned Brooklyn-based artist Eddie Martinez
Benefactor Eddie Martinez (left) and the late Richard Webley.
Photo courtesy of Dave Webley
Special from KCTL
November 27, 2024
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WILLIAMSBURG — Kings County Tennis League, Inc. (KCTL) is honored to announce a generous $100,000 donation pledge from acclaimed Brooklyn-based artist Eddie Martinez. A dedicated annual supporter of KCTL, Martinez made this contribution in memory of his close friend and tennis partner, Richard Webley, who also supported KCTL in multiple ways.
Richard Webley and Eddie Martinez. Photo courtesy of Dave Webley
The first $20,000 installment of Martinez’s extraordinary $100,000 pledge is scheduled for 2024 with the remaining installments distributed over the following four years. This timely donation will be allocated to KCTL’s year-end campaign, which is focused on expanding opportunities for young players ages 12 to 15 at three newly renovated tennis courts located at De Hostos Park in South Williamsburg.
“I loved getting to know Rich on and off the court. KCTL connects communities and kids through tennis, and I hope my support will help foster relationships as meaningful as the one I had with Rich. I can personally attest that tennis is a sport that changes lives, which is why I am so supportive of KCTL’s mission,” said Eddie Martinez.
Webley, who passed away in 2023 following a courageous battle with cancer, first introduced Martinez to KCTL in 2018. Martinez immediately felt a deep connection with the organization’s mission: to combine tennis and education to spark the potential of children living in Brooklyn’s public housing communities.
Martinez’s involvement with KCTL has only grown since then. In 2022, he initiated KCTL’s first art auction, which has since become an annual event, called Paint the Lines, celebrating both tennis and art. Over the past three years, this auction has raised more than $200,000, with contributions from 52 artists helping to expand KCTL’s programs.
The late Richard Webley and Eddie Martinez. Photo courtesy of Dave Webley
“Eddie’s donation arrives at a pivotal moment for KCTL,” said KCTL Executive Director Joe Ceriello. “In 2024, we expanded our tennis court capacity from one to six full-size courts and doubled down on our commitment to supporting youth aged 12 to 15 — an age group at higher risk of disengaging from sports, according to national data.”
To honor Webley’s legacy, KCTL will introduce the Richard Webley Award. This award, to be presented annually at The Jamboree, KCTL’s end-of-summer event, will recognize a student who embodies Webley’s passion for tennis and his dedication to leadership on and off the court. Webley was an enthusiastic supporter of KCTL, and this award will celebrate a young person who demonstrates both a commitment to the sport and a positive influence within the community.
Kings County Tennis League (KCTL) is a Brooklyn based non-profit that was founded in 2010. The mission of KCTL is to combine tennis and education to spark the potential of children living in and around Brooklyn public housing. The unique programming model of KCTL takes staff, volunteers and equipment directly to the communities and families it works with. The organization provides free programming to 100% of the families enrolled, with close to 50% of families enrolled living in public housing. In 2024 just shy of 900 children will benefit from KCTL programming.
Eddie Martinez, the late Richard Webley and Dave Webley. Photo courtesy of Dave Webley
The core of KCTL’s program is centered around 6 NYCHA Housing Developments, each one essentially a tennis club. The 6 clubs (Marcy, Tompkins, Sumner, Ingersoll, Jackie Robinson and Lafayette Gardens) form the Kings County Tennis League. Events throughout the year (Davis Cup, Jamboree and Fall Classic) see these clubs come together to compete, socialize and celebrate the communities KCTL works within.
KCTL strives to renovate rundown or disused play space in and around where they offer programming, this year investing close to $200,000 to renovate three full size tennis courts in South Williamsburg.
The program is fully staffed but also engages close to 150 volunteers throughout the year who become role models and mentors to the students while at the same time exposing them to diverse backgrounds, experiences and careers. Over time the students are taken on field trips to where the volunteers work to further educate and motivate them to pursue their interests. In 2024 KCTL’s volunteers provided over 2000 hours of programming.
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