I signed up my two kids at YTA because of a referral from another friend who recommended it. I was impressed with the coaches’ teaching methodologies and the practices. We live 40min drive from the location of the academy and it is worth the long drive. I also witnessed the progress in tennis made by my kids in a very short period of time.
The founder Andrey is very professional, and I enjoyed meeting him in one of the sessions when he also joined another Coach to help during the lesson.
We were shocked and sad hearing the news about the sale of the hotel where the academy is located, and my kids are missing tennis.
We hope the academy can resume soon so my kids stay engaged with Tennis and we wish Andrey luck on finding a place sooner.
– Abdel Nmili, Medford, MA
My son started playing tennis at YTA when he was 6 years old. He has been there for 3 years. And we can’t say enough good things about it.
The coaches are all professional and good with working with kids. They play different games to make it fun. My son looks forward to the lesson every week. They have a variety of group and private lessons that are flexible with schedules. And before the pandemic there is also summer camp. We hope YTA can find a new home and my son can start playing tennis again.
– Jiayu Liu, Massachusetts
YTA has professional tennis coaches and provides a solid foundation for kids in tennis lessons. Very flexible and accommodative in scheduling classes and making sure kids are slotted to the right class according to age and skills.
My son enjoys learning tennis at YTA and the program has helped increase his confidence in playing tennis.
Andrey Spichkin and his team are great coaches. I hope YTA finds a new home to teach tennis to the local community.
– Murugan Namasivayam, Chelmsford, MA
About seven years ago, I began playing tennis. For four or five years, I tried many different tennis places in the greater boston area. The problem I had with their methods of teaching was that I would only hit the ball 1/5th or even 1/10th of the time, because most coaches would make the class stand in a line and then would serve them forehands, backhands, and occasionally dropshots. Although the teachers did give some personal attention to their students (if you showed strong interest), I ultimately felt it was not enough and that the instruction at these places was a bit… well, lazy.
That was until I found Coach Spichkin and the Youth Tennis Academy. The first lesson, he did not throw me to the back of a line or make me do mindless forehand drills, but instead rallied a bit with me to see my strengths and weaknesses. He then talked to me and my parents about my playing and how the YTA would help me improve. Some of the notable things he told me was that I should work on strength training and fix my posture, as well as that we would work on my serves and general technique.
I quickly found that the YTA operated a bit differently from other tennis clubs in that they taught the game to us from a more holistic perspective, involving strength training, endurance training, and the theory and strategy involved in tennis. Every month, we focus on one particular area of the game, such as net play or practicing crosscourt/down the line. Whenever we learn a new type of shot, we also learn when to use it, and play a few games involving the shot to practice. I very rarely find myself standing in the back of line longer than 2 or 3 people, because we play most of the games and drills against each other, with the coaches watching and giving us individualized feedback on our performance.
The coaches are all very friendly and the students are engaged and excited to play. YTA is a great place to learn and have fun!
– Daniel Kohlmann (16)”, Massachusetts
Both of my kids (ages 6 and 8) absolutely enjoyed taking tennis lessons at the Youth Tennis Academy. Their techniques got better within the first month of their training at YTA. We are extremely sad that YTA is having difficulty with keeping their site. My kids and I can’t wait for them to find another site soon.
– Deepa Balasundaram, Winchester, MA
Our son joined YTA in 2020, ever since he had a fantastic time and experience. YTA hired very good coaches, very experience, patience and excellent in training junior, senior and adults. It would be wonderful to have YTA back as soon as possible. Our son cannot wait to join YTA & the team again soon. Highly recommended to everyone.
– Corinne Boin, Lexington, MA
Our 5th grade daughter has been attending Youth Tennis Academy since first grade, and we are so impressed by how much she has grown to love tennis and how her skills have steadily improved through the years. She has enjoyed working with all her coaches at YTA and has made some great friendships. Group lessons, semi-private lessons, private lessons, and summer camp… my daughter has enjoyed them all, and we hope YTA can soon find a new home!
– Kelly Ann Cracchiolo, Massachusetts
Even if we are new to YTA, the whole family had a really good experience!
Our three kids, 6, 10 and 11, enjoyed coming to your tennis classes and they learned already a lot in only few months.
My husband and myself also took private classes at YTA and we were really happy with everything, and we would like to continue.
– Micol Piccoli, Lexington, MA
My daughter Sophia has been going to YTA for around 3 years and has learned everything she knows from this program attending semi-private lessons, group lessons, and summer camp. The coaches are all friendly, experienced and have a lot of knowledge on tennis skills, techniques, and how to teach. They care deeply about tennis education and their student’s improvement. I highly recommend this place for any youth who would like to learn tennis or improve their existing skills.
– Peter Du, Lexington, MA
My daughter, niece and nephew went to YTA summer camp for 2 years in a row before COVID hit and we had to cancelled during 2020. Our kids had a great time at YTA and is really sad that the Bedford, MA location is no longer available. Camp was run really well as coaches were engaging so kids learned a lot while still having ton of fun! Pizza and ice cream Fridays was their favorite. Camp was organized and signup was easy. I hope they will find a new location soon and hopefully close to Burlington, MA!
– Felicity Ho, Massachusetts
I would like to share my experience on YTA.
My son started to play tennis in YTA about four years ago. He enjoyed taking group tennis lessons every Saturday and most of the days in the summer breaks.
The coaches, especially Andrey Spichkin, are professional and patient. I hope Andrey will find a place to continue his tennis club so that more children can benefit from it.
– Lao Man Lexington, MA
I took my two sons’ tennis lessons there on the recommendation of a friend. The coach Andrey is passionate, witty, and has good coaching skills.
After seeing the children taking lessons, I was also interested, so I took a family lesson with the children. Now I enjoy playing tennis with my kids.
YTA is a place where you can fully understand the allure of tennis.
– Sangjin Woo Lexington, MA
Our experience at YTA has been outstanding. Both of my sons went from knowing nothing to being confident and able to play in a matter of a few months.
Andrey is a patient, methodical teacher who cares deeply not only about his students’ tennis abilities, but about making classes fun and engaging.
My boys cannot wait for YTA to be up and running again! This place is headed by wonderful, caring instructors and is truly one of a kind.
– Valerie Rafkind Lexington, MA
I would like to write in support of the Youth Tennis Association. Our 2 kids have been playing there for a few years now and they were enjoying every single session. The quality of the coaching and the ludic and fun experience has helped them progress since day 1.
They placed a particular emphasis on the number of students that attend each session, and it is never overcrowded (<5) This is in contrast with many other facilities where they prefer to fill the courts to a maximum (up to 10 students per court). I can only speak highly of the training that Andrey and his team has provided, and I would love to see them teach again very soon.
– Maciej Kaliszczak Belmont, MA
Both my boys ages 11 and 7 enjoyed learning tennis from the YTA. Andrey and his team made sure the lessons were fun filled and tailored to beginners.
– Sri Chandrasekaran Bedford, MA
My son joined YTA when he was 8 years old. In the past 8 years, he attended group/private lessons every week, and school break camps. Playing tennis is part of his life.
Andrey and his team had built an excellent environment and tennis program that encourage and attract kids at every age and at different levels. We were heart broken when we heard that YTA had to close their site at Bedford. We sincerely hope that YTA can re-open in the very near future!
– Hong Liu, Lexington, MA
I wanted to share how much my kids enjoy going to YTA for their tennis classes. I have an 8-year-old girl and 6-year-old boy. Andrey was amazing enough to accommodate getting them both into the same class and having their coaches teach them at appropriate levels. Both children look forward to tennis class and are practicing their swings at home all week. The YTA has allowed them to start their journey into enjoying Tennis as a sport!
I hope to continue with YTA for many years to come!!
– Nidhi Parikh Burlington, MA
My daughter likes YTA program very much: she learned quite a lot of the skills of playing tennis and had a fun time with her teammates and coaches.
We greatly appreciated YTA being part of our community.
– Tieyu Li Bedford, MA
We’ve been very happy with our son’s tennis lessons so far and how he’s made progress. He really enjoyed his lessons. Instructors are good and responsive.
– Nisreen Takulla Wakefield, MA
My first acquaintance with YTA goes back about 15 years, when my oldest daughter started taking lessons with Andrey, as well as participating in tennis summer camp activities held by YTA.
Since then, I have been ‘promoting’ this great tennis school, and many of my friends started taking their kids there as well – all were grateful for this recommendation. YTA was a hidden gem, and I am glad I found it!
My youngest daughter is now 6, and she has been very happily participating in group classes at YTA for the past two years. The teachers are amazing, my daughter is making great progress in tennis.
I was so inspired by amazing coach Yulia, that I (along with my oldest daughter) started taking private classes at YTA as well.
Both of my daughters and I were very happy with our tennis progress and are all really hoping that YTA will be able to find a new home.
– Marina Tsypina Burlington, MA
We have nothing but positive reviews for YTA. We had a wonderful experience both in group classes and private classes with my sons. The teachers were very helpful in encouraging their students and instructing them how to play tennis. I am looking forward to continuing these classes!
– Christina Mardiros, Massachusetts
I was asked to write a review and I’m happy to do so for Andrey and the team. Both my kids went to YTA and enjoyed playing tennis with the team. Andrey and Yulia really focused on technique and helped my kids get better at the game.
– Anitha Reddy Yajnik Bedford, MA
We love the youth tennis academy program. Their teaching method is innovative and includes games geared towards increasing the students’ skills while also keeping them interested and engaged in the game.
They have multiple slots available throughout the week for different age groups and skill levels which makes scheduling easy. They also offer make up lessons if you skip a week. My son has been going there for 2 years and has made tremendous progress. He always looks forward to his tennis lessons. I absolutely love the program and plan to enroll my other child in the program soon.
– Bilsi Balakrishnan Lexington, MA
YTA is a great place with an incredible coach Yulia. She was my son’s coach from day one and she has been giving him basic and super important techniques through games, which is super important for little kids. You know that the place and coach is great when you kid runs to class.
Moreover, my son had an incredible atmosphere in his class. During his competition, while two kids were playing against each other, the rest of the kids were cheering them up. Even though it is not a group type of sport, kids are together, loved to spend time with each other.
– Margarita Fursov, Massachusetts
YTA is a great tennis learning place. The coaches there are great.
– Haiying Wang Lexington, MA
When we arrived in Massachusetts in 2016, our son Martí (born on June 12, 2009) showed some interest in playing tennis.
We were very lucky that our condo had a tennis club next door (Youth Tennis Academy).
Marti started a group lesson with another coach. We could see in the other court how Dima was coaching older guys. We were impressed on his way of teaching and the level of those guys.
We asked if our son could have a tennis lesson with Dima, but It was not easy. Everybody was asking to have lessons with Dima, and his availability was limited. But after some months, our son Marti started to take private tennis lessons with Dima.
We could see the excellent feeling between them since the first day. Marti’s improvements were constant. Dima helped him a lot on his serve, practicing many times (learn by repetition) and fixing small details to make huge differences. Then
Dima made a plan to improve Marti’s backhand, his footwork, his game in the net, fitness… at his age, Marti became a complete tennis player that was able to start competing in USTA tournaments.
We also appreciated how Dima was able to communicate with us (parents) suggesting exercises to continue practicing between lessons and commenting on the process and growth of our son.
Marti’s improvements were thanks to Dima’s passion, dedication and patience. After this process, Marti was playing with confidence as he knew he had different weapons to use in different situations.
Marti won the New England Sectionals (Boys 12 L3 USTA tournament) and started to compete in USTA National Tournaments (L1s and L2s). Dima was a coach, a mentor, a psychologist and more important a friend and a motivator for Marti.
When Dima decided to move to Florida, Marti missed him, and his tennis lessons a lot.
Talking about tennis, nothing would make Marti happier than having a tennis lesson with Dima. We all miss you!
So, if you ever decide to resume your career as a tennis coach, we will do our best to visit you, wherever you are, to get Marti to have another tennis lesson with you.
From our experience with our son, we know for sure that Dima’s knowledge and methodology will help tennis players to move to the next level in their tennis growth.
Good luck Dima! Our family look forward to seeing you back in a tennis court soon!
Take care,
Vicente Sarquella, Cristina Comes, and of course, Marti
June 20, 2024
Julia Shyla: Tennis Coach, Waltham Racquet Club
857-204-9180
Phone: 857-204-9180 Email: julijashyla@hotmail.com
Dear Sir or Madam,
My name is Julia Shyla, and currently I am employed as a Tennis Coach at Waltham Racquet Club, Massachusetts.
My work experience is 30 years with juniors, adults, professionals and amateurs of all levels.
Coached A. Sasnovich N 37 WTA (BLR),
Personal coach Yaraslav Shyla ( BLR). Highest ranking N 306 ATP Tour Singles N 164 ATP Tour Doubles
N 31 ITF under 18
N 3 Tennis Europe under 14
semifinal Orange Bowl 2007 year, under 14.
Held camp with the junior team Belarus under 14 in Switzerland and other countries.
Also trained many winners and runners-up of national tournaments in Belarus.
I worked with Dmitriy Spichkin from January 2018 until February 2022 as a Tennis Coach at Youth Tennis Academy (YTA), Bedford, MA where Dmitriy held the position of the Head Coach.
When I started working with Dmitriy, I immediately noticed his professionalism on the court, that only could come from years of experience. As I was new to the Tennis Academy’s program, Dmitriy was the one who quickly and professionally introduced me to the club’s lesson structure. Due to his tennis knowledge as well as his expertise Dmitriy was able to quickly gain my trust and respect as a truly knowledgeable and talented Tennis Professional.
I believe that Dmitriy’s strongest quality as a Tennis Coach is his versatility: he is able to run all types of tennis programs such as private and group lessons for adults and kids, clinics, summer/winter camps, etc. with the highest level of expertise. He also does it in a very friendly manner with the great sense of humor which is always appreciated by students of all ages.
At YTA we had a very high retention rate of students, however, for all new students Dmitriy was able to quickly coordinate and organize clinics and lessons, gaining the students’ attention and respect.
Dmitriy is a real pleasure and fun to work with, he is very professional, tactful and friendly. Dmitriy works great running lessons by himself but does great when paired with another coach: there is always something to learn from him. Our students loved to work with him, due to a great sense of humor on top of just training, there is no lack of personality!
Lastly, Dmitriy’s skillset speaks for itself once you observe him explaining any shot in detail or demonstrating, and there is always a tip or two to be given. Dmitriy excels at teaching tennis technique and strategies. He keeps the team organized while contributing to team positivity.
Because of all the above, I believe that Dmitry will be a great fit for any Tennis Coaching position and will surprise you with how quickly he will be able to drive success to your team.
If you have any further questions, please reach out to me regarding Dmitry Spichkin.
Sincerely,
Julia Shyla
Tennis Coach, Waltham Racquet Club
Phone: 857-204-9180 Email: julijashyla@hotmail.com
Robert Gambale
Tennis Coach, Acton Racquet Club
gamby188@comcast.net
978-815-7805
To whom it may concern
I’m happy to recommend Dmitriy Spichkin for a Head Tennis Coach position!
I worked with Dmitriy Spichkin from January 2008 until March 2021. We both were employed as Tennis Pros by Youth Tennis Academy located in Bedford, Massachusetts.
I believe that Dmitriy will be a great fit to this position because he possesses all qualities that are needed to run a successful Tennis Program of any size providing good tennis education to students of all levels of play.
Dmitriy’s skillset is quite impressive and includes (and exceeds) the following:
- He is an excellent Tennis Coach for students of all levels from 4-5 years old kids to adults of any age.
- Dmitriy is versatile in all tennis programs: 10 and under, group and private lessons, adult clinics, running competitions, camps and much more.
- Dmitriy’s knowledge of tennis technique is quite extensive and because of that many of his students won multiple competitions.
- Dmitriy demonstrates great ability to quickly organize and run adult clinics: the teams he has worked with have always showed tremendous interest in tennis, participated in many championships and were truly engaged into the learning process.
- Dmitriy has always had a waiting list of students wanting to take private lessons with him. He manages to keep students of all levels (even the youngest ones) focused, engaged and entertained by using his approach of combining exceptional tennis education with having fun on the courts.
Dmitriy can easily run any clinic from start to finish on his own: I have never seen a state of confusion or “what do we do now” state: his lessons are always run at a good pace with no unnecessary pauses and students appreciate this approach since it is not only intense but also a lot of fun.
Dmitriy is really good at what he does, and he is truly passionate about tennis. He always conducts his lessons in a very joyful and friendly manner providing top notch tennis education all at the same time.
If you have any questions regarding Dmitriy’s performance as a Tennis Head Coach, please do not hesitate to reach out to me.
Best Regards,
Robert Gambale
June 22, 2024
