A young tennis player born in Colombia has attracted attention since the summer after being crowned national champion in the Singles Boys’ 16 category of the American Tennis Association National Championships.
Miguel Londoño is not only a champion, but also a promising sport thanks to a program that supports young people like him with year-round training and academic support.
Thanks to the New York Junior Tennis & Learning (NYJTL) Scholar Athlete program, Londoño has garnered interest from colleges across the country, opening up the possibility of competing at a Division III institution.
I had the opportunity to speak with Londoño, his father Carlos Londoño, and his coach Raiyen Nafee—who also directs NYJTL’s academic program—about how this initiative has transformed his life and what his goals are for the future.
Londoño highlighted that the program supports him on and off the field. Whether preparing for exams or strengthening your sports skills, it ensures that you will be ready for whatever comes once this stage is over.
“Our Scholar Athlete Program is one of the pillars of our educational path. We serve about 100 students, from primary to secondary school. The goal is to develop them comprehensively so that they can access university with a sports scholarship and acquire skills that allow them to persevere,” explained Coach Nafee.
His father remembered how it all started: “When we arrived four and a half years ago, they told us to take him to the NYJTL program that they do in the city’s public schools. Tennis is an expensive sport, and since we came from Colombia, where he had played for seven years, we introduced him and he spent training for a few weeks. That’s where the whole story began here in New York.”
With the support of his family and his coach, Miguel has grown in every way they ever imagined. He himself recalled a lesson that marked him deeply and that applies on and off the court:
“Many times we focus on the bad instead of seeing the good. I think we always have to enjoy, and when we make mistakes, not see them as something negative, but as an opportunity to learn and improve.”
Both Nafee and his father agree that Miguel has matured noticeably since entering the program. For the coach, that is precisely the objective: to train young people capable of performing successfully wherever they end up, as long as they make correct decisions and feel fulfilled.
“It’s bittersweet, but very nice,” Nafee said. “I’ve known students since eighth grade. There are coaches who have worked with Miguel even before. Seeing that he is achieving his goals and that he is already talking to college coaches is gratifying. We know we are doing things right.”
The coach assured that, no matter where he decides to play, Miguel is prepared to succeed.
“At the time, I couldn’t process all the letters from the universities,” Londoño said about the experience of receiving proposals from different schools, including the team at Whitman College in Washington. “But I feel like it’s a good path.”
Although you still have time to decide, the simple fact that universities already recognize your discipline and passion demonstrates NYJTL’s unique impact on the New York community.
Among all his experiences, Miguel shared one of the moments that has given him the most pride in the program:
“Being chosen to speak at the Keri Beats Center’s 10th Anniversary Gala. It was a proud moment: speaking in front of three hundred people, donors and members of the NYJTL community. It made not only me proud, but my family as well.”
As he continues to balance tennis with his studies to ensure a college future, his father reflected on how much he has grown and what it means to see him prepare for this new stage.
“He has matured a lot. He has grown not only as a player, but as a person. He is responsible and very committed to the activities of the NYJTL,” he explained. “It’s a mix of emotions, because many dream of being professionals, but others want to go to university, and it’s not cheap. However, if they get a good scholarship, they have every chance of getting ahead.”
