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The Best Job in the Awesome World of U.S. Tennis
According to Brit Mike Barrell, Executive Director of Tennis at Sportime Clubs
Rich Neher
March 17, 2025
I am reporting on a trip that took me to New York City, Miami, and Germany. While visiting friends and relatives in Manhattan, I made arrangements to visit Sportime on Randall’s Island. Mike Barell graciously made time for me and showed me the property.
The Sportime Clubs website explains, “In September 2010, tennis legend John McEnroe, in partnership with SPORTIME Clubs, launched the John McEnroe Tennis Academy (JMTA) in his hometown of New York City at SPORTIME Randall's Island in Manhattan. SPORTIME Randall's Island is the flagship location for the Academy and for SPORTIME's twelve clubs.”
Since 2010, many more clubs have been added to the Sportime portfolio:
Sportime Randall’s Island is the flagship location with awe-inspiring features:
Over 250,000 square feet of tennis courts, pickleball courts, and support facilities
29 tennis courts: 15 Laykold hard tennis courts and 14 Har-Tru clay tennis courts, 7 of which are sub-irrigated, "Hydro-Q Courts"
10 indoor hard tennis courts and 6 pickleball courts housed in two state-of-the-art, permanent, conditioned buildings (5-court and 6-court)
7 of the clay courts are housed in a new, year-round, conditioned air-structure
5 hard tennis courts housed in an air structure during the indoor season, and outdoors during the outdoor season
The remaining 7 Har-Tru Hydro-Q Courts are housed in a new air-structure during the indoor season, and available for outdoor play during the outdoor season.
All 12 courts outdoors during the outdoor season are lighted for evening play
Multiple athletic training spaces
Comfortable lounge and viewing areas
Spacious locker rooms
Pro shop featuring top brands and 24-hour stringing
Cafe/bar serving healthy food, snacks and beverages
Classrooms, meeting rooms, and 5-star special event facilities
Entrance to Sportime Randall’s Island with one of the 3 huge “Bubbles” set up during winter months
 Reception area |  Walkway to the “Bubbles” |
Mike Barrell, Executive Director of Tennis at Sportime Clubs
Mike Barrell, a renowned 30+ years tennis professional, is widely recognized by our global readership for his exceptional work with Federations, the Professional Tennis Registry (PTR), various tennis clubs, and his company, evolve9. Mike has garnered international acclaim for his innovative approach to tennis development, particularly in designing systems that align with the developmental needs of young children.
His expertise lies in creating and implementing methodologies that not only foster growth in young tennis players but also contribute significantly to the overall development of the sport. Mike’s systems are tailored to address the unique challenges faced by children in their formative years of tennis training, ensuring a more effective and engaging learning experience.
Some of our readers may have seen Mike’s presentation “Must, Should, Could - The Islands of Skill Development” at the PTR International Racquets Conference a few weeks ago.
Mike Barrell in his office at Sportime Randall’s Island
Mike is originally from Swanley in Kent, England. A Brit who has traveled globally and now landed in NYC. He pointed out how the Randall’s Island facility is a real tennis place. “You live and breathe tennis here.”
Here’s a Short Video (20 seconds) of the staff images in one hallway at Sportime. At Randall’s Island, Sportime employs between 55 and 60 coaches every year, some from other countries. When I was there, a group of players with their coaches from Montreal, Canada, were getting ready to return home.
Throughout all Sportime Clubs locations, the company employs about 235 coaches with 27% being female. Every year, they recruit 40-50 new coaches. They are even using a proprietary app for coaches.
 | Walking toward one of the “Bubbles” with 7 clay courts. INTERESTING FACT Two of the three huge “Bubbles” in use during the winter months are taken down for the outdoor season and stored at an off-site facility. Allowing five hard courts to become an annexed practice facility for the US Open. |
Clay courts 11-17
Another “Bubble” with clay courts.
Not all courts are located in “Bubbles” for winter use. Many are in a permanent structure, some of them sharing tennis and pickleball courts.
 Hard courts in a permanent structure. |  Lounge area overlooking courts |
Shared tennis and pickleball space here.
Pickleball at Sportime Randall’s Island
 Pickleball at Sportime Randall’s Island | Although the facility is fantastic, Pickleball is a challenging offering at Sportime Randall’s Island. It’s close to Manhattan but transport times are longer through the NYC traffic so the pickleball program is not as big as it could be if it were in the heart of the city. I observed a group of pickleball players with excellent skills and assume they meet here regularly for high-level play because the facility is so fantastic. |
There are also four outdoor community pickleball courts, but they obviously get limited use during the cold winter months.
The folks at Sportime Randall’s Island know how to put displays together. The left image shows some of John McEnroe’s most memorable trophies. On the right, all college logos are displayed where Sportime Juniors had been placed over the years.
 John McEnroe trophies |  College logos |
I thoroughly enjoyed visiting Mike Barrell and the fabulous Sportime Randall’s Island facility. Learned much about Sportime and the John McEnroe Tennis Academy. Observed Johnny Mac a few times who makes it a point of being present at the club whenever he’s in town. Very smart.
If I lived in Manhattan, that’s the club I would join.