Adrian Clarke

Pinnacle Award

Adrian Clarke

Director, Prospect Park Tennis Center

When he was appointed Director of the Prospect Tennis Center in February this year, Adrian Clarke made history by becoming the first black person to hold the position.

He was appointed to the post after years as a beloved pro at the center.

Clarke started playing tennis at 12, excelling in a sport which was peripheral in Barbados and playing his first tournament at 15. Moving to Brooklyn with his family at 17, he continued playing tennis at the Parade Ground in Prospect Park.

Eventually, he started playing in tournaments in New York. While playing in a tournament at the Port Washington Tennis Academy in Long Island that he was offered a chance to train there. This gave him exposure to a very high level of tennis for a year and a half – at the time John McEnroe was the top player there - before going to college and playing at Hampton University.

On graduation, he joined the professional tour for a little while, but was stymied by the expense and elitism. In 1983, Clarke played in the U.S. Open, satisfying a dream. However, after losing the match, the next day he signed up for his Master’s degree.

The former Harrisonian holds a BA in English/Language Arts Teacher Education from Hampton, a Master’s of Fine Arts in Creative Writing and a Master’s in English Language and Literature, both from City University of New York – Brooklyn College.

After leaving the pro circuit, Clarke got the opportunity to coach kids in Barbados on scholarship. Importantly, he established the international junior tournament, which is still being operated 25 years later.

While teaching Junior High School English, Clarke enrolled his daughter in tennis at Prospect Park. After being asked to help with the Junior Development Program, he was invited to be a full time instructor. That was some 11 years ago and today he heads the center.

A writer with published short stories in literary journals and a popular professional pan player as well, Adrian Clarke is hopeful that his tenure as the Director of the Prospect Park Tennis Center will bring more black and underprivileged children into the sport which has taken him from being an unknown to being a history maker.