OUR COMPANY PROFILE
MARC MASSAD | FOUNDER - CEO
About the Founder-CEO
When the French-American tennis professional Marc Massad brought his US-based sport coaching company to the Emirates
three years ago, he found a specific section of society being excluded from structured physical activity – children with special
needs.
In the United States, programmes for the disabled and those with cognitive disorders are commonplace. Massad’s company,
Healthy Fit Habit Group, joined the movement there with wheelchair tennis in 2001.
Now the 42-year-old tennis pro, who served as a coach for the Lebanese Tennis Federation and Junior Davis Cup and has
experience coaching underprivileged children during the US Open, wants to recreate a similar culture of physical activity and
sport for children with special needs in the UAE.
Along with the intensive health programme for children that his company’s Dubai-based arm New York Sports Services runs at
five schools and seven nurseries, individual coaching in tennis and swimming is also offered to children of varying abilities.
About the Founder-CEO
Sport is for everyone
“I want to create an awareness and realisation that sports is important and children with special needs shouldn’t be excluded
from such physical activity,” says Massad, who wrote the book Discover the Wonderful World of Tennis in 23 Lessons, which is
used by the tennis federations he has worked with.
“Along with combating obesity, sport helps develop motor skills and self-confidence. Parents need to advocate a healthy lifestyle
for their children.”
Keeping them fit
A study cited in a paper by AbilityPath, an online special-needs community in the US, found that 86 per cent of teenagers with
Down Syndrome were either overweight or obese. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the US notes that children
with disabilities are 38 per cent more likely to be obese than their counterparts.
Massad says integrating children with special needs by modifying sport activities such as swimming, bicycling, football,
gymnastics and yoga assists development.
Massad began coaching at the age of 22 while still playing tournaments in Europe and the US. He teaches cardio tennis, a
technique borrowed from a trend that began in 2000 that makes the sport more accessible.
“Tennis is no longer an elite sport where you have to be fit to get in. You can participate to lose weight and have fun,” he says.
About the Founder-CEO
“So I give the students the basics of the game, the rules and regulations, but at no point do they remain static. I set individual
goals and they are moving constantly during the game. The aim is to lose a minimum of 200 to 300 calories in an hour.”
Seeing the results
“I have a 7-year-old child who is on the autism spectrum,” says Massad. “When his parents came to me last year, they wanted
me to get him to float. He does not only float now, but can swim half of a full-length swimming pool.”
Massad says the boy, whose motor skills were underdeveloped when he first arrived, has made remarkable progress.
“He had difficulty moving his fingers and arms before, but can now play the piano. This is a great achievement.”
Massad says swimming therapy builds physical endurance. “It increases flexibility, stamina and also impacts behaviour,” he says.
“Over a period of time, children, when working with a coach and with other children, begin to feel less threatened and come out
of their shell.” The positive outcome has encouraged Massad to introduce more aqua fitness and different swimming styles for
the child this year.
He has also helped a 3-year-old suffering from partial paralysis by strengthening his working limbs.
“You have to start slow so as not to agitate them, and ease them into a routine they are comfortable in and can evolve with,” says
Massad. “I did a lot of rehabilitation in terms of movement, where I was trying to reinforce the body parts that are functioning to
overcome those that are not.”
For the most effective therapy, Massad requests complete medical records and designs a programme with the help of the child’s
physiotherapist.
About the Founder-CEO
“The safety of the child and people around him is very important. These children can easily hurt themselves and we have to work
with the parents to handle them in a way that it does not happen.”
Teaching life lessons
In his book, he details his teaching methods for children between the ages of 3 and 5, and suggests role-playing to teach the
game.
“Young kids are receptive if you create scenarios. You can do that with characters such as Spider-Man or Iron Man and develop
the game around that.”
Massad believes getting children involved in sport from a young age teaches important life lessons. “Whatever happens on the
tennis court or in a sports arena and how you deal with it is a reflection of real life,” he says.
CONTENTS
 Introduction to New York Sports Services, UAE (NYSS)
 Our Mission
 Sports and Health Fitness Programs we offer
 Our Sports and Health & Fitness Academies
 Our Services Locations
New York Sports Services, UAE
 Founded in 2011, we offer wide range of sports and health & fitness activities for
Nurseries, Schools, Hotels, Communities, Businesses and also suit individual and
private lessons in the U.A.E
 With 25 years of experience in sports and health & fitness industrie, NYSS strive for
quality and professionalism
 Our teaching methods are up to date, each year we do share and update our
methodology with other professionals from around the world
Our Mission
 We are committed, passionate to delivering our promise of ‘keeping the future
fit’ while educating our children and their families to live a healthy lifestyle.
 We are world-class professionals who help athlete to excel and reach maximum
potentials.
 We have a wide range of sports activities especially designed to fit the needs
of each sports enthusiasts.
Our Mission
 We provide fun, inspiring and positive environment for each athlete
 We strive to develop young student athletes who will be leaders and role
models in their community
Programs we offer
•
We offer a wide-range of programs especially designed to fit the needs of each
member athletes:
BASKETBA
LLAQUA
JOG
PERSONA
L
TRAINING
MARTIAL
ARTS
MINI TODDLER
HOLIDAY
ANDZUM
TENNIS
SUMMER CAMPS
BA
TEAM BUILDING
ACTIVITIES
Programs we offer
•
We offer a wide-range of programs especially designed to fit the needs of each member athletes:
OUR SPORTS and HEALTH
& FITNESS ACADEMIES
New York Sports Tennis Academy
Here at NYSS Tennis Academy, we strive for quality and professionalism. Our teaching
methods are up to date, each year we do share and update our methodology with other
professionals from around the world.
Whether you are a beginner and intermediate or an advanced tennis player you are
looking for individual or group lessons you are a child from the age of 4, you are a junior,
or an adult seeking to get involved in this wonderful world of tennis, at NYSS we have the
right program for you. You are out of shape but still want to play tennis come and try our
cardio tennis. NYSS Academy offers a wide range of products fitted for your everyday life.
Internationally recognized and acclaimed tennis pro Marc Massad has been playing,
coaching and directing "everything tennis" in the US since 2001. Marc's skills were
evident when he first held a tennis racket at age 8. An exceptional talent, Marc quickly
turned into a local celebrity, receiving offers to play and later instruct both in Europe and
the Middle East.
American expertise is what we offer. Having worked at the US open for the past 10 years
promoting and developing anything tennis in the tri states area New York , New Jersey
and Connecticut, he coached numerous players boys and girls that went on playing
division one tennis for same of the most prestigious universities in the USA. Mar learned
from the best in the US tennis industry such as USPTR , USTA, USPTA.
New York Sports Ballet Academy
NYSS Ballet Academy offers the highest quality instruction in ballet. We are committed to
bringing out the very best in each and every one of our students.
We offer classes for ages 3 to adult and levels from beginner to pre-professional. Classes
offered include ballet technique, pointe, variations, pas de deux, stretch and conditioning and
private coaching, as well as unique performance opportunities.
Our main focus is ballet instruction for it is based on the Vaganova method, the most effective
ballet training in the world. We believe that proper discipline and proper training is the key to
success. The discipline we teach is effective not only in the Ballet world, but also in the ballet
dancer's everyday life.
NYSS prides itself in having top international professional ballet instructors who received their
training and graduated from the world famous ballet academies. They bring a wealth of
knowledge as former professional ballet dancers with the world recognition.
New York Sports Swimming Academy
NYSS Swimming Academy offers a variety of services ranging from swimming lessons to
Aquacise. We have grown from strength to strength servicing the vast and ongoing
requirements of our community in this sector. We have a reputation for professional
teaching skills, dedication and client satisfaction. Our target population is Middle East and
GCC regions. Our services cater for babies from 6 months old, toddlers, and adults.
Mission Statement:
'Our aim is to promote the understanding and active participation in swimming and physical
exercise, with the ultimate goal of producing good health and personal well-being for all.'
Our goal at NYSS is to provide the kids and adults access to a result oriented swimming
program. We will advance students from water safety to confident water enjoyment. We
accomplish these goals with an intensive in water training conducted by our experts and
trained instructors. Our methods are effective due to the consistency and repetitive
teachings we provide. Our program allows children to learn lifesaving swim skills in weeks,
not years. NYSS currently offers two programmes options, mainly: Competitive and NonCompetitive
New York Sports Gymnastics Academy
At the NYSS Academy of Gymnastics, we strive to inspire all children to meet their physical potential
through hard work in a fun, clean and positive environment. It is an exciting, safe and
challenging place for children to experience the world of gymnastics. Increased body awareness,
coordination, flexibility, strength and balance are just a few of the many benefits that can be achieved
through participation in this sport.
We have world class coaches that care deeply about developing self-confidence and a sense of
achievement. Our dedicated and experienced instructors will ensure that each child enjoys learning
gymnastics in a safe, fun, challenging, and positive environment. We welcome all ages and abilities.
Even small class sizes ensure individual attention.
Students come to the NYSS Gymnastics Academy for recreation, fun, fitness, self confidences,
coordination, social development, competitive training, and an overall outlet for all that extra energy.
We strive to develop in our students a positive self-esteem by instilling the values of good
sportsmanship, self discipline, respect and accountability.
At NYSS Gymnastics Academy, our business is developing fitness, confidence, and self-esteem of
children through gymnastics and sportsmanship to be the best they can be in whatever they
pursue...to be champions in life!
We endeavored to deliver a full and varied gymnastics programmes to allow us to achieve our aim of
allowing all gymnasts to become the best that they can be and "where every child has a chance, a
chance to be a champion".
New York Sports Football Academy
At the NYSS Football Academy, we are committed to creating an environment where our
Academy members can develop these qualities and experience all the joy that Football
has to offer them. The coaching staff for this program consists of independent,
professional and nationally licensed coaches.
We are designed for players who are developing a true passion for the game. We
possessed a strong desire to learn and want high level professional coaching and
instruction. We are willing to work on improving their play, and have the character to
develop leadership skills.
We emphasized the importance of responsibility and independence in the player. The
hope is that this will lead to greater maturity in the player so that they will develop more
ownership of their actions, decision-making and self-control in Football and in daily life.
We feel that our core values of Passion, Integrity, Fun and Enjoyment, Competition and
Respect are vital to the long-term success of our players and our Academy. NYSS is
committed to developing these qualities in our young players. We strive to develop not
only young Football players on the field, but responsible young human beings off the
field.
New York Sports Basketball Academy
NYSS Basketball Academy is a year round youth basketball program that teaches
fundamental basketball skills to develop your child's abilities in an effort to advance to the next
level. Our program is committed to respect, discipline, sportsmanship, and team work as well
as motivating players to develop a strong work ethic.
Our philosophy is to teach basketball theory along with designed plays so your child has the
skill set and knowledge to achieve their goals. There are skills academy practice to work on
basketball basics and a team practice so everyone gets plenty of hoops.
The practices are filled with conditioning, strength, speed and agility training. Our system
provides an opportunity for players to improve in a short period of time while enjoying the
structure of the program.
All of our coaches are highly experienced and their approach is to use positive reinforcement
to communicate effectively with the players. Our style is up tempo that creates a lot of fun
and excitement along with half court sets that are crucial in tight games against tough
competition.
For those that just can't get enough, we offer individual training lessons, group lessons and
day camps.
New York Sports Martial Arts Academy
NYSS Martial Arts Academy training aims to result in several benefits to trainees, such
as their physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health. Through systematic practice in
the martial arts a person's physical fitness may be boosted (strength, stamina,
flexibility, movement coordination, etc.) as the whole body is exercised and the entire
muscular system is activated.
Beyond contributing to physical fitness, martial arts training also has benefits for mental
health, contributing to self-esteem, self-control, emotional and spiritual well-being. For
this reason, a number of martial arts schools have focused purely on therapeutic
aspects, de-emphasizing the historical aspect of self-defense or combat completely.
Mqrtial arts also have the nature of an art, since there is emotional communication and
complete emotional expression.
OUR SERVICE LOCATIONS
IN THE UAE
Our Hotel
Locations
Burj Khalifa
Our School Locations
Our Nursery Locations
Our Community Locations
Q&A