For 30 years, JKCP Programs has been dedicated to providing challenging and enriching experiences for children and teens through diverse and innovative programs in tennis, golf, academic enrichment, business, fitness, internships, cooking, the arts, and much more. Students from more than 35 states and 30 countries attend our programs at the University of Pennsylvania, Bryn Mawr, Haverford, and Cabrini Universities, and the Shipley School.
Children and adults love Julian Krinsky. And, yes, he’s a lovable guy, especially when he’s behind the wheel of the company school bus. Without a doubt, Krinsky has found the secret to business success: he finds something that you enjoy and do it with passion. And that something keeps multiplying.
Since arriving in Philadelphia in 1977, the mastermind of Julian Krinsky Camps & Programs has amassed a business empire spanning property management services; resort ownership and operations; and selection of personnel for academies, clubs and sporting events. Not bad for a South African immigrant who opened a store with just over $1,200.
Krinsky, a tennis star in his late teens who was ranked No. 7 in his home country, played at Wimbledon and the French and Italian Opens. An academic as well as an athlete, he earned degrees in both accounting and law. When he first came to the United States, teaching tennis full-time was not something he even considered, much less the possibility of doing it here. He just stopped by on his way to North Carolina to fulfill an invitation to play for the Merion Cricket Club. But he fell in love with the natural beauty of the Main Line and never made it to the new job in Carolina.
Money was tight in those days, and teaching tennis was a good way to earn a few bucks. Krinsky quickly compiled a list of students from across the region, some of whom traveled two hours for lessons. Within three months, he had completely forgotten about becoming an accountant.
Krinsky’s commitment to practice matched his student’s determination to improve, but distance was becoming an issue. His solution: A weekend camp at his home in Wayne so the students could spend less time in the car and more time fine-tuning their strokes. He set up bunk beds, pitched a few tents, and hired a couple of local chefs to do the cooking. During the day, he was tennis, tennis, tennis; afternoons included excursions to places like Woody’s Driving Range, Hershey Park, and Great Adventure.
“Those were great days,” Krinsky recalls. “There were children everywhere. I couldn’t take a shower because they would use up all the hot water.”
At times, there were as many as 20 students in the Krinsky home. He realized that he was onto something, and that he needed to take that something to the next level. So he leased space at Haverford College, he hired an assistant and in 1978 the Julian Krinsky School of Tennis was born.
By today’s standards, such an unorthodox approach might have caught the attention of some. Krinsky was young, handsome, and a bit moody, but his integrity and enthusiasm were never in question.
“We knew the parents and we knew the kids,” says Jim Talbot of Plymouth Meeting, whose children attended JKST for five years. “We had no reservations. Julian was developing solid tournament players and the kids were having fun.”
Back then, JKST was cutting edge. When Nick Bollettieri began building his world-famous tennis camp empire, Krinsky was already organizing training trips to Bollettieri’s Florida grounds. “The parents went too,” says Talbot.
Soon enough, Krinsky introduced golf and squash instruction into the mix. From there, he moved on to cooking, art, music, theater, SAT prep, and more. JKST went from a summer camp to a summer academy with a new name, Julian Krinsky Camps & Programs, and new locations at the Shipley School, the University of Pennsylvania, and Cabrini and Bryn Mawr universities. What’s new is that there are a dozen different programs available through JKCP, with enough variety to keep kids active and interested throughout childhood.
Ultimately, Krinsky’s keen awareness, flexibility, and adaptability have served him well. Today JKCP is one of the most recognized and respected organizations in its field, attracting children from all over the world. With such a global reach, it’s really no surprise that one of the newer programs being developed is “Model UN”. Geared toward high school students, it will provide a forum for instruction in political science, international relations, public speaking, and debate. “Ten percent of our campers are from the Far East, the Middle East, South Africa and almost every city in Europe,” says Krinsky’s business partner, Adrian Castelli. “Most of it is word of mouth.”
Senior campers have an innovative variety of programs to choose from, including a summer internship, a business program from Wharton at Penn, and another program specifically to observe Jews. A current favorite is the Canyon Ranch wellness program, designed to educate teens on nutrition, exercise, relaxation and how to get the most out of sports.
A holistic approach is what sets JKCP apart, that and Krinsky’s commitment to connecting with campers and their families. “My biggest challenge is getting to know each one of them,” she says. “I have to make sure my team takes care of the details so I can be free to be with the kids.”
And that’s no small feat, as JKCP’s residential program hosts 3,500 to 4,000 campers a year (overnight campers make up 80 percent of the business; day camps the remaining 20 percent). That requires 35 year-round employees and more than 400 temporary employees.
“I have year-round relationships with a lot of the kids that come to me,” says Krinsky. “I see most of them from when they are 3 years old until they are 17. Some [of them] now they bring me their children”.
