'Drew's Courts' honor memory of Drew Hassenbein, promising young tennis player from Roslyn

As some kids return to camp this summer, a familiar name will be part of their tennis experience.

Players at North Shore Day Camp in Glen Cove and Timber Lake Camp in the Catskills will compete on “Drew’s Court,” honoring former camper Drew Hassenbein, 14, of Roslyn, who was killed in a car crash last year.

“All we want is our son back to watch him play. We can't do that,” said Drew's father, Mitchell Hassenbein, who hopes to rename tennis courts across the country in his son's memory. “Seeing his name up on tennis courts and having kids remember who he was and ask questions and learn about him has been helpful in our grueling grieving process.”

On May 3, 2023, Drew and teammate Ethan Falkowitz, 14, both students at Roslyn Middle School, were celebrating a tennis match victory with two older teammates when their car was struck by a pickup driving the wrong way. Drew and Ethan were killed; the car's driver and another passenger suffered injuries.

In the aftermath, Drew's parents, Mitchell and Jamie Hassenbein, created The Drew Hassenbein Foundation, sponsoring elite junior athletes and exposing children to the sport their son so loved. The foundation plans to build a tennis court for underprivileged youth. 

Mitchell said that while it’s bittersweet to see his son’s name on tennis courts, it’s ultimately another way to keep Drew’s legacy and passion alive.

Jay Jacobs, director of Timber Lake and CEO of TLC Family of Camps, which owns both North Shore and Timber Lake, said the renaming “seemed entirely appropriate” since Drew was a well-liked camper at each location. 

“When we were approached about it, we thought it was a great idea,” said Jacobs, who also serves as New York State and Nassau County Democratic chair. “He's got a lot of friends and coaches that were here with him, and enjoyed his company, that miss him very much.”

Jacobs said Drew spent his last four summers at Timber Lake, a seven-week sleepaway camp. Before that, he was a camper at North Shore for one or two summers, Mitchell Hassenbein said.

The camp director described Drew as an outstanding tennis player who was competitive yet kind, and would play mostly on Timber Lake’s Court 1, where the white-and-green plaque in his memory now hangs.

“He was hard on himself. He wasn't hard on anyone else,” Jacobs said. He was “a very big personality that kids were drawn to and had a strong and large friendship group. Just loved by everybody.”

Jacobs said the camps honored Drew last year with their annual tennis tournament, with proceeds going toward The Drew Hassenbein Foundation. At this year’s tournament, Timber Lake will have an official unveiling ceremony of the “Drew’s Court” plaque.

Mitchell and Jamie Hassenbein said they wish to have a “Drew’s Court” plaque on as many tennis courts as possible. Drew traveled to many national tournaments. At every venue, Mitchell said, their son left an impact.

“Every day is a struggle,” Mitchell said. “But hopefully by helping others along the way, people that were connected to Drew [will help] keep us closer and help keep his legacy alive.”