Parks and rec hosts clinic for aspiring tennis stars

The Mountain Home Parks and Recreation Department sponsored a tennis clinic recently featuring the United States Tennis Association's training format for young kids called Quickstart Tennis.

The clinic was led by Mountain Home Tiger head tennis coach Tamzy House, with assistance from former and current members of the Tiger tennis team, Keenan and Keth Galloway, Anna Martin, Daniel Courtright and Jessica Melville.

Quickstart Tennis is a tennis program designed to improve coordination, conditioning, and teach basic tennis fundamentals to kids from four to 14 years, in an age-appropriate environment. The youths were divided into four age groups: 4-5, 6-7, 8-20 and 11-14.

The first three age groups trained on courts that were shortened both in length, width and height of net to allow suitable play for their age level (18'x36', or 18'x60'). Those groups also used special low-compression training balls designed for the specific court length. The 11-14 age group trained on the full regulation court with competition balls.

"The goal of the program is to get kids excited about the game, have fun, have early success, and continue to want to play tennis as a lifetime sport," said Coach House. "Thirty-two players participated in the two-week clinic. All did very well, and by the end of the clinic, they were able to play out points and compete in simplified games.

"I was very proud of all the kids. Hats go off to all the parents who brought their kids and cheered them on. Thanks ever so much."