Youngsters learn tennis skills during summer camp

The Mountain Home High School Tiger tennis team hosted its annual summer tennis camp at Richard Aguirre Park June 7-22.

The camp, which is the primary fundraiser for the Tiger tennis team, had 22 youths participating, ranging in age from 4-14 years old.

"It was a huge success," said Tiger tennis coach Tamzy House. "The kids were enthusiastic and wanted to keep playing tennis even after their daily session was over."

Coach House indicated the camp was designed in the USTA Quickstart Tennis format where the instruction, courts, racquets and balls used are designed for the age and physical development level of the child. Emphasis is placed on body and eye-hand coordination, agility, balance and reaction speed, as well as learning basic tennis skills.

"Kids 4 to 8 years start on a 36-foot court using large low-compression balls and smaller racquets. Once they have mastered some of the stroke techniques and learned how to play basic tennis games, then they move to a 60-foot court with normal size and low compression balls designed for the court length," House said.

"Kids 9-10 years start on a 60-foot court. The 11- to 14-year-old group uses the full court with low compression balls designed for 78-foot court play. Once the kids fill comfortable stroking the ball they are moved up to using regular competition balls."

House said each camp session ended with the playing of a tournament.

"The goal of the tournament is to give kids a chance to compete in tennis -- actually playing several games -- in a friendly, fun environment," she added. "Kids learn that they are not always going to win, but if they play their best, give their opponent good competition, they have been successful."

Results of the first session (4- to 7-year-olds), which played a combined tournament format consisting of a round-robin singles tournament on the 36-foot court and a doubles round-robin tourney on the 60-foot court had Jacob Sternberg taking home the first place medal. Second place went to Aiden Richardson, Hanna Brown came in third and Jacob Veenstra took fourth place.

"The 8- to 10-year-old session played a compass draw singles tournament, which gives the kids multiple matches," House said. "Even if they lose one or more matches they just keep playing until all placement positions are filled.

First place went to Brandon Malan, second place went to Lorin Fluckiger, third place to Noah Richardson, David Clark placed fourth and Amber Kelly took fifth place.

The third session (11- to 14-year-olds) played a singles compass draw tournament as well as a round-robin doubles tournament with rotating partners.

In the singles tournament, Brad Foreman met his older brother, Cole, in the finals of the main draw and after a tough back-and-forth battle pulled out the win to take first place. Cole Foreman was second. Hayden Draper took third, Kaitlyn Stevens, fourth Emily Gillies fifth.

In the doubles tournament with rotating partners, Brad foreman won the most total points to take first, Jarom Fluckiger second, and Cole Foreman, third.

Coach House said she and some former members of the high school team will be putting on a tennis camp held through the Mountain Home Parks and Recreation Department July 19-30 at the Richard Aguirre Park courts.

"Interested participants need to go to the Parks and Recreation office to sign up," said Coach House. "The format will be similar to the Tiger Tennis Camp, with sessions running Monday through Friday each week."

For more information regarding the upcoming camp, including registration requirements, call Parks and Recreation at 587-2112 or Coach House at 590-0739.