Clinic introduces youngsters moms to tennis basics

The summer of 2010 saw 57 students, ages 4-14, on the Richard Aguirre Park tennis courts learning to play tennis.

The kids participated in Quickstart Tennis Camps, conducted by Mountain Home Tiger head tennis coach Tamzy House, with members of the Tiger tennis team, in association with the Mountain Home High School and the City's Parks and Recreation Department.

"The two tennis camps that we held were very successful," said Coach House. "A key factor to the success of the camps was the support of the parents and even the grandparents. They brought the kids -- some stayed and cheered them on -- and some of the moms began wondering if they could play, too! I said, 'sure, anybody can learn to play tennis and have fun with it for the rest of their life.' They just have to start, and thus began the first "Moms Can Play Tennis, Too!" Clinic.

"Through the support of the USTA Intermountain Section and Idaho District Representatives, I was able to obtain a recreational coaching curriculum, designed by Mike and Bob Bryan, the number one men's doubles team in the world, to help me develop an eight-session clinic for the moms," said Coach House.

Two clinic times were held, one during the school day, and one early evening, starting the last week of August and running through September.

'Thirteen moms participated," House said. "They started with the basic tennis stroke fundamentals, learned how to combine shots, play points and eventually learned to play singles and doubles -- but most importantly, they had fun -- and I had great fun teaching them. In fact, so much fun was had, that next spring (April 2011), if the interest is still there, I will work with USTA to set up a beginning level 2.5 women's adult league team from Mountain Home to play in the Treasure Valley area, so stay tuned."