Sports
Local Instructors Hope to Create 'Drake Junior Tennis'
Charlie Fager and Cary Stansbury are behind a program for 10-and-under boys and girls that will start them off with smaller rackets, hitting softer balls on smaller courts Sundays at Drake High.
The face of 10-and-under tennis will change nationwide next year with new rules featuring smaller courts and balls that don't bounce as high.
With that in mind, a couple of local tennis instructors hope to create what they are calling Drake Junior Tennis this summer for boys and girls of this age group.
Program creator Charlie Fager and former University of California All-American Cary Stansbury are hoping to launch a low-cost program on Sundays at 11 a.m. at .
Find out what's happening in San Anselmo-Fairfaxfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
"I am reaching out to the community to find families who want to explore the lifetime sport of tennis," Fager explained. "We need more tennis offerings for young kids to help them get started."
The format, which is endorsed by Drake coach , is associated with the USTA-approved "Kidz 4 Tennis" program. It uses the "Quickstart" approach in which smaller rackets are used, just as a 10-and-under baseball beginner would use a smaller bat to hit a softer ball on a diamond with smaller dimensions.
Find out what's happening in San Anselmo-Fairfaxfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Fager has started similar programs at other Marin sites and is hoping his widely accepted approach catches on in West Marin as well.
Those interested in more information can contact "Kidz 4 Tennis" at 415-385-0161 or by e-mail at kidz4tennis@gmail.com.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.