Kids (and Parents) Just Want to Have Fun!

Put together a group of kids, summer weather, and activities or games where they can compete against one another, and fun just naturally occurs. Add in the learning of new skills as well as parental involvement, and you have the makings of a great time for all.

This is exactly the recipe cooked up by Gotta Play Tennis and the Gloucester Township Recreation Department. The programs were entitled "Summer Youth Tennis Camp," and these evenings of fun, from 6 to 7:30 p.m., were held in June and July at the Gloucester Township Community Park. Over a period of four nights, students learned techniques for forehand, two-handed backhand and volley. But what really made each evening special was the participation of parents in the mix.

As one parent commented on the evaluation sheet provided the last evening, "Chloe looks forward to coming. Nice parent involvement." The concept is simple: Involve parents directly in the mix and you build a strong family-unit of interest. Standing on the sidelines watching kids play sports is supportive, but put kids on a tennis court with their parents, guardians or siblings and magic happens. It's not likely that anyone will walk away without smiles on their faces as I, their instructor, high-five everyone as they leave the court with the slogan, "Tennis rocks."

Part of what keeps everyone motivated is the use of much friendlier equipment—no more full-size 27-inch adult rackets and fast-paced, high-bouncing optic yellow balls for kids. Standard tennis equipment just wasn't designed for their age or size. One court is turned into four since this program uses the QuickStart format that utilizes 36-foot court lengths—the width of a regular tennis court. Each court is only 18 feet wide instead of the formidable standard of 27 feet that is difficult for beginners to cover. Shorter, portable nets are also used along with kids-sized rackets and slower, lower-bouncing tennis balls that make learning the game—even for parents—much easier. Kids who are only 5 or 6 years old can swing a 19- or 21-inch racket quite well with the right instruction and guidance.

It doesn't take an adult to figure out that games like "Coach Says," "Bad day at School" or "Kentucky Derby of Tennis" are popular with the kids on the court. Just watch the faces of both parents and kids light up after hitting a good shot, and you know that all are having a wonderful time. One parent's comment says it best: "Great class, great instructor, FUN, FUN, FUN." Group tennis instruction is available throughout the year, spring, summer and fall, through the Gloucester Township Recreation Center.

Ron Miller is a PTR certified tennis instructor who teaches group and private lessons for kids and adults through Gloucester Twp. Recreation in the SJ area. His website, and podcast (in iTunes®), provide free instructional content for beginners to advanced players.