Florence Tennis Association President Ernie James announced today that the FTA has been awarded $10,500 in grants to grow youth tennis at the Dr. Eddie Floyd Florence Tennis Center. The grants, which come from the Southern Tennis Patrons Foundation and the South Carolina Tennis Patrons Foundation, will be used in 2015 and 2016 to underwrite a new program called “Jump Start Tennis.” This program, James said, has been designed by the FTA and the Tennis Center staff to introduce kids to the sport of tennis, and hopefully to start them on a path that could include school tennis, team tennis, tournaments, and a lifetime of good sportsmanship, great friendships, and fun.
The funds will be used to underwrite the costs of beginner clinics that will meet once a week for six weeks at three age levels, 5-8, 9-10, and 11 through 18. Parents will be asked to pay $25 for a six week session, which would normally cost $90, and the FTA will pay $65 from its grant funds and provide a free racquet for each player. Rob Hill, Director of Tennis at the Tennis Center commented that “This arrangement makes it possible for anyone to get started in tennis under the guidance of certified teaching instructors. The kids will meet new friends, get great exercise, learn the rules and the basic skills, and find out about all the ways they can stay involved in tennis. For the younger age groups, the instruction will begin on youth-sized courts with smaller racquets, low compression balls, and teaching techniques engineered to make sure every kid develops sound basic skills, experiences success early, and has an enjoyable experience.
This summer there will be three six-week sessions for each age group. The sessions will begin on May 4, June 15 and July 27. Participants will be encouraged to attend all six clinics in their session, although make-up clinics will be available for those with unavoidable absences and rain-outs.
Instructors for Kick Start Tennis will be Head Tennis Professional William Lackie, who is an Elite Professional Instructor, and Certified Teaching Professional Ron James. Both have considerable experience with younger players and are up to date on the latest teaching techniques.
To take part in this program, area residents can contact the Tennis Center staff at 665-3106 or drop in at 1300 Jennie O’Bryan Avenue. “We are set up for only 72 kids each summer,” Hill said, “and we plan to take people on a first come, first served basis, so interested families should sign up for the session they want as soon as possible.”
One of the Southern Section’s strongest Community Tennis Associations, the FTA was national CTA of the Year in 2007 and has been South Carolina CTA of the year three times since 2004. It won the USTA SC Community Service Award in 2008 and the Southern Community Service Award in 2009, and has been recognized for community service by the SC Recreation and Parks Association and the Florence Athletic Hall of Fame. An all-volunteer nonprofit entity managed by an eleven member executive committee, it is a United States Tennis Association member organization.
The City of Florence Parks and Recreation Department operates the Dr. Eddie Floyd Florence Tennis Center on behalf of the City of Florence. The City has provided in-kind support, including courts and instruction for a great many tennis programs and has committed its full support to Kick Start Tennis. The 30 court Tennis Center has been praised in Tennis Industry Magazine and in 2014 was named the USTA SC Member Club of the Year and USTA Southern Member Organization of the Year.
Rob Hill, City of Florence Director of Tennis, rohill@cityofflorence.com
Ernie James, President, FTA, ej.tennis@sc.rr.com
Paul Pittman, FTA Development Chair, 843-667-9804, pmpittman@gmail.com
