Hit some tennis balls then break out the water guns and the slip-and-slide: that’s the daily schedule for children attending day camp at the Bainbridge Tennis Center.

This is the second week of five for the “Slip, Slide and Serve” summer camp, which is held four days a week at the tennis center off Cox Avenue.
The goal behind offering kids both group tennis instruction and water activities is to let them have fun and stay cool while becoming better tennis players, said Tim Thompson, director of the tennis center.

“Tennis is a sport that literally everyone can play,” Thompson said. “It’s a social sport, where you get to spend time with your friends, and also gives you a lot of exercise. It’s something the whole family can take part in.”

Each day’s camp starts at 8:30 a.m. with about 90 minutes of tennis instruction and skill-building activities. Then, as the temperature starts to warm up, the kids change into their swimsuits and a grassy area next to the courts gets turned into a miniature water park.

Tennis equipment has also improved over the years, giving younger players a better play experience, Thompson said. At the tennis center, young players use special low air compression balls that don’t bounce as high as regular balls.

“[Using those balls] lets the kids practice their techniques while having more fun, because they can get some good rallies going,” Thompson said.
Helping Thompson with the camp are head tennis pro Elyse Fenton, former Bainbridge High School tennis player Xavier Bell and current BHS player Maci Barber.

These are the remaining weeks during which the “Slip, Slide and Serve” camp will be offered: June 17-20, July 8-11, July 15-18 and July 22-25.

Tennis pro Elyse Fenton will host a match play camp for children ages 7-18 from July 22 to July 25, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Children and youth will be paired with players of similar age and ability and play formal matches. The cost for the camp is $40 per child.

Junior tennis clinics are being held all summer long on Tuesday evenings.

A clinic for children ages 5-6 will be from 6 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Tuesdays and costs $5 per week.

Instruction for ages 7-9 is from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and costs $10 per week.

Instruction for ages 10-13 is from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and costs $10 per week.

Adult beginner clinics are held Monday nights from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. and costs $10 per week.

For more information, contact the Tennis Center at (229) 248-2020 or visit www.bainbridgetennis.com.