Last year in North Carolina, we experienced some of the worst weather we’ve had in a decade. The tennis pros had appointment books with markings over the lessons like "rain," "snow," "ice" or "cold." Some of the students had started other indoor sports. So how do you generate lessons for when the sun is shining?
Experience tells us that the real players will be back when the sun shines. But for those we may lose, we try to bring back new and younger ones by participating in elementary school career days. Not all schools have them, but rest assured that there are many held throughout almost every state. It could be that guidance counselors just need ideas for something special for their schools.
The best way to make tennis thrive in your area is by introducing it to the multitudes. Pick a school that is close to your club or facility, contact the school’s principal and get your name on a list of people who are willing to donate their time to educate youngsters about different professions. In our case, we try to grow the game we love by introducing these children to a basic lesson - tennis is fun. Schools contact us regularly for this service.
We pack up a portable Tennis Mate (similar to a backboard), magazines and newsletters from the USTA, USPTA, NCATP, STA and applications for the USTA. We also pack one racquet and one ball. Our line is always the longest, and it doesn’t end until the last class has finished.
It is a good idea to make a handout sheet with the following information:
• How many different organizations there are and their relationships
• Your educational background, as well as your playing and teaching experience
• Your name, phone number and where you teach
• Public parks in the area that have tennis courts
The children usually have a lot of questions that the handout will answer, freeing up your time to keep focused on their safety. They enjoy having a "mini-lesson" and the chance to see how many balls they can hit in a row on the portable backboard.
Educating the consumer is the best way to prosper in any business. An educated shopper is our best advertisement. When someone seeks out a tennis professional, it is important that they have some knowledge of where to go. It’s a great way to open doors and it’s nice to hear, "My daughter met you at school and she wants to learn how to play tennis." Many parents support their children’s hobbies monetarily and mentally, and children can definitely get hooked on tennis when the key element is fun.
Depending on the size of the school, it is possible to touch a lot of potential tennis players in a short amount of time. We encountered more than 375 students in a matter of three hours during our last career day.
Although it calls for a donation of time, the rewards are overwhelming . . . smiles, high five’s, thank-you notes and seeing the same face in line again, even though they are only supposed to have one chance. The way we see it, in some cases it may really be the one chance some of these children have. One chance to learn the sport of a lifetime!
