During the summer, Conrad Weiser holds tennis clinics to teach children how to play tennis at the high school courts. However, the young students are not the only tennis players who are learning more about the game of tennis. The instructors are, too.

Conrad Weiser Tennis Coach Craig Whiteley runs the summer clinics with help from volunteers from the high school tennis teams.

“It has always been my belief that teaching younger children the game helps the instructors by reminding them of the basics that we sometimes overlook as we get more advanced,” Whiteley said. “The volunteers from the high school team learn the benefits of community service, but also are reminded of the basics of the game each year.”

Children are taught basic strokes, etiquette and rules while also playing games in order to get them interested in tennis.

Prior to the summer of 2009, the clinics only taught tennis to middle school children.  However, with a $300 grant from the Berks County Tennis Fund of Berks County Community Foundation, Whiteley was able to purchase mini nets, low compression balls and shorter rackets that are ideal for elementary age students.

“This grant has helped us to purchase the age appropriate equipment that will give the students more success as they learn the game of tennis,” Whiteley said.

Before this grant was awarded, Conrad Weiser was borrowing equipment from the Reading Recreation Program, where Whiteley learned which equipment worked best to teach younger children how to play tennis.

“It is a win-win situation for our program since we are teaching youngsters the lifetime sport of tennis, preparing some of them to be the team of the future, while helping our current team to focus on the fundamentals that form the basis of each of their strokes,” said Whiteley.