Clarksville Tennis Association Hosts the Second Annual Kids Tennis Carnival

The second annual Kids Tennis Carnival was held on May 22 at Swan Lake Tennis Complex in Clarksville, Tennessee. Unlike the previous year when the event was moved to the APSU indoor tennis center because of rain, the weather was great this year. Clarksville Tennis Association sponsors the annual event as a celebration of May as “tennis month,” largely through a block party grant generously awarded through the United States Tennis Association.

The Kids Tennis Carnival targets the younger children who may or may not have had any tennis experience, emphasizing Quick Start Tennis for age 10 and under. Quick Start Tennis is a slower, smaller version of regular tennis that is perfect for the young tennis player. Compared to regular tennis, the rackets and court are shorter, the net is lower, and the balls are slower and don’t bounce as high. These modifications make the game easier for kids, helping them to have a lot of fun from the very first time they try it. If they enjoy it, they are more likely to continue playing, enjoying the social and health benefits of tennis for the rest of their lives.

Expanding on the number of children who attended last year, 34 children came to the Tennis Carnival this year. Of those, 20 were 8 years old and under and 7 were 9 to 10 years old. Although the temperatures were in the high 80’s, that didn’t seem to bother the kids as they eagerly participated in the on-court activities. Frequent breaks and plenty of refreshing soft drinks were provided to keep the kids from getting too hot. Toward the end of the Tennis Carnival, many prizes were placed on the tennis courts. From the opposite side of the court, the kids tried to hit them with the tennis balls. If they were successful (and the instructors made sure everyone hit a prize), they received the prize they hit. In addition, everyone received a certificate of participation at the close of the Kids Tennis Carnival.

Local tennis teaching professionals donated their time to run the kids through fun tennis games and drills. Several mothers also volunteered to help on the day of the event. Paige Commander, Vice President of Clarksville Tennis Association, and Kurt Kujawa of Kujawa Tennis Academy organized and ran the activities on the tennis courts, with the assistance of Steven Carman (instructor with Kujawa Tennis Academy), Fran Powers, and Ally Houston. Shea Darnell, mother of three of the kids who enjoyed the Carnival, was the official photographer for the Carnival.

As the Kids Tennis Carnival drew to a close many of the children and parents indicated that they were already looking forward to next year’s version of the event. Hopefully, many of the children who participated for the first time this year are now excited about tennis, will want to continue to develop their skills they used at the Carnival, and will enjoy tennis for years to come.

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