Highland County Tennis Association is a success
Lead Summary
By
Caitlin Forsha-crforsha@gmail.com
Nearly 100 local children are spending the summer learning the basics of tennis, good sportsmanship and being physically active in a "fun-based" atmosphere, thanks to an eight-week program offered by the newly formed Highland County Tennis Association.
The organization is led by Adam McGinnis, a local teacher and tennis enthusiast, and Hillsboro High School tennis coach LaRue Turner.
Sessions are divided based on age, with each age group participating one hour per week. Groups for ages 8 and under, 10 and under and 12 and under practice on Thursdays, while the teen program (ages 13-18) plays on Wednesdays.
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The program is coed and open to anyone in Highland County. McGinnis said that while approximately 85 percent of the children in the program are students from the Hillsboro City School District, they also have homeschooled children as well as students from the Bright Local and Fairfield school districts in this year's program.
McGinnis said that an assembly on the tennis program was conducted during gym classes for students in kindergarten through fifth grade, which "made a huge impact" on generating interest.
"We thought 30 kids would be fine, would be a success, and our youth program had 93 kids sign up," McGinnis said.
Registration is conducted online through the USTA, and information on the next registration cycle as well as any future school assemblies will be posted on the Highland County Tennis Association's Facebook page. Practices are held at the Hillsboro High School tennis courts. The tennis association offers an eight-week program for $60.
"It's a little higher than other programs, but with that you get eight weeks of instruction, a racquet, a ball, sunglasses, wristbands, water bottle and a reusable lunch bag," McGinnis said. "The youngest kids, 8 and under, get a biweekly magazine in the mail, and kids 9 and older get a digital magazine in their email. You also get a uniform. So it's a little more, but we're pretty proud that you get so much for that cost."
According to McGinnis, all Highland County Tennis Association lesson plans are completely backed by the United States Tennis Association (USTA), and the group has received grant money from the Midwest chapter of USTA.
"We focus on the fun," McGinnis said. "We do have matches, and we do compete, but this is completely fun-based.
"It's an hour a week, completely based and centered on fun and getting kids focused on loving the sport of tennis and not so much wins and losses."
McGinnis credited his team of volunteers with helping make the first few months of the program a big success.
"Without the volunteers, we couldn't have the program," McGinnis said. "They came out in big numbers for me, people like Justin Harsha, Adam Wilkin, Darrell Wilson, Teresa Marion, my wife Brenda, Pam Pinney, Dan Snapp, Colleen Barney and my dad Tim McGinnis."
For more information on the Highland County Tennis Association, visit www.facebook.com/HighlandCountyTennisAssociation; email highlandcountytennis@gmail.com; or call McGinnis at (937) 402-0125.
The organization is led by Adam McGinnis, a local teacher and tennis enthusiast, and Hillsboro High School tennis coach LaRue Turner.
Sessions are divided based on age, with each age group participating one hour per week. Groups for ages 8 and under, 10 and under and 12 and under practice on Thursdays, while the teen program (ages 13-18) plays on Wednesdays.
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The program is coed and open to anyone in Highland County. McGinnis said that while approximately 85 percent of the children in the program are students from the Hillsboro City School District, they also have homeschooled children as well as students from the Bright Local and Fairfield school districts in this year's program.
McGinnis said that an assembly on the tennis program was conducted during gym classes for students in kindergarten through fifth grade, which "made a huge impact" on generating interest.
"We thought 30 kids would be fine, would be a success, and our youth program had 93 kids sign up," McGinnis said.
Registration is conducted online through the USTA, and information on the next registration cycle as well as any future school assemblies will be posted on the Highland County Tennis Association's Facebook page. Practices are held at the Hillsboro High School tennis courts. The tennis association offers an eight-week program for $60.
"It's a little higher than other programs, but with that you get eight weeks of instruction, a racquet, a ball, sunglasses, wristbands, water bottle and a reusable lunch bag," McGinnis said. "The youngest kids, 8 and under, get a biweekly magazine in the mail, and kids 9 and older get a digital magazine in their email. You also get a uniform. So it's a little more, but we're pretty proud that you get so much for that cost."
According to McGinnis, all Highland County Tennis Association lesson plans are completely backed by the United States Tennis Association (USTA), and the group has received grant money from the Midwest chapter of USTA.
"We focus on the fun," McGinnis said. "We do have matches, and we do compete, but this is completely fun-based.
"It's an hour a week, completely based and centered on fun and getting kids focused on loving the sport of tennis and not so much wins and losses."
McGinnis credited his team of volunteers with helping make the first few months of the program a big success.
"Without the volunteers, we couldn't have the program," McGinnis said. "They came out in big numbers for me, people like Justin Harsha, Adam Wilkin, Darrell Wilson, Teresa Marion, my wife Brenda, Pam Pinney, Dan Snapp, Colleen Barney and my dad Tim McGinnis."
For more information on the Highland County Tennis Association, visit www.facebook.com/HighlandCountyTennisAssociation; email highlandcountytennis@gmail.com; or call McGinnis at (937) 402-0125.