Tennis in the parks that promotes the game Sport

Often a sport can be a challenge. Whether it’s cost or equipment, a host of other things can be barriers. Tennis in the park tends to break these barriers.

The program works in partnership with local parks and recreation departments and gives young people and adults the opportunity to learn about tennis and hopefully increase their love of the sport.

Tennis in the Parks, which has a lot of programs all over New England, is in its third year in Vermont, and this year it added Rutland to the list of host cities alongside Castleton, Barre City, Randolph and Winosk.

Karen Didricksen is a Vermont representative in the New England area of ​​the U.S. Tennis Association leading the program.

My job is to promote tennis in Vermont, Didricksen said.

Tennis in the parks does just that.

The grassroots program only started with a youth component for children ages 1-8, but has grown to include an adult session.

This program uses custom tennis balls, age-appropriate rackets, field sizes, and exciting activities to help players learn and play the game faster.

Each registered player will receive a racket, ball and shirt, all of which can be held.

Sometimes I feel like Johnny Appleseed would give clubs, Didricksen joked.

Rutland’s program currently has 18 players in two age groups. Castleton has 22 players.

Each session is chaired by an approved USTA coach. Coach Rutland is Jim Taggart, who lives in Wallingford and works with both young people and adults on the Rotary Park tennis courts on North Main Street.

All USTA coaches are background screened and must be qualified for a certain level within the game.

We’re just trying to get the rackets in people’s hands and hopefully they’ll grow to like and get into the sport, Didricksen said.

Often, parks and recreation departments have facilities to host such programs, but they do not have buses to make it happen.

USTAs Tennis in the Parks strives to alleviate these issues with its own coaches and the equipment it provides to players in the program.

The program also offers itself its affordability. It costs $ 60 for a youth program resident and $ 71 for a foreigner. A resident in the adult program costs $ 70 and a foreigner costs $ 81.

The youth program began July 5 in Rutland every Monday from 4 to 6:15 p.m., August 9 to 9. The program for adults over the age of 18 opened on July 8 and is held every Thursday from 6 to 7:30 a.m. pm until August 12.

Vermont is a small state, Didricksen said. We just tried to expose tennis to as many people as we could.

For more information on Tennis in the Parks, visit https://www.usta.com/en/home/play/youth-tennis/programs/newengland/tennis-in-the-parks.html.

adam.aucoin

@ rutlandherald.com

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