The UTRGV Women’s Tennis Team poses with junior tennis clinic participants April 9 at the Orville I. Cox Tennis Center on the Edinburg campus. The clinic focused on the basics of footwork, coordination and technique. Photo Courtesy UTRGV Athletics
The UTRGV Women’s Tennis Team hosted three free junior tennis clinics, which head coach West Nott said has helped the team give back to the community, put their name out there and benefit their own development.
The clinics were conducted this semester, with one in Brownsville and two in Edinburg. The last one took place April 9 and had over 6o participants.
“It’s a way to give back to the community and, you know, connect these young kids to some role models, and just get them outside, learning about the game and introducing them to something new,” Nott said. “A lot of the players that came out here were beginners. And I think for us to just share our passion and see if they like it, is just a great thing for the local community.”
Having a wide range of levels and age groups, Nott told The Rider the clinic mostly focused on the basics of footwork, coordination and technique.
“It’s tough to fit everything into an hour and a half,” the head coach said. “But we just try to cover the basics.”
Sophomore tennis player Stefanie Wilske told The Rider she believes it is a great way to promote healthy habits for the community and to introduce tennis to the youth.
Splitting the children based on age and skill level, Wilske was in charge of the 4-to-6 age group and said they were full of energy.
“With, like, the little kids, what we try to do is not to show them right away how to hit a ball but, like, work with their coordination and just start introducing them to tennis in a fun way and, you know, in a way that they really can enjoy it,” she said.
Photo Courtesy UTRGV Athletics
Asked how the clinics benefit the team, Nott replied, “I always tell the team, you know, sometimes teaching is the best way to learn and to retain information.”
Wilske said it benefits her by bringing her a lot of joy when working with the children.
“It also motivates me because I want to bring the best of me and show them why I’m, like, so passionate about tennis,” she said.
Wilske said her favorite memory from the clinics is when the kids say goodbye and thank you and you can tell they enjoyed the hour you spent with them.
Nott said he is impressed with how the tennis team has responded to the clinics and has exceeded his expectations.
“Even if they’re tired, it’s been a long week, or they’re doing it on a game day, they’re still finding a way to, you know, put their own smile, and then get the smile out of the kids,” he said. “I think that’s really great.”
The clinics are possible through the Collegiate Community Hub Grant from the U.S. Tennis Association. Nott said the grant is to grow the game, which starts at the grassroots level by showing people who have never played the sport before.
“I think it’s really special,” he said. “Especially the little ones between, like, 4 to 7 years old, because a lot of them never touched a tennis racket before. So, just to get the racket in their hands and get them moving a little bit and swinging the ball and put a smile on their face. I think it’s massive.”
With many parents emailing or talking to Nott about offering summer camps or ongoing clinics, and kids who live within a bicycle ride from courts asking if they could use the facility, he said the feedback is a good sign and is a building block for having a relationship with the community.
“First you got to make the effort to give back and then I think once they see that effort, then they’re going to want to come out and support the team,” Nott said.
