The Pampa High School tennis program welcomed several young athletes to the courts Thursday evening for a mini tennis camp designed for students in grades third through eighth. The event gave participants an opportunity to develop their tennis skills, compete in friendly competitions and have fun while learning from members of the Harvester tennis team.
Young athletes participating in the camp included Seth Costley, Cody and Katharine Bennett, Wyatt Martindale, Karen Estrada, Spencer Estes and Evelyn Garcia.
Throughout the evening, participants practiced various tennis skills and competed in competitions for prizes. At the conclusion of the camp, each participant received an official Harvester Medal, which they proudly displayed for pictures. The young athletes are now officially part of the Green and Gold Tennis Machine.
Pampa Head Tennis Coach Otis Chunn said the program continues to provide a positive experience for young athletes while helping introduce the sport to the next generation.
“The kids are really enjoying these camps, and you can see steady progress in their skills,” Chunn said. “We want to encourage kids from Pampa and the surrounding communities to come out and be part of what we are building. Our goal is to get a pee wee tennis program going and give these kids opportunities to continue learning and improving.”
The tennis program is already looking ahead to its next community event, with plans to host another tennis night for students in grades second through eighth in mid-November, weather permitting.
Chunn said the long-term goal is to establish a consistent program that allows younger athletes to continue developing their skills throughout the year.
“We are planning to meet with parents about organizing monthly tennis nights so these kids can maintain their skills and continue making progress,” Chunn said. “We want to keep building their interest in tennis and give them something they can look forward to each month.”
The camp also provided members of the Pampa High School tennis team with an opportunity to step into a different role, serving as instructors and mentors for the younger participants.
“I want to thank all of the parents and our high school tennis players who came out and helped make the night a success,” Chunn said. “I think our high school kids had just as much fun getting to be the teachers for the night. It was great to see everyone working together and enjoying the game of tennis.”
Additional information regarding the November community tennis night will be announced once a date is finalized. Families from Pampa and the surrounding communities are encouraged to participate as the Harvester tennis program works to build interest in the sport among younger athletes.
“Stay tuned because we will keep everyone posted on the November date,” Chunn said. “We are looking forward to seeing everyone back out on the courts. Go Big Green!”
