Are those tennis courts at your local park calling to you? Were you inspired by some of

those phenomenal Wimbledon matches, or looking ahead to the U.S. Open? Or perhaps your friends

are hitting Delaware Park for the Muny Tournament and you feel left out?

What exactly is happening in the world of tennis in Western New York? Plenty.

Navigating the waters of local tennis can be tricky. While an active and vibrant community

exists, it sometimes is hidden amid the sports and recreational options in the area. So here's

a breakdown of offerings, from traditional clubs to recreation programs to new innovations

such as Quick Start, beach tennis and the Buffalo Tennis Series.

Sense of belonging

Membership can have its privileges. The benefits of belonging to a tennis club are easy to

enumerate. There are maintained courts, access to tennis pros, lessons, leagues and amenities

that include locker rooms and lounges.

Four major clubs serve the Buffalo area: the Miller Tennis Center, owned by pro Todd

Miller; the Village Glen and South Towns Tennis Center, both owned by Jack and Maritza Ruh,

and the multipurpose Sportsplex, owned by Jim May.

How to pick a club? Most do it based on location — either close to where one works or

where one lives — or they follow a pro based on personal experience orxleg

word of mouth. Membership buys you admittance to the club, but leagues, lessons and clinics

will cost you extra (though members usually get discounted rates for lessons).

Miller Tennis Center has regular membership rates that range from $120 to $720, although

the facility was running a summer special. Renovations there in recent years have brought in

the University at Buffalo's Division I program and attracted some of the best juniors in the

area.

The facility has 10 Har-Tru outdoor courts and eight indoor courts along with an outdoor,

heated swimming pool. Miller is an accomplished player and coach; he is ranked as a master

professional by the Professional Tennis Registry.

Village Glen and South Towns share common programs under the direction of tennis pro

Stephen Sayoc. Combined membership for both clubs ranges from $180 to $345 while membership at

one of the clubs ranges from $135 to $245.

South Towns has six courts; reserved courts and clinics end during the summer months. The

Village Glen has 14 courts, six hard and eight clay courts, with four of those clay courts

covered for the indoor season. The clay courts are welcomed by older players who have

experienced knee pain as the softer surface is gentler on the body.

Sportsplex has a greater following for its soccer leagues than its tennis leagues but

continues to host a variety of popular programs. While players have grumbled about the

lighting and court surfaces in the past, the facility has upgraded in recent years and its

men's leagues and senior leagues continue to be extremely popular. Membership ranges from $80

to $200.

Tom LaPenna is the head pro at Sportsplex. LaPenna, considered one of the best teaching

pros in Western New York, has attracted a top teaching staff to the facility.

In the beginning

While one's first brush with tennis may come through a family member, the introduction to

the game often comes through local park and recreation programs. While some municipal

departments are adding programs and tournaments for adults, the local park is still the place

where most children are given their first formal instruction in the game.

Tennis offered through these programs attempts to balance the competitive side of the game

with a recreational attitude. The goal is to teach a life-long sport, keep kids active and

make it fun. Those who show a particular talent for the game often go on to private lessons.

But the park is where everyone is welcomed.

If you're just looking for a casual pick-up match, the best places to wander and find a

tennis partner are at the MacMillian Courts in Delaware Park and at Chestnut Ridge Park in

Orchard Park.

"We have kids who come through the program who play high school varsity tennis or play at

Division I," said George Besch, the tennis director for Lancaster's recreation department and

the tennis coach at Depew High School. "I'm happy about that, but we also focus on the

recreational aspect. Even when you go out and play competitively, it's not about beating your

chest."

Nor is it necessarily about winning matches.

Besch, who has been teaching tennis in Lancaster for 22 years, saw a drop-off in summer

enrollment a few years ago. Numbers have increased lately, which Besch thinks may be in part a

response to different techniques he picked up through the United States Tennis Association's

Quick Start program.

"One of the workshops by USTA showed a lot of different warm-ups and to my surprise, the

young kids really loved it," Besch said. "They loved doing what they saw "real athletes'

doing. My high school kids would be moaning, because they want to just start hitting the ball

but the younger kids really love the warm-up stuff.

"The other thing with that, girls tend to be better than boys when it comes to footwork and

those things when they're younger. It's not just about hitting the ball over the net as hard

as you can so it gives some of the girls a chance to excel no matter what happens later on."

Hamburg has increased its tennis offerings, thanks in part to a grant it received from the

USTA, making it one of the best parks programs for youth tennis in the area. With the extra

funds, Hamburg was able to offer a winter indoor program, creating a bit of a buzz about

tennis. In turn, that helped generate excitement and enrollment for the town's summer

programs, which include the addition of junior team tennis, a Quick Start tournament and a

tennis festival.

"We're very excited about our programs and what we've been able to do with the grant," said

Marty Denecke, recreation director in Hamburg. "Our goal is to develop a comprehensive youth

tennis program, and not just youth but also for interested adults. We're trying to catch kids

at every level, from the beginning stages through teen play. Hopefully they'll take their

skills and make it a lifetime activity."

Quick start

Think of traditional tennis lessons and the picture that comes to mind is a line of kids

waiting to take one swing, maybe two, in an attempt to hit a ball across the net, then

returning to the end of the line.

It's not very exciting, not particularly fun for an 8-year-old and not always a very

productive way to teach the game.

Enter the program Quick Start.

The USTA program is for ages 10 and under and it allows kids to start playing immediately.

"Some research said kids came, played, didn't like it and left," said the USTA's Joe Steger,

tennis service representative for the Western Region. "One of the main things is to make sure

kids are playing, having fun and they keep playing."

How to do that? The Quick Start program changes the equipment and court size for different

age groups. A smaller court, a smaller-sized racket, lower net heights and lighter-weight

balls give younger kids a chance at feeling immediate success.

The method of teaching the game also opens the door for a more games-based approach, rather

than just the rote drills,

and encourages better skill development.

"We're promoting it to schools and parks and recreation departments. Basically anyone who's teaching tennis," Steger said. "The idea is to promote more success, more fun for kids and also better stroke development, too. They're not trying to hit real balls with full rackets. Hitting full-length stuff when you're 8 years old is a little bit

tough."

The Muny tradition

Even if you've never picked up a tennis racket, you've likely heard of the Muny tournament.

It's the biggest, longest-running and best-known tournament in the Buffalo area, drawing the best players of all levels and ages to Delaware Park.

This year marks the 89th annual tournament, and it is running through July 24. The tournament includes singles draws for men and women, doubles for men and women, mixed doubles and a family category. Divisions are further broken down by either NTRP ratings or age, and you don't have to belong to the USTA or a club to qualify.

All you have to do is pay the modest entry fee and you're in.

"Registration has been real positive," said Shawna MacFarlane, president of the Buffalo Niagara Community Tennis Association, which runs the Muny. "Why is it so popular? It has drawn the top players in Buffalo for 89 years and it's in the park where tennis [in Western New York] really originated."

While the format has changed from being played over three weeks to two weeks, both in response to people's lifestyles, schedules and the number of entries, the event has always been based in the park.

"We've had people approach us about making it an indoor tournament," MacFarlane said. "But we don't want to do that. It's tradition. And we think it's very important to keep the tournament in the park."

For those caught up in the excitement of the tournament but needing to learn the game, or improve their game, the USTA Leagues run through the Buffalo Niagara Community Tennis Association serve as training

grounds.

"USTA league tennis, the 2.5 level for women and men, really get you ready to participate," MacFarlane said. "You want to be competing already and league tennis will get you ready to play in the Munys."

Not ready for the Muny tourney just yet? Or eager to learn to be part of the 90th year?

Community tennis programs are one way to learn the game. While all of the major clubs will have lessons for beginning adults there is a growing contingent of introduction sessions in recreation and community

programs, the most popular of which is USTA League Tennis.

In league tennis, players participate on a team playing with and against those of the same skill set. The National Tennis Rating Program ranges from 2.5 (beginner) to 7.0 (a pro in the top 400) offering a team atmo

sphere, practice and competition for men, women, mixed and senior divisions. Not only do teams get to compete locally all year at the various clubs, they also get the chance to compete at regional and national

events.

League play is perhaps the flagship program of the Buffalo Niagara Community Tennis Association — founded in 2001 with a mission to help expand the game in a community-based way. The organization supports

a variety of other programs, from Shining Stars adaptive tennis to a recreational program in Niagara Falls through

the Boys and Girls Club.

On a smaller scale, the River Rock Tennis Association provides the same services — adult leagues, junior team tennis, instruction — to serve the Black Rock and Riverside communities in Buffalo.

Community tennis programs rely heavily on help from the USTA, which provides assistance from grants to clinics to coaches' training.

"We don't run the programs ourselves," said the USTA's Steger. "We support programs with training, equipment and grants. We can give places like schools, Boys and Girls Clubs, YMCAs, community tennis associations,

programs that they can run. We're in a support role to make sure they have what they need and that the programs are run well."

A year-round series

Todd Miller is never short of ideas.

The owner of Miller Tennis Center and a PTR Master Professional is constantly working on new projects to energize the tennis base in Western New York and increase participation in the game.

He started the Buffalo Tennis Hall of Fame and introduced "Buffalo Tennis Night," a celebration not just of those inducted into the local hall but also for those winning regional awards.

And just this year, he added another program to the mix — the Buffalo Tennis Series.

"There are the USTA leagues to play in," Miller said. "But really no series for individuals to play.

Some people love league play. Others don't. They don't like the commitment or would rather

not play on a team."

The year-round series has several divisions, each with 12 USTA-sanctioned tournaments a year at the Miller Tennis Center. The series also includes the Muny as its July event. Players compete for Buffalo Tennis Series points, which will result in rankings and awards at the end of the year.

Players can compete in an open division, age group divisions or NTRP divisions for both singles and doubles. Due to popularity and demand, Miller also added a mixed doubles category.

Play began in January and continues through mid-December. Players can participate in as many (or as few) tournaments as they wish. To be eligible for the points series, players must participate in a minimum of

three tournaments, have lived in the Buffalo area for at least three months and be a USTA

member.

"The idea is to get people into the network of playing tournaments, whether it be a league or

an individual," Miller said. "I'd like to help give back to the area, help raise the level of tennis in Buffalo. We've had a great response to the series so far. We already added mixed doubles and next year we want to add

juniors to it."

Hit the beach

Beach tennis is a cross between beach volleyball and traditional tennis and it's a niche game that's gaining popularity around the United States.

Sayoc of the Village Glen and South Towns clubs has fallen for the sport so much, he's become a pro at it. Sayoc and his doubles partner, Whitney Kraft, won the men's pro division at the Long Island Tennis Magazine Challenge last month. He ranks fifth on the 2010 Beach Tennis USA Point Series Standings out of the 33 players in the

men's pro division.

What is beach tennis?

The game is played on a regulation beach volleyball court with nets that are 5 feet, 6.75 inches tall (tennis nets are 3 feet high at the center). Instead of rackets, players use beach tennis paddles, and the ball is slightly

depressurized. The ball is not allowed to hit the sand (a tennis ball won't bounce in the sand) so the entire game is composed of volleys. Scoring is the same as a regular tennis match, with the exception of no deuce scoring.

When a game is tied, 40-40, the next point wins.

"It's been played in Europe for about 30 years but it's much newer to the United States," Sayoc said. "This is my fifth year traveling and playing the tour set up by Beach Tennis USA. It's a blast. One of the great things I

love about it as a tennis coach is it teaches you certain skills that will really help you with your traditional tennis game. One is your volley. It's getting you into the continental grip and getting you to hit volleys.

"The other thing is serve and volley, which is kind of a lost art in tennis these days. Most players like to stay on the baseline. In beach tennis you have to serve and rush the net because the return is often a short return. So if you hang back on the baseline you'll never get to that ball. Also, just conditioning and footwork in the sand is really

great training for any player."

Out of necessity, Sayoc has played "beach" tennis on a variety of surfaces — from a regular tennis court to grass to snow. But when you take the paddles out at the beach and start a game, it's easy to grab the attention of new players.

"You can attract non-tennis players," Sayoc said. "So people who have played volleyball or they hit with a paddle on the beach can easily jump in and play right away. It's really simple to learn and it's something

you can do with the whole family."

Tennis resources

Miller Tennis Center, 5959 Sheridan Drive, Williamsville, 632-8600, millertenniscenter.com

Village Glen, 162 Mill St., Williamsville, 633-1635, wnytennis.com

South Towns, 75 Mid County Drive, Orchard Park, 662-9396, wnytennis.com

Sportsplex, 90 Ridge St., North Tonawanda, 694-8877, sportsplexwny.com

United States Tennis Association (USTA) Eastern Section, eastern.usta.com

USTA Eastern Section's Western Region, westernregion.usta.com

Quick Start program, quickstarttennis.com

Buffalo Niagara Community Tennis Association, bncta.org/home