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Ultimate Tennis
Camp
Ultimate Tennis Camp
(UTC) was a concept started in 1995 at a small
facility called The Heritage Swim and Tennis
club in Concord, Massachusetts.
The camp was run for two years at that
location before moving to it's present position
at Nagog Woods in Acton.
Concept UTC begins and ends
with one simple premise: to have
fun. Although that seems obvious, it is
not always the case when a beginning or
intermediate level player is practicing hitting
backhands in the hot, summer sun.
Unfortunately, the reality is that for many
players, they become bored.
At UTC, the kids are motivated in
two unique ways. First, when players
succeed at an activity by either hitting a cone
or making a basket, they receive points. These
points are then used to buy things such as cans
of tennis balls, water bottles, soda/juice, etc.
Because of how the camp is structured and
handicapped, ALL of the campers no matter what
their level, will earn enough points to make
purchases.
The second motivator is the
types of activities that the kids engage
in. For example, in the UTC game, "Jungle
Tennis", kids are divided into two teams in
which they try to hit the ball back and
forth over the net. The point doesn't end
until the ball ceases to bounce. This is
by far the most requested camp activity.
Why is this exercise so
productive? For those kids who may have
difficulty simply making contact, a week of this
can help change that. If the players are
stronger, intermediate players, he or she
quickly learns that slugging the ball hard
doesn't always win the point.
Points & Prizes At the
conclusion of camp, players are then given the
remainder of their points in the form of play
money called "Marcus Money." Campers can go
online and use those dollars to purchase
everything from water bottles and spray fans to
American Girl dolls and Xbox games. A list of
the prizes can be found by clicking
here.
Do the kids become better tennis
players? Absolutely. Although kids
do not play a full tennis game, during the line
drill exercises, players receive general
instruction on the proper form and
technique of all their strokes.
Additionally, when the player has a target, he
or she is constantly working on the accuracy of
the shot. Via these instruments, kids
improve their stroke production, increase their
precision, and above all, have a great time.
Age
and Skill Level UTC is generally for
boys and girls seven and up. As for level,
kids are separated onto different courts
relative to their age and skill level, enabling
a younger, less skilled player to have as good a
chance to win as an older participant. Even if
your child has never held a racquet before, this
is a fantastic medium in which to start
them. Only players holding rankings in the
USTA (United States Tennis Association) are
prohibited from participating due to level
restrictions. If you have a child who you feel
is too advanced for this camp and would be
interested in more match play, then you may be
interested in our Junior
Training Camp.
UTC will run during the
following weeks of 2010. Registration will
open on February 1st:
June 21-June
25
June 28-July 2
July 5-9
July 12-16 July 19-23
July
26-Jul 30
Aug
2-6
Aug 9-13
Aug 16-20
Aug 23-27
Cost: $25
annual registration fee (covers all family
members)
+ $235/week Time:
10:00am-1:00pm
If you are not paying for the camp in full,
then please send the registration fee plus 50%
of the cost.
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