Tennis Across Texas

Hello, and welcome to: Tennis Across Texas.

This site was designed solely to benefit YOU, the tennis interested public, and my students. Through this medium I hope to advertise about the program and enable you to receive information and pictures affiliated from my visits with you.

About me:

I am a tennis teaching Pro certified with the United States Professional Tennis Association (USPTA) and the Professional Tennis Registry (PTR), and have been teaching private and group tennis lessons, as well as Summer Clinics at the Al Kruse Tennis Center in Corpus Christi, Texas since Jan, 2000 under the guidance and direction of Head Pro, Susan Torrence. I've just begun to offer a Cardio Tennis Program at the Al Kruse Tennis Center as well.

I really consider myself to be a "Developmental Coach" because I teach students beginning at age 4 and continue on through High School in group sessions or "let them go" along the way to other coaches or I continue to help them progress with private lessons if they desire. I also work with my adult students in the same fashion.

I have just completed teaching a 6 week "after school" clinic, on Saturday mornings for several Corpus Christi Elementary School students, Grades 1st thru 5th, at the Kings Crossing Country Club where Ken De Koning is the Head Pro. We will follow this up with a "Carnival" the following Saturday and then begin a 6 week Summer Program for all who are interested after that. I also give other Private and Group lessons at the Kings Crossing Country Club as well, whenever approached.

For the most part, I am presently teaching tennis somewhat differently than others in the profession today, which is to say, I travel "to you"...to your town...beginning close to the Corpus Christi area at first, then where ever the road leads when called. I want to "Grow the Game" and expose it to everyone I can and develop tennis in every community that I visit.

I "will not" travel to cities that already have Tennis Centers and Country Clubs (that offer tennis), out of respect for those area Tennis Pro's, unless I am invited to do so by those Pros personally. This includes all schools in those areas as well. I will not infringe on anyone else's livelihood but I do want to support those of you residing in smaller communities so that you might have the opportunity of professional tennis support if you need or want it.

The Corpus Christi Tennis Pro's have labeled me, "The Pro on Wheels" and I hope to make them proud of their support.

How the Program works:

Someone takes the responsibility to gather a group of interested tennis players or students together then calls or emails me to come to your town for a group session on a specific date and time. You provide the tennis facilities that we will use and I will bring the tennis balls and all other necessary props and even assistant instructors, if necessary. Please have permission from proper responsible agency/s or official/s necessary for the tennis courts to be used and please have permission and to use the lights as well. The session length will be 1 & 1/2 hours and the fee is a whoppin' $7.00 fee per student. Due to the price of gas being so expensive I may have to increase the fee to $10.00 per student in some areas. We will discuss this when you contact me. I would prefer to have at least 15 or more students per session but call me with what you do have and we will go from there. In some cases some schools have combined students and that is perfectly fine with me. I don't mind staggering several lesson times and sessions to accomodate various classes, ages or skill levels - just let me know. I am also willing to negotiate a fee for giving "after school" sessions on a "group" basis for a certain length of time per certain number of students. Just let me know. I will also ask if it is okay for pictures to be taken and logged onto this website for your later viewing. I have tried emailing pictures back to some students but have not been successful in some cases for one reason or another.

Schools:

Naturally, as a Developmental Coach, I want to introduce tennis to Elementary School children by performing the USA School Program in which some of the kids get to actually participate and have fun during their regular school PE classes. This program is offered to grades 1st through 5th. The program is supported, by the United States Tennis Association, (USTA) at no cost but requires some preparatory paperwork to be completed by school administrators and sent on to Austin, Texas before I am able to give the program. You can find out more about the USA School Program by clicking onto the USTA website, (Community Tennis\Schools) or by contacting me.

COACHES & PARENTS: I want to "turn the light on" in your kids, improve their ability, reinforce their strengths and keep the game fun. Let me know if I can be of any help.

Next I want to expose junior players to Zone Area Tournaments, the (ZAT) program, Champs and Super Champs tourneys and other various tournaments and summer camps that are available for them during the year in Corpus Christi.

I want to visit Middle Grade, Junior High and High Schools and offer my help to develop a program or improve their respective tennis programs by providing "after school" clinics for them so that they can prepare to meet future challenges. Sometimes students participate in several sports for their schools and just aren't able to attend all the different practices and I'd like to make Tennis available for them "after school" as well as to the whole community to practice and improve. REMEMBER: Coaches are not permitted to coach anyone in attendance during these "after school" sessions because of UIL restrictions. You are most welcome to observe though and I look forward to meeting with you Coaches and any parents after the sessions. For more information on the ZAT Program and the area 2006 tournament schedule, please click on the CCTA link provided.

Adults:

I also offer group tennis instruction to adults as well. I would like to eventually see each community not only establish adult tennis programs in their towns but also form leagues and participate in your own area tournaments as well. This includes those of you "just out" of high school or college and all of you working adults, of all ages, who might be interested in "getting back" to the game or just beginning to learn how to play tennis for the first time.

If you ever travel over to Corpus Christi to the many different tennis facilities you will surely see many adults playing in mens and womens leagues and tournaments. There are leagues of all levels, "beginning to advanced" and ages "youth to seniors", in singles and doubles. You could be doing the same in your town and I'd like to help get you started.

If you aren't playing tennis then you are really missing out on lots of fun. Call me and soon you will be playing with the "best of them". Click on to the USTA site to learn more.

Community Organizations:

I also give tennis clinics to Boys & Girls Clubs, Boys & Girls Scouts, Recreation Depts, etc. If you have an organization and want to interact with your folks with tennis as a vehicle then just call and let's see what we can do to get you going.

Team Tennis:

I also work with established mens and womens tennis teams with their practice sessions too. Your team members would really enjoy Cardio Tennis for "another kind of workout". Just call me and I will come to you and put "another kind of fun" in your team tennis practice.

Cardio Tennis:

The Cardio Tennis training that I offer can be brought to you, to your town, with the hope of offering and encouraging a different kind of “workout” in another format to appeal to those of you “outside our sport” and perhaps you too will become interested in tennis, or at the very least, enjoy another approach to your on-going fitness plan. I can guide up to 10 students in a group through the hourly session for $10.00 each. I have "loaner" heart rate monitors for your use as well. Please click on the Cardio Tennis link for an exciting preview.

My Overall Goal:

Folks, my goal is to expose and teach tennis to anyone wanting to learn, then follow up every week or so as able to reinforce past instruction as well as to provide continued support to your situations as they occur. I will come back to your town as often as you invite me, (my schedule permitting of course).

How I do it:

You may wonder how I am able to travel the highways these days with the price of gas so crazy and that's another exciting part of my Program that I really want to share with you. Please check out the following sites.

My Support Groups:

The Corpus Christi Tennis Association (CCTA) is helping with some of my traveling expenses for which I am so thankful. Please check out their website for local tournament information and find out how you can join that organization and help them, help me, to help you. And please feel free to call them up or email them and share your thoughts and interests on your experiences with my program. They would certainly appreciate the feedback I'm sure. The CCTA has also donated a bunch of tennis racquets to my Program also which were very much in need. Thank you so much for your help. Folks, this is an organization that definately deserves your membership so call the CCTA and join today.

The USTA has awarded me a grant via the CCTA in support of my program and I am deeply thankful for their support also. You can click on their website, the USTA or the Texas Section to get more information on what's going on with Tennis in Texas. And if you want to join the USTA, look for the membership information located there also (leagues and tournament information is just a click away. Remember that the USA School information can be found here also.

The United States Professional Tennis Association (USPTA - Texas Section) is also helping me with some of my traveling expenses for which I am so grateful and has also given me a case of tennis balls to use in my Program. Their support is greatly appreciated. Please be sure and check out their website. It was designed to increase your awareness, participation and interest in the game of tennis all over Texas.

My EXTRA Special Thanks:

Tony Martinez is a High School Tennis Coach in Calallen, Texas and is directly responsible for my coming to some of your towns already. Actually the name of my program was "borrowed" from his, (with his permission of course) and I hope to reflect his efforts with a hint of my own. "Thank you Coach Martinez", for your ongoing support and complete confidence to recommend me to others.

Ronald Elizondo is the Director of "Tennis Success", a Non-Profit organization located here in Corpus Christi, Texas and has been a constant "ear" of many conversations and meetings for me to begin my Program for the last few years. I really appreciate his persistant and positive attitude that my Program would be a good thing for me to pursue and a good thing for others to participate in. "Thank you" Ronald for your unwaivering and ongoing advice and support.

Steve & Punam Kersten of the Northshore Country Club in Portland, Texas have graciously donated a bunch of tennis racquets for use in my Program and I have given away some of them to students in need already. Thank you so much Steve and Punam. Anyone traveling through Portland, Texas and looking for a place to relax and hit tennis balls, call them up. You are going to like them so much and enjoy the Northshore facility so well that you just might want to join and play there for years to come.

Billy Morehouse of the Corpus Christi Athletic Club has very generously donated 4 tennis nets and a bunch of tennis balls to me to give to the Robstown High School. Thank you Billy for your support and I hope that anyone interested in joining a Fitness Facility will check out the Athletic Club for their future needs.

Finally:

I hope that you will indeed invite me to visit your town sometime soon to help with your tennis needs. Please keep in mind that the near future will probably result in me having a crowded schedule so contact me soon with as much notice as you can so that I can best accomodate you. And please, tell a friend or Coach if you've enjoyed my program so that they can participate the next time also. Thank you.

I want to welcome you to leave your comments and suggestions whenever you please.

To schedule an appointment:

Just call or email me. My cellphone number is: 361-442-0393 and my email address is: texron@grandecom.net.

Until next time..."Happy hitting and I'll see you on the courts"...

Coach Ron