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Monday, 7/21/97 Tourney offers children more than just tennis

By Steve Kim Daily Bruin Contributor Tennis is the focus of attention this week at the Los Angeles Tennis Center, and numerous promotional events gather around the hard-hitting matches of the Infiniti Open. Racquet Days and free tennis clinics for children are side events designed to increase awareness and interest in the sport of tennis among the younger generation. Racquet Days, a program conducted by the Southern California Tennis Association (SCTA), allow attendees to exchange old tennis racquets for free tickets to first round games Monday and Tuesday at 11 a.m. Last year, 125 used racquets were collected on Racquet Days. These racquets are used in the Amateur Athletic Foundation's National Junior Tennis League where children receive instruction and the opportunity to play at little or no cost. A similar pair of racquet donation days, Racquets for Kids, is conducted by Infiniti on Wednesday and Thursday and is supported by the SCTA to benefit the Safe Passage Tennis Program. Participants can get tickets for second round and quarterfinal play Thursday and Friday at noon with a tennis racquet donation. Kid's Day on Tuesday is a tennis clinic conducted by the SCTA. The first 3,000 children under 16 to meet at the stadium at 10 a.m. can attend a free clinic and activities session with prizes and ice cream. In the stadium, there will be an exhibition by professional players, a question and answer session, and a chance for the children to receive autographs. The children will then be shuttled to UCLA's Sunset Courts for a team-building skills clinic conducted by professional players. Parents can join by purchasing tickets for $5. Tournament director Bob Kramer believes that the SCTA-conducted Infiniti Open, with the various side events, is a great way to increase public awareness of tennis, especially for the children. "What the SCTA wants to do with these events is to promote and encourage growth of tennis in Southern California," he said. Much of the proceeds will go to programs that focus on the seeds of tennis' future - the children. "The beneficiaries, really, are the kids and community," Kramer suggested. Programs such as the United States Tennis Association's Schools Program are supported by fund-raisers. The program trains kindergarten through high school teachers to teach students how to play tennis. Each school in the program is granted 15 new tennis racquets and a free motivational seminar conducted by professional players. The Schools Program is also active in maintaining the granted tennis equipment and assisting with questions and problems. Becky Edles Rye, conductor of the Schools Program in Southern California and co-coordinator of this week's clinics, has been involved with many tennis outreach programs. She says it makes a quite an impact on children when they watch and interact with professional players. "It's kind of wild. The kids have a blast!" she said. Rye realizes the importance of junior outreach programs. "Most people think tennis is an expensive club sport. We're trying to expose tennis to children in schools and make it easily accessible by providing free equipment and instructions to teachers." Kramer is enthusiastic about the Infiniti Open. "It's a win-win situation because top players get to play in a tournament in Southern California while local fans can experience top quality tennis live and up close. At the same time, kids benefit from the SCTA programs supported by proceeds." Related Daily Bruin Story: Infinity Open Preview, 7/21/97

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