STEAMBOAT SPRINGS — The Steamboat Springs Tennis Association is hoping to kick off the new year this week by offering free youth beginner tennis camps at the Tennis Center at Steamboat Springs.

“They really have a good time at it,” said STA Executive Director Warren Luce. “It’s great having the kids out there and teaching them the game for the first time. The key is making sure that they are having fun.”

The camps will take place Wednesday, Jan.3 and Thursday, Jan. 4. Players age 5 to 11 will be on the court from 9 to 10 a.m. and players age 12 to 18 will be on the court from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m.

The event is being hosted by the Steamboat Tennis Association in memory of Alfred Khan, a longtime player and supporter of tennis in Steamboat Springs who passed away at the age of 97 in 2013.

“He would have really appreciated having these camps in his memory,” Luce said. “He loved the game of tennis and would have loved introducing it to players who had never played the game.”

The camps are free to participants, and all players need are a pair of shoes and a smile, Luce said.

He added that players can simply drop in, but that organizers would like to have players, or their parents, call the tennis center at 979-879-8400 or email loretta@steamboat10s.com, so that organizers can be prepared for the number of players who will be participating. 

“Some of the younger kids need some one-on-one attention, so we always want to make sure that we have plenty of volunteers to help out,” Luce said.

To reach John F. Russell, call 970-871-4209, email jrussell@SteamboatToday.com or follow him on Twitter @Framp1966.

John F. Russell is the business reporter at the Steamboat Pilot & Today. To reach him, call 970-871-4209, email jrussell@SteamboatPilot.com or follow him on Twitter @Framp1966.