Drysdale Tennis School
Stratton Mountain, VT LEGENDS Weekends from $295
www.cliffdrysdale.com
Swarthmore Adult Camp
Affordable 5-Hour/Day Sessions Scenic Campus/Day & Resident
swarthmoretenniscamp.com
With its stone buildings and
arboretum this 134-year-old college campus, 12 miles from the heart of Philadelphia, makes an exceptionally delightful summer venue for a vigorous tennis program. It has been in operation since 1980, long enough to have established a loyal following and a solid program. Unlike many campus programs, which offer only dormitory lodging, this one gives you the option of a Victorian bed-and-breakfast on campus or a condominium nearby. Its 3-, 4-, and 5-day programs bundle 5 hours of daily group instruction with one or more ½-hour private lessons, cafeteria meals, and your choice of lodging.
Founded in 1864 by the Society of Friends, Swarthmore has an enrollment of 1,300 during the academic year, but in summer a swarm of teenagers takes over, lured by a variety of sports camps. Amazingly they had little impact on the 10 of us adults enrolled in the tennis clinics—except that all the best flavors were gone at the cafeteria's ice cream bar by the time we were ready for dessert. Otherwise we had our own dorm, with an air-conditioned lounge containing a television and VCR, and first crack at the six outdoor tennis courts.
The camp I attended began with a ½-hour private lesson—one of three each of us would get. The 3-hour morning and 2-hour afternoon sessions that followed adopted a classic format familiar to most anyone who's attended camp. Over the course of the 3½ days we covered all the major strokes plus singles and doubles strategy. Initially the drills made few physical demands, but as the days passed they gradually became more intense and grueling, culminating in a session of drop-dead drills on the final morning.
Swarthmore's abundant staff, 5 pros for 10 campers, meant that at least one pro was always free to rove from court to court, pulling aside each camper to give individual attention to their strokes. Once the sessions ended, one of the pros almost always tried to organize some kind of activity for the evening, whether that was a get-acquainted cocktail party, a trip to the movies, a nightcrawl through the clubs on Philadephia's South Street or a visit to the Longwood Gardens on the du Pont estate. Most of us had come unattached—the exceptions were a lone couple and a woman whose daughter was enrolled in the simultaneous junior camp—but no one had to spend much time alone.
Pro Shop: 212-879-0225
A 300-year-old Bender oak anchors one end of a complex of six hard courts laid out between two lines of pine trees. There are also indoor courts available in case of inclement weather.
Tennis Staff. This summer's tennis director is again Swarthmore women's tennis coach Jeremy Loomis. A former college player out of the University of Maryland, he went on to a world ranking in doubles on the pro tour and earned a gold medal in mixed doubles at the 13th Maccabiah Games. He then went on to a coaching career, first at Maryland, Duke University, and now Swarthmore. He holds a master's degrees in exercise science from Miami University and an MBA from the University of Maryland.
And ... There are soccer and baseball fields, indoor basketball courts, an indoor Olympic-size pool, and walking trails, the last along Swarthmore Creek.
Swarthmore runs simultaneous junior tennis programs for kids ages 9-18.
Lodging options at Swarthmore are either an antique-filled bed-and-breakfast on campus called Ashton House or an air-conditioned condominium hotel called Strathaven right on the edge. Selected hotels in the area also offer discounts to campers.
Except on weekends, dining takes place in the newly air-conditioned College Dining Hall, whose selections broad and appealing. Those who stay longer than a few days often get together in groups and head for a restaurant in town.
The most obvious comparison is with the other college-campus programs:
Otherwise, look at some of the other intensive camps:
And finally, compare it to the classic boot camps:
On-campus rates include lodging and most meals (the exceptions are weekend dinners).
June 16-Aug. 9, 2009
3-day weekend (Fri.-Sun)
$595 with lodging and meals. Daycampers (includes lunch) $495
4-day weekend (Thurs.-Sun.)
$795 with lodging and meals. Daycampers (includes lunch) $640
4-day Midweek (Tues.-Fri.)
$765 with lodging and meals. Daycampers (includes lunch) $615
6-day program
$1,160 with lodging and meals. Daycampers (includes lunch) $895
Reservations and Information:
Tennis Camps Ltd.Seasons. The camp operates from mid June to early August.
Travel Instructions. The nearest airport is Philadelphia. You can also take Amtrak to the 30th Street Station and then catch a commuter train, which stops right at the edge of the Swarthmore campus.
General Tourist Information. Visit the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau web site or contact them at 1515 Market St., Suite 2020, Philadelphia, PA 19102. Phone: 215-636-1666 or 800-537-7676.