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
Here's what others have had to say about Swarthmore Tennis Camp.
"My thoughts on the camp: Strengths - friendly staff, competent teachers, 4:1 ratio of staff to students, segregated with players of similar ability, fun and challenging drills, strategy and matchplay, private lessons, food was good.
Weaknesses - Price is too high, one teaching pro and rest of staff were college tennis players (though they were very good players), between drills it seemed like the coaches assumed it was the campers responsibility to pickup balls (for the high price you're paying, I think there should be a better process), no swimming pool as promised in brochure, lunch break seemed a little long at 2 hrs with too much waiting around.
Overall, I would give the camp a satisfactory rating and would consider attending again. If you're attending to see the tennis director, Jeremy Loomis, don't hold your breath because he was not there nor did he bother to stop by. I didn't stay on campus, but heard mixed reviews from the other campers about the accomodations (some good, one complaint about the TV situation)."—F.E., Int., June 2009
"If you look forward to hitting thousands of balls a day with a friendly, laid-back set of coaches on a college campus, this is it. The staff at Swarthmore Tennis Camp was very helpful and friendly while their tennis was serious and yet lots of fun."—I.C., Int., April 2009
"We attended this camp in late July for the first time. I learned so much in a short time. The instruction is low key, friendly and with a high degree of expertise and experience. In several days, I raised the level of my skill in a few key areas and that has made a great difference for me as a player. I can't wait to go back!"—P.M., Low Int., November 2008
"Excellent director and staff; great instructions; beautiful campus setting. I highly recommend it for anyone who is interested in immersing himself/herself in tennis for the duration. There are no planned activities, but there are excellent restaurants in the vicinity."—K.H., Adv. Int., July 2008
"Don't come here if you are thinking you are going to have a value-added camp experience. This is purely a residential camp. Don't waste your time or your money staying over night. The housing is a 12-story off-campus residential apartment building housing mostly seniors. You may not see any of the other campers, and definitely not the staff, after dinner.
The food in the cafeteria is limited and average. There are no activities planned in the evening, so pretty much from 4 p.m. on there is absolutely nothing planned for the campers.
We who came to camp have all been disappointed. Instruction was lifeless and dull. We were not given a schedule of the week, but we found out that is because nothing else was planned besides morning and afternoon court play. If you are looking for a camp experience where you will mix with others, have fun diversions planned, and gatherings with staff after dinner, this is not the place to go."—M.N., Beg., July 2008
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.