RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros women’s tennis team was joined by 70 kids from Cameron, Hidalgo and Willacy counties Saturday as they hosted a free youth tennis clinic at the HEB Tennis Center at Pendleton Park in Harlingen.
Saturday’s event was a fun-filled clinic that educated kids from 4 to 18 years old of all experience levels. This clinic came on the heels of the Brownsville clinic that saw 200 kids interact with and learn from the Vaqueros.
“We loved seeing all the families who brought their kids to our clinic. We had a wide range of players from beginners to experienced players, from youth to high school players. For us to connect with them and share our passion for the sport was very rewarding,” head women’s tennis coach West Nott said. “We are proud Vaqueros and we love to share what we do with the local community.”
UTRGV will be hosting the men’s and women’s Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Tennis Tournaments at the HEB Tennis Center in April. The team enjoyed spending time on the beautiful courts and getting involved with the community they hope will come out and support them and the men’s team as they compete for a conference title.
The first hour of the clinic was a demonstration session, giving participants, parents and coaches from local schools a chance to watch the team run through drills and explain why and how they do things. Nott took the mic and explained footwork, grips, drill execution and how the drills displayed can help a player.
The Vaqueros student-athletes also got their chance to address the engaged crowd, taking time to share what their routines are like, things that helped them earn a spot on an NCAA Div. I team, tips for doubles and more.
After the demonstration session, kids were spread across eight courts based on age and experience level. The Vaqueros ran them through drills and offered tips and advice while creating a fun environment for all.
UTRGV women’s tennis has consistently held free youth clinics in Edinburg, Harlingen and Brownsville and influenced hundreds of young tennis players during Nott’s tenure. He was proud to see the team once again bring a great effort to the courts as they volunteered their time and knowledge to grow the game and strengthen UTRGV’s bonds in Harlingen.
“Our team is so great with giving back. They all understand that we are so lucky to do what we do and we are in a fortunate position to give back and educate the next group coming up,” Nott said.
“We will be hosting the WAC Championships on these courts in April and for us to get out here is huge,” he added. “We want the community to know we have an event coming here and give them a reason to come out and support us on game day. The venue is perfect, professional courts and fantastic staff to provide a first-class environment to host a top-notch conference event in the spring.”
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