Press Release Jan. 6th 2012
On January 6th 2012, nine year old Jerrett Jarvis hit a serve from the baseline at his Coach Allen Gibson standing at the Net knocking a can of Tennis Balls off the coach’s head. He did this after a week of training at the most comprehensive, concise, all encompassing, Tennis program presented in one week by Allen Gibson. For achieving the same thing Roger Federer did on YouTube Jerrett got to go home with the racquet of his choice out of Coach Gibson’s bag.
Eric Arrington Head Tennis Coach at EAC in collaboration with USPTA Pro Allen Gibson from Cary, North Carolina put on the First Annual Winter Tennis Camp at Eastern Arizona College Jan. 2nd – Jan. 6th 2012. Next year the camp will be Dec. 31st 2012– Jan. 4th 2013. Registration will be at DoItRightSports.com . Head Coach Eric Arrington hopes to start a Saturday Program with the help of his College Players. We had Beginners to High School Players ages 3 to 17 from Pima, Safford, and Thatcher, who came to learn tennis from Pro Allen Gibson.
Allen Gibson played five years on the California Open Circuit, played in college and at Four High Schools across the country. He has Coached College, High school and Club Tennis for the last 35 years. As a USPTA professional he promotes “Tennis for the Health of It”, Cardio Tennis (the third way to play tennis), and Taking his Knowledge on the Road.
This year Allen taught 10 to 12 drills and games per hour per level allowing players to see what it takes to play tennis from beginning to Professional. He taught fundamentals like PCTV (Preparation, Concentration, Timing and Visualization.) The students got to see a 112 mph serve, 92 mph groundstrokes as well as measure the speed of their own stokes. Kids got practice hitting a can off the top of Allen’s head. Jett Howard said, “The most fun at tennis camp was getting to hit the instructor with his serve.”
The kids had a great time going through the lessons and learning that they could do things that they thought would be impossible. All of the kids learned that they could hit the ball with their eyes closed. When they started, it was hard to just hit 1 ball over the net and in the Court. By the end of the week, they could hit 3 balls over with only 1 stroke.
We had fun and laughter in all the lessons; you could hear ooohs and ahhhs throughout the camp session. The best part was to see kids accomplish a new skill and exercise the entire time without realizing they were working out. We had shy girls who had a blast and could not wait to come back the next day. Some kids stayed to play with the older kids and found out how much harder the bigger kids had to work. Bigger kids had so much fun they would come to the earlier classes to play with the younger kids and get a better understanding of the fundamentals. There were brothers and sisters playing together and Grandmothers watching from afar, building cherished memories. Proud Dad’s watched from the sidelines amazed at the accomplishments of their kids in such a short time. Even some of the parents went through the agility ladder and found it fun.
Question: What did you like the most about the Tennis Camp?
Jessica Zimmerman (of Safford): “I like how much I learned about tennis in such a little time.”
Question: What made you happiest?
Jessica Zimmerman: “Learning the serve.”
Question: What did you like the most about working with Tennis Pro Allen Gibson?
Nate McMaster of Thatcher said, “I don’t know! He just seemed to know what he was talking about and his tips were right on, he would make a really good coach.”
Question: What did you like the most about the Tennis Camp?
Seth Jacobson of Safford:” Playing Games”
Question: What did you hate the most about tennis Camp?
Seth Jacobson: “I don’t know its all fun! Oh! I don’t like picking up balls.”
A special thanks to Eric Arrington and EAC for helping promote tennis in the area. Other volunteers that helped make this program possible Nan Jarvis Gibson, Marie Rhodes, Jade and Jace Howard, A Hand for Health Spa, Essence of Tranquility, and Images Salon And Day Spa, And all the students that came out to try something new for them, yet very old (Tennis a sport you can play for life.) . Hope you will join us next winter Dec. 31st 2012 – Jan. 4th 2013 for a week of winter fun and “Tennis for the Health of It”. You could be doing what Roger Federer can do!