Rob Vilage and his family are all tennis players.
So after noticing that the Irwin community was lacking opportunities for children to play tennis, it was natural for them to share their love for the sport.
This summer, Vilage, 53, of Irwin, will continue to host his annual Summer Tennis Camp at the Renzie Park tennis courts in White Oak. The camp welcomes students in first through eighth grades and will host four separate sessions from June 8 until July 15.
“Tennis isn’t the biggest sport in the area,” said Vilage, who is also the head coach for the Norwin High School boys tennis team. “We wanted to get kids involved.”
Students at the camp learn the basic rules and techniques of the sport, including how to hold a tennis racket, execute forehand and backhand shots, serve and volley.
But Melissa Vilage, the summer tennis camp coordinator and Vilage’s wife, said the students learn more than just tennis skills.
“It gives the kids so much confidence,” she said.
The camp provides an opportunity for local children to play tennis before they have to try out at the high school level, said Bayleigh Vilage, a head junior coach for the camp and Vilage’s daughter.
It is a good sport to start at a young age, Rob Vilage said. Because there is no referee on the court, he noted that the game teaches children honesty.
“It’s a sport where you only need one other person to play,” he said. “You can play the sport for life.”
Sessions take place from 9 to 10:15 a.m. on June 8-10, June 15-17, June 22-24 and July 13-15. All skill levels are welcome. Each session costs $60.
To sign up, email vilmitt@comcast.net, call 412-608-5934, or visit Vilage’s Facebook page, Tennis Training by Rob Vilage.