Tennis continues to be a growing sport nationwide. Coach Ken Scharnagl of Bradwell Institute want to keep that moving here in Liberty County.
This summer, Bradwell Institute tennis coach Ken Scharnagl taught tennis at the Liberty County Recreation Department for children ages 8 to 18 during a morning and evening session. About 30 children participated, most learning tennis for the first time.
Each group learned proper tennis stretching, participated in some fun tennis games, and, most importantly, learned several basic tennis fundamentals: forehand, backhand, and serve. Each session consisted of six one-hour group lessons. In addition, Scharnagl ran a four-day summer tennis camp, partnering with Coach Robert Brown, who is a local United States Tennis Association professional and coordinator with 30 years of tennis experience. The camp was similar to the LCRD session skills but focused on a shot of the day and ran for three hours each day. Groups were ability-grouped for better instructional focus.
Besides high school tennis players, there are several Liberty County residents aged 8 to 80 who enjoy playing tennis recreationally or even competitively. There are two tennis courts located at James Brown Park and two tennis courts located on Fort Stewart. Under construction now are two more courts on Airport Road. The courts at James Brown Park also are lined for pickleball To further facilitate tennis play in Liberty County, Scharnagl has initiated what he is calling “Open Tennis” at the Bradwell Institute tennis courts. On Monday evenings from 5- 6:30 p.m., tennis courts are open to the adult public, under his supervision. On Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:45-4:45 pm, tennis courts are open to the public for school-aged children. Scharnagl will donate his time and expertise to provide free, brief small group tennis lessons or just open play for those who already play tennis. It is noteworthy that these students can be from BI, LCHS, FPCA, any of three middle schools, the county’s seven elementary schools, and even home schoolers.
Scharnagl is a member of the USTA (United States Tennis Association), has received certification from PTR (Professional Tennis Registry) as a tennis instructor, and has completed Tennis Serve Specialist coursework. He also gives private lessons and restrings tennis racquets.
For more information about tennis opportunities in Liberty County, email Scharnagl: MathManKen@gmail. com. Scharnagl is a math teacher at Bradwell Institute and coaches varsity boy/girls tennis teams in the spring.
