On July 10, the 11th Annual Anguilla Tennis Academy Summer Camp started with over 120 participants eager to play. The program began at 8 am at the James Ronald Webster Park where the creation of the ATA’s summer camp began. In 1996, Mitchelle Lake and Sean Romney began doing a camp for the children of Anguilla while they were enrolled at Gardner-Webb University in the North Carolina.

Both Mitch and Sean received tennis scholarships to play at the university and therefore recognized the merits and benefits of learning to enjoy the game of tennis. Now, 11 years later, a small humble camp with no more than 20 children has turned into one of Anguilla’s premier summer programs which boasts having introduced over 1500 kids to the sport. This small camp has also turned into a shared vision by many as a state of the art tennis facility is being built in the Blowing Point area where which all children will have the opportunity to learn the game at a reduced cost as well as reap the benefits of learning how to play a sport that, without a doubt, teaches many life lessons.
This year’s summer camp is once again being directed and conducted by Jason Allen, the ATA’s director, as well as the tennis director for Cuisinart Resort and Spa. The ATA is also very proud to announce that Jonathan Collazo has returned to spearhead the instructional aspect of the camp. Combined, Jason and Jonathan have almost 40 years of tennis teaching experience as well as playing experience. Mr. Collazo is currently the founder and director of JC Tennis Elite in Florida. He is certainly known in Florida as one of the most innovative and talented coaches in the state which is considered by many as the “Mecca of Tennis.” This is the sixth time Jonathan has come to Anguilla to participate in the summer camp and he certainly adds a high level of quality and professionalism to the program.
This year’s program is being conducted at Webster’s Park although last year it was held at the two courts at the old Cocoloba Hotel. Those courts were removed last year with the massive construction of the Viceroy project. Although both courts in the Valley are in terrible condition, Jason Allen was able to coordinate with Timothy Hodge, Director of Social Security, to have the western court resurfaced. Eudoxie Wallace, along with his sons Alexander and Brandon, did an excellent job at resurfacing the one court and therefore providing a new and safe court for the children. The eastern court, although completely irreparable, will still be used for simple drills that involve feeding the balls to children. With over 120 participants and just two courts, Mr. Allen also extended an invitation to José Javier Puerto of Lexington, Kentucky to come to Anguilla as an assistant coach. José, originally from Spain, currently resides in Lexington as a student and professor of Spanish Language and Literature. He is in the process of pursuing a PhD in Spanish Literature and hopes to finish this year. His main job is to help supervise the children while conducting conditioning drills as well as managing a friendly, but competitive, game of football in the grassy area between the two courts. The ATA is extremely excited and fortunate to have a teacher and person of his calibre to help with teaching Anguilla’s youth.
The children have been divided into groups of three by age; 4-6 at 8:00 am, 7-10 at 9:00 am, and 11-17 at 10:00-11:30. The cost of the camp is USD $40, and $60 if the child registered late. Unfortunately, the ATA cannot receive any more late registrations as the camp has already exceeded its capacity. From July 10-21, the camp will be held at Webster’s Park and during the final week at the courts of Malliouhana Hotel, Temenos Villas, Cuisinart Resort and Spa and Carimar Beach Club. The week of July 24-28 is the international week in which 15 additional coaches will arrive to help Jason and Jonathan conduct a unique camp in which the children will have the opportunity to work with some of the best tennis coaches in the world and do so in small numbers so that they receive special attention. During that particular week, the children will board a bus that will transport them to West End. Jason Allen commented, “I am confident that the 2006 summer camp will certainly be the best ever as the coaches are committed and excited about working with such eager children. I would also like to especially thank all the sponsors who have not only supported us for the past 11 years, but who continue to do so. Without the sponsors these incredibly successful camps could never happen. I also encourage any children who would like to continue learning tennis to register for our after school program that will begin in mid September.”

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