300 people raise a racquet at Tennispalooza

Fundraiser draws first-timers to sport

The tiny girl's tennis racquet was nearly as tall as she was, but it wasn't as big as the smile on her face when she hit a ball over the net.

Margaret Lewis, 3, had her first-ever tennis lesson Sept. 20 at Tennispalooza 2008, a daylong event at the Lake Lynn Community Center that benefitted Junior Achievement of Eastern North Carolina.

Margaret wanted to join her big brother, Henry, 7, who was also playing tennis there for the first time, said her parents, Matt and Laney Lewis.

Cheers from onlookers fueled Margaret's new-found tennis fever. She didn't want to stop and had to be persuaded to let others take a turn at practice.

More than 300 youngsters, teens and adults turned out to get their first taste of tennis, taking lessons, testing the speed of their serves and competing for prizes.

Adheer Allamsetty, 6, was rewarded with a new tennis racquet and a day at Tennispalooza for scoring good conduct grades at Stough Elementary School, where he is in the first grade.

"This is not the first time I have ever played," he said.

Adheer usually plays with his dad, Ramana. Tennispalooza was his first chance to play with kids his own age and his first experience with professional instructors.

Tennispalooza is the pet project of Robert Gibson, a local tennis instructor who has been coaching for more than three decades.

"Over the years, the event has gone by different names," said Jon Dewar, one of the event sponsors. "Last year it was called the Tennis Marathon. "

This year, Tennispalooza doubled as a fundraiser for Junior Achievement.

Proceeds from the event cover instructional programs local teachers can use in their classrooms.

Junior Achievement focuses on financial knowledge, business and economic education, and entrepreneurial thinking, said Chip Reed, the organization's president. The program sponsors classroom and after-school programs for students in kindergarten through 12th grade.

"Our mission is to prepare kids for a life in a global economy," Reed said.

For kids such as Margaret, Henry and Adheer, it was enough success for now to swing a racquet and knock a tennis ball into the other court.