Barry Caron, Tennis Pro at Great Bay Athletic Club
Tennis At Great Bay Athletic Club in Newmarket
Special to the Union Leader
By Lara Bricker
NEWMARKET
When Jon Parker took over ownership of the Great Bay Athletic Club two years ago one of his major goals was to take the club's tennis program to a new level.
Those looking to play tennis at Great Bay can do so by purchasing either a tennis only membership or with a membership to the athletic club, which includes use of the tennis facilities. The club's management is dedicated to maintaining the courts at a high standard, Sillitta said.
Parker, who already owned the Portsmouth Athletic Club, wanted to provide not only top notch instruction but also an overall quality tennis experience. He brought on Anthony Sillitta as executive tennis director, and head tennis pro Barry Caron. The new management, along with four indoor tennis courts, has made the facility a destination for juniors and adults on the Seacoast looking to improve their game, according to Sillitta.
Caron is a well-known coach, who in addition to his post at Great Bay is the head coach for the Exeter High School Boys Tennis team. Last year, he coached high school student Alex Lazerowich to a state championship.
Caron, a Dover native, brings over 28 years of competitive tennis experience and 19 years of teaching experience to his position. He emphasizes the "three keys" to developing the game in his students, including balance, footwork and finish, which he calls "BFF Tennis." Caron says that when those three keys are stressed early in tennis instruction it allows players to maintain a steady progression in their skills.
Sillitta also brings a wealth of tennis experience to his position with 25 years of experience playing and coaching. Prior to coming to Great Bay, Sillita was the head coach of the University of New Hampshire tennis teams for four years.
Guests at Great Bay have a variety of choices for tennis from playing on their own during open court time to lessons to being part of a competitive team. Competitive teams are part of the USTA sanctioned events and include juniors as well as women's 2.5, 3.0, & 3.5; and Men's 3.5, 4.0, & 4.5 USTA travel teams.
The club also offers Round Robin play with ten weeks of match play for men's doubles, women's doubles, and mixed doubles. Both members and non-members are welcome. Non-members are required to pre-pay guest fees of $10 per week.
While the tennis program has many options for the competitive player there are also options for those just looking to play recreationally, Sillitta said. The program has basis tennis lesson for adults as well as a program for children called Quick Start, which is intended for ages five through eight. That children's program allows young players to move up a series of levels to a top competitive level for junior players. "We give them a goal to shoot for," Sillitta said.
The club has plans in the works to construct three outdoor courts over the next year, which is an indication of the popularity of the sport. "It's growing," Sillitta said of interest in tennis. "Over the last couple of years, the industry is seeing quite an increase in playing."
For more information contact:
Executive Tennis Director, Anthony Sillitta at 603-659-3151 or email him at anthony@seacoastsportsclubs.com.
