By Ryan Kennedy

“Beach tennis is super exciting,” Director Sarah says, “it combines tennis, badminton, and beach volleyball.” This unique sport, which started in Italy during the 1970s, is growing rapidly around the world. At Nashoba North, campers have the chance to explore this new, fast-paced, and accessible game. “It’s the best camp game since tetherball!” Sarah says.

So what’s beach tennis? It is played with soft paddles and a low-compression tennis ball that never touches the ground. You can set up a beach tennis net on a sandy beach, a beach volleyball court, a grass field, or even indoors. “We played it on the camp volleyball courts as well as on Seneca Field, which was absolutely perfect for a game,” Sarah says. Beach tennis nets are portable and easy to construct. “Last year, on a few rainy days, we actually set up beach tennis in the Rec Hall”, Sarah says. It’s also a terrific way for every camper to participate in a game together. As Sarah explains, “What’s great is that girls and boys love it, and the campers are often better than the counselors, which is a fun experience for them. It gives a lot of confidence and has a short learning curve”. This makes it easy for anyone to play.

Outside of camp, beach tennis has become an international phenomenon. Sarah describes the sport as “fast paced, with an international tournament and a community of players around the world.” Played in more than 53 countries and growing quickly; the sport has a strong global following. In the United States, it is most popular in California and Florida. You can even find online videos of players braving a snowstorm in Buffalo, New York for a game. Sarah adds, “it really is unbelievable fun!”

If you would like to experience beach tennis and so much more this summer, we invite you to learn more about all of the incredible activities Camp Nashoba North has to offer.  Come have your best summer ever this year in beautiful Maine.