Today marks the halfway point for the Andalusia Tennis Association’s summer tennis camp at Lurleen B. Wallace Community College and ATA chairman John Vick said the camp is “going good.”

Vick said between 75-80 campers signed up through the city of Andalusia’s department of leisure services, which runs the camp. The ATA later reimburses the city for the camp.

“A group of us formed a non-profit organization because we wanted to see kids learn to play tennis,” Vick said. “In Andalusia as you know, you’ve got all sorts of Little League and pee-wee football. Those of us that play tennis like it because you can play tennis all of your life.

“It lets you try to stay in decent shape, too,” he said. “As hot as it was out there (Tuesday), those kids have to stay in pretty decent shape and plus it gets them out from in front of the television.”

Vick said the kids are coached by a professional from Greenville.

“Our coach, Johnny Mack Brown, is a professional and drives from Greenville everyday,” he said. “We have four helpers that assist on each court. These are high schoolers that help us.”

Vick said the camp will not run the week of July 4 and will resume July 6 due to the national holiday.

Vick said learning a sport — whether it is tennis, football or baseball — early in life is important.

“It’s a lot easier when you’re young and it gets a lot easier when you get older and get better and better,” Vick said. “I’m still playing tennis at 70.”

Overall, Vick said the camp helps encourage the kids to stay active.

“It just encourages kids to be athletically active,” he said. “Girls, boys and everybody.”

The second session of the camp runs from July 6 through July 23.

The ATA board consists of Kim Dyess (president), Jack Reichert (treasurer) and Wendy Mathews (secretary).