Sports
Tennis Association Serves Up Interest in the Sport
Bayport-Blue Point Community Tennis Association offers an affordable and fun way for all residents to play tennis.
In 2008, when Laurie Gruppuso's son was getting teased for playing tennis, she put her energy toward changing this negative into a positive, which she accomplished by starting the Bayport-Blue Point Community Tennis Association.
The goal of CTA is create an atmosphere where children and adults can enjoy the sport and develop as players, all with affordable prices.
CTA has grown tremendously in the two years since its inception. They offer classes for children and adults, and are willing to accept players of all levels. They offer lessons, practices, drills and tournaments, all taking place on the tennis courts that are located on Academy Street in Bayport, next to the elementary school.
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What makes this tennis organization so unique, besides its availability to the general public in the area, is the amount of professional players they have on staff.
Since CTA is a not-for-profit organization, the Bayport-Blue Point School District lets them use the tennis courts free of charge. In turn they promise that at least 65 percent of the tennis players in the CTA's programs are from the Bayport-Blue Point community.
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Keith Scharfschwerdt, tennis coach at Bayport-Blue Point High School and board member of CTA, said that when Gruppuso first contacted him "there was only a small varsity tennis team in the high school. CTA sparked an interest in tennis within the community and now the school has a junior varsity tennis team too."
This association's dedication to serving all those in the community who wish to participate in their program is notable. "Scharfschwerdt never turns away any kid that wants to play tennis," Grupusso said.
Summer is their busy time, but they also have adult tournaments and practices for the school teams in the spring and fall. A CTA-run winter tennis league is in the works.
The Learn and Play program, led by professional tennis instructors, just finished a two week long summer camp. Kids ages 6 years old to 15 years old enjoyed three hours of tennis practice and play each day.
