The tennis programming at Fairlawn Swim & Tennis is led by Towpath Tennis Center.
Cole Farren, Lead Tennis Pro
Born in Akron, Cole is part of three generations to play tennis at Towpath. He began playing at five years old, and over the years, developed a deep love for the game of tennis. This carried him throughout high school where he attended Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy (CVCA), breaking multiple school records playing on the tennis team. Throughout his high school summers, he would travel throughout southern states training and competing at a world class level. This soon led him to play NCAA Division II collegiate tennis at Southern Wesleyan University. Over his summer breaks he would return home to help coach at CVCA and develop his instructing skills and coaching philosophy. After graduating with a Bachelors degree in Business, he became the Assistant Varsity coach at CVCA. Now he is looking to share his love and passion for tennis with the community at Towpath! Cole is PTR certified, and has a passion to instruct all levels of players.
Youth Clinics
Our beginner clinics are designed for juniors to learn “kid-size” tennis and progress as their skills improve. The equipment has been modified and allows players to advance to larger courts and regular tennis balls as they develop. Young players will learn the fundamentals of tennis and all the different shots. They will learn how to work hard, and the rules of the game. Most importantly, we want to help them develop a passion for the game of tennis.
Towpath uses the Net Generation curriculum set forth by the USTA as the youth brand of tennis (ages 5-18). There is a clear pathway through Red, Orange, Green, and Yellow ball tennis. Towpath is a Net Generation accredited facility and has completed the USTA Safe Play Program and NCSI background checks for all our teaching professionals.
About the Net Generation Curriculum
Red Ball
Players ages 5-6 use low-compression red balls or foam balls to encourage successful contact with the ball. Fun is the major emphasis in this class while learning proper technique, racquet control, cooperation, and movement. Advanced Red players will learn topspin on ground strokes with the correct grips. This clinic will introduce the concept of how to play the game of tennis, how to move to the ball, and recognize open court spaces. Play is on a 36’x18’ court with 21-23” racquets.
Orange Ball
This is for players ages 7-8. This clinic is designed for beginner and intermediate juniors who are ready to play on a larger 60’x21’ court with 23-25” racquets, and orange low-compression balls. At this level there will be an emphasis on serving, rallying, and how to keep score. Advanced Orange players will see a more competitive approach. Their movement and technique have become more fundamentally sound, and they are utilizing the larger court comfortably.
Green Ball
This clinic is designed for intermediate-level players ages 9-10 using the green-dot balls. Our main emphasis at this level is a rally-based curriculum and will focus on developing sending and receiving skills, sound footwork, racquet mechanics, and incorporating comparable athletic skills found in other sports. Players learn how to properly position themselves to execute ground strokes and volleys, hit with a purpose, serve, and ultimately sustain a rally of varying speed and duration.
A 26-inch racquet is recommended for green ball.
Yellow Ball
This is for players aged 11 and up. Yellow ball players will begin to progress from developing and recognizing their strengths, to furthering stroke development, strategy, and footwork. Players will experience high-intensity fed-ball and live-ball drilling that focuses on advanced stroke technique, movement patterns, shot variation, and competitive mental and tactical competencies.
26 and 27-inch racquets are recommended for yellow ball.
Additional information about the curriculum is located on the USTA website HERE.