Photo by Ashton Gerard/MDN Minot tennis pro and director of tennis Marc S. White, right, leads a skills and drills session at Cameron Indoor Tennis Center April 4.

With a passion for tennis and getting families involved, tennis professional Marc S. White has reignited Minot’s love and appreciation for tennis from beginners to seasoned athletes.

After a nationwide search, Minot landed the United States Professional Tennis Association and the Professional Tennis Registry certified professional in 2015.

“I’m also a National Tester with the PTR and I’m qualified to help certify coaches,” White said.

White comes from a long background of tennis having grown up in the sport. He played tennis in college and has a background in sports education.

“I worked at a kind of famous tennis school right out of college and that gave me a lot of training on how to break down strokes and put them back together,” White said. “In one of my first jobs, I really got a great education at a pretty high level that has helped me here in Minot and at the other tennis centers I have worked at.”

Seeing the potential to grow tennis in Minot, White was excited to come to Minot and is still happy to be here today. When he came, he helped implement different programs and events to promote a tennis culture in Minot.

“We’ve been busy trying to do that,” White said. “This day and age people aren’t just coming in the door like they did during the tennis boom.”

During the 1970s and ’80s, everyone was playing tennis. It was hard to find court time back then. Now, tennis has slowed, but White is working on building tennis programs in Minot.

To get people excited about tennis, White likes to make it a family affair, promoting different programs and events for all ages and skill ranges.

“It’s working, and it takes time, but we have some really great things that we’ve done,” White said. “Beginning of summer we do a big block party out at Hammond Park that is free for anybody and we show them how easy tennis is and it’s a kickoff for our summer programs at Hammond.”

CITC consists of four climate-controlled courts unaffected by rain, snow or wind. They have an upstairs viewing area that is great for hosting parties, watching your family and friends or challenging someone at table tennis. The facility also features state of the art lighting and Playmate ball machines.

Cameron Indoor is open from October to the end of May. During the summer, White hosts camps and events at Hammond Park.

“At Cameron, we have a lot of instructional programs,” White said. “We have an eight-week academy in the fall, winter and spring for elementary, junior high and high school students.”

The program offers a set curriculum to help kids become better, more advanced tennis players while also having fun. It guarantees kids court time and coaching while forming camaraderie and building life skills.

Every Saturday, Cameron Indoor features an event for tennis players ages 10 and under called Super Stars. It’s an hour and 15 minute class that is upbeat and consists of game-based coaching.

“We have to get kids playing tennis,” White said. “If we don’t, we’ve lost a whole generation so we’re trying to grow tennis in Minot and all across the country.”

During the Super Star Saturdays, kids get to have a fun, positive experience with tennis that White hopes will turn into a passion for them in the future.

The Saturday event is a way for kids to get their feet wet with tennis and, if they choose so, they can advance into the academy to really hone their skills.

“That’s the beginnings of tennis for our juniors,” White added.

For adults, Cameron Indoor hosts a variety of classes and clinics for those who haven’t played before, have some experience or have been playing their whole lives.

They offer a Ladies Doubles Clinic which focuses on doubles strategy and what it means to work together as a team.

“There’s not too much pressure on changing the player’s technique, it’s more on strategy and how they can win doubles,” White said. “No one wants to change, so I can kind of sneak in little things to help them improve through the doubles.”

Monday nights feature a men’s league with a drills clinic called Skills and Drills. Thursdays are for Top Gun, which features a tournament every Thursday night. It’s two hours of play with helpful hints and tidbits from White on how to improve different aspects of the game.

“I can spot a particular move, help them put more spin on the ball or help them with a tactic and they can feel that while they’re playing,” White explained. “I kind of like to say it’s the modern way to improve. You’re improving while you’re playing and it’s very empowering.”

Minot High School’s tennis programs also heavily benefit from the Cameron Indoor Tennis Center. Not only do they have a year-round place to practice, but they also play matches inside whenever the weather does not cooperate during the fall and spring seasons.

“If it’s raining, you have nowhere to play tennis outside,” White said. “The high school teams certainly benefit whether it’s tournaments or practice.”

In recent years, the Minot High boys tennis team has been finding success in the West Region and has been competitive at the state tournament. The Minot High girls tennis team won the 2018 WDA team tournament and team state championship and is hoping to do the same thing again this year.

“We were part of that in a small way because I am practicing with and training those kids and they have a facility like this to practice in,” White said. “Also, we have kids who come from Grand Forks and a couple kids from Bismarck that come up and do clinics with me.”

To White, it’s a good sign that other cities around that state are paying attention to what Minot has to offer in the sport of tennis.

“We’re completely a tennis center,” White explained. “We’re not trying to do yoga or weightlifting, and so the cool thing is you can really focus on your tennis here and we’re totally behind it.”

For more information about Cameron Indoor, visit their facility located at 3520 N. Main Street or give them a call at 839-1900.