Dave Nostrant, right, instructs Whittell High students in the fundamentals of tennis. Photo/Ross Rittiman

By Kathryn Reed

ZEPHYR COVE – Physical education class isn’t just running laps or fulfilling some state mandate. For students in Emily Hunter’s class at Whittell High School it’s about learning skills that will last a lifetime.

For the past three weeks this group of freshmen and sophomores has been running from campus down to Zephyr Cove Tennis Club where head pro Dave Nostrant has been providing them with free instruction.

At first Hunter just wanted some court time, but Nostrant offered to coach the teens at no cost. He even provided rackets for them to use.

Nostrant said it took a bit of time for the kids to get interested in the sport, but as their skills improved, their enthusiasm level increased. Introducing more young people to tennis is something Nostrant has been trying to do since he took over the instruction at ZCTC a year ago.

“We’ve been able to do mini doubles where I hit a ball to a doubles pair and they play out the point,” Nostrant said of the high school students.

Catalina Wilson was enjoying being outside and not stuck in the gym. While she has played before, she’s not sure how much she’ll play in the future because it takes a lot of work.

For Lydia Otterstron she liked learning all the strokes, with forehand her favorite because she said it was the easiest.

All are beginners even though a couple have been on a tennis court before. By the end of the class they will have been taught a forehand, backhand, volleys on both sides, and serve, as well a little bit about grips, the lines and different places on the court.

“I’m a big believer in lifetime sports,” Hunter told Lake Tahoe News as she watched her students learn to serve. “When they leave my class they have skills. Tennis is something you can do for the rest of your life.”