Youth Tennis Camp Program Plan

The Woodlands Township Parks and Recreation DepartmentThe Woodlands Tennis Academy

Sarah Walters,Summer Intern

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Part 1: Program Planning Page 3

Part 2: Program Operations Page 9

Attachments Page 11

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PART 1: PROGRAM PLANNING

Introduction

The Youth Tennis Camp is a weekly summer camp for children ages five to 16. Campers are split into small groups based on skill level and age; the Beginners group includes children ages 5-12, and the Intermediate group includes children ages 8-16. Each day consists of approximately an hour and a half of tennis instruction, a short break for crafts (optional) and a snack, and time in the pool. The program is designed as a sports-specific camp with quality instruction in a relaxed, fun atmosphere. Below is the program description found in the Summer 2013 Action Guide.

Target Audience

The target audience for the Youth Tennis Camps includes all residents of the Woodlands between the ages of five and 16. We will specifically target children who have participated in other programs facilitated by the Woodlands Township Tennis Academy or whose parents are active in Adult Tennis programs. We will also target members of the community who are active tennis players but have not yet participated in Township tennis programs. We will market to these groups by distributing fliers at local tennis shops, having an active presence on social media sites, posting information at Township tennis courts, and sending mass emails to residents that have previously participated in Township tennis programs.

Rationalization

Like most Parks and Recreation programs, the Youth Tennis Camps fall under the Service Delivery Focus Area in the Focus Areas, Goals, and Key Initiatives outlined in the Township’s most recent Strategic Plan. More specifically, the Youth Tennis Camps fall under Goal 1.2: “Provide superior parks and recreation amenities, facilities, programs and services,” and under Key Initiative 1.2.1: “Ensure high quality programs and services remain affordable and cost-effective while facilities are still effectively used and maintained.”

The program has been heavily attended over the past several years and has been successful as an introduction for youth players into the Township’s extensive tennis

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program. Our main focus in streamlining the management of the Youth Tennis Camps during this season has been cutting down on waste in order to keep our registration fee low. The increase in efficiency that we have seen as a result will allow the program to continue to assist in meeting the specified goal.

Goals and Objectives

Goal 1: To establish the Youth Tennis Camps as a low-cost, high-quality option in order to remain competitive among comparable sports-specific camps.

Objective 1: When surveyed, 100% of participants’ parents will agree or strongly agree that the cost of the program was comparable to the value.

Objective 2: When surveyed, at least 90% of participants’ parents will say that they were extremely satisfied with their child(ren)’s experience.

Goal 2: To have a growth in number of participants as a result of effective promotion.

Objective 1: There will be an increase in weekly participants compared to 2012 for at least 7 of 10 weeks.

Objective 2: There will be at least a 5% increase in total number of participants.

Goal 3: To see a growth in revenue as a result of increased efficiency of management.

Objective 1: The net revenue for the Woodlands Recreation Center will total at least $17,000.

Objective 2: There will be at least a 5% increase from 2012 in net revenue for the Woodlands Recreation Center.

Evaluation

The most appropriate method of evaluating participant satisfaction for this program is a participant/parent survey. We will be sending this survey to the parent(s) of each participant following the last day of camp each week. We will use Survey Monkey and send a link to the online survey via email. A hard copy of the survey is included at the end of the report and is labeled “Attachment 1.”

The most effective models for evaluating the program from a management perspective are the Intuitive Model and Evaluation by Goals and Objectives. The Intuitive Model will be used throughout the summer as we work alongside contract instructors to improve management of the program. The Evaluation by Goals and Objectives model is the most effective method of systematically evaluating the success of the program after its completion.

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Venue

The Youth Tennis Camps will be held in Bear Branch Park at 5200 Research Forest Drive, The Woodlands, TX 77381. Most of the activities will be held at the 9-court tennis facility. The camp will utilize the playground, pavilion, and pool that are also in the park. A small structure that houses a storage room and outdoor bathrooms will also be used. The first map below shows the location of Bear Branch Park (26), and the second is an aerial image of the facilities mentioned above.

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Equipment & Supplies

Several large purchases were made in advance to last the 10-week duration of the Tennis Camps. Tennis gear, crafts supplies, and snacks were the necessary supplies. Four invoices are attached at the end of this report: an order from Tennis Express is labeled “Attachment 2,” an order from Oriental Trading through Fun Express is labeled “Attachment 3,” and two purchases from Sam’s are labeled “Attachment 4” and “Attachment 5.” The supplies purchased are listed below and are divided into reusable equipment and supplies for one-time use. Craft supplies are listed in detail on the invoice labeled “Attachment 3.” All snacks listed are individually packaged and bought in bulk.

Reusable Equipment Ball Pick-Up (x8)

Supplies for One-Time Use First Set Balls Pack of 60 Quick Start 60 72-Ball Bucket (x3) Quick Start 78 72-Ball Bucket Starter Bulk Pack Stage 3 Felt 36 Balls Lemonade Mix (x30) 9 oz. Solo Cup (x2) Mini Pretzels (x10) Assorted Chips (x15) Chex Mix (x10) Goldfish (x24) Cheese and Breadsticks (x10) Fruit Snacks (x10) Cheez-Its (x10) Animal Crackers (x10) Austin Cheese Crackers (x10) Fruit Roll-Ups (x10) Fla-Vor-Ice (x10) Black Sharpies (x2)

Marketing & Promotion

The Youth Tennis Camps have been marketed in several ways throughout the summer season. Initially, the contract instructor acting as Head Pro suggested that limited marketing would be necessary. A one-page flyer was distributed at the Woodlands Recreation Center and posted at area tennis courts to accompany the information included in our Summer 2013 Action Guide. Due to lower numbers than expected in the first several weeks, we began a marketing campaign that included a press release, mass emails to the tennis community, and several updated fliers. The final flier produced by the Community Relations Department (CR), along with other information, has been featured on the department’s Facebook page.

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A flier used for the majority of the summer is attached and labeled “Attachment 6.” The final flier, produced by CR, is labeled “Attachment 7.” A press release is labeled “Attachment 8.” As the camp has been almost exclusively funded by its own revenue, supplemented by the Tennis program budget only for the pre-season purchases, there was no need to obtain sponsorships of any sort.

Budget & Pricing

The fee to participate in the Youth Tennis Camps is $95/week for residents and $105/week for non-residents. Of the net revenue, 70% will go to the Head Pro and be put toward staff pay, supplies, and other operational expenses. The Head Pro will also maintain a “rolling bank” that can be used for unexpected purchases not foreseen at the time of the pre-season bulk orders. The remaining 30% will go to the Woodlands Township. The net revenue for 2013 is expected to total approximately $57,000 and the total expenses are expected to be approximately $4,750. A proposed budget can be found at the end of the report and is labeled “Attachment 9.”

Inclusion Plan

The Youth Tennis Camp is a sports-specific camp that follows the USTA 10 & Under Tennis program for junior instruction. The instructors have no training in coaching tennis for people with disabilities. Due to the nature of the program, we will not target or be able to accommodate youth with disabilities. As such, there is no outlined plan for inclusion.

Staff Management

A contract instructor will handle the day-to-day operations of the Youth Tennis Camps who will manage a staff of eleven coaches. All training and scheduling will be through this Head Pro. Any coach over the age of 16 will be paid by the Woodlands Township and will need to be cleared by the Human Resources Department.

Risk Management

The Head Pro for the Youth Tennis Camps will be responsible for all aspects of day-to-day operations, including risk management. Standard procedures and safety measures used at Township facilities, particularly the Bear Branch Pool, will be upheld and will help to manage risk to contract staff and participants.

Contingency Plan

The Head Pro for the Youth Tennis Camps will be responsible for all aspects of day-to-day operations, including a contingency plan. The most prevalent contingency will be inclement weather, which will likely be handled by postponing or canceling the camp for the day.

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Management Plan

As the Youth Tennis Camps have been running for several years, the management process this year began in mid-May with a planning meeting to outline administrative tasks for the summer and plan purchasing and marketing. The initial planning and purchasing were completed before the camps began in early June, but the marketing plan was adapted throughout the summer. The camps were evaluated throughout the summer and the season will close with a final evaluation meeting to initiate the process of planning for next year. The Gannt Chart below offers a visual representation of the timeline for the planning process.

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Marketing & Promotion

Purchasing Supplies

Evalution

Tennis Camps Running

Planning Administrative Tasks

1/26 3/17 5/6 6/25 8/14 10/3 11/22

Start DateCompletedRemaining

PART 2: PROGRAM OPERATIONS

SET-UP

The Youth Tennis Camps have been held as scheduled in Bear Branch Park at 5200 Research Forest Drive, The Woodlands, TX 77381. There has been limited set-up aside from several tables used for daily sign-in and sign-out at the front of the 9-court tennis facility. The camps have utilized the playground, pavilion, and pool as planned; the restrooms and storage facility have also been used as planned.

RUNNING SHEET

As the Youth Tennis Camps have run weekly throughout the summer, there has been a cyclical process of activity from set-up to evaluation each week that is bookended by planning and evaluation meetings at the start and close of the program. The summer began with a planning meeting in which the details of budgeting, purchasing, marketing, and other management processes were set. After the close of the tenth and final week, there will be an evaluation meeting to discuss the success of the camp. Each week of the summer has begun and closed in a similar way. At the beginning of the week, the budget is updated and administrative tasks are completed. At the close of the week, an evaluation is sent out and any tasks that have arisen are addressed.

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A camp day runs from 9am to noon each Monday through Thursday. The sign-in and grouping process begins at 9 am with tennis activities beginning by 9:15 am and wrapping up around 11am. Snack time begins around 11am and transitions into a short time at the playground while groups begin changing for the pool. Pool time runs from about 11:30am until noon when the camp day ends with the sign-out process.

FINAL BUDGET

At the date of this report, the budget has been finalized through Week 8 of the Youth Tennis Camps. The overall budget to date has been included at the end of the report and is labeled “Attachment 10.”

EVALUATION

At the date of this report, participant evaluation results were collected for all participants through Week 8 of the Youth Tennis Camps. Of 423 participants registered, 242 participants received the survey via an emailed link. Of these 242 participants that received the link, 35 responded to our survey. Over 91% of parents were extremely satisfied with their child’s overall experience at the camp.

It was also helpful to consider the 5 P’s of evaluation. The level of participation this year has fallen compared to 2012 and the projected revenue will not be reached, which is disappointing as the camp seemed to be quite successful with those that did participate. While I did not deal directly with staff at the administrative level, feedback from the lead contract instructor suggests that the staff were trained and scheduled effectively. There were some frustrations with not having control of the contract staff and having to always go through the Head Pro with suggestions for improving facilitation. The venue for the Tennis Camps seems to be a perfect fit. The 9-court tennis facility allows for small groups and more effective instruction, and the playground and pool within the park allow for diverse activities while not limiting time available for tennis. The policies that guide administration of the program are perhaps the most frustrating aspect of the camps. We have discussed, and will continue to discuss, having the Woodlands Township take over the day-to-day operations of the camp to limit the frustrations of going through the Head Pro for each decision. However, despite the limitations of running the camp through a contractor and a light marketing campaign, the camp was successful according to participant evaluations and effectively promoted the mission, goals, and objectives for the Township and the department.

Regarding modifications for the Youth Tennis Camps in 2014 and following years, it seems as if the main area of concern is with marketing. While an overhaul of day-to-day operations may be needed in the future, the camp is currently run quite successfully and is a great value compared to camps of similar quality. However, the limited marketing in 2013 resulted in falling numbers compared to 2012. This decrease could be addressed by heavier marketing in late spring, particularly to the tennis community through mass emails and flier distribution. Increased attendance could also be achieved by lengthening

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the week to Monday through Friday or the camp day past noon, as this was the most frequent suggestion in the participant evaluation.

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ATTACHMENTS

Attachment 1Participant Survey

Attachment 2Tennis Express Invoice

Attachment 3Fun Express Invoice

Attachment 4Sam’s Receipt 1

Attachment 5Sam’s Receipt 2

Attachment 6Flier 1

Attachment 7Community Relations Flier

Attachment 8Press Release

Attachment 9Proposed Budget

Attachment 10Overall Budget

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