
                         THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
                 Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, June 24, 1994                    TAG: 9406230152 
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON                     PAGE: 20    EDITION: FINAL   
SOURCE: BY GARY EDWARDS, CORRESPONDENT 
DATELINE: 940624                                 LENGTH: Medium

TRAVELING TENNIS OFFERS LESSONS ON APARTMENT COURTS\

{LEAD} Joe Whaley asked himself a couple of business-minded questions: If 95 percent of tennis courts are public, why do people think of private clubs when they think of tennis? And, why couldn't someone take tennis lessons to the thousands of people who live in apartment complexes with tennis courts?

Then Whaley asked one more question: Why isn't someone doing that?

{REST} The result is 6-Point Tennis, a full-service tennis company he started in March. Whaley is president of the sole proprietorship and has two instructors, Andy Pearman and Jayson Greenough, working for him. Whaley is certified by the United States Professional Tennis Registry to teach the sport.

``We saw a need and now we are trying to fill it,'' said Whaley. ``Private clubs can cost thousands to join. Most apartments and townhouses have tennis courts on site.''

In addition to providing tennis lessons, Whaley arranges tournaments and match play for those who live where courts are available.

``Our business comes to the customer,'' he said. ``I can't think of any other tennis company that does that.''

So far, 6-Point Tennis has signed up 14 apartment complexes in Virginia Beach, Norfolk and Chesapeake, providing lessons and arranging tournaments and matches.

Whaley, 36, was born and raised in Maysville, Ky., a small town about 60 miles from Cincinnati. He came to Hampton Roads with the Navy, where he served 10 years.

``I fell in love with tennis after I got out,'' said Whaley, who works as a computer specialist but hopes eventually to make tennis his full-time career.

Beginning at 1 p.m. Saturday, Whaley and 6-Point will participate in the annual Chartwell Apartment picnic. The apartment complex on Providence Road across from College Park Square Shopping Center was one of his first clients.

``We will be there giving free clinics (to the public) for a couple of hours in the afternoon,'' said Whaley. ``There will be random prize drawings and some tennis games of skill. People can win prizes for hitting three straight balls through a target, that sort of thing.''

Tennis pros Doug Burns and Ron King also will put on an exhibition.

``All people need to bring are tennis rackets and an open mind,'' said Whaley.

If love means nothing in tennis, service means something.

``6-Point's name came from our services,'' Whaley explained. ``We provide lessons, tournaments, stringing, equipment - such as rackets and used clothing - team play and match scheduling. We can schedule at least one match a week for players.''

Whaley, who is black and also works as an instructor for the Norfolk Parks and Recreation Department, has other hopes for tennis. He wants to take tennis to inner-city youths, too, kids who may not have been introduced to the game.

``Teaching is my forte,'' he said. ``I'm never going to play on the tour, but I can be an educator, a good teacher.''

Tennis has an image problem, he said.

``People see tennis as a rich man's sport. It isn't. And it is called the lifetime sport. You can play until you're 80 years old.'' by CNB