THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Sunday, April 21, 1996                 TAG: 9604190203
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER       PAGE: 34   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: BY PATTI WALSH, CLIPPER SPORTS EDITOR 
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE                         LENGTH: Short :   41 lines

PROS TO GIVE FREE LESSONS TO PROMOTE THEIR SPORT

Pat Glaunert and Jody Carson have both graduated from college, opened a business and have made a decent living.

Now, they want to give something back to the game that started it all.

Glaunert and Carson, both certified tennis professionals at Great Bridge Swim and Racquet Club, will be offering a free 90-minute tennis lesson to interested beginners ages eight and up, in conjunction with the USTA program ``Play Tennis America.''

Glaunert, a former player at Bakers College and owner of the Pat Glaunert School of Tennis, said the declining number of participants in his sport concerned him and left him wanting to do something about it.

``Tennis has been wonderful to us,'' Glaunert said. ``Hopefully, this will get more people playing.''

Added Carson, a former Penn State and ODU player: ``The bottom line is, tennis has given me opportunities for my education and career. All this is due to a game my parents introduced to me when I was 10 years old. It's silly to sit around and not do anything and watch it go down the tubes.''

Glaunert and Carson are now accepting registration for the free lesson that will begin May 5. Lessons will be scheduled at times and locations - either Deep Creek High School or at Great Bridge Swim and Racquet Club - that are most convenient for the participant. Instruction will run throughout the month and is limited to six or seven people per lesson.

Rackets will be provided, but those with their own are encouraged to bring them. After the lesson, players will be offered a six-week follow up program at a discounted rate of $45, half the regular $90 fee.

``We're doing this so people will learn and gain something from it,'' Carson said. ``It's a good thing that makes you feel good. It's our livelihood and hopefully, more people will want to play.'' by CNB