Spotlight: Kearney Parks and Rec Tennis

Tennis coach and program director Troy Saulsbury and the Kearney Parks and Rec (KPR) department have been working together for two decades to make a big difference for the tennis community in the Kearney area.

The city of Kearney’s Junior Team Tennis program is run through the KPR. The tennis program extends from the first part of June to the middle of July, with Saulsbury serving as director. Saulsbury currently coaches the Kearney High Tennis Team and has run the KPR program for over 20 years.

KPR makes a significant impact on local recreational tennis by providing programming for all ages, serving the game well at the grassroots level. Along with advancing the game of local junior athletes between the ages of 5-18 years old, KPR also strives to make the sport more inclusive by providing classes for adults and the disabled.

KPR’s tennis program increases diversity within the community as children gain the opportunity to play with those from different schools and backgrounds throughout the greater Kearney region. Participating children come from all schools throughout the local school district, and the reputation of these programs even pulls participants from the surrounding Tri-City area.

“The Kearney Park and Rec tennis program is the foundation for all tennis programming in Kearney,” said Saulsbury. “It really gets kids excited about tennis at an early age and this excitement carries through into their high school career and they eventually become lifelong players. We have large numbers participating at the high school because of the success of Kearney Park and Rec.”

The total number of kids that get out and play tennis in KPR’s program averages anywhere between 250 to 300 annually, with the Junior Team Tennis section standing as Saulsbury’s largest program.

The summer season concludes with a Non-Elimination Tournament (NET) plus a Smasher event that KPR hosts. This summer, over 60 entry-level juniors competed to earn medals. 

KPR’s programs have been influential in building up many youth tennis players in Nebraska who now continue to play the game in their adult lives. Many children start by joining a four-day group lesson just to learn the sport or playing in a NET Tournament for the fun of it, and leave with a lasting impact of the joy found in tennis. Whether they win a Smasher event or lose all their round-robin matches, children leave feeling encouraged and with smiles on their faces. 

To learn more about Kearney Parks and Rec’s tennis opportunities, contact John Klosterman, Recreation Coordinator for Athletics & Youth Sports, at jklosterman@kearneygov.org.