THE FRONT ROW with JASON ELLIOTT: Lake City tennis coach works on growing the game faster

During tryouts last spring, Lake City High girls tennis coach Jandi Stowell knew something had to change.

The numbers were there, but the experience was lacking.

“When I started coaching at Lake City four years ago, it was kind of a walk-on sport,” Stowell said. “So we started to put some love into the sport, doing fundraisers and making more of a team culture.”

As the numbers grew, the team continued to grow in spots.

The experience of the players was something different.

“Last year, we had 40 freshmen girls try out,” Stowell said. “Of them, maybe one or two had picked up a racquet before.”

STOWELL IS in the process of starting an after-school program for area youth players.

The model is based on the Utah Youth Tennis program, which gives athletes the chance to get training and play in matches during the fall.

The program is open to students in fifth through ninth grade. 

“I’ve wanted to start a middle school program for years, and came across this program,” said Stowell, who plays tennis at PEAK Health and Wellness Center. “After looking at what they’re about, it was exactly what we wanted. They’re starting a program in Southern Idaho and I reached out to see if they’d be interested in doing it in North Idaho, and they decided to give it a go.”

Players will have practices twice a week, with matches on Saturdays in a program starting Sept. 1 and running through Oct. 11.

“The kids that are signed up already are really excited,” said Stowell, who estimates that 45 players have signed up so far, with hopes for more. “Kids can get lessons at PEAK or private lessons in Spokane, but it’s really expensive.”

Cost for the six-week program is $95.

Players will be assigned to teams within their school zone, with students that attend Woodland Middle School playing for Lake City, Canfield students for Coeur d’Alene and River City Middle School players for Post Falls, for example. Teams are capped at 18 players, with a wait list if necessary. Teams with a low turnout will be combined with another area team.

“One thing you can get from this is actual match play,” Stowell said. “We’re hiring coaches and making sure they’ve got the passion and tennis knowledge to teach the skills of the game.”

The program is not affiliated with the school, but matches will be played at the area high schools and city parks.

THE HOPE is to get more schools in the surrounding areas involved.

“We’ve had a lot of interest from the schools here and in the Spokane Valley,” Stowell said. “And there’s more room for growth and as it becomes more popular, hopefully we’ll be able to expand it to high school programs. We always wish there were more chances to play, but if there’s interest, we’ll do what we can to make those chances happen.”

Something that can only benefit the area's high school programs.

“In talking to other coaches in the area, there does seem to be an influx of players that are coming out to play,” Stowell said. “In the last few years, the numbers are on the rise. I really don’t want players to be left in the dust with these opportunities. Our goal is to create a place where they can learn and get match play.”

Something that Stowell feels isn’t quite adding up.

“We’ve got courts at Ramsey Park, Landings Park and the area high schools,” Stowell said. “But a lot of the time, you see them empty because a lot of kids don’t know how to play tennis. I feel that if we can get a racquet in their hands, it could turn into a lifetime sport. Tennis has kind of become cool again. There’s a lot of kids with the talent that have come through our area programs, but they don’t have the means to have private instructors or money to go to clinics to improve their game. Hopefully this can give them a good start in that direction.”

Information: utahyouthtennis.org/north-idaho-fall-2025-middle-school-info, [email protected].

Jason Elliott is a sports writer for The Press. He can be reached by telephone at 208-664-8176, Ext. 1206 or via email at [email protected]. Follow him on ‘X’, formerly Twitter @JECdAPress.