Lessons a family affair at tennis club

Joan Buckmaster initially got into giving tennis lessons to help her grandson.
For the last four years she's been giving them with him.
Buckmaster and Drew Hager are once again offering lessons at the Moose Jaw Tennis Club this season. The pair taught kids as young as five and adults in their 50s.
Former club pro Kam Singh got Buckmaster involved with lessons initially.
"Kam used to do the lessons and I took the instructors (course) because I wanted to help Drew," said Buckmaster. "Then Kam left and I kind of took over. Before that I used to help him once in awhile."
Hager, now 17, got his start hanging around and helping out when Buckmaster gave lessons, but that evolved into giving lessons four years ago.
"When I was really young I would pick up balls in the lessons," said Hager. "Then I grew into the actual teaching part of it.
"I was really just helping her just the first couple of years. Then I started learning more about (teaching) in the last couple of years."
Hager was part of the Zone 3 team for the 2004 Saskatchewan Summer Games. Many players on the zone team didn't have a lot of experience and it was a natural that Hager would help out and give pointers.
"I was coaching the Summer Games with Gerry Gieni and we had kids who had hardly played at all," said Buckmaster. "So Drew would help with those kids. He kind of got going that year."
From teaching his peers, Hager began teaching his elders. Teaching adults at 13 or 14 was bound to draw some raised eyebrows.
"Not as much now, but before yeah," said Hager "Especially when I was teaching the adult lessons they would comment."
While people remarked about Hager's age, the comments have been positive.
Hager won his first men's club championship last year at 16 and clearly had the tools to teach others about the sport.
If anything the age difference between Hager and Buckmaster have made for a good mix - especially given the range of players receiving lessons.
"At four o'clock you'll have a five year-old and then at six o'clock you'll have adults. It's quite different throughout the day," said Hager. "Then there's teenagers to deal with too."
The lessons generally run between 4-6 p.m. with a children's group, a youth group and then adult lessons.
Despite the age range and the different challenges with teaching such a wide age range, they say it isn't too bad.
"It is surprising the amount of good kids that come through," said Hager. "The vast majority are really well-mannered kids."
Lessons are offered over a three-week period with two hours per week. They typically begin the second week of May depending on the weather.
Anyone interested in lessons can drop by the tennis club's open house Saturday from 2-4 p.m and Sunday from 1-3 p.m. or they can call Joan Buckmaster in the evenings at 692-1641.