Hilburn hosts youth tennis camp in Kennett

KENNETT – Around 80 kids in Kennett, some picking up a racket for the first time, are learning from the best this summer as they dive into the basics of the sport of tennis.

Preparing to kick off her 30th year at the head of the Kennett High School girls tennis team, Janet Hilburn is coaching a youth tennis camp again this week just as she has every summer for … well, who knows how many years.

She started having a part in the camp while in college, coming home to assist Coach Brent Carr, who gave her lessons in school. Having now coached generations of players rising through the Bootheel, Hilburn isn't quite sure how long she's been introducing young athletes to the sport, but one thing is for certain:

“It's been very successful,” Hilburn said. “Last year, we broke our attendance high, and we did it again this year. I love seeing all the kids out here. It's very exciting to see them excited about tennis. It's something different to do in Kennett, and it's actually become very popular.”

She explained that “very few” players who make it onto the high school roster didn't rise through the ranks of her annual camp, and that's apparent by the almost unbelievable stats of the program.

For the last two years, the Kennett tennis team has finished with a 100% winning percentage and won back-to-back state championships. With the exception of the 2020 season, she has led the team to at least a district championship title every year since 2010.

Last summer, Hilburn was also named the Semoball Awards Coach of the Year. Along with assistant coach Hanna Hunter, the key to that success is starting their future athletes early.

“They start young and advance up,” Hilburn said. “They start at five years old, around pre-school age, and it goes up until high school. We basically teach the fundamentals, like forehand, backhand, volley and serve. And as they move up, we start doing games and rallies and drills to challenge them.”

Children in the youngest age category of the annual youth tennis camp hosted by Janet Hilburn practice their swings on Tuesday.Christian Johnson, Delta Dunklin Democrat

She feels that the camps are a “huge plus” for the continued success for the program.

The skills taught during the week-long masterclass is evident in each kid, but perhaps more so in the siblings of some current and former high school athletes who have already paid their dues.

“Some of the siblings want to try it out because their older sisters are on my team,” she said. “What's funny is, they get out here and think they can be as good as their older siblings, and then see that they have to stop and learn the basics in order to continue on.”

While some students may pass through her elementary class as a student, for many it's a glimpse into the “Hilburn Method,” a term used by some of her athletes on the high school team.

“By far, I think these camps are a good jump start to helping my team, familiarize them with me, with the way I do things and what tennis is all about,” she said. “This camp is a big plus for that, and it's just really fun. I just can't say enough about it. The community supports it, and I'm just very thankful and blessed.”

Kennett High School may not field a boys tennis team, but that's another aspect of why she enjoys coaching the camp year after year.

“A lot of the exciting part is that we don't have just girls out here,” Hilburn said. “We have boys, too, and they get really competitive and it's fun to see that. When my season is going on, and even when it's not, you see a lot of guys out here who watch and like to compete against the girls.”