Learning tennis with a Lawrence pro

A tennis pro that has taught multiple generations of players is teaching weekly lessons for children ages 8 to 14 through a four-week program beginning June 5 at the Lawrence Yacht & Country Club.

Participants can register at the tennis clubhouse and pay in advance, as spots are limited. The program is held annually at the club and is exclusive to residents in Lawrence village.

The head pro leading the program is Lynbrook resident Shabir ‘Mo’ Mohammed. Mohammed, 67, has been teaching tennis for more than 45 years and has taught in the Five Towns for 30 years. This year is Mohammed’s second year as a tennis director at the country club. When club general manager Cory Menking needed a pro for the program, Shabir was highly recommended.

“This is our second year with Mo at the helm overseeing the tennis operations and we’re definitely pleased with how everything’s going so far, and the courts are in incredibly good shape,” Menking said.

Mohammed used to own the Long Beach Tennis Center in Long Beach and worked at the Atlantic Beach Tennis Center for 30 years during the summers and was a leaseholder at the center for 15 years. He also coached tennis to Lynbrook youth during the winter for 15 years and has coached nationally ranked junior tennis players.

The one-month program at the Lawrence club introduces the fundamentals to young kids from forehand and backhand tennis strokes to serves, volleys, and sportsmanship.

“We made it so affordable that all the parents can have the kids try out for the sport and see if they like it or not,” Mohammed said. In the wintertime, it’s very expensive to go indoors to start learning the game. My job is to take them to the next level, make it fun for them while they’re learning and make it more enjoyable.”

The idea of the community tennis program is to introduce newcomers to the game and Mohammed said the feedback from kids and parents is always positive.

“Lawrence is a very big tennis community,” he said. “The parents know the game, and the kids know about the game. A lot of kids these days are on the computer or playing video games and parents want the kids to go out to exercise, have some fun, make new friends, learn the game and have something to do on the weekends or after school.”

Traditionally the tennis season goes from May to mid-October and the program makes the most of the time. As of press time, 15 kids have signed up, but space is limited. For Mohammed who has taught the sport for decades, the best part is having been able to become a staple in the community through teaching the sport.

“I’ve been doing this for three generations in this community,” Mohammed said. “I’ve taught parents and their kids. Now grandkids are coming back to me at five and six years old. It’s a great feeling when you get somebody new coming into tennis and you’re their first teacher. The key is to get the right technique down with the kids. How to hold the racket properly, how to swing and follow through. It’s a great feeling and there’s nothing like that.”