Two persons representing the Bainbridge tennis programs spoke to Bainbridge Rotary this week. Carole Floyd, whose name is synonymous with Bainbridge tennis, spoke of the urgent need for local housing for the upcoming Southern Combo Doubles State Championship. The tournament, scheduled for October 26-28 of this year, will bring 350 tennis players, plus their families to Bainbridge, and there are not enough hotel/motel rooms available locally to accommodate them all.

Floyd told of an opportunity for Bainbridge residents who can go online and register to rent their houses for that weekend. She explained the benefits of going with a company called Rent Like a Champion, a new company that serves the housing needs for college communities, PGA locations and youth and adult sports.

She advised Rent Like a Champion does all the work for you. They offer a million dollar insurance policy to cover any damage or loss, plus they take care of all the business with the renters, accepting their credit card charges, etc. All the homeowner needs to do is create a listing with pictures and a description to showcase what makes your home special and list it on RLAC website, including the expected rental price. The average amount homeowners have made per weekend is $1,100.  The company does take 15 percent off the rental fee and there is a 3 percent credit card use.

Floyd stressed the point that they had to guarantee so many rooms when they applied for this event, so had to list some from neighboring communities in order to meet the quota. She explained the need this way, “We need to bridge the gap while waiting for more hotels to be built in Bainbridge.”

For more information visit RentLikeAChampion.com or call 855-BIG-GAME or email at info@rentlikeachampion.com.

Floyd then introduced Melanie Feliz, program director for the LevelUp Education and Tennis Academy.

The program began in March, 2017, with 3rd and 4th grade students, and is now in a position to offer it to students in grades 7 and 8. They meet on Mondays from 3:45 to 5:45 p.m. in the Joe L. Sweet Community Center on Potter Street where academics are addressed with games that incorporate mathematics and history, crafts that encourage creativity and learning, and exposure to local government and volunteer opportunities. They learn the basics of tennis on the courts located next to the community center.

The stated goals are to offer the opportunity for students to be introduced to the skills needed for the game of tennis while encouraging the development of citizenship skills and academic achievement. There is no charge for the students selected.