On a sunny afternoon at Chicago’s Diversey Tennis Center, kids laugh as they practice their swings. Coaches call out with creative phrases like “Stand like the letter T!” and “Knuckles to your ponytail!” Earlier that morning, others were whacking at golf balls on the nearby range.
All under the easy instruction and watchful eye of seasoned coach Robert Owens.
It’s part of Move Your Feet Sports Summer Camp, a Chicago staple for kids ages 6-13 running for more than 20 years.
“We keep the kids entertained and laughing all day,” says Owens, the camp’s director and head coach. “It’s a high-energy, high-fun camp with a direct focus on sports development.”
Move Your Feet Sports provides a structured, safe setting where kids get plenty of practice, build friendships and gain confidence along the way. Here’s what to know for 2025.
Tennis and golf: High repetition, high fun
Owens built the camp around one key principle — lots of action, very little waiting.
“The kids hit a lot of balls every day,” he says. “What makes it unique is the quantity coupled with simple and easy instruction.”
That said, there are also plenty of games and even ice pop breaks to keep it fun.
- Tennis camp: Three-hour afternoon sessions on four courts, emphasizing repetition and simple, memorable instruction.
- Golf camp: Uses the driving range for technique development, putting greens for putting skills, and mini-golf to learn golf etiquette (and for fun).
- Teaching method: Simple cues like “Make a letter T” reinforce technique. Short instructions keep kids focused on playing and not overthinking.
- Team elements: Though both sports are played individually, the camp includes team-based games like “golf baseball,” where kids earn points for their team.
What sort of kids would love this camp?
Beginners thrive here, but experienced players benefit, too. “Kids improve through the volume of hitting they do at the camp,” Owens says. “Our daily warm-up starts with ‘no-ball’ shadow swinging, which is easy and fun.”
- Ages 6-13: Small groups ensure plenty of personal coach attention.
- All skill levels: Kids with experience refine their game, while newcomers start with no-pressure drills.
- Multisport athletes: “Neither of my own kids play tennis,” Owens shares, but their early experience with it “helped them become college-bound baseball players.”
- Girls building confidence: “Girls tend to not want to play sports they’re not ‘good at,’” Owens adds. “Kids ages 10 to 13 who build skills here are far more likely to keep playing tennis, golf, table tennis, badminton or softball and baseball.”
What parents need to know about Move Your Feet Sports
Spots fill fast, so aim to register early. “A lot of the weeks sell out,” Owens says. “Parents who are a little late to the game might not get the weeks that they most want.”
- Location: Diversey Tennis Center and Driving Range, Chicago
- Schedule:
- Dates: Nine weeks of sessions run June 16-Aug. 18, 2025
- Golf camp times: 9 a.m.-noon (drop-off at 8:30 a.m.)
- Tennis camp times: 1-4 p.m.
- Game-filled lunch (both): noon-1 p.m.
- Capacity: About 30 kids per camp, with a 2:1 coach-to-court ratio for tennis and at least 1:5 ratio for golf.
- Cost:
- $435 per camp (golf or tennis)
- $783 for both in the same week (10% discount)
- Enrollment tips: Best to sign up by March or April.
- Before/aftercare: Available until 5 p.m. on request.
- Equipment: Provided, though kids can bring their own.
Why families keep coming back
Parents see the difference in their kids — not just in skill, but in energy and confidence, Owens says. “We see huge skills improvement from Monday to Friday.”
- Skill development: High-repetition drills help with hand-eye coordination, a foundational skill for many sports.
- Tired, happy kids: “They produce a lot of energy over the three hours,” Owens says. “Parents are picking up exhausted kids.”
- Nonstop action: No long lines; kids stay engaged in each session.
- Lifelong connections: Most current counselors are former campers, Owens adds, a testament to the camp’s lasting impact.
This content is sponsored by Move Your Feet Sports Summer Camp. To learn more, visit the Move Your Feet Sports camp website.
