How to Send an Inquiry to a Summer Tennis Camp (And Actually Hear Back)

Most parents write the same message. "Hi, I'm interested in your summer camp for my daughter, she's 12, can you send more info?" It's not a bad message, exactly. It's just the message every academy receives fifty times a day, and it usually gets a fifty-times-a-day answer back: a generic brochure PDF and a link to a booking calendar, nothing that actually tells you whether this camp fits your kid.

If you've ever sent an inquiry and felt like you got a form letter back, that's probably exactly what happened. Here's how to write one that gets a real answer, and what to have ready once you do.

Before You Write Anything, Know What You're Actually Asking

A camp coordinator can't tell you whether a program is a good fit if they don't know anything about your kid beyond their age. The inquiries that get thoughtful replies usually include a few specifics upfront: current level (club player, competing in local tournaments, already on the national junior circuit), what they're hoping to get out of the week or month, and anything relevant about temperament, like whether they've been away from home before, or whether they're someone who thrives with structure or gets overwhelmed by it.

None of this needs to be a long essay. Two or three sentences of real context does more than a page of generic enthusiasm.

What to Actually Ask

Beyond dates and price, a few questions tend to separate a good camp match from a disappointing one:

What's the actual group size and coach ratio for the week I'm looking at? Camps often advertise their best-case ratio, but a July week during peak season can look very different from a quieter September session. Ask about the specific dates you're considering, not the general number.

What happens if my child is placed in a group that turns out to be the wrong level? Kids get grouped by age sometimes, by ability other times, and occasionally by whoever showed up that week. Knowing there's a way to adjust mid-camp matters more than it might seem.

Is this a standalone camp week, or does it feed into anything longer-term? Some camps are genuinely just a fun, intensive week. Others are designed as a trial run for families considering a longer program later. Knowing which one you're booking changes what to expect from it.

What's included versus billed separately? Racket stringing, extra private lessons, off-site excursions, laundry, sometimes even sunscreen and water are handled differently camp to camp. Ask for the real total, not just the headline price.

The Part Nobody Tells You: Timing Matters

Inquiries sent in January and February, well before peak summer booking, tend to get more personal, detailed responses simply because staff have more time. By May and June, the same camps are fielding a much higher volume of messages, and replies get shorter and more templated out of necessity, not because anyone stopped caring. If you have any flexibility, reaching out early is one of the easiest ways to get a better answer.

After You Hit Send

Most academies respond within a few days. If you haven't heard anything after a week, a short, polite follow-up is completely normal and won't hurt your chances. Camps get busy, emails get buried, and a gentle nudge is often all it takes.

Once you do hear back, it's worth comparing more than one program before deciding, especially since two camps at similar prices can differ enormously in actual coaching hours, group sizes, and what's included. If you're weighing a single intensive week against a longer full-year commitment, it's worth reading through what full-year boarding actually looks like day to day before assuming one is automatically the "bigger" version of the other.

For a fuller sense of what a season of training actually costs once everything is added up, not just the camp week itself, our guide to tennis academy costs in Europe is worth a look before you commit to anything longer-term. And if you're still narrowing down which program or region even makes sense, our summer camps directory is the easiest place to compare a few side by side before reaching out to any of them.

A Quick Example, Since It's Easier to See Than Describe

Compare these two inquiries:

"Hi, interested in your July camp for my son. Please send details."

versus:

"Hi, my son is 13, plays club-level tournaments, and is working specifically on his second serve and net game this year. We're considering your July 8-week intensive camp. Could you tell me more about the coach-to-player ratio for that specific session, and whether there's flexibility to move him between skill groups if the initial placement doesn't feel right?"

The second one takes maybe thirty extra seconds to write. It also gives a coordinator something real to respond to, instead of a template.