Kelly Gunterman's Tennis School takes place on the 17 hard and clay courts (2 of them indoors) at Stratton Mountain Resort in southern Vermont. A former college and satellite player, Gunterman later worked for Peter Burwash International, Nick Bollettieri, and several John Newcombe camps, including the one that used to take place at Stratton. Out of that diverse experience he has carpentered together his own school, which avoids rigid methodology in favor of a chameleonlike approach to teaching. "We don't have a set style that we think is right," says Gunterman. Instead he adapts his instruction to their style of play and then focuses on making the experience enjoyable. "People are here on vacation so they not only want to learn to play tennis but also to have fun while they do it."

Over the years—he's been there since 1987—Gunterman has found that those who come on weekends or for just two days during the week want an intensive 5-hour-a-day program, whereas midweek campers on longer stays prefer to have afternoons free to take advantage of everything else Stratton and the surrounding area has to offer, including gondola rides, a golf school, horseback riding, mountain biking, canoeing or kayaking on Stratton Lake, a summer arts festival, or the factory outlets in nearby Manchester. Gunterman's relaxed, dogma-free approach and the resort's location in southern Vermont makes his school a popular choice, especially with those in the New York City-Boston corridor.

Overview

Once known mainly for its skiing, Stratton has evolved into a four-season resort. The ski slopes on 3,936-foot Stratton Mountain, the tallest peak in southern Vermont, funnel down to an Alpine-inspired village, whose shops, restaurants, and lodges line a single cobblestone street open only to pedestrian traffic. At the far end, that street passes beneath an archway topped by a clock tower and ends in an open plaza, site of the base lodge, the Family Fun Zone (see Children's Programs), and the gondola to the top of the mountain. In summer, that gondola passes over slopes covered with grass and carries not skiers but sightseers, mountain bikers, trail runners, and hikers.

Stratton has been in the throes of a major expansion, adding even more shops and restaurants to the village and constructing several new complexes of condominiums. The most significant of this new lodging is a condominium hotel called Long Trail House, whose two four-story wings stand immediately across the access road from the village and adjoin two inns, a small general store, a chapel, and still more blocs of condominiums. All of this is five-minute walk from the Sports Center, where the Gunterman Tennis School takes place. Add 27 holes of golf, horseback riding, children's programs, a lake for water sports, numerous hiking trails, and summer music festivals, and you have the most dimension-rich summer resort in all of Vermont.

Tennis Features

Pro Shop: 802-297-4230

Stratton has a long if episodic association with tennis. The John Newcombe organization ran tennis camps there in the 1970s and '80s and during that period it was the site of a Grand Masters tournament. Later, Andre Agassi first burst into national consciousness in 1987 when as a qualifier he reached the semifinals of the former Volvo International Tennis Championships, which was held at Stratton from 1985-89 (the event moved to New Haven when local property owners refused to allow the construction of a permanent tennis stadium), and Stratton briefly hosted the Acura U.S. Women's Hardcourts Championships. In the 1984, it further enhanced its tennis credentials by building an impressive sports center with indoor courts, two racquetball courts, a complete fitness area, massage rooms, an indoor lap pool, and a fully equipped tennis and fitness shop. It redid its 15 hard and clay courts and in 1987 brought in Kelly Gunterman to run a tennis school.
Then the resort inexplicably lost interest in conducting a full-scale tennis program and suspended the school. Gunterman tried to keep it alive by using the Stratton Mountain Inn, but when that did not work out, the school closed only to reopen in 1991 after Gunterman convinced Stratton to let him run the school independently. Since then, it has continued to grow in popularity, drawing as many as 20 campers during the week and nearly 30 on some weekends (though to his credit Gunterman runs the program even if only two or three people show up).

Tennis Staff. Tennis director Kelly Gunterman played his junior tennis in Indiana and then competed for Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee while working on a business administration and marketing degree. He also took a shot at the satellite circuit until, he says, "I found out I was either going to be real skinny or do something else." He subsequently taught for Peter Burwash International in Hawaii, for the John Newcombe organization in Texas, North Carolina, Mexico, and here at Stratton, and for Nick Bollettieri in Florida. He heads a staff of eight pros, who range from very experienced to relatively new (though almost all are now USPTA certified).
Tennis Programs. The program Gunterman started in 1987 at Stratton was, he admits, very similar in format to the original Newcombe camps. Gradually, however, his own methodology evolved. On weekends, the camps last five to six hours a day. Moderately intense in their demands, they stop well short of boot camp. His midweek program, on the other hand, gives you two options: book a two-day program and you'll still be on the court roughly five hours a day. Book a five-day program, and you're looking at morning sessions that last three hours and thus leave afternoons free for other activities at the resort, trips into Manchester's factory outlets, social tennis, or if you really haven't had enough an optional afternoon clinic (at extra cost).
Both start by working on volleys and include daily videotape sessions. Gunterman has campers stay with the same pro throughout the entire morning or afternoon period. Although that does allow the pro get to know campers better and thus adapt his drills and instruction to he or she feels will be most effective, it also means that you can get stuck with a junior pro for longer periods.
What Gunterman does not do except for a Saturday evening cocktail party is organize social gatherings after the on-court work ends. A buffet lunch at a restaurant/bar in the village is included in the package, and so it is then that campers most easily get to know one another. In general, he gets mostly couples, teams, or groups of friends—it is not a camp I recommend for those traveling alone.
In addition to his adult programs, Gunterman runs a solid junior program. Five-day midweek packages include breakfast, lunch, tennis, use of the sports center, and other physical activities, including the climbing wall and admission to the skate park.
If you opt not to take the Gunterman school, your tennis options are rather limited. There are private lessons, a daily stroke clinic, and some effort at game matching (though those who've taken advantage of it say this has not always been very satisfying). Stronger players in particular (4.0 and above) have complained to note being able to find good competition.
Courts & Fees. The 15 outdoor courts—8 clay and 7 hard—are laid out mostly in pairs in a grassy plot just behind and below the sports center. None have water and few have shade. The Sports Center itself houses two indoor courts. Court fees: none for those on tennis school packages; otherwise, $20/hour outdoors, $28/hour indoors.
Caveat: Make sure you have a water bottle to take to the courts. You can fill them at any of several dispensers in the Sports Center.

Your Call

Here's what others have had to say about Stratton Mountain Resort and Gunterman Tennis Schools.

• "My experience at Gunterman's Tennis School's was nothing short of amazing! The instructor's were full of great tips and they were all very enthusiastic! This was my first year at Stratton but it will not be my last. All the pro's were amazing and the overall experience exceeded my expectations!"—D.C., Adv. Int., August 2008

• "Have been going as a group for a number of years to Kelly Gunterman's tennis camp at Stratton, Vt. This is a great deal with great instruction, including listening to what you want to work on instead of always doing the same old drills. We have had great condos to rent and find it a perfect place to go for a long weekend of tennis and fun."—C.L., Adv., August 2008

• "A very enjoyable 5 day work out. Learned lots and had fun."—B.S., Int., August 2008

• "This resort has it all: wonderful courts, great teaching pros, beautiful mountain setting, superb accomodations, terrific near-by restaurants & shopping...why go any where else?"—C.S., Adv. Int., July 2008

• "Kelley Gunterman and his staff are excellent! Our tennis team has made an annual trip to this tennis camp for the last 7 years and plan to go back for more. The instruction and pros provide great reminders and tips for improving our game while building our confidence in our level of play and providing new ideas and strategies that we take home and incorporate into our matches. The atmosphere is very comfortable and pleasant and they see to it that the level of play is consistent on all the courts. I recommend this tennis camp for anyone who enjoys the game, wants to improve, and have a great time all in one.
  The accomodations in Stratton are also superb which makes the time away from the tennis court very enjoyable as well."—S.S., Adv. Int., July 2008

• ""—H.K., Adv., July 2008

• "They are great here! Been 3 summers in a row -- they classify your level and tailor drills to your needs, pushing you just far enough so you always learn, always leave more knowledgeable, skilled and confident than you arrived, and always have fun. Staff is great, resort is beautiful. I highly recommend it."—E.R., Low Int., June 2008

• "Third year in a row for us. Love the instructors and the program. They've made it even better this year with late check out for the tennis camp people. Our pro three years running has been "Bill" ... he's great, we've had Adam, and Kelly runs the show, he's great too, they really want you to have a good time and get something out of it.
  EXCELLENT! Nice area, great choice of accommodations, good restaurants, if you are into outlet shopping, it's world class in Manchester, just 11 miles away.
  We are a family group, with several different levels, and they accommodated us, keeping us all together, and we still all learned something."—S.R., Int., June 2008

• "Having Kelly's imput was fantastic. The fact that he was there to give tips and advice was wonderful. Pro's needed to give more attention to basics for beginner players. Loved it! We will definatly go back."—L.W., Beg., June 2008

• ""—A.S., Int., June 2008

• "Great experience! Instructors/pros were very knowledgeable and motivating. Having in-door courts was a great option on bad weather days."—J.F., Int., June 2008

• "The pro that we had for two days was very dedicated, enthusiastic and could pick out or weaknesses. He didn't try to change what we were already doing, but rather helped to give us tips that we could bring home. His drills were meaningful and his instruction did not take up too much time. Because the 5 of us were the same level, it was much more beneficial!"—L.D., Adv. Int., June 2008

Other Recreation

Golf Courses. Stratton has 27 holes of golf designed by Geoffrey Cornish, who named each nine for its features: Mountain, Lake, and Forest. There is also a well-regarded 22-acre golf school.

Fitness Center. A feature that dramatically enhances the tennis complex at Stratton is its Sports Center. It contains an indoor lap pool, whirlpool, two workout rooms—one in a windowed rooms on the main floor with 10 or so stations of Paramount and Trotter Nautilus equipment and some free weights, the other upstairs with an array of cardiovascular machines and a few Cybex stations. There is also am aerobics studio, two racquetball courts, tanning beds, and several massage rooms. The full-service pro shop sells both tennis and fitness clothing and equipment.

And ... In addition to everything else, Stratton has a skate park (with inline skate and skateboard rentals), a climbing wall, mountain-bike rentals, gondola rides to the top of 3,936-foot Stratton Mountain, fly fishing on the Battenkill River, and canoe and kayak rentals. There are also trail rides on horseback, an overnight junior riding camp (two sessions a summer), overnight trail rides to a rustic lodge, wagon rides, and group and private riding lessons.

Children's Programs

During the summer, Stratton runs a daily KidsKamp and Little KidsKamp for children ages 3-12. It operates from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. from late June into early September, includes some junior tennis, and is complimentary to anyone booking Stratton lodging. There is also a KidsKare program for those ages 6 weeks to 3 years, available on a half day or full day basis. In addition, the resort has a Family Fun Zone, a multi-activity indoor play area with musical instruments, arts and crafts supplies, computer games, and an indoor climbing wall, all intended mainly for kids ages 4 to 10. Admission for kids is $5 but adults who want to participate pay nothing when accompanied by their child.

Lodging

Although there are two lodges at Stratton—the 125-room Stratton Mountain Inn, which has an outdoor pool and its own tennis courts, and the Liftline Lodge, which has one tennis court—you may be able to strike a better deal by booking a condominium through the tennis school, since it gets preferred rates at Stratton's condos. Individually owned and furnished, these vary in size and quality. The newest is Long Trail House, just across the access road from the village. This four-story building contains 75 very handsomely decorated studios, 1- and 2-bedroom units, all with fireplaces, full kitchens, convertible sofas, decks or patios, and its own outdoor swimming pool and whirlpools. Every floor has a washer dryer and there is a two-story-high lobby with a stone fireplace. Coffee and muffins are laid out for guests each morning and there is a concierge to book dinner reservations, ski lessons, massage appointments, or whatever other services guests need.
Otherwise, I have often stayed in a complex called Obertal, whose spacious one-bedroom, one-bath came with a fully equipped kitchen (down to microwave, coffeemaker, and dishwasher), a large living room with a fireplace and two fold-out sofas, a small deck, and a washer-dryer.

See Also

Although this is a tennis school in a resort setting, Gunterman's gets a relatively large turnout more typical of dedicated camps. That makes comparisons somewhat more difficult; however, worth looking at are:

• Litchfield Golf & Beach Resort, South Carolina
• New England Tennis Holidays, New Hampshire
• Sea Pines Resort, South Carolina
• Van der Meer Shipyard Racquet Club, South Carolina
• Wintergreen Resort, Virginia

Travel Essentials

Seasons. The Tennis School season runs from early May to mid October.

Rates.

Reservations:

Stratton Mountain Resort
Stratton Mountain, VT 05155
802-297-4000
Toll-free: 800-787-2886
Fax: 802-297-2939
Web Link: Stratton Mountain Resort

NEW!

Book Online: Stratton Mountain Resort

Gunterman Tennis Schools
P.O. Box 1633
Manchester Center, VT 05255

Toll-free: 800-787-2886
Fax: 802-867-0382
Web Link: Gunterman Tennis Schools

Travel Instructions. By Air: Although there is a regional airport in Rutland, Vermont, the nearest major airport is Albany, New York, 81 miles to the southwest. By Car: Stratton is 139 miles from Boston, 295 miles from New York City, and 210 miles from Montreal. The resort is four miles from Bondville, which is on Rt. 30.

General Tourist Information. Visit the Vermont Department of Tourism and Marketing web site or contact them at 6 Baldwin Street, Drawer 33, Montpelier, VT 05633-1301; Phone 800-VERMONT (800-837-6668).

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