ABAC head tennis coach Dale White tossed tennis balls to players Tuesday morning as they practiced footwork for forehand and backhand smashes. The camp runs through Thursday.

TIFTON — Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College is mostly quiet in July. Summer classes are ongoing, but the busy fall term is just now starting to life with orientation sessions. Welcome Week is still a month away.

In the meantime, the tennis courts at the Red Hill Athletic Center are busy, with a four-day youth tennis camp in session.

The ABAC camp covers “everything,” according to leader Dale White, who coaches the school’s tennis teams. “A lot of technique,” he said.

Tuesday morning found White working on footwork drills as he tossed tennis balls for forehands and backhands. During the sessions, he said they would additionally be working on serving, returning, volleying and doubles play.

White is handling the camp alone this week, which he said was “a little different.” It gives him more one-on-one time with the players, which he divided into three groups. Two groups play games and work on skills with each other while he works with the third. His sessions with the groups last for about an hour each.

Eighteen players are in camp, which finished up Thursday.

Some of the athletes White has seen before. About half are newcomers.

“It’s nice to see new faces,” he said.

The weather has not been too hot for White and crew, but the rains did threaten to wash out camp Monday. White did have a backup plan, however, and when the downpour came, they moved inside.

“We played mini-tennis,” he said, using smaller nets and softer tennis balls.

While effective, he would rather stay outside.

“I hope we don’t get more (rain),” White said.

Tennis at ABAC is currently in offseason mode, but the coach is filling up his rosters for 2018. It will be a tough act to replace departing players for both sides; the Stallions were third at nationals this year, with two All-Americans and the Fillies finished seventh.

Most of the recruiting is done for the year, with only one more scholarship remaining for the Fillies.

The incoming players will have different backgrounds than what represented the teams in 2017. White said there were a couple of players coming in from Asia and another from Germany. He also said there would be some transfers from other schools arriving on campus.