While many so-called "free" services have fees attached to them, Vineyard Youth Tennis's brand of free tennis comes without fine print.

Since its founding in 2002, Vineyard Youth Tennis has made lessons, rackets, access to facilities, and even tennis whites, available to all children on the island regardless of their economic standing. Funding from an anonymous donor keeps the center running, and in 2004, Vineyard Youth Tennis earned the Small Facility of the Year accolade from the United States Tennis Association. "I don't think there's another program like this in the country," says Director Scott Smith, who arrived at the program in 2006 with more than 25 years of tennis teaching experience on his resume. "A million-dollar facility open to children of any income level is unheard of. I've been around tennis for 40 years, and I haven't seen anything like it."

In addition to Smith, the staff includes teacher Michael Halisky and program coordinator Nicole Hawkes. The group's Oak Bluffs location has elegant, state-of-the-art facilities including dressing rooms, a lounge, teak patios, and a media room for analyzing tennis video or hanging out after practice. "Even if the kids aren't playing tennis, they're very welcome here," says Smith. The number of kids on the courts varies with the seasons. In the off-season, about 220 kids cram onto two covered courts. Attendance swells in the summer; by July, over 300 children between four and 18 years old are serving and volleying on four clay courts. Students compete in tournaments on and off the island throughout the six- to -seven-week summer sessions.

The hour-long lessons occur twice a week, and while the rules aren't unduly harsh, they are firm. Be punctual: you aren't allowed to play if you're more than 15 minutes late, and you lose your spot in the program after your third absence. Players must wear tennis whites and respect the facility, their teammates, and the staff at all times. "As a nonprofit, people have been very generous to us, and we don't take advantage of that," Smith says.

Unlike many other youth sports, kids can play tennis into old age. Besides enforcing principles of practice, sportsmanship, and competition, part of Vineyard Youth Tennis' mission is instilling a lifelong love of tennis in the island's youth. "I like the satisfaction of seeing drastic improvement, seeing the kids improve their weaknesses and having the freedom to try different things," he says. "The kids make a real commitment."

For more information, visit www.vineyardyouthtennis.org.--Jeff Harder