Frank Sacks was standing 3 feet back from the net, racket in hand, knees bent, heels balanced on two tennis balls.

It was mid-morning in Skokie's Central Park, and the sun was getting hot, shaking off a hangover of storm clouds from the night before. Sacks was demonstrating a technique to get tennis players to keep their weight forward, ready to pursue the ball wherever it landed. The demo was part of a workshop for instructors at Frank Sacks Tennis Camps, a driving force behind tennis in the north and northwest suburbs.

"Just make sure they sign a waiver before they do this," Sacks said. The wisecrack was punctuated by a foam brace around Sacks' neck. The brace covered a 6-inch scar running along his spine—a scar that has nothing to do with tennis, but keeps him from playing.

In the last eight months, Sacks suffered a spinal injury that left him briefly paralyzed, and then was told he had an unrelated spinal condition that required surgery. Despite those setbacks, Sacks is determined to play tennis again by the end of the summer.

Sacks is credited with championing tennis in the suburbs during the last 17 years, even as the sport's popularity has dwindled nationwide. His return to the court this month, even if he can't play yet, was a welcome sign, said those close to him.

"He is the embodiment of grass-roots tennis," said Matt Smucker, Chicago service representative for the U.S. Tennis Association, which named Sacks a "Grassroots Hero" in 2006. "That is huge for our sport."

In November, Sacks and his 11-year-old son, Jesse, were playing football in a vacant lot near their Lincolnwood home. Frank ran after Jesse and slipped, sailing headfirst into concrete.

"I did not get up," said Sacks, 53. "I thought I would be able to move, and I couldn't."

Sacks was rushed to St. Francis Hospital in Evanston, where he regained use of his legs within a few hours. But his upper body remained partially paralyzed. After several weeks of physical therapy, Sacks mostly recovered.

Feet were burning

But then his feet started to feel like they were on fire and shocks ran down his legs, he said. Dr. Stephen Ondra, director of spinal surgery at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, said the symptoms were caused by cervical stenosis, a condition Sacks was probably born with that causes narrowing of the spinal canal. In May, Sacks underwent surgery.

"His injury was completely unrelated," Ondra said. "I honestly believe it's a coincidence."

A month later, he was back on the court.

During the workshop, he never sat down. He stood through a lecture about teaching tips. He carried stacks of folders to the court and rummaged in his car for a video camera. Even while others were leading drills doctors had told him to sit out of, for now, he paced alongside, interjecting comments. His last seminar before lunch ran long—until someone groaned, "Can we call pizza delivery now?"

"I didn't sleep well last night," Sacks said. "I'm kind of jazzed about this whole thing. For me, this is the best day of the year."

Sacks started playing tennis as a kid in Monroe, Mich., where his family owned a furniture store. After graduating from Drake University, he worked at John Gardiner's Tennis Ranch, a California resort popular with celebrities. He was Carl Reiner's doubles partner and played matches with Clint Eastwood, Ethel Kennedy and Merv Griffin.

In 1980, he visited an uncle in Evanston and wound up staying. He worked for tennis clubs and coached the Niles West High School boys' tennis team to its first sectional championships in 1982 and 1986.

Sacks tried different professions—he got an MBA, worked in commercial real estate, taught in Chicago Public Schools and still serves as director of attendance for Roosevelt High School—but around 1991, he decided to put more energy into tennis. Evanston was among the first communities to hire him to provide tennis lessons.

Increased participation

In the first year, Sacks said, enrollment in Evanston went from 250 people to 650. When Sacks' contract ended 16 years later, enrollment had hit 1,400.

Frank Sacks Tennis Camps offers programs in eight municipalities in the north and northwest suburbs. Bob DeLeonardis, Skokie's athletics supervisor, said his park district works with Sacks because of the volume of classes he offers—at an average cost of $16 per session.

"I think they're getting quality instruction," he said.

Katie Rosman was 11 when Sacks began coaching her. Once she made the team at Niles North High School, the accolades rolled in: She was named most valuable player twice, served as captain of the team in her junior and senior years and won all-conference honors her senior year.

But the lessons were about more than the game, Rosman said. They lifted her self-confidence and helped her connect with people. She even scored a job: A Northwestern University researcher she met in a tennis class offered Rosman a position in her microbiology lab.

"He's really done a lot for me," Rosman said. "When junior classes weren't challenging enough, he let me into adult lessons. Even though he runs a bazillion camps, he does come quite often. And when he's not there, his presence is definitely there."

Back at the workshop, three instructors were taking a break, chuckling over Sacks' intensity. They all agree: Don't ask a question unless you have time for a long answer or a spirited debate.

Sacks is meticulous, said Bjorn Bernhardtz, a senior staff member of seven years.

"You can't find a guy who knows more about the game," he said.

A few years after his older brother introduced him to the game, Frank Sacks accepted a tennis scholarship to Drake University in Des Moines. But there was a problem. The coach who promised the scholarship left before the season began, and Drake refused to offer a tuition break. Sacks wouldn't back down. So he sued the very school he was playing for, eventually winning a small settlement out of court. "It wasn't about the money," Sacks says, "It was the principle."

That kind of persistence has given this native of Monroe, Mich., the ability to succeed at his pet project-getting more people to play tennis. Armed with a simple mission statement-"bring quality tennis to people for a reasonable cost"-Sacks has built what was a 50-pupil operation in the early 1980s into a 5,000-student empire in parks and public tennis centers across the Chicago suburbs.

Part of his success includes putting his master's degree in business into play. While his on-court teaching time is limited nowadays considering he oversees 45 instructors during peak season, Sacks delivers tennis to people of all ages and backgrounds. Kids can start at 3 years old in a "parent and-me" program, although about 60 percent of his younger players fall into the 7- to I3-year-old age range.

But no matter the group, there's one unbreakable rule at Frank Sacks Tennis Camps: "Everybody starts at the net," says Sacks. "In most other places you learn the forehand, the backhand, then the serve. People need to get comfortable at the net. They need to be all-court players."

Sacks prides himself on offering quality instruction at affordable prices. "It's about $8 to $12 per person per session during the outdoor season, about $14 for indoor courts," he says. "I'm never going to be really wealthy, but .I'm doing something I love."

"There are guys who specialize in private lessons and do a very good job," adds Sacks, who dabbled in real estate and also taught in the Chicago Public Schools from 1994 to 2000, while he also coached tennis. "That's not me. My expertise is grass roots tennis." And people are taking notice. A rep from a major tennis manufacturer recently met up with Sacks to pick his brain about how tennis could better appeal to young kids.

"Know your competitors," Sacks says. "Kids today have things like soccer, lacrosse and video games. Part of the fun is having a sense of community, and that means emphasizing a team concept. We have to make tennis entertaining. There are about 380,000 kids playing high school tennis in this country. That's a decent number, but it would be bigger if we didn't lose so many kids early on."

In northern Illinois, thanks to a self-described "lone ranger," those kids aren't being lost-they're finding a lifelong sport. –

"Whether it's Venus and Serena Williams or the current No. 1 ranked men's tennis player, Andre Agassi, who's driving it, tennis lessons are on the rise in the suburbs. And kids want more than fundamentals.

Area summer programs that are thriving are the ones that feature certified tennis professionals at the helm. More and more suburban park districts are abandoning their traditional lessons in favor of contracting with trained staff for the outdoor season.

In Barrington, Mount Prospect, Palatine, Rolling Meadows and Wheeling, park district officials turn to the Frank Sacks Tennis Camps program to run their lessons.

"With his national certification he brings a lot of credibility to the program," says Ben Curcio, superintendent of facilities and athletics for the Barrington Park District.

Add in the north suburban villages and Lake County sites, Frank Sacks instructors teach 5,000 students. Of those, nearly two-thirds are youngsters and teens, with the remaining students made up of adults and seniors, Sacks says.

Sacks himself designed the curriculum. He is a certified member of the U.S. Professional Tennis Association and the U. S. Professional Tennis Registry. His 28 years of teaching tennis include serving as head men's and women's tennis coach at Northeastern University.

Before that, Sacks coached tennis at Niles West, Niles North and at Lincoln Park high schools. In his own day, he co-captained the men's tennis team at Drake University.

"If you look at the national statistics, tennis is relatively flat, but youth programming is enjoying a bit of a renaissance," Sacks says. "With the Williams sisters, it's drawing more of a multi-cultural audience, and then the USTA has started to focus more on grass roots tennis and community programs."

Other suburban programs seeing numbers on the rise include Arlington Heights, Schaumburg and South Barrington. All three villages have indoor tennis facilities -- Forest View and Heritage tennis clubs in Arlington Heights, Schaumburg Tennis Plus, and the South Barrington Club -- whose tennis professionals head up summer programs.

South Barrington Tennis director, Jay Morgan, points to one reason why the number of youngsters is rising at his club: Their parents are going back to the game.

"We have more than 100 women playing competitive travel tennis," Morgan says. "They enjoy it and want their kids to play with them."

In fact, Morgan recently held a successful father-daughter tennis tournament, and next year he hopes to draw a national father-daughter tennis tournament to the club.

Arlington Heights tennis pros draw 1,000 youngsters to the courts each summer between local players and those in Buffalo Grove and Wheeling.

"Our numbers have been very strong from summer to summer," says Chris Nisbet, Heritage Tennis Club manager, "and that's because the lessons are designed by certified tennis professionals."

The 10-year old from Lincolnwood is already serving up a formidable challenge and her tennis skills are catching people’s attention.

After just two years of playing tennis, Loyd’s promising future shone through when she won her first big tournament, the 2004 Clarence Walker Junior Memorial Tennis Tournament, over Memorial Day Weekend.

Loyd faced three tough opponents on her way to holding the trophy, but they couldn’t keep her from her ultimate goal of victory in the girl’s 10-and-under bracket.

"(My win) felt great," Loyd said. "In my first set (against Briana Hopkins of Chicago ) I was losing. Then I came back really strong. I never gave up; I just kept focused. I just played my best, and I didn’t really care how good (my opponents) were."

Loyd came into the tournament as a relatively unknown player, and was seeded in the No. 5 spot. But after defeating Hopkins 6-4, 7-5, Jada Rogers of Chicago 3-6, 7-5, 7-5, and Selena Smith of Frankfort 6-3, 6-3, Loyd is starting to make a name for herself.

Loyds Accomplishments are especially impressive, considering she got somewhat of a late start than most of her opponents.

"(Other girls in her age group) have been playing for over three years as part of a tennis club," Jewell’s mother, Gwen Loyd said. "Those girls have been playing much longer and have more experience than she."

Jewell Loyd’s tennis experience has also been different from other girls her age because of her training has not come from a tennis club. Instead she has been taught by her family and trained in Frank Sacks Tennis Camp, a local program with 15 locations all over the north and northwest suburbs of Chicago .

"That’s why it’s nice to see her success," Sacks said. "She’s come from a grassroots program and we’re proud of that."

Jewell Loyd’s father, Calvin Loyd, does not seem to think starting later than her opponents ore not playing in a club should hold his daughter back in any way.

"(Jewell’s) very smart and very athletic," Calvin Loyd said. "I’m not surprised by the early success that’s she’s having."

Jewell Loyd, who will be in fifth grade next fall at Rutledge Hall Elementary School , was initially inspired to pick up tennis by watching her family play. Her parents are both athletic – her father instructs at Frank Sacks Tennis Camp – and her brother, Jarryd Loyd, was the star of the Niles West basketball team and will play at Valparaiso University next fall. All three encouraged her to pick up tennis.

"From watching me play and ore family play, I think it was ingrained in her to hit," Calvin Loyd said.

Jewell Loyd’s game got its start at Frank Sacks Tennis Camp in Lincolnwood. She worked with many of the instructors there in private and group lessons, including Frank Sacks himself.

"Jewell Loyd has been in our program for a few years," Sacks said. "She’s just a great athlete. She’s athletic, moves well, and has unlimited potential. She’s quick, has a good hand, she’s strong, I’m assuming she’s going to be a fairly good-sized girl overall, she shows a lot of flash, and she’s a good shot maker. It’s just a matter of refining some fundamentals."

Jewell Loyd has begun to play more and more with her father. While she still participates in the Frank Sacks Tennis Camp program, her father is now her primary coach.

"I’m a fan of the game and I enjoy playing tennis myself," Calvin Loyd said. "I played a little bit, so I thought (coaching Jewell) would be a good way to build a father-daughter relationship."

Jewell Loyd agrees that having her father as coach is best at this point in her tennis game.

"I love that my dad is my coach," she said. "If I make a mistake he’ll tell me."

As her coach, Calvin Loyd must balance on a delicate line so as not to push Jewell too far into her game.

"There are times when we talk about (tennis) at home," Calvin Loyd said. "We’ll watch tennis on TV; we watch the US Open and the French Open together. But she’s really at a young age and I don’t want to make tennis 24-7 with her. She needs to be able to enjoy it and want to do it, so we’re taking it at her pace."

To ensure that tennis does not encompass her life, Jewell Loyd still plays in a local baseball league. As the only girl on her team, she has come to build up quite a reputation for herself.

"(Her team) cannot believe how she’s doing," Gwen Loyd said. "No one can believe she’s a girl. She pitches and strikes out everybody. It’s unbelievable for a girl her age to be doing what she is doing. (Her team) really counts on her."

"I really want to go pro," Jewell Loyd said. "My big goal and hope is to go to Wimbledon and win there."

At this point Jewell Loyd would love nothing more than to follow in the footsteps of her tennis idols, Venus and Serena Williams.

"Venus and Serena Williams are my role models," Jewell Loyd said. "I watch them on TV and I try to do what they do."

"Tennis is different than a team sport, "Sacks said. "It takes a great amount of skill, and there’s a lot of competition. It takes finances and a lot of dedication, but (Jewell) could be another Venus or Serena. But that’s a long way off."

Like Sacks, Jewell Loyd’s family knows that Wimbledon is a long shot for the young tennis prodigy, but they also recognize the chance of it happening.

"As long as she continues to grow and enjoy the game, if she decides that’s the path she wants to choose, there’s a strong possibility it could happen," Calvin Loyd said. "It’s a tough game, a tough sport, but I think the possibility is there if she pursues it."

While other Niles North fall sports have suffered from a numbers crunch this fall, girls tennis is thriving. Over 40 potential players came out for the sport this time around, about a dozen more than usual.

"It was a good showing, one of the best we've had," coach Mark Recker says. And it is in stark contrast to the news from several other programs. Just over 20 freshmen came out for volleyball, more than 20 fewer than usual.

The varsity football team went into battle with less than 30 healthy players Friday. And the golf team is operating with the bare minimum (12) for two squads (varsity and junior varsity).

Those turnouts are especially disappointing considering all the work done in the spring to pass a tax increase that ensures Niles North teams would not be forced to merge with the squads at Niles West.

But Niles North's tennis team didn't disappoint in its opener Monday. The Vikings swept the top singles and doubles competitions on their way to a 4-1 victory over Zion-Benton. And a freshman did lead them.

First-year phenom Katie Rosman has moved right in No. 1 singles this fall for the Vikings. "She played some (Chicago District Tennis Association) tournaments over the summer and had some success," Recker says. "She's got that experience, she's very athletic and has a great attitude."

Rosman has the solid, consistent ground strokes that seemingly all especially promising young players possess, as well as "a good volley. She can finish off points."

Right behind Rosman, who won her match versus a counterpart from Zion-Benton 6-0, 6-0, is senior Lucy Kalm. Kalm triumphed at No. 2 Monday 6-3,6-2.

The Vikings' top doubles duos, senior Arielle Denis and Junior Rebecca Kaplan and juniors Hanna Lang and Jean Joe both triumphed as well.

Lang and Joe's victory was especially impressive, the twosome rallied from a 6-2 setback early on to eventually win two of three 7-6, 6-2. Kaplan and Denis had a bit of a scare in the first set but eventually prevailed 7-5, 6-2.

Niles North's third doubles team on this day was Pam Mayen and Frezana Chavda (juniors) but that spot in the lineup is still up for grabs (as are the third and fourth singles spots, which were not contested versus Zion).

Next up, the Vikings host St. Viator this afternoon. Then Resurrection comes to town Tuesday, followed by a visit to Northside College Prep the next day.

Despite physical setbacks, Frank Sacks still inspires tennis novices with his enthusiasm

Feet were burning

Increased participation