Bright yellow balls swished through the air at Del Oro High School’s tennis courts Saturday morning — and along with them flew words of encouragement.

Students from Sacramento-area high schools were taking part in a tennis day camp hosted by Del Oro senior Marie Zorn.

For her senior project, Zorn put together the day of free tennis instruction for students who attend inner-city schools. Zorn said she focused on schools that do not have the financial resources or access to play tennis on a continual basis.

“I thought it would be a good for them to get experience and exposure to the sport,” Zorn said.

Students from Sacramento High School and Highlands Academy in North Highlands rotated at different stations set up on the six courts at Del Oro. A handful of Del Oro tennis team players showed up to help instruct.

Zorn, who said she has played tennis for about 13 years, said she wanted to share a sport she loves with those who want to play it. Last year she read a newspaper story that featured inner-city school tennis teams that struggled to have equipment or facilities.

So in October, Zorn started making calls to coaches to see if they would have students come to Loomis for a day. She recruited some of her teammates to be instructors. Then, she visited several country clubs to ask for racket donations.

A friend took two months to restring the rackets free of charge, and Zorn finished them off by gripping them. On Saturday, she donated the 15 rackets to day camp attendees.

“It took a lot of effort to get people organized,” Zorn said.

On Saturday morning, Zorn was able to reap the rewards of her work. She said she was excited when she asked one attendee what he learned. He quickly started listing several new skills he acquired that day.

Kadeem Evans, a 17-year-old Sacramento High School senior, was one of those attendees. He said part of his interest in tennis stems from his grandfather’s love for the game.

“I love volleying,” Evans said. “When I’m volleying I like to see the faces when I knock it back the other way.”

Evans admitted that when he woke up Saturday, he was a little reluctant to roll out of bed at 8 a.m. to go to a camp where he thought a tennis coach would be shouting orders. To his surprise, he said, it was the opposite.

Del Oro High students helped him with his power control, serve and back hand, he said.

“I really did improve today. I learned a lot,” Evans said. “I’m glad I came out here.”

Jakob Stevens, a Del Oro sophomore, helped camp attendees work on their serves and returns.

“I came here because I love this sport and to help other people play,” Stevens said. “It makes me feel good.”

The highlights for today, Stevens said, were teaching kids a skill and watching them instantly and successfully apply it.

Veronika Lantukh, an 18-year-old senior at Highlands, was another student who said she was gaining valuable skills on the spot.

“I’m learning to serve a different way than I usually do — a successful way,” she said, laughing.

Steve Eakes, head coach and athletic director at Highlands, said he was thankful for the chance to bring some of his best players up to a different environment for the day.

“(Marie) gave us an opportunity we could never have had,” Eakes said. “I can’t say thank you enough.”

It was the first camp Zorn has ever organized, and she credits several people for their help, including her parents, Del Oro High staff and the two Sacramento high school coaches who brought some of their team members for the day.

“I was nervous,” she said. “But it’s cool to interact with people who are out of our area. It’s very different.”

At Highlands, Eakes said there are three courts made of black asphalt and white lines drawn. Del Oro’s professional-quality tennis courts were a nice change for the students, he said.

“We’re trying to build our program into this,” Eakes said.

Eakes said he hopes Zorn or another student will offer the day of instruction next year.

“Tennis is a lifelong sport and fitness activity students can enjoy for a lifetime,” Eakes said. “To not ever have the chance to be exposed to it I think is sad.”

Evans said he hopes he will have the chance to continue playing a sport he truly loves.

“I appreciate the thing the Del Oro kids held for us,” Evans said. “I almost forgot how good it feels to play tennis.”

The Journal’s Jenifer Gee can be reached at jeniferg@goldcountrymedia.com or post a comment at auburnjournal.com.