My oldest son has the vertical jump of a golfer so I am encouraging him to pursue either golf or tennis. I love both and am excited about playing these with him over the years. Any one have advice as to how to engage initial interest for a 7 year old?

My 8-year-old daughter has been doing a weekly tennis lesson since the fall and really loves it. 3 things that drew her in:

- A really engaged pro teacher. Not just a teenager. A coach looking to grow his program by bringing in youngsters. Dynamic and fun.

- Her best friend is taking the lesson with her. The appeal here is obvious. Especially if it is a new sport. Could you recruit Troy's kid?

- She walks to the lesson. By herself. A little free-range parenting here. She loves being in charge of herself and hiking off to her tennis lesson with the gaggle of neighborhood kids and no adults.

Good luck!