Sports briefs

Free tennis lessons

On Thursday and Friday, Dec. 20-21, Petersburg Racquet Club will offer free tennis lessons to children ages 18 and under who have not played before, or who have limited experience. These holiday lessons are from noon to 2 p.m. Tennis rackets will be provided, if needed. Anyone interested in participating needs to register in advance by calling Petersburg Racquet Club at (706)860-9288. For more information, ask for head professional Dave Gleason.

State gymnastics meet

Nearly 300 gymnasts are slated to compete in the 2001 Level 5 Gymnastics Championships, which will be held Friday through Sunday at the Patriots Park gymnasium. This competition marks the first time Haydens International Gymnastics Academy and the Augusta Classics Booster Club have played host to a women's state meet.

Gymnasts from 42 gyms across the state will be competing throughout the weekend. Locally, athletes from Haydens Gymnastics and Gymnastics Gold qualified for the meet and will be vying for state titles.

The Level 5 meet features two sessions on Friday (1:30 p.m. and 5:15 p.m.). Saturday sessions will be held at 8 a.m., noon and 4 p.m. The final general session will begin at 8 a.m. Sunday, with the event finals scheduled for Sunday afternoon.

Concessions will be available throughout the meet. The public is invited to attend, and there will be a nominal admission fee paid upon entry.