The second Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association (BLTA) planned officiating course was completed at the BLTA’s National Tennis Center inside the Queen Elizabeth Sports Centre this past weekend, and according to BLTA President Perry Newton, it was a complete success. The course was conducted by BLTA Officiating Manager Mickey Williams, a Bahamian with significant experience in the field. Newton said that safety measures were followed and that a number of protocols were in place.
“I was very pleased with the turnout and participation at both sessions,” said Newton.
“We will now be working on opportunities for the persons that were able to participate in the on-court session to get additional experience. Mickey Williams has already planned the next event that will give our officials the added exposure to help them on their path of officiating. We thank him for his willingness in helping to ensure the next generation of tennis officials are properly trained.
“Also, I would like to personally thank collegiate tennis player Donte Armbrister and junior players Anthony Burrows Jr. and Michael Major Jr. along with Lauren Woodside for assisting with the training sessions. I would also like to thank Cable Bahamas for internet installation at the national tennis center which was pivotal in streaming the course to the participating Family Islands.”
This past weekend, a total of five persons from the Family Islands took part. The two officiating training courses were made possible through support by the Bahamas Olympic Committee (BOC) and the International Tennis Federation (ITF).
“I share the excitement with all the participants and the eagerness of the presidents of each of the island associations, Natishkah Barrette from the Grand Bahama Tennis Association (GBTA), Cameel McDonald from the Abaco Tennis Association (ATA) and Jerome Hill from the Eleuthera Tennis Association (ETA) who I collaborated with to ensure that their members took full advantage of the opportunity offered by the BLTA. The BLTA looks to continue to offer opportunities throughout the islands as it is important for us to have trained tennis professionals on every island. We are proud to say we now have 26 newly trained officials throughout The Bahamas.”
Newton said one of the BLTA’s main goals is to grow the sport of tennis with a concerted and continuous focus on the areas of officiating, coaching, and junior and senior development.
“Growth in those areas will lead to tennis becoming truly sustainable,” said Newton.
The BLTA will be hosting a virtual coaches training session on December 12, covering First Aid, CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and Infection Prevention and Control. The course is being administered by Early Access Training Center, and the various island associations will be participating in the sessions.
“As we continue to prepare for the full opening of sports in the country, our goal is to provide timely and relevant training that will create value for the tennis community,” said Newton. “The additional training will go a long way in ensuring that tennis coaches are armed with the tools to continue to protect their clients as well as themselves.”
Interested persons are asked to confirm participation by Monday, December 7.
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source https://thenassauguardian.com/blta-stages-second-officiating-course-at-national-tennis-center/
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