In March 2020, the Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association’s (BLTA) ‘Play Tennis’ program was halted due to restrictions related to the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic in The Bahamas. Exactly one year later, the landscape is active and the growth prospect via ‘Play Tennis’ is immense.
Since its restart on January 2, 2021, this introductory tennis program has welcomed a number of junior players between the ages of four and 15 who want to learn the sport of tennis. A total of 70 kids have entered the program this year, an improvement over the participation number a year ago. They have learned to play tennis, including serves, volleys, forehands and backhands in a fun and safe environment.
Due to the increase and cognizant of the safety measures, the BLTA now offers two sessions of the program at the BLTA’s National Tennis Centre. This allows for the appropriate player/coach ratio to be maintained and for more kids to learn the sport of tennis. This expansion is possible due to a steady stream of coaches volunteering their time and skills to assist the next generation of tennis players.
Some of the coaches have been trained in the BLTA’s Play Tennis Course or have been successful in the Level One (Beginners and Intermediate) Training Course.
This week’s coaches and assistants are Elanqua Griffin, Nolan Johnson, Donte Armbrister, Paula Whitfield, Esther Newton, Marva Conyers, Nakessa Beneby, Natanya Taylor and Thia Moss.
BLTA President Perry Newton, who was on the court in a session this weekend, stated: “We are excited by the continued growth of the program and commend the dedicated coaches who work to make this program a success. The program has proven to be a valuable teaching tool for beginners and has laid a foundation for tennis sustainability. We have exceeded targets in our first trimester, prompting us to add another session to accommodate the demand. The excitement of the kids and the joy of tennis motivate us to continue to offer this free program to all who are interested.”
The first quarter of ‘Play Tennis’ will come to a close at the end of March and the second quarter sessions will take place after the Easter break.
Registration for the second quarter of 2021 is available through the BLTA’s website at www.blta.net or by sending an e-mail to the address pr@blta.net.
Persons wishing to donate tennis equipment, assist in coaching or assist in any other way, can feel free to send an e-mail to the address pr@blta.net.
The post ‘Play Tennis’ participation number increases in first quarter of 2021 appeared first on The Nassau Guardian.
source https://thenassauguardian.com/play-tennis-participation-number-increases-in-first-quarter-of-2021/
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