The Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association (BLTA) welcomes the International Tennis Federation (ITF) Development Officer for the Caribbean Mr John Goede to The Bahamas. John is conducting a beginner’s Coaching course (Play Tennis Course); training the next generation of coaches. Mr Goede has over 39 years of coaching experience and has been an ITF Presenter since 2004, an ITF Operations Expert from 2003-2013, and an ITF Long Term Development Consultant since 2003. With oversight for the Caribbean in excess of ten years his contributions to the region including The Bahamas cannot be measured. Mr Goede also has an impressive list of qualifications, including an ITF/STB Level 3 Certification.
The coaching course spans three days and is a mixture of classroom and on-the-court training at the National Tennis Centre (NTC). The participants consist of existing coaches and new coaches to tennis who will at the end of the session be certified to teach beginners. The BLTA is pleased that three (3) primary school physical education teachers were able to be a part of the course. We believe as we train new coaches who are located in the primary school system the pool of players will expand as we can reach more and more kids, branching out into the schools widens the BLTA’s base of junior players and assists in making tennis mainstream. The BLTA continues to strengthen our tennis sustainability pillars to ensure a firm foundation is being laid. There are 13 participants in the course including representation from Eleuthera, Abaco and Grand Bahama which represents approximately 35% participation level from the islands outside of the capital. This further strengthens our coaching talent and ultimately expands the pool of players across our archipelago, growing together and developing a nation in tennis. The BLTA is covering the necessary costs and is providing the course at no cost to the participants. We know that these investments will bear fruit and hope to conduct another session next year for persons who are interested in being certified and giving back
to the developmental opportunities of the BLTA.
President Perry Newton thanked Mr Goede for coming down and touring the various islands where two of our newest sanctioned associations are located. In Abaco, the Abaco Tennis Association (ATA) President Cameel McDonald and executives greeted Mr Goede with a warm reception. A junior tennis clinic was held in Dundas Town and Mr Goede also visited Forrest Heights and Long Bay School to view the developmental work that the ATA is doing in the schools. In Eleuthera, the newly elected President of the Eleuthera Tennis Association (ETA) Artie Johnson and executives welcomed Mr Goede to the shores of Eleuthera. John visited juniors in Palmetto Point and in Harbour Island.
Taking advantage of his time here, Mr Goede also extended an invitation to meet with parents and coaches in Nassau. The visit will climax with the Play Tennis Coaching course at the National Tennis Centre from November 3rd -6th 2022. President Newton noted that the support from the International Tennis Federation continues to be great and Mr Goede continues to give expert guidance to the Association. We are very thankful to John who has been gracious and wise in his advice and generous and unselfish in his talent-sharing and knowledge-sharing to not only the BLTA but to the coaches, players, parents and various associations throughout The Bahamas. This is the first time Mr Goede has visited Abaco and Eleuthera and the uniqueness of our geography in boasting a chain of islands calls for seeking to promote coverage and exposure as much as possible.
Pictures are attached of Mr Goede’s Abaco visit, the Eleuthera visit and the Play Tennis Course in progress in Nassau at the NTC. Thank you, John and the ITF! Let us continue the work to develop and grow together in tennis throughout The Bahamas ensuring sustainable tennis for generations to come.
Original Post Date: 11/5/2022
