The Play Tennis Bahamas Program continues to produce positive fruits. The Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association (BLTA) resumed the program in May and this instalment is set to run through the middle of June.
The objective is to introduce children to tennis, starting play from Day 1 in a fun environment. Organising these sessions consistently over the past years the Program boasts in excess of 400 entries with approximately 300 (three hundred) (three hundred) unique hits. The conversion rate is also positive with kids entering afterschool programs, and participating in extended tennis classes. The Play Tennis Program is a path for persons who always wanted to play tennis but never had the opportunity. The program sparks interest and ignites a tennis fire in many. We hope that many tennis journeys are birthed from this introductory program of the Association.
The results are a testament to the sustained and committed work of the BLTA via its Play Tennis Program. The program has been offered at no cost for kids ages 5-17 for the last 4 years. Registration has been a minimal $1 and has been seeded back into building the program. All the tennis equipment is provided at no charge. The sessions are held at The National Tennis Centre.
The attraction to the sport continues to grow at all levels as these developmental programs expand. President Perry Newton who has organised the program over the past four years remarked on the growth and potential. 100 kids participated in the last session which culminated with the 1st Tennis Festival. We hope to have many more. For the past 2 weeks, We have reached approximately 40 participants. The demand is high and we encourage those who can help in any way to come out and be a blessing in some child’s tennis journey.
The Program would not be possible without the volunteer coaches who continue to give back to tennis and to the nation. We are building a foundation for the future as these kids will be a part of the next generation of players. This junior tennis initiative by the BLTA will aid in tennis sustainability as juniors are added to the ranks by the hundreds. The program is expected to reach the 300 mark in June!
Original Post Date: 5/16/2022
