In March 2020, The Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association(BLTA) “Play Tennis” program, like so many other sporting programs was halted due to restrictions related to the pandemic. Exactly one year later the landscape is active and the growth prospect via “Play Tennis” is immense. Since its start on Jan 2nd 2021, this introductory Tennis Program has seen a steady increase in the number of juniors between the ages of 4 and 15 who want to learn the sport. 70 kids have entered the program and have learned to play tennis including serves, volleys, forehands and backhands in a fun and safe environment.
Due to the increase in numbers and cognizant of the safety measures the BLTA now offers two sessions of the Play Tennis Program. This allows for the appropriate player/coach ratio to be maintained and for more kids to learn Tennis. This expansion is possible due to a steady stream of coaches volunteering their time and skills to assist our next generation
of tennis players. In yesterday’s session, 5 female coaches and 2 female assistants were on hand to provide tennis instructions. Some of these coaches would have been trained in the BLTA’S Play Tennis Course or Level 1 (Beginners and Intermediate) Training Course. This week’s Coaches and Assistants included: Elanqua Griffin, Nolan Johnson, Donte
Armbrister, Paula Whitfield, Esther Newton, Marva Conyers, Nakessa Beneby, Natanya Taylor and Thia Moss.
President Perry Newton who also came on court in today’s session 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 Play Tennis 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 session will resume after Easter.
