Sporting parents Gabby and Kenny Logan encouraged young children to pick up a tennis racket and play the sport today as they visited Southwark City Tennis Club in London to officially launch National Mini Tennis Week.
LTA Mini Tennis, sponsored by Highland Spring, has been developed by the Lawn Tennis Association to introduce children between three and ten years old to the sport.
National Mini Tennis Week will see around 3,000 children pick up a racket at Nottingham Tennis Centre from Monday June 11 to Saturday June 16 and take part in activities alongside the world class AEGON Nottingham Challenge, which sees some of the sport’s top professionals do battle on the grass courts.
As well as the main activity in Nottingham, National Mini Tennis Week will be replicated around the country as local tennis clubs and facilities run their own LTA Mini Tennis festivals.
Gabby, a sports journalist and former international gymnast, said: “National Mini Tennis Week is a fantastic way for children of varying ages and abilities to get involved in the sport of tennis.
“Sport plays a huge part in children’s lives growing up and the chance to learn the basics through LTA Mini Tennis is a simple way to get them involved.”
Kenny, a former rugby union international for Scotland, added: “Tennis is a hugely enjoyable sport for people of all ages but you can see from the children here at Southwark how much they enjoy playing.
“National Mini Tennis Week is a great way for kids up and down the country to get involved in the sport and, if they have never tried it, the chance to pick up a few of the basics.”
LTA Mini Tennis was re-launched in the autumn last year and there are currently more than 1,000 registered tennis venues delivering the programme in Great Britain, catering for more than 100,000 children.
Oliver Scadgell, the LTA’s Head of Competition and Programmes, said: “With smaller courts, nets and rackets and lower bouncing balls LTA Mini Tennis offers the perfect introduction to the sport of tennis.
“This approach enables players to develop vital skills and techniques at an early age and National Mini Tennis Week will help to further raise the profile of LTA Mini Tennis and help introduce more young children to the sport.”
As part of National Mini Tennis Week, sponsors Highland Spring has unveiled its latest on-pack promotion Win Mini Tennis which gives consumers the chance to win 12 weeks’ worth of LTA Mini Tennis coaching lessons and tennis merchandise kits.
All those who apply will be automatically entered into a grand prize draw to win a family tennis break to The Grove in Hertfordshire.
Claire Wilson, head of sponsorship for Highland Spring, said: “As proud sponsors of the LTA and their Mini Tennis programme, we are committed to getting more children to adopt better hydration habits and take part in active sport.
“Our latest on-pack promotion offers families the chance to experience the perfect introduction to tennis with all of the fun and energy of the real thing.”
For more information on LTA Mini Tennis, visit www.ltaminitennis.co.uk