The final of the annual Warwickshire Special Schools competition was once again held at the Edgbaston Priory Club alongside the AEGON Classic on Thursday June 9 2011.
Tom Gibbins, Head of Education at the Tennis Foundation, said: “It’s fantastic to see that the participating schools have taken to tennis with such great enthusiasm. All the children taking part in competition have enjoyed themselves immensely, and were so excited about the chance to get to the final and play at Edgbaston.”
Since 2006, Warwickshire LTA have organised a Special Schools competition throughout the Midlands every year. Schools from Birmingham, Warwickshire and Coventry enter and compete in matches across various venues, including Kineton High School and Stratford Tennis Club.
The eight qualifying teams then compete in the final at Edgbaston. The creation of this competition was to raise the profile and aid the development of tennis in special schools. The Tennis Foundation, with support from the LTA, has produced an AEGON Schools Tennis Equipment Pack, which offers special schools nationwide a range of specially modified and adapted equipment.
More than 500 schools have already taken advantage of the packs and can now offer top quality coaching and training to their pupils. The AEGON Schools Programme has also provided more than 10,000 free equipment packs to primary schools in Great Britain, and is also providing support and resources for secondary schools as well.
Brooke School from Warwickshire was one of the teams appearing in the final in Birmingham. Headmaster Peter Brinkley spoke of the many benefits the sport has for his students: “Tennis has not only improved their hand-eye coordination and motor skills, but their overall fitness too. Meeting children from other schools has also helped develop their social and communication skills.
“A great team spirit was generated by the way they supported each other on the court, and they can’t wait to play again. They couldn’t believe they were playing on the same court that Maria Sharapova had practised on last year!”
Last year Great Britain’s special tennis squad won seven medals at the Special Olympics European Summer Games in Warsaw, providing great inspiration for pupils aspiring to play the sport. This achievement in Poland demonstrates the success of the continued work going on in schools and tennis clubs around the UK.
Share