An ambitious scheme aimed at encouraging more girls to take up tennis is to be launched in primary schools across Milton Keynes. Stony Stratford Tennis Club and the Bucks LTA have given their support for the project which aims to introduce more than 1,000 girls to the sport in its early stages.
The Tennis Works coaching team are delivering the scheme and have started by coaching all the year 1, 2 and 3 girls at Oxley Park Academy, Deanshanger Primary, Christ the Sower and Thornton College with free demonstration sessions over this term. While the coaching will initially take place in schools, the long term objective is for the youngsters to become regular club members with competitions available for those wishing to develop their talent further.
Local female participation in tennis is far less than it is with males and with the commitment of the schools, parents and coaching team, together they will be able to get more girls playing more sport, which is vital to the success of the scheme. Tennis is a great game and this scheme isn’t about looking for the next Maria Sharapova but to increase female participation for the enjoyment and health benefits tennis provides.
After the free sessions in the schools, all the girls are offered a free session at Stony Stratford Tennis Club. If they then wish to continue playing they are offered highly subsidised ‘girls only’ coaching sessions running on a weekly basis and talent identification for those wishing to progress to competition tennis.
The target is to get at least 45 new girls playing regularly. By introducing the girls to their local club, those who want to continue playing once the initial sessions have finished, will be able to do so. The schools are a great place to get children started but if they want to take it further the club is the place for them to do that. At Stony Stratford Tennis Club, they wonderful facilities including indoor courts during the winter, coaching available, social club sessions and events plus regular competitions. The Girls Tennis scheme is also a great way of showing what tennis has to offer and dispelling the myth that it’s expensive and elitist.
Anyone wishing to have a free session at Stony Stratford Tennis Club can do so by calling 0203 286 5590 or emailing stony@tennisworks.net.