Schools Tennis
AEGON Schools Tennis aims to increase and improve tennis participation in schools, remove barriers by training teachers to deliver tennis in confined spaces and create a sustainable legacy for young people to continue playing in the community. Since the launch of the first ever Schools Tennis strategy in 2009, the Tennis Foundation / LTA have:
- Given an opportunity to over 2.1 million children to pick up a tennis racket
- Supported 13,963 schools with teacher training, resources and equipment
- Trained 22,651 teachers and coaches to deliver tennis in schools
- Seen 42,220 young people competing in inter-school competitions (2010 / 2011 academic year)
You don’t need tennis courts to play – it can be played in school halls, playgrounds or sports halls and a range of adapted equipment and modified or alternative versions of the game are available.
The Guide to Schools Tennis 2012 provides an overview of all the resource and support available to schools, from The Tennis Foundation and LTA.
Schools Tennis Website
For more information on Schools Tennis, please visit the links below or go to www.schoolstennis.org
All schools can give children access to tennis on a playground, in a school hall or on a court and it is at school that most children have their first experience of tennis. To further provide pupils with access to coaching and other tennis support and facilities, schools can build a link with a local club, this not only benefits the pupils but also the schools, clubs and coaches involved.
Improved Access for Students
Schools that have built links with clubs have reported improved attitude, behaviour, achievement and confidence from the children and young people involved. School Club links enable schools to boost their profiles in the community and run clubs out of regular school hours to benefit pupils and their parents.
Benefits to Clubs
Linking with a school enables clubs to grow their membership base and increase their income. Schools can also provide clubs with younger volunteers to run competitions and other activities. Working with a school also enables clubs to increase their profile and reputation.
Opportunities for Coaches
Coaching in schools enables coaches to grow their business. Schools coaches also get the opportunity to inspire kids and help them with their first steps to become the champions of the future. Encouraging their club to build a link with a school can help coaches play a key role in the growth of their club’s membership and give them more influence in the running of their club.
Further Education Tennis
For the first time British Tennis now has an ‘offer’ in place to support the delivery of college tennis. The Guide to Further Education Tennis provides an overview of all the resources and support available to the college sector, from the Tennis Foundation and LTA.
Recent research in England shows that tennis in Further Education is growing, with 56% of colleges now providing tennis, up from 47% the previous year. Tennis also saw one of the largest increases over the last 12 months in terms of club links, with the percentage of colleges linking with a local place to play rising from 23% to 31%.
The Guide to Further Education Tennis provides guidance and resource for:
- Curriculum Support
- Enrichment Support
- Workforce Development
- Competition
- Performance
- Linking with a local places to play and coaches
For more information please visit www.tennisfoundation.org.uk
Higher Education
The support available through the University Tennis programme aims to grow the game, by creating more opportunities for students to play and compete. It also aims to provide students with the latest training packages, for those that have an ambition to become part of the future workforce for British Tennis.
The Guide to University Tennis is aimed at student tennis clubs and sports development staff working within universities and provides an overview of all the resources and support available to the Higher Education sector.
The Tennis Foundation and LTA are able to provide support to all universities to help increase and improve tennis provision at a range of different levels:
- Performance Programme Support
- University Tennis Coordinators
- Resources & Development Awards
For more information please visit www.tennisfoundation.org.uk