Student Volunteers play a critical role in getting more people playing tennis more often, and Kate Wallace has epitomized giving back to the game, which has seen hundreds of people across Newcastle getting involved in the sport!
Kate already had experience working in schools, through accompanying schools at sporting events, and wanted to expand this by getting involved in delivering. Therefore, the Tony Blair Sports Foundation (TBSF) Year 3 Tennis Challenge Cup was the perfect opportunity to get a deeper insight into organising and running events.
In addition to the schools events, Kate was passionate to provide opportunities to help the public get involved in tennis. This saw the Northumbria University student volunteer at the weekly Tennis for Free Activities held in Exhibition Park, and supporting the Great British Tennis Weekend (GBTW) at The Northumberland Club in May.
With success, her reputation grew and she was asked to help out at taster sessions taking place at Jesmond Lawn Tennis Club and more GBTW’s in Newcastle.
Everything Kate has got involved with has created opportunities to develop her communication, planning, organisational and problem solving skills. Kate’s knowledge was enhanced through her delivery at open days, alongside growing in confidence to deliver free-play tennis sessions, and assist in delivering family and school skills sessions. Above all, the programme allowed Kate to rediscover her passion for tennis (Kate hadn’t been involved in tennis for 10 years!) and she also discovered the enormous impact and effort that goes on behind the scenes into making British Tennis successful for all.
Kate expressed her delight following the Northumbria University volunteering programme,
“I knew I wanted to become involved in tennis once again, but was not sure of the direction and how I could contribute. Matt Wigham (University Tennis Coordinator) and Jo Cunliffe (Lawn Tennis Association) put together an abundance of diverse opportunities together, that I could get involved with, at my discretion that fitted around my studies. The Northumbria University Tennis Volunteer programme was inclusively welcoming, and I would more than recommend it to students studying at Northumbria - you will develop a rapid passion for promoting and enjoying tennis, particularly in the North East of England, on this programme!”