Tennis ACT have opened a pathway to attract the next generation of stars in a bid to make tennis one of the biggest participation sports in Canberra.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
More than 160 students from 10 schools competed in the first Tennis Hot Shots regional gala days on Monday for the right to represent the ACT in the Todd Woodbridge Cup.
Tennis ACT boss Kim Kachel is rapt to see "a thriving pathway" open up in schools with 6227 school students in Canberra having an experience with the game in the past 12 months.
"We want to make sure they have a really positive first tennis experience in the schools and then hopefully that leads onto a lifelong love of tennis," Kachel said.
"We're really confident that quite a few of these kids have had a great experience and will continue to play the sport."
This is the first year ACT schools have entered the tournament as Tennis ACT looks to capitalise on relationships with schools around the region.
Tennis ACT has almost 50 partner schools and hope to have all of them involved in the next few years.
"As with any new program it takes a bit of time to get going but there's quite a number of schools already involved," Kachel said.
"We anticipate it will only grow and grow once they see what it's all about and once word spreads."
Belconnen hosted Brindabella Christian College, Aranda, Evatt and Giralang primary schools as Canberra's grade three and four students made their first foray into the tournament.
Canberra Grammar, St Edmund's College, Curtin, Garran, Holy Trinity and Sacred Heart primary schools all turned out for the south-Weston leg.
Another two qualifying events will be held on September 1, with the top two teams from each event moving into the ACT state final on September 13.
The winning team from the final will then compete against the best schools from across NSW in the Todd Woodbridge Cup final at Sydney Olympic Park in November.
Tennis ACT school development coordinator Geoff Bartlett says the tournament encourages grassroots participation and promotes a healthy lifestyle among children.
"This is around fun. We've created a pathway for success and to provide opportunities," Bartlett said.
"[But mainly] it's just to give them exposure, competition, to get them into tennis, get them active and healthy as much as we possibly can.
"We've had some great success here in Canberra since the school development quarter came on board. We've got about 50 per cent of schools now partnered with Tennis ACT which is a fantastic result.
"It means more and more kids are getting access to tennis which is brilliant."
