In a commendable effort to engage the community, a well-established local lawn tennis academy is conducting training sessions for primary school students in the city. Led by Sirsean Allain from the Tigers In-Flow Academy, this programme has successfully operated in collaboration with the Sandals Foundation for the past decade.
The primary goal for this year is to provide young players with more match play opportunities, enabling them to accelerate their development. Allain emphasises that the Academy’s mission extends beyond tennis skills; it aims to raise students to a level where they can potentially earn sports scholarships.
Recognizing that not all students are academically inclined, the academy ensures a comprehensive journey from primary school through university. The sports initiative, aptly named “Welcome to the Jungle,” receives support from Sandals. By introducing tennis at the grassroots level within the Castries basin schools, students gain exposure to the sport.
The impact has been significant, with thousands of children introduced to tennis. Recently, 40 students from Ava Marie Primary School participated in rigorous basic training modules at the Wriggler Tennis Facility in George V Park. The program caters to all schools in the Castries basin, and this year, a league and tournament play will be added to track students’ progress.
Sessions last 45 minutes to an hour, with schools accessing the courts by bus or walking from nearby locations. Notably, the project has seen increased participation from girls, with over 100 registered from Ave Maria Primary School. RC Boys Primary, Methodist Primary, Anglican Primary, Carmen Renee, and other institutions round off the impressive total of approximately 400 students involved in this enriching program.
Allain mentioned that the programme runs all year-round to accommodate students from various schools. With the introduction of League play, they hope to rebuild the tennis community on the island.
The programme operates during the school term, and they anticipate new participants. The goal is to have players compete at the national level and progress from there.
As for an Inter-Schools Lawn Tennis competition, proposals were presented to the ministry for an Inter-Sec and Inter-Primary Schools tournament about a year ago. The focus is not only on Inter-Sec but also on establishing an Inter-Primary competition to develop the athletic base on the island, similar to the success of Island Champs in track and field at the primary and secondary school levels.