The Tribune

THE Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association Play Tennis Course Certification Course for coaches was a huge success!

The course tutor was the International Tennis Federation (ITF) developmental officer for the Caribbean, John Goede.

The course saw a very good representation from the primary school district and the various islands: Abaco, Eleuthera, Grand Bahama and New Providence.

The thirteen participants who benefitted from the course included: Shannon Francis, Mateo Smith, Philip Major Jr., Roy Rivera, Vernon Russell, Danny Rigby, Shirlene Moss, Mechelle Walker, Christine Sinclair, Leonardo Culmer, Brad Wood, Julio Valdez and Leonardo Braynen.

“Teaching of the base of tennis, the instruction, is very important,” Goede said.

“The broader the base the better, the better the foundation, the better the fundamentals that are taught to the individuals, and the better they will be able to sustain and stay in the game for long periods of time.”

Goede also stated that “it is important to create these opportunities so that coaches learn the right way to teach beginners to play the game.”

BLTA president Perry Newton stated that “these coaching certification courses help with the national development of our coaches and athletes.

“We hope to continue to provide these sessions to persons who are interested in helping with the developmental goals of the Association in growing tennis. As we develop coaches the pool of players can expand.”

The BLTA thanked Goede, who visited both Abaco and Eleuthera and was greeted warmly by the respective island association presidents Cameel Mcdonald (Abaco Tennis Association) and Hartie Johnson (Eleuthera Tennis Association).

The BLTA thanked Goede for extending a meeting invitation to both coaches and parents in Nassau despite his very busy schedule.

During the Play Tennis Course, the coaches had a mix of on-the-court instruction and in-classroom training.

“We hope that they will take all that they have learned during the sessions and implement it as they introduce beginners to tennis,” the BLTA said.

“There will also be many opportunities for the coaches to participate in the ongoing BLTA developmental programmes as we make tennis more accessible to all.”