The Nassau GuardianSend an emailMay 17, 2022 243 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email

The Bahamas Lawn Tennis Association’s (BLTA) Play Tennis Bahamas Program continues to produce positive results.

The program resumed this month and this portion is set to run through the middle of June. The objective of the program is to introduce children to tennis, starting play from the first day in a fun environment. With the organization of these sessions consistently, the program boasts in excess of 400 entries with approximately 300 unique hits.

The conversion rate is also positive with kids entering after-school programs, and participating in extended tennis classes. The program is also a path for persons who always wanted to play tennis but never had an opportunity. It sparks interest generally and ignites a tennis fire in many ways.

“We hope that many tennis journeys are birthed from this introductory program of the association,” said a BLTA spokesperson through a press release. “The results are a testament to sustained and committed work by the BLTA via the program.”

The program has been offered at no cost for children ages 5-17 for the last four years. Registration has been a minimal $1 fee and that has been seeded back into building the program. All the tennis equipment are provided at no charge, and the sessions are held at the BLTA’s National Tennis Centre.

The attraction to the sport of tennis continues to grow at all levels in the country as these developmental programs expand.

BLTA President Perry Newton, who has organized the program over the past four years, remarked on the growth and the potential. A total of 100 youngsters participated in the last session of the program which culminated with its first tennis festival.

“We hope to have many more festivals. For the past two weeks, we have reached approximately 40 participants. The demand is high and we encourage those who can help in any way to come out and be a blessing in some child’s tennis journey,” said the BLTA president. “The program would not be possible without the volunteer coaches who continue to give back to tennis and to the nation. We are building a foundation for the future as these kids will be a part of the next generation of players.”

This junior tennis initiative by the BLTA will aid to tennis sustainability as juniors are added to the ranks by the hundreds. The program is expected to reach the 300 mark in June.

Interested persons wishing to be a part of this tennis initiative for themselves, or their children, or wishing to assist in any way possible to the building up and growth of the sport, can send an e-mail at the address pr@blta.net.