By Treiston Joseph
The Guyana Tennis Association (GTA) in collaboration with the Ministry of Education (MOE) Unit of Allied Arts Department yesterday launched an International Tennis Federation (ITF) Tennis Tens programme for primary schools while distributing sports gear to secondary schools at the Kayman Sankar and Company Ltd compound in Hampton Court, Essequibo.
The gathering consisted of 15 teachers representing nine primary schools – Capaburi Primary, Lima Sans Primary, Better Hope Primary, Taymouth Manor Primary, Queenstown Primary, Ulele Primary, Tapacuma Lake Primary, Good Hope Primary and Marlborough Primary.
They were praised for being “punctual” by President of the GTA Christopher Ram in his opening remarks, as he noted their timeliness which is not normally shown by Guyanese at such events.
Meanwhile prior to Ram’s remarks five secondary schools, namely Anna Regina Secondary, Aurora Secondary, Cotton Field Secondary, Charity Secondary and Abrams Zuil Secondary, were not a part of the Tennis Tens programme but received sports gear which included basketballs, footballs, volleyballs, badminton sets, whistles and stop watches in aid of the CXC/CSEC Physical Education (PE) programme from the head of the PE Department in the Unit of Allied Arts of the MOE, Nicholas Fraser.
However, the Tennis Tens programme which was conducted by Shelly Daly-Ramdyhan who is a certified ITF Level Two tennis coach and national player, Leyland Leacock began with the familiarization of the types of tennis balls for beginners and pros, beginners rackets along with a beginners net.
The teachers were then introduced to hand-eye coordination drills which Ramdyhan identified as one of the most important things for the young kids to learn. They then introduced the teachers to mini-competitions that could help the children learn the game of tennis while having fun. After a lunch break a beginner’s manual for the game of tennis was given to each teacher while Ramdyhan pointed out some facts about the game and explained the modified scoring system of the ITF to the teachers. Ramdyhan then closed by thanking the teachers for being good students and expressed confidence that they can help develop tennis talents in Essequibo along with the help of the GTA.
Meriette Roberts gave the vote of thanks on behalf of all the teachers and promised “vibrant tennis players” to be produced in Essequibo.
Ram in closing thanked the teachers for their support of tennis and advocated that “tennis is not how expensive you dress or the expensive gears you could buy but it’s how you play the game. Tennis is played in courtesy and competitively and this you must explain to your pupils along with the importance of punctuality, respect for the game and equipment,” he added. Stabroek Sport along with Ram was impressed by the enthusiasm shown by the teachers especially Mirenda Cornelius who lives some 50 miles up the Pomeroon River and teaches at the Ulele Primary School in Carawab village, Upper Pomeroon, which according to Cornelius is the last village in that area.
When asked by Stabroek Sport if the travelling was worth the knowledge Cornelius said: “The programme was very beneficial and the students will be exposed to competitions especially in the interior areas and who knows maybe they can turn out to be good players.”
Meanwhile according to Ram the GTA will host a follow-up to the programme in two months with the hopes of hosting a mini-competition for the young children.
