So moving into the 3rd year of Progressive Tennis running tennis programmes in the Waikato region, we thought, right, well it's about time we actually started moving into the 21st Century (especially as we are already 11 years in!) and get with the digital age. So Facebook, finally a website and now our fantastic new blog!
What can you expect from this blog? Pretty much what it says on the left hand side of the page! We will be pulling together stories from the tennis world that will hopefully inspire our young up and coming players, finding out from coaches and players what life is like, but keeping it fresh with local stories from our Mini Tennis Tribe and Tiny Tots also!
Because as the saying goes 'Tennis is a sport for life' - we get stories of child prodigies at 3 whose families have given up everything and moved to a tennis academy for the kids shot at stardom. We hear of players like Kimiko Date-Krumm, who at over 40 is still beating top 10 players on the Tour! But importantly we also now hear of tennis stories in our own back yard. These are the stories I really love. Like the first time we go teach tennis at Primary Schools in Cambridge and it is the first time the kids have held a racket or hit a ball...that is satisfying as a coach. That means tennis is getting out there in the community and finally kids in the area, after a long period of decline in tennis, are now able to at least consider it as a choice!
And it is working! Taking a grassroots approach has meant we now have tennis 'in the community'; a growing base of older players that want to train more, play more, and achieve more. They have chosen tennis as one of, or indeed their only, sport. That makes it so satisfying being part of a super coaching team! And looking at the little superstars we have coming through the mini tennis tribe, well I think the future is safe for tennis in the area. And it is a privilege to be working with so many good players, supportive families in a sports mad country!
The sense of being able to try the sport (through Grasshoppers In School tennis or club tennis) and take it to whatever level you wish to is the most satisfying outcome overall, and as Progressive Tennis that is a value we try and support and live by. Once a week in the Summer is fine with us, if it is fine with you....want to train 6 times a week and before school also...go on then we can do that too!
Our new addition to the Progressive Tennis coaching team arrives on Thursday. Pete Hoyland is a top player in the UK and we are very lucky to have him on our coaching staff. He will be joining the performance side of things mainly at Cambridge Racquets Club, but I am sure he will be able to share his wisdom with many of our players! Next update we will let you know how he is feeling when he arrives - and how we get on sourcing a 'used' car for him! Will also be inviting a couple of guest bloggers as well, details to follow!
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