24 September 2020 | Tennis ACT

Over 100 kindergarten students from Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School have received a brand new tennis racquet, signed by the ACT’s top male and female player, Nick Kyrgios and Alison Bai, as part of the ANZ Tennis Hot Shots Racquet Roadshow.

The fourth edition of the ANZ Tennis Hot Shots Racquet Roadshow has a virtual twist this year, with Kyrgios and Bai also providing a video message to the students, along with a Q & A session conducted with Australian tennis legend, Todd Woodbridge. 

The Holy Spirit students received the signed racquets yesterday, with Primary Coordinator, James Farrell saying the kids were extremely excited.

“You could see they were over the moon about it, and I think there will be kids in kindergarten who’ve taken up lessons who will love to take home their own racquet that’s got somebody famous on it.”

Over 100 lucky kindergarten kids from Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School have received a brand new tennis racquet, signed by the ACT's top male and female player, @NickKyrgios and Alison Bai as part of the @ANZ_AU Tennis Hot Shots Racquet Roadshow. #RacquetRoadshow pic.twitter.com/GhoQ9Zk5Nq

— tennisact (@TennisCanberra) September 24, 2020

The school has been running the tennis program for over six years with their own dedicated ANZ Tennis Hot Shots courts.  The kids will have the chance to test out their new racquets with kindergarten set to participate in tennis in Term 4, along with Year 3.

An additional 660 students from 14 schools across the ACT will also receive brand new racquets as part of the initiative from ANZ.

This initiative to introduce more kids to tennis comes as reports continued to be released about declining levels of activity in children.  These racquets will help get kids moving at school, home and in the community.

“There are so many skills that kids can develop at a young age by playing tennis, regardless of whether that’s on the court, in their backyard or even in their lounge room,” said Australian tennis legend Todd Woodbridge.

“Our partnership with ANZ will give another 760 kids across the ACT the opportunity to get active and lead a healthy lifestyle,” Tennis ACT CEO, Kim Kachel said.

“Tennis Australia’s partnership with ANZ has helped us to put more racquets in children’s hand than ever before.”

“We’re really proud of our continued support of tennis at a grassroots level, encouraging Australians to get active and look after their wellbeing,” said Katherine Bray, Managing Director Retail at ANZ.

“Over the past five years this partnership with Tennis Australia has delivered racquets to thousands of communities across the country, helping young kids to get involved in community sports like tennis.”

Thirty-thousand first year primary school students from more than 800 schools across Australia are set to receive brand new tennis racquets as communities return to sport over the coming months.

By December, 170,000 racquets will have been delivered to schools since 2015, thanks to ANZ.

ANZ Tennis Hot Shots Racquet Roadshow fast facts

• The ANZ Tennis Hot Shots Racquet Roadshow will deliver brand new tennis racquets to first year primary school age children across all states and territories in Australia for the fourth consecutive year.
• By the end of 2020, a total of 170,000 racquets will have been delivered to children since 2015, thanks to ANZ
• Tennis Australia’s School Partnership Program aims to give children the opportunity to pick up a racquet and play tennis as part of their health and physical education curriculum

For further information about ANZ Tennis Hot Shots, please visit www.hotshots.tennis.com.au.