The Goolagong National Development Camp was held in Melbourne recently for indigenous youth, aged 10 to 21 years, who display potential to progress to the elite level of tennis and/or coaching.
The Northern Territory was represented by: Jessica Ah Chee, Kyle Hampton, Nathan Hawke, Stephanie Long, Natalie Roe and Tarlina Tipungwuti. Matt Ansell from Alice Springs who is currently undertaking his Junior Development Coaching qualification also attended the camp.
Approximately 20 indigenous youth from across Australia attended this year’s annual camp hosted by Australian tennis legend Evonne Goolagong Cawley.
“This is my third year at the camp,” Hawke said. “Tennis NT introduced me to the idea of coming to the Goolagong National Development Camp, and then I saw it as a goal that I wanted to achieve.”
Due to this year’s camp coinciding with the Australian Open 2011, Goolagong Cawley arranged a special Rod Laver Arena centre court experience to help inspire this next generation of indigenous tennis players.
“It’s a great experience,” Hawke expressed. “It’s completely different to play in an arena, where you can see all the seats around you and feel the sorts of pressure that the professional players would be under with everyone watching.”
The fundamental goals of the camp are to increase the number of indigenous people playing tennis both competitively and socially, and identify and support young indigenous people who have the potential to play at the elite level and make a career in tennis either as player, coach or administrator.
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