23 June 2016 | Tennis Victoria

Three Victorian female tennis coaches were recognised for their hard work and dedication this month, with Sam Stosur awarding the first three recipients of Tennis Australia’s coaching scholarships for women.

The world No.14 and Australia’s No.1 ranked female tennis player, Stosur was on hand to present Maria Bailey (Berwick), Ellie Baxter (South Yarra) and Grace Primilyrlidis (Kingsbury) the scholarships in recognition for their passionate endeavours in coaching.

For Stosur, it was a thrill to see women recognised for not only being involved in the sport, but playing a huge role in the development and future of younger players.

“It’s obviously nice to see some more women getting involved. We are 50 per cent of the population and women like to play sport,” Stosur said.

Earlier this year, Tennis Australia’s Head of Women’s Professional Tennis Nicole Pratt introduced a number of scholarships for female coaches in tennis, in order to promote and encourage further participation and opportunities for all genders.

Thirty-five scholarships are on offer, with Maria, Ellie and Grace the first to be rewarded. Stosur commended the ladies for their involvement, as well as the initiative to applaud women leading from the front.

“It was great to meet Maria, Ellie and Grace. They’re all really passionate about tennis and I’m sure they’ll be terrific coaches and mentors,” Stosur said.

“Providing scholarships and getting more women into coaching is a powerful initiative and I look forward to seeing more women in coaching at all levels of the sport.”

Scholarships are awarded in four coaching categories: junior development, club professional, master club professional and high performance.

Our Victorian girls will undertake coaching courses in a supportive and innovative learning environment, with access to mentoring and networking opportunities.