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A few members of the Tennis West team recently travelled to the Goldfields to deliver a range of tennis activities, coaching sessions and school programs to engage the community and provide guidance and support for the local clubs and schools.
Initially heading to the outback mining town of Laverton, the team conducted a professional development session with a range of community members including police officers and youth workers, with the aim to increase their confidence to continue to teach tennis.
Providing many with their first tennis experience, the team delivered an afternoon of fun games and basic tennis skills to a group of children, many of whom travelled from the Mount Margaret Indigenous Community to take part. The local police department hosted a delicious spread after the session and it was a great opportunity to engage with the community.
Tennis West Club Development Officer – Regional South Scott Culpin said the significance of understanding how tennis is delivered in these regions could not be underestimated.
“Trips such as these are so important to give children in remote regions their first taste of tennis,” said Scott.
“The Goldfields is historically a highly sports-driven region and it was a remarkable experience to be able to spend time with the tight-knit communities and see, first-hand, how integral sport is to their lives.”
In Kalgoorlie, the team led a coaching session for club members as well as an open session for adults and kids alike.
Aiming to drive tennis in schools with the hope of transitioning the children to Goldfields Tennis Club, the team spent time at Hannans Primary School and South Kalgoorlie Primary School and gave over 300 kids engaging and exciting sessions, teaching basic tennis skills as well as running fun games and activities.
Fun Fact: A lump of pure gold the size of a matchbox can be flattened into a sheet the size of a tennis court!