Members of the Tennis West participation team embarked on a memorable journey to the stunning Cocos Islands. The team, armed with their passion and a dedication to fostering a love for tennis, provided a range of activations and sessions to local schools and the community.
With a backdrop of palm-fringed beaches and crystal-clear waters, the Cocos Islands are located approximately 3,000 kilometres north of Perth in the Indian Ocean.
The trip was aimed at increasing Tennis West’s presence in regional areas to service, support and sustain our sport.
The team delivered tennis to over 150 students and 40 adults across the two islands ranging from Introduction to Hotshots Community Coaching workshops, local tennis club activations, cardio tennis and junior cardio clinics, school clinics and a spontaneous kids birthday party.
The Introduction to Hotshots Coaching Workshop, suitable for club volunteers and parents, gave participants the opportunity to experience Tennis Hot Shots activities for blue and red stage players on court using modified balls, racquets, nets and courts appropriate to the developmental needs of these players. Participants were shown a variety of different drills and activities that can be used to teach tennis to the masses in a more contemporary over traditional style.
The team conducted sessions in local schools, where students had the opportunity to try their hand at tennis. These sessions not only introduced the sport to the younger generation but also emphasised the values of discipline, dedication, and sportsmanship that tennis embodies.
The team also met with the Shire of Cocos Island to summarise the success of the trip and set up a succession plan for future visits.
Tennis West Development Lead for Regional North Sam Gulliver highlighted the success of the trip and value for visiting the island.
“Being able to bring our love and passion of tennis to the community was one of the highlights of my tennis coaching career so far.”
“There was a moment where we were running a community activation and we had such a variety of different people from children to parents, and grandparents giving tennis a go. It was the epitome of why I love my job so much, seeing sport really bringing everyone together as a community,” said Sam.
The trip acted as a catalyst for potential future collaborations and development programs, with Tennis West committed to providing ongoing support to nurture tennis talent in the region.
Tennis West Development Officer for Metro North Joel Pleydell said it was such a special opportunity to be a part of and fantastic to witness such high levels of engagement and connect with so many different people.
“Sport is often regarded as an important part of bringing a community together and as such, we were able to use tennis as a conduit for the Cocos Island community for the creation of expression and social capital,” said Joel.
Services provided by The Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries to the Indian Ocean Territories are fully funded by the Australian Government through the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications Division.
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