A NEW £1 million initiative is aiming to build on the success of Andy and Jamie Murray by giving every school child in Scotland the chance to try tennis
The collaboration between the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA), LTA Tennis Foundation, Tennis Scotland, sportscotland and the Scottish Government aims to see the organisations working to grow tennis in Scottish schools.
It is hoped the project will build on the inspiration provided by the likes of the Murray brothers, and will give every schoolchild in Scotland the opportunity to experience the game.
Health Secretary Neil Gray joined Scottish tennis star Anna Brogan and pupils from Inch View Primary School in Perth on Monday to take part in the school’s first tennis session delivered through the project.
Gray said: “The popularity of tennis is continuing to grow in Scotland with our young people inspired by the fantastic achievements of our tennis stars at the highest level of the sport.
“We want more young people to have the opportunity to play tennis and this additional funding will widen access across schools by giving every pupil the chance to pick up a racket and ball.”
The partnership will see the LTA, LTA Tennis Foundation, sportscotland and the Scottish Government invest more than £1m into tennis in Scottish schools.
The investment will ensure every school in Scotland has access to a comprehensive support package, including teacher training and equipment that will allow them to deliver introductory tennis sessions in gym halls during and outside the school day.
It will also create pathways for children to continue to play tennis outside of their school by creating links to local clubs, parks, and other venues with affordable programmes.
Scott Lloyd, LTA chief executive, said: “We are proud to be putting this investment into Scotland to build on strong participation growth and capitalise on the inspiration of Andy Murray to ensure every Scottish child, no matter where they come from, has the opportunity to play tennis.
“Tennis is a sport for everyone, and we know that getting it into more schools is the best way to introduce kids to the game.”
Sportscotland, Scotland’s national agency for sport, invests Scottish Government and National Lottery resources to build a sporting system for everyone in Scotland.
Forbes Dunlop, chief executive of sportscotland, said: “It’s fantastic to see our National Lottery investment brought to life through this session at Inch View Primary.
“Our aim is to deliver free tennis in schools right across the country, breaking down some of the barriers to participation and building on the growing success of tennis in Scotland.
“This is a great example of how working with partners like the LTA, Tennis Scotland and Scottish Government, supported by existing networks across the sector, can help us achieve our aims and deliver significantly more opportunities for children and young people to try tennis and get more active.”
It is estimated 280,000 children currently play tennis in Scotland every year, around 40% of the population.
Blane Dodds, chief executive of Tennis Scotland, said: “Inspiring the next generation is important to ensuring tennis in Scotland continues to grow, so we’re excited to be putting a racket in the hands of more schoolchildren across the country.”
