Young players sought for summer of tennis

MOUNT Prospect Tennis Club is looking for children to grab a racket and play tennis over the summer months.

The sessions, running in term four of this year and term one of next year, will take place on grass courts in Creswick and provide an opportunity for physical activity.

Junior director, Casey Preston, said the club wanted to spread the word about their facilities to the broader community and get more young players involved.

“We find that a lot of people in Ballarat don’t know we’re out here and what great facilities we have,” she said.

“We have multiple competitions and multiple sections with around 100 kids every year.”

There are a range of activities on offer for young people aged five to 18.

“We cater for girls and boys with mixed teams and a Hot Shots program for five to eight-year-olds with an accredited coach,” said Preston.

“We then have a development program for those who have done Hot Shots for a couple of years and have learnt the fundamentals of tennis, that’s generally eight to ten-year-olds.

“From then up we run under 11s, under 14s and under 17s competitions.”

Casey said the club has a friendly atmosphere and many friendships are formed by the children.

“I think the best thing about Mt Prospect is the relaxed environment so a lot of kids can choose who to play with so they can play with their friends,” she said.

“They really enjoy the social aspect and it’s very much a social competition so they can have a bit of fun.”

As well as making new friends, participants can get active and develop their confidence.

“It builds children’s confidence because we’ve had a lot of young kids sign up and are a bit reserved or a bit shy, and they gain their confidence meeting people through the association,” said Preston.

“I’ve got three children that play and their confidence from playing with new people and giving it 100 per cent effort brings out their best.”

To get involved contact Preston on 0417 379 525 or [email protected].