Racquets just ace

By Jessica Howard

Prep students from Bacchus Marsh Primary School have been served up 130 new tennis racquets.

Todd Woodbridge, a 22-time grand slam Australian tennis champion, visited the school to present the racquets on Friday (May 5), as part of a school partnership program between Tennis Australia and ANZ Bank.

“The racquet initiative is a fantastic way to introduce and encourage more kids to play tennis and find the future champions of our sport,” Mr Woodbridge said.

“In just two years ANZ has helped us introduce tennis to kids in schools by delivering 80,000 racquets across the country, which is an amazing achievement”.

Following the racquet presentation, Woodbridge and students took part in an on-court clinic.

Mr Woodbridge said the program offered primary school students the opportunity to play tennis as part of their curriculum and to keep active and fit.

Lisa Hurst, from Bacchus Marsh Primary, said the school joined the National Tennis Partnership Program at the start of 2015.

“Each year we deliver the bank hot shots program for 5-6 weeks to all of our students at BMPS, of which there are over 900 students.

“This takes place in term four during their PE session”.

Ms Hurst said Tennis Australia had worked closely with curriculum experts to help teachers in the delivery of coaching.

“They have also provided the school with tennis racquets, nets, balls and other equipment for free, to help us set up and facilitate our program”.