BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE St. Kitts-Nevis Tennis Association (SKNTA) served off its inaugural National Junior Tennis League (NJTL) on Saturday (Mar. 16).
The league, which will be held over the next several months, is being used by the SKNTA as a developmental tool for youths across the Federation and will see juniors from 8-18 years competing.
Speaking at a press conference to kickstart the league, President of the association Watkins Chiverton explained that the tournament is part of the body’s broader scope of developing youth talent in St. Kitts and Nevis.
“…this is in keeping with our broad objective and also our strategic goals for 2019, which basically seeks to push forward youth as the focus while at the same time extending tennis to all.”
He said the executives believe that tennis offers an avenue where at-risk children could achieve their full potential.
Chiverton noted that through tennis juniors would achieve their potential at a much faster rate.
“The NJTL seeks to extend and put tennis where it needs to be at the very primary level. That is the grassroots level, where it gives all the young players from 6,7, 8, 9, 10 years old in the tennis 10’s category an avenue to take them a little further,” added Chiverton.
The launch of the league is the second major event the one-year old association has undertaken.
In 2018, the body hosted a tri-nation tournament that involved St. Lucia and Antigua and Barbuda.
The Ministry of Sport has lent its support for the staging of the league, and the Director of Sport, Anthony Whiltshire, noted that it is a welcomed initiative in light of the government expending thousands of dollars to have the Warner Park Coutts resurfaced.
“Hence, we are elated that the tennis association, so ably led by Mr. Chiverton and the rest of the executive, has realised the importance of organising this critical league.
He said the Ministry is encouraged to know that the intention of the association is not only to have matches played only at the Warner Park facility.
Matches will be played at the Warner Park Tennis Courts before moving on to all the playable facilities around the island.
