BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – LOCAL tennis officials are pleased with the level of support they are receiving from junior players and their parents towards the recently launched National Junior Tennis League (NJTL).
At a press conference in March for the launching of the NJTL, President of the St. Kitts-Nevis Tennis Association, Watkins Chiverton explained that the League is being used as vehicle to further develop the sport in the Federation.
To enhance the sport discipline, the executives of the SKNTA is beginning with juniors, and according to Chiverton, the NJTL initiative “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 that the NJTL seeks to extend and put tennis where it needs to be at the primary level, which is the grassroots including those 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 years old.
President Chiverton noted that three weeks into the inaugural event, they are encouraged by the level of participation and response from parents.
He said within that time span they have been able to register 36 children, who have consistently participated in the event.
“The programme has been very successful from launch to date. We are up to 36 children who are registered, and the children right now are at their various skill levels as well the age levels.”
He noted that there are six coaches currently assigned to working with the children in the various age categories.
According to the President, based on their current measurement it is “success”.
“So, for now, we can say that our measurement of success that having 36 children registered and consistently coming is testimony to that, and we just want to continue building on these successes,” Chiverton added.
Chiverton expects the numbers to increase in the coming weeks and noted that they anticipate reaching over 100.
