BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE St. Kitts-Nevis Tennis Association (SKNTA) is seeking to build a cadre of local coaches for the sport in the Federation, and has began doing so through the inaugural ‘Play Tennis Coaching Programme’.
The four-day training programme, which ended yesterday (Apr.29), saw over 20 tennis enthusiasts, Physical Education teachers and coaches from both St. Kitts and Nevis in attendance.
Speaking with media reps prior to its commencement, President of the SKNTA, Watkins Chiverton explained the purpose of the programme.
“We have history in the making as we have started the Play Tennis Certification Coaching Course, which is facilitated and coordinated by the ITF Caribbean Regional Coordinator, John Goede...On Monday we are going to culminate everything with an exam.”
The President acknowledged that there is a deficiency in coaches on the islands, a problem that is expected to be rectified with the coaching course.
“Our deficiency right now is coaches to be able to carry on the programme not only in the afternoon sessions but in the schools itself. The aim of the programme is to provide a cadre of coaches who would be certified and, at the same time, will utilise to further develop the game.”
Under the leadership of Chiverton, the St. Kitts and Nevis Tennis Association has been pushing to enhance the sport locally through a number of grassroots programmes.
Chiverton explained that through the coaching initiative there would now be a number of coaches in the Under-12, 14 and 18 divisions in the Federation.
“This is right along the broad objectives [of the SKNTA] and that is to deliver the skill sets to all of the players and to have the requisite coaches who would be qualified to deliver those skill sets and be able to take our players to the next level.
“The programme seeks not just to have tennis 12s, but tennis 14s, 18s and later on an adult programme.”
