To: Daily Herald From: Brenda Carty Date: July 25, 2002
ANGUILLA-Five of the visiting coaches for the Anguilla Tennis Academy met with members of the press on Thursday. Mitchelle Lake, Director of the Academy introduced the coaches who have been in Anguilla for one week assisting with the programme that involves 170 children and is taking place at the Malliouhana and Carimar tennis courts.
Lake said that this is the seventh year the camp has taken place and he feels that there is now a dire need on the island for more tennis courts. He said there is a great desire among the children to improve their game but this is difficult with just three public courts. He wants the programme to expand and for tennis to become part of the school curriculum.
Chris Wade who was formerly a coach at Cap Juluca and is now coaching at a large tennis facility in Texas, is assisting with the camp in Anguilla for the second year. He explained that they are teaching technique, the fundamentals of tennis, drills and strategy to the young groups. He noted that there is definite talent among the group and he can identify children who could become professionals of the game if given the opportunity.
Another coach, Bill Riddle from Tennessee, says he wants to start an exchange programme so that some of the Anguillian children could go to Tennessee to gain more exposure and see what it takes to become a top player. He said that in learning the game of tennis many life lessons are learnt.
There are ten children at the camp from the USA, St Kitts and Puerto Rico and these will have the opportunity to play in matches against 25 Anguillian children to expose them to match play and to improve their game.
Jonathan Collazo, a coach from Puerto Rico, said that he would like to start an exchange programme with children there as that will benefit all those involved. Jonathan Francis from St Kitts and Tim Treat from Colorado are coaches also assisting in the programme.
The camp ends on Friday with the presentation of trophies to winners of the matches and certificates and medals to all the participants.
Michelle Woodruff and Les Brown