ANGUILLA
The Ronald Webster Park was swarming with children on Monday morning when
Anguilla�s tennis academy opened. 175 children and young people from six to eighteen years were there, keen to start learning the game of tennis or improve on their present skills. For the third year the tennis academy has been organized by Mitchelle Lake and is being sponsored by BET (Black Entertainment Television), as well as many local sponsors. Wilson Sporting Goods are additional sponsors this year and have been very generous, and also Carson Products, which manufacture hair products.
The Academy Director is Mitch Lake, assisted by Shawn Romney and Damien Hughes, who is the Tournament Director. The three are all Anguillian students on tennis scholarships in the USA and are keen to share their talents with the young people of Anguilla. The camp opened on Monday 6 July and will continue until 7 August on a daily basis each morning from 8.30 until noon, in three age groups. In the evenings, from 5.00 p.m. to 6.00 p.m., adults are being invited to benefit from coaching as well.
BET has contributed balls, ball hoppers, skipping ropes racquet string and grips. Wilson sporting Goods also donated balls as well as 54 racquets. In addition they have supplied the coaches with shoes, tennis bags, racquets and grips. Carson Products gave 150 shirts and 200 hats. The Director of Carson Products, Abbey Butler said, "I am very pleased to be able to assist Mitch with his tennis camp. It is important to help the children develop and enhance their skills and understanding, both on and off the tennis courts". The thirty local sponsors have contributed a total of US $4,000.00. All Island Cable Television have been very supportive, Anguilla Printers are printing certificates, Triple K Car Rental are providing a car for one month, Rogers Photo Studio is the camp photographer, Anglec has donated trophies and Caribbean Silk Screen has given generous assistance with printing T shirts. Mitch told the Daily Herald that the Government of Anguilla has also been most supportive of the camp.
An additional event this year will be the visit at the end of the month of four more coaches from the tennis team at Gardner Webb University, Boiling Springs, where Mitch and Shawn are students. They will be assisting with the coaching as well as many other events that will be announced later.