To: Daily Herald From: Brenda Carty Date: July 13, 2000
The Coca Cola Tennis Tournament is held in St. Lucia every year and this year 6 of the best players from the Anguilla Tennis Academy were able to participate.
In the Under 18 category, Samek Connor, Jerome Richardson and Marvin Hazell will be representing Anguilla.
In the Under 12 group, Shervell Richardson, Calyde Hughes and Shelissa Williams are entered.
The team was chosen by Mitch Lake and Damien Hughes from the over 150 children who participated in this summer's tennis camp.
The accommodation and entry fees for the tournament are sponsored by the Tennis Academy with a donation of US $2,000. Sponsors for the trip include Scotiabank, National Bank of Anguilla, the Caribbean Commercial Bank, All Island Cable Television, Anguilla's Commercial Online Registry, Benjamine Company Services and Barclay's Bank.
This is the third year that a team from Anguilla has participated in the tournament.
Coach Damien Hughes, who accompanied the players was delighted at the results and told The Anguillian, "The performance of the players shows the level of training from the camp and I hope for more support so that the children can continue to do well." He said the team has all performed with Calyde Hughes reaching the semi finals in the under 12 boys group and Samek Connor reaching the quarter finals in the boys under 18 tournament. The team was chosen following the recent Tennis Camp organized by Mitchelle Lake and Damien Hughes that gave coaching to more than 150 children for three weeks.
"I am very proud of the contingent for being great ambassadors of the sport and Anguilla. The success of our players indicates that the Anguilla Tennis Academy is making positive strides towards the development of young children," said Mitch Lake.
Sponsoring the travel to St. Lucia for the players were Scotiabank, the National Bank of Anguilla, The Caribbean Commercial Bank, All Island Cable Television, Anguilla s Commercial Online Registry, Benjamine Company Services and Barclays Bank. The Anguilla Tennis Academy paid for the accomodations and entry fees of the players.
For more about Tennis Camp 2000, Click Here.