• Prime Video LTA (Lawn Tennis Association) Youth Girls launched to inspire thousands of girls to take up tennis
• North Tyneside team NET 360 among 255 coaches from around Britain now trained to deliver taster tennis sessions specifically designed for girls
• Former British No.1 Laura Robson and former world No.5 Daniela Hantuchova among those who shared experience and insight at four training sessions delivered in February and March
More than 50 girls have already signed up to a new girls-only tennis programme in Whitley Bay this spring.
The courses are being run by local tennis provider NET 360, who deliver coaching at Beverley Park Lawn Tennis Club and Rockcliffe Bowling & Tennis Club, both in Whitley Bay. It is part of a national programme – ‘Prime Video LTA Youth Girls’ – launched to inspire thousands of girls across the country to pick up a racket and play tennis.
The six-week introductory course is packed with games and exercises to build confidence and skills on court, all whilst having fun with friends. The sessions are designed to introduce girls to tennis and motivate them to stay in the sport, based on the LTA’s research and insight into the barriers and challenges facing girls that impact their participation in sport.
Data shows that as children get older, progress through coaching programmes, and into formal competition, the gender split between male and female participants widens. This programme is designed to make tennis more appealing for girls addressing social, psychological and environmental pressures and challenges facing girls, introducing competition in a process rather than outcome focused way.
Carlos Caldeira, Head Coach at NET 360, said: “We have been overwhelmed by the interest in our LTA Youth Girls programme and have already sold out all of our courses. We’re now looking to run more to meet demand.
“I think the girls only element is definitely what has appealed, together with the emphasis on fun and friendships. It’s a great way to get young girls into tennis and we are very lucky at NET 360 to have a team of female coaches and tennis leaders to support with the delivery of the programme. It means our participants have young women as role models, who they can look up to, relate to and communicate more easily with.”
The LTA recently announced positive growth in participation amongst women and girls, and of the 3.63 million children playing tennis in Britain 49% of them are girls. Introducing more girls into the sport but also ensuring that they are provided with an experience that is fun, pressure-free and enjoyable, to develop a positive relationship with tennis and continue to play as they get older, is a key focus. The Prime Video LTA Youth Girls training makes progress to developing a coaching workforce that is mindful of the particular factors involved when coaching young girls.
The Prime Video LTA Youth Girls programme was launched in October 2022 with Prime Video’s reinvestment of the funds generated from sharing the broadcast of Emma Raducanu’s 2021 US Open Final with Channel 4. LTA accredited coaches applied to take part from across Great Britain and having received training will now begin to deliver programmes in their local clubs and venues with equipment and support from the LTA.
Girls aged 4-16 can sign up for the course. It costs £35 for six sessions of coaching, and girls receive a t-shirt, tennis racket and tennis balls so they can continue to practice at home or on their local courts.
Current courses at Beverley Park Lawn Tennis Club and Rockcliffe Bowling & Tennis Club are fully booked, but to register your interest on forthcoming courses, please email hello@net360cic.uk
ENDS
Notes to editors:
For more information, interviews or images, please contact:
Emily James
E. Emily@net360cic.uk
M. 07793 762 879
About NET 360 CIC
NET 360 CIC https://www.net360cic.uk is the leading provider of high quality tennis-based sports activities in schools, clubs and parks in North Tyneside.
Our main venues are Rockcliffe Bowls & Tennis Club and Beverley Park Lawn Tennis Club in Whitley Bay. We have been operating for over 20 years and work with over 600 young people during 30 hours of sports programmes a week.