Teachers in the North East are being introduced to an innovative new racket sport born in Switzerland, that is sweeping its way across Europe.
Street Racket is the brainchild of Swiss creator Marcel Straub, who is visiting the region to run workshops for teachers, students and coaches. He has teamed up with North Tyneside sports provider NET 360, to spread the word about the fun and inclusive new sport.
Street Racket is an award-winning, easy to learn sport that uses large wooden bats, foam balls and can be played literally anywhere, anytime, with anyone. It requires no nets, as courts can just be marked out on the ground (indoors and outdoors) using chalk, tape or lines.
Former international squash player Marcel is running workshops at Northumbria University, Beverley Park Lawn Tennis Club in Whitley Bay and Sunderland Tennis Centre, on Sunday and Monday (11th and 12th June). He came up with the idea when arriving in Dominica to deliver table tennis sessions only to find there were no tables!
“I started to draw the outline of the missing tables directly onto the ground with some chalk and before long we had come up with a new racket sport on the floor,” he said.
“The thought of being able to play racket sports with no infrastructure was an exciting one so we developed it further back in Switzerland. Street Racket was born and it has got bigger and bigger!
“We want to bring people together in sport and help build up integration as well as self-esteem for all the players involved. Street Racket reaches out to all, no matter what age group or playing level and it can be enjoyed everywhere.”
Carlos Caldeira, Director of NET 360, said: “We are very excited about welcoming Marcel to the North East to help us build excitement about this fantastic sport.
“We have been delivering free taster sessions in schools and the feedback has been really positive. Teachers love its simplicity, accessibility and the way it encourages pupils to be creative and come up with their own games.
“Over in Switzerland Street Racket is now part of everyday life for schools. Getting people active again is a major priority after the pandemic and we would love to see it become part of school life over here and in communities.”
Marcel is delivering a coaches workshop at Sunderland Tennis Centre in partnership with the LTA (Lawn Tennis Association) from 2pm to 4pm on Sunday, a teachers’ workshop at Northumbria University Sports Centre (Coach Lane Campus) from 9.30am to 11.30am on Monday and a community workshop at Beverley Park Lawn Tennis Club in Whitley Bay from 1pm to 3pm on Monday.
Watch this video for a taste of what it’s all about.
If you are interested in attending or would like more information about Street Racket, please email emily@net360cic.uk
ENDS
Notes to editors:
For more information, interviews or images, or to arrange coming down to any of the workshops, 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 Bowling & 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.
About Street Racket
80 countries played in
2,400 active schools
150,000 players every day
Street Racket wants to make sport available and accessible for anyone, anywhere and anytime. It strongly believes in social responsibility, fostering life skills and engaging in inclusion and integration projects. Street Racket supports the United Nationals’ Sustainable Goals (SDG) and runs projects in developing and emerging countries such as Ethiopia, South Africa, Ghana, Thailand and Cambodia. Street Racket also collaborates with the International Committee of the Red Cross and many other charitable foundations and organisations.
www.streetracket.com