The GB Tennis Girls Coach Drive launches this March with the first courses being held in Essex. The coach drive's main aim is to get more girls and women into coaching. GB Tennis Girls founder, Victoria Davies, tells us that "lack of female role models at tennis clubs, and playing in groups with boys, is a big deterrent to young girls just starting the game."
GB Tennis Girls are delighted that thanks to a new funding partnership, we can now offer the Nike Community Coach Award free of charge and the Mark of a Pro course for £200 to girls who are 16 plus. "
On offer is a one- day course "Street Tennis", which would be ideal for those just starting out assisting mini tennis or for school teachers who have to teach tennis to whole classes at a time. The Nike Community Coach Award is a three-day course, and is an NVQ level 2 in activity leadership. Those with ratings of 7.2 and higher can go on from the Community Coach award to the Mark of a Pro course (DCA equivalent) and earn a coach license for just £200.
Currently, over 80% of all professional tennis coaches are men, and this fact, combined with the higher participation rate of boys, means that girls are playing tennis in very male-dominated environments. This often discourages girls from taking up tennis, hinders their development, and shortens their longevity in the sport. Sport England confirms these findings: in Britain, 40 per cent of girls drop out of all sporting activity by the time they are 18. Not only is it sad that British girls aren’t enjoying the many health and social benefits of being involved in sport, but these reasons also contribute to our lack of British female tennis stars.
GB Tennis Girls have also identified a previously excluded group by creating the Nike Community Assistant Coach Award with the RPT. For the first time, 14 year olds can earn a legitimate qualification and be insured when working at their local clubs. Clubs and coaches often use junior players to assist with mini tennis, yet until now, there has been no course for them until they are 17 years old. Davies adds, "we’ve included this age group because it is the very age at which girls tend to get disillusioned and drop out and tennis needs to try to keep these girls involved.”
Sue Tiballs, Chief Executive of the Women’s Sports and Fitness Foundation, comments, “The WSFF wholeheartedly supports any initiative that aims to increase the number of women in coaching. Growing the number of female coaches often has the positive side-effect of providing a more comfortable environment for women wanting to play the sport. We hope that the GBTG scheme will therefore result in more women and girls discovering and enjoying tennis."
The first course is being held on 22nd March and 4th and 5th April and is for women only, but the 2nd one, being held on the 23rd, 24th and 25th May, is mixed. The Mark of a Pro follow up will be held in June after A-level examinations are over. If you wish to register for any of these courses please email vdavies@gbtennisgirls.com.
Course 1 - Old Chigwellians Club (venue tbc)
March 22nd, April 4th, April 5th
cost to under 16s = £50
FREE to 16 year olds and older*
Course 2 - (venue tbc) (male and female course)
May 23rd, 24th, 25th ,
cost to under 16s = £50
FREE to 16 year olds and older*
*Free courses are available to those who are 16 and finished with compulsory schooling.
GBTG plan to offer more courses around the country in the coming months. All players should register their interest even if they are unable to make the courses in Essex.
for more information contact:
Jo Ward
Communications Manager
jward@gbtennisgirls.com
07931-167780
